I am not really big fan or fan at all of Laura Mercier, and honestly I do not have really god explanation for that. I just haven't had a chance to try a lot of her products. Competition on the beauty market is fierce and I always end up getting stuff from other brands before I even look at LM. But I do think she has some really good basic items like her tinted moisturizers, primers... I also had sample size of her face exfoliator and I loved it. Today I would like to show you two of the primers I have from her line.
Just as a painter primes a canvas, Foundation Primer—the original—was created by Laura Mercier in 1995 to prime the skin. After creating the industry’s first primer, she “reinvented” it and made another version perfect for drier, dehydrated skin and customers who needed more hydration, moisture, and conditioning. She added soothing hydrators that offer anti-inflammatory benefits, help hold water in the skin, and nourish with a moisture-rich vitamin formula. The colorless gel acts as a buffer to outside elements, while vitamins A, C, and E act as antioxidants and protect the skin from the harmful, aging effects of the environment.
Having dehydrated skin makes makeup application not so easy and barely any foundation looks good on dry, flaky skin. I am always on a hunt for good foundation primer that would smooth the skin, and at the same time give light boost of moisture before I apply foundation. Laura Mercier's Hydrating foundation primer is actually very good at it. It is lightweight - almost like gel texture, absorbs fairly quickly (not as quick as Smashbox hydrating primer) and leaves skin soft and silky to touch. It is not silicone heavy (it does have dimethicone) but it's barely noticeable which I really like. I do not like primers that you can feel right away huge amount of silicon. Since the texture is so thin and kind of watery you need a tiny bit of product, because it spreads out very easily. I feel that it works well with every foundation I've tried - I especially like it under MAC Studio fix fluid or MAC Prolongwear. I think I prefer Smashbox hydrating primer (reviewed here ) over this one just for faster absorbing time and for a fact that works great on any skin type, while with LM I feel this could only work for normal , dry and eventually combination skin (maybe on dry cheeks?). Big plus is the size which is 1.7 oz or 50ml while most of the primers on the marker are 1 oz or 30ml. Price is grea for the quality and the amount you get - 33$.
Water (Aqua), Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Water,
PEG/PPG-18/18, Dimethicone, Sodium PCA, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sucrose Distearate,
Cyclohexasiloxane, Polysilicone-11, Phenooxyethanol, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Xylitylglucoside,
Caprylyl Glycol, Anhydroxylitol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, C30-45 Alkyl Cetearyl Dimethicone
Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Xylitol, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Sorbic Acid,
Propylene Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Tripotassium EDTA, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Tocopheryl
Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Hyaluronic Acid, Allantoin, Ascorbyl Palmitate,
Saccharomyces/Xylinum Black Tea Ferment, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Aloe Barbardensis Leaf Extract,
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Potassium Sorbate, Butylparaben,
Ethylparaben, Isobutylparaben. May contain (+/-): Mica (CI 77019), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891),
Carmine (CI 75470).
Radiance primer is a version that added soft highlights, luminosity, and radiance to skin. A lightweight, creamy vitamin-rich gel that prepares the skin for makeup application, it creates an even, invisible layer that acts as a buffer to outside elements and expertly holds foundation. This water-based formula not only keeps makeup staying fresh and color-correct for hours but also helps perfect skintone over time.
Radiance primer is actually the first one I bought after receiving small sample from Sephora that immediately blew me away. It has lightweight lotion texture that blends easily and since it's very pigmented you need tiny bit. It has beautiful peachy bronze color without really obvious shimmer, it's more of a glow. I am sure this will look differently on different skin tones and on my ghostly pale skin it gives more of a bronze glow. I use it under the foundation, all over. It just makes my foundation slightly darker and more glowy. This would look even nicer mixed directly with liquid foundation prior to application. Or over the foundation as a liquid highlighter. I am really in love with this one. It also has 1.7 oz or 50ml and retails for 33$ . Packaging is long sleek tube, but I had experienced multiple times leak on the radiance one. It leaks from the tube in the cap. I do not have that problem with the Hydrating primer.
Water (Aqua), Hydrogenated Didecene, Glycerin, Pvp, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Sorbitan Stearate, Mica (Ci 77019), Cetyl Alcohol, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Propylene Glycol Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/ Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Propylene Glycol Isostearate, Glyceryl Isostearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Boron Nitride, Squalane, Caprylyl Glycol, Oleth-25, Ceteth-25, Tocopherol Acetate, Polysorbate 60, Retinyl Palmitate, Tin Oxide, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Triethanolamine, Tropolone, Butylene Glycol, Plankton Extract. May Contain (+/-): Ci 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), Ci 77491 (Iron Oxide).
Have you tried anything from Laura Mercier and are there any other items you would recommend are worth checking out?
