The blog is back! Review of Laura Mercier's Oil Free Tinted Moisturiser

I'm back, after 3 whole weeks!

Rest assured I slapped myself on the wrists many times when I realised how long it'd been since I last blogged. It seems like it took me a little longer than I thought it would to adjust to normal life again after being away for so long. Life has bit all over the place for the last few weeks whilst I've been catching up with friends and family and getting up to date with everything. But now I've got my nose back to the grindstone...err...keyboard!! 


I don't want my posts to be a let down after my "exciting" travel blogs but, as predicted, in this post I'm back to chatting about makeup - sorry boys! 

However, I am jetting off to New York for a few days on Friday and then I'm heading to Copenhagen to stay with my friend Ellie the following weekend! So fear not, the travel blogs will be making another appearance shortly! 

Anyhoo, back to the post in question. This one is gonna be all about Laura Mercier's Oil Free Tinted Moisturiser. 

  
I've been really pleased with how my skin has been looking since I've returned from my travels. It's been fairly clear and the freckle face invasion is still going strong! So, I decided to ditch the foundation and go for something a little lighter. 

After much research (i.e. reading my favourite blogs!!), I decided to try out the Oil Free Tinted Moisturiser by Laura Mercier - a cult product that features in the 'beauty favourites' list of many bloggers! 

I went to the Laura Mercier counter at John Lewis and explained my situation to the lovely sales assistant. She recommended that I go for the oil free version of the moisturiser to help control my oil prone combination skin during the day. So, she colour matched me with several different shades of the product and we decided on "Porcelain", which is, as predicted, the lightest shade on offer!

Having tried a sample of the Silk Crème foundation from Laura Mercier before, I was concerned about the colour match. The lightest shade of the Silk Crème foundation, "Soft Ivory", was a little too orange/pink toned for my skin. 

I was worried I'd have the same problem with the tinted moisturiser but I was pleasantly surprised to find that the "Porcelain" shade is perfect for my very fair skin (yes, even after 6 weeks of sun!). It comes in 15 different shades so you're likely to find one to suit you! See the swatch of my shade below, borrowed from My Women Stuff.

 http://www.mywomenstuff.com/2010/09/laura-mercier-tinted-moisturizer-spf-20-putting-an-iconic-product-on-trial/

This tinted moisturiser also contains SPF 20, which is great for protecting your skin daily, simply as part of your makeup routine! 

So application...I found that it was easiest to apply the product with my fingers. This is a huge change for me as I'm usually ever faithful to my Real Techniques makeup brushes when it comes to applying foundation. It's really simple to put on, I just popped some on to the tips of my fingers and blended it over my skin - easy! You really don't need a lot either so I'm hoping the tube will last a good while as it's fairly pricey at £34 a pop.

It's quite pigmented for a tinted moisturiser so could be described as more of a sheer foundation. Exactly what I'm looking for at the moment! After I had applied it, my skin tone looked even and it gave me a bit of a "natural glow" (beauty cliché, sorry!). 

I'd say the finish is semi-matte and it gives a light yet buildable coverage. It also works well with other products and accepts things like concealers, blushers and highlighters if you fancy using them for a more 'done up' look.

In the pictures above, I'm literally just wearing the tinted moisturiser. As you can see it gives a natural, barely there makeup look which I'm really pleased with! I've been using it for about a week now and it hasn't made me break out yet, so that's definitely a good sign!

As far as lasting power is concerned, this one is a keeper! It lasts all day and controls shine without any touch ups. It even stays put through my work outs (see post-workout pic below). I am one very happy customer.

 
You can buy Laura Mercier's Oil Free Tinted Moisturiser on the Laura Mercier website or at the Laura Mercier counter in John Lewis (or online here!). I'd highly recommend it for anyone looking to give their skin a bit of a break from heavy foundations, or who's skin has recently started to be a little kinder to them! 

Head to your nearest Laura Mercier stockist and try it today - there are various other foundations and tinted moisturisers to try so I'm sure you'll find the perfect flawless face product for you :) 

Thanks for reading!