Inside The Box: Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer or Translucent Loose Setting Powder
Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer
By BELLE RODOLFO
WHAT IT IS: A sheer, demi-matte, skin-enhancing tinted moisturizer of cult-classic status, Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer is a cornerstone of the quintessential no makeup-makeup look. It’s oil-free with an SPF of 20, claims to give you non-greasy soothing hydration, effortless even coverage, a healthy-looking skinfinish, and that it stays true to color throughout the time it’s on your skin.
BELLE’S NOTES: This tinted moisturizer from Laura Mercier is a cult favorite for a reason—it doesn’t overpromise yet it fulfills its claims quite impressively. It’s labeled demi-matte but I would look at it more as satin, as it does give the skin a nice, healthy glow.
Coverage is sheer but buildable, and even as you build it up to a second layer, it won’t cake on skin or settle into fine lines. It’s indeed hydrating, although if you have oilier skin, you’ll need to set for it to last a little longer. The most impressive thing about this formula is because of its fairly wide range (for a skin tint type product), shade match is great and it stayed true to color and did not oxidize. The only thing I don’t love is that the scent of SPF is quite apparent.
EXPERT TIP: While this has SPF 20 in the formula, I would still recommend applying a higher sunscreen (40 or 50) especially when you’re exposed to sun whether via windows or leaving the house. For the product to work as actual SPF, the amount you’ll need to apply might be counterintuitive to the lightweight finish and no makeup-makeup vibe the formula is made for. Another pro- tip: if you’re stepping out for something simple like errands where you want to look effortless but still polished, switch out your concealer-only base to tinted moisturizer-only. It evens out skin tone but leaves in natural skin details and under eye coloring.
TRANSLUCENT LOOSE SETTING POWDER
WHAT IT IS: An award-winning, foolproof setting powder that claims
to do almost everything you want in
a setting powder: reduces shine, feels breathable, blurs, smoothens, doesn’t cake, doesn’t flashback, and wears up to 16 hours with a soft matte finish.
BELLE’S NOTES: Through all the setting powders I’ve tried, I still come back
to this one, especially the translucent honey shade. It’s so flattering and it blurs texture using only so little product so you can really avoid caking. And even if you do apply a lot, this setting powder still remains non-cakey. Because it’s translucent, it also plays quite well with color makeup in that it doesn’t fade color and it doesn’t disrupt your base makeup underneath as well.
EXPERT TIP: You don’t need much with this powerhouse formula—try using it to set under the eyes, around the nose, and just the middle of the forehead and see how snatchural your base will look.
