Laura Mercier Oil Free Tinted Moisturiser Product Review

Tinted moisturisers are a mixture of foundation with moisturiser but, the consistency is not as thick as a foundation, it depends on which brand you are using because some can be the same or heavier. It typically provides light coverage with the aim to be more lightweight than your regular foundation.

 I don't like wearing foundation and haven't used foundation that much in my entire life. I never did believe in using foundation to cover up my flaws, I always believed in skin care more as it is the foundation to good make up for the face. Some may disagree but at the end of the day, I go to sleep without make up on and I want to make sure my skin is as good as I can get it.

Laura Mercier offers quite a wide range of colours for a lot of skin tones and is classes as a high-end brand as it is sold exclusively in known department stores such as John Lewis's, Selfridges, House of Fraser and Debenams as well as online on the website. 

Laura Mercier believes in natural colours in make up, which is why she created the flawless range which includes a  collection of colours for tinted moisturisers and foundations.

I decided to try the tinted moisturiser as it's been popular for a long time and it's always highly recommended on youtube, magazines and people who have used it. 

There are 2 choices of tinted moisturiser, one is for oily skin and other is for normal/dry skin. I bought this during spring and I know my skin tends to be oily when the weather starts getting warmer so I thought oil free option was best for me. I don't like knowing the product has oil and will be sitting on my skin for 8+ hours per day, it can cause break outs and blocked pores. 

It promises to:

• give skin a healthy ‘no-makeup’ look with a soft hint of colour that evens and enhances without hiding the skin. This oil-free lightweight formula provides ideal protection from the sun’s harmful, damaging rays with broad spectrum SPF 20 UVB/UVA sunscreen. Perfect for all skin types, especially sensitive or oily skin.

For £33.00 there is 50ml of product in a long plastic tube.

There are 15 shades available and the assistants at the counter can always help you to find your perfect shade.
For me, Porcelain is a little bit too pale and nude is a little too warm so I picked nude which is slightly more golden but once my skin absorbed some sun, the shade was perfect.
 Did you know that when you apply SPF to the face, and when you take photos with a flash, the face is lighter? This product contains SPF 20 and it made more sense for me to buy the shade that was a little darker than lighter as I take photographs all the time and I want to make sure my skin looks as natural as possible.


The screw off lid is based at the bottom of the tube, and the tube can stand on the lid which means the product can be easier to come out of when you dispense it out. However, when it comes to almost the end of finishing this tube, it doesn't stand upwards anymore so you really have to give it a good shake and roll the tube to get the product out.

I did enjoy using this tinted moisturiser at first, but then it became too thick for my face, it felt like my pores were blocked and you do need a top up during the day. Even with powder on top and mist spray to lock in the colour doesn't help. I find that when my face becomes oily, it becomes patchy therefore not reliable. Am not usually carrying my make up for top ups but I cant go out too long without realising the product strips from my face.
I work long hours (most of the time 12+ hours) and I can't rely on having a smooth flawless look with this product.

Pro's:

• 15 shades of colour
• contains SPF 20 which is difficult to find 
•  gives a natural glow
• available in pink and golden undertone shades which is very important to me as it's not often I find my perfect golden undertone shade
• contains no alcohol
•  matte finish
• buildable coverage
• no oxidation
• evens out skin tone and hides flaws
• quite a hydrating formula

Con's:

• consistency is too thick, it sticks to my make up brush and stains my clothes
• strips off my face after a couple of hours which means I need to top up the product on my face
• consistency too watery and dribbles onto my clothes
• quite expensive for a product that doesn't suit me well
•  the scent is quite strong, especially when you squeeze the product out of the tube. I had this experience since my first use and it put me off using it
• 
  

I have a sheer-medium coverage from this and it does not oxidise straight away, however, the colour does strip off after a couple of hours, especially when its warm. I am a NC30-NC35, which is a golden undertone, the nude colour shade is perfect for me. However, during cold season, it hydrates my skin well but not entirely, purely because the consistency is thick.

It hides my dark spots and redness giving me that smooth natural look. I would not recommend this for people who have large red spots as it will not cover that, this is a tinted moisturiser, not the same as a foundation.
This gives me a dewy finish, matte and natural, but it does become oily on my skin therefore I would not recommend to use this in hot weather.


I have used a stippling brush for this as well as my fingers but it becomes too messy and stains inside my nails. It stains my brush and I have to wash it every single day (which is what I should be doing anyway but am a bit lazy sometimes! aren't we all?! ) but the best technique for me would be to use a stippling brush such as the ELF popular strippling brush. 

I personally would not be purchasing this product again because it hasn't made me feel like it's my holy-grail and it's not really benefited my skin as much as I expected. As you can see from my pro's and con's, there are more con's, and sadly it hasn't been my favourite tinted moisturiser that's lasted. However, I am glad I got to try this to see what the hype was all about, sadly it just isn't for me!

XOX

Mac Studio Fix VS The Body Shop All In One Foundation Powder

MAC vs The Body Shop

When it comes to covering my flaws, I like to use a powder foundation than liquid foundation. I have never been a fan of using liquid foundation, the first time I ever tried a liquid foundation was when I was 22 years old, I can still remember not really wanting to go out and buying foundation because the thought of clogging all my pores and applying a thick layer of coloured liquid makes made me shiver! Anyway, I had decided to go buy one as it was the University summer ball and I decided to try foundation to make my skin look flawless as there would be lots of photographs involved!

I first tried powder foundation when I was 25 years old, it was recommended by a wonderful counter seller from Debenams. Since then, I was hooked!! It made my skin so flawless and brighter, I could hide my flaws easily and not have a thick layer of liquid over my face made me have more confidence!!

I see an awful lot of people wearing thick foundation, colour that doesn't even match them totally puts me off. Too much make up really hides the face and I don't agree with that. I don't understand why people go over the top with the make up to look better? Natural features is beautiful in itself, you can contour to make your features stand out and if you have bad skin then why don't you do something about it? Maybe you have tried various products but just haven't found the right ones?

I hate going clothes shopping and there are foundation marks on the items, it totally puts me off trying it on and it's not fair on the stores that have to sell the items.
I feel sorry for those wearing foundation when it's raining or if they sweat! The foundation just starts melting - not a good look lol!!

Powder foundation can come in different shades, pink or yellow undertones.
I find it very difficult to find my correct skin tone as my face is lighter than the rest of my body and I am a golden undertone. I have found my perfect shade from The Body Shop and I have gone back to get it over and over again.

The Body Shop do 2 types of powder foundation, their best seller all in one and also another best seller Extra Virgin Minerals™ Loose Powder Foundation . I have tried both and my favourite is definitely the all in one powder.
For £14.00 per compact, there is 9g (0.3oz) of product, it would last me atleast a month and half if I was to use it every day.
In the stores there are 6 shades, I am shade number 6 which is their darkest. Online, they have 3 extra shades which are the in between's but I find the shade number 6 suits me best as I don't want the shade to be too dark or too light.

It claims to give:

Using Body Shops' all-in-one face powder

• Matte finish
• Velvety feel
• No added fragrance
  
  Which I can clarify all is true. 

 Pro's:

• shade for me is as perfect as it can be, but if my face becomes darker I just apply another layer but no more than 2 layers 
• lightweight feel to the skin, it doesn't feel heavy at all
• light and small compact easy for my handbag
• includes a sponge for application when you're out and about
• affordable high street price for a good quality make up product
• can mix this with a wet brush for a smoother and liquid type foundation (this option I don't use but have tried)
• pink and yellow undertones available in the 6 shades

Con's:

• can become bitty at the end of finished product and they fall out and stain the carpet
• when you apply more than 2 layers on the face, it starts cracking on the face and is very visible to the face especially if the shade isn't correct
•  not enough shades available for every skin tone
• when you use it with a wet brush, it's not easy to have a smooth application on all areas of the face, it can become blotchy which is why I chose not to use it wet

The compared item is one from Mac which is also another world wide company, very famous for it's shades and how true the colours are. A lot of celebrities use Mac and also for important events such as weddings.
Mac offer a wide range of foundations from powder to liquid and the choice of shades is amazing!! Usually the staff at the counters are very helpful and give lots of recommendations in terms of your shades to help you find the right shade and the type of foundation you need. I was recommended the NC25 but the shade was far too light for me. I was disappointed and even after trying the NC25 in the store, I was telling the staff it was too light for me but she says for my skin tone it is perfect and give it a few minutes, the skin will react with the foundation and it will blend in?  I trusted her opinion and after about 4 hours later, the foundation was far too light. I then thought I would try it again at home by using my own brushes but still, not the right shade! I went back to the store and was told I couldn't exchange as it's been opened and used?! In America it is exchangeable but not here in England!

Anyway, after buying more than 1 pot of the Mac Studio Fix Foundation I decided to use the shade which I thought was the correct one for me.
For £20.50 there is 15g / 0.52 US oz of the product which is just over an extra half of the product compared to all in one foundation which is pretty good value for money.

I was recommended to try the Studio Fix Foundation by the staff at the counter and hearing the raved reviews on youtube made me go and buy! 
It claims to:

• Studio Fix is a powder and foundation in one that combines good coverage with ease of application. Designed to be used dry, the powder and pigments create a matte, velvety texture. It contains Silica, which helps to maintain a matte finish by absorbing oils on the skin, as well as Talc to provide a smoother, less reflective, matte finish. The talc has been milled to a microscopic size to provide a beautiful texture while allowing the skin to breathe. It is available in a wide range of colours. It can be applied with a brush, sponge, or a powder puff.

Pro's:

• there are 43 shades for this foundation
• can be used dry or wet
• comes with a sponge
• able to put in my handbag for touch ups

  
Con's:

• too powdery on the skin
  
• flakes off within the hour
• when the skin gets wet or oily like my nose area, the foundation melts off
• I have to mix 2 shades to find the correct shade but it is difficult to find the correct shade even with the wide variety of shades
• when the powder is wet, it goes blotchy - doesn't make the face look like it is covered up completely
• powder fades and becomes blotchy within 4 hours and I have normal combination skin
• colour looks lighter on the skin even after it has set with or without a make up setting spray

mirrors

  

I like the fact there are mirrors in both contacts, it means I don't need to carry an extra item in my bag!

hehe do you like my phone sticker at the back of my phone? hehe!!

As you can see, I have completely finished the one on the right which is from the Body Shop. The one that looks used but not even half used it from Mac. I definitely prefer the Body Shop one just from 1 simple coat of it on my face, or even to use it to set my make up , it works brilliantly.
My skin loves it and I get so much compliments about it!

The quality is definitely different .........

I would not buy the Studio Fix powder ever again, but definately have been repurchasing the Body Shop one over and over again as I love using it to countour, face base, setting powder! All-in-one for me at an affordable price!


XOX