Tinted Moisturizer For That Unmade Up Look! By L_Myer on Apr 29, 2009 - Updated Oct 15, 2011

A couple of years ago, some gal pals who lived in big cities (with big department stores and specialty cosmetic boutiques) began raving about Laura Mercier make-up, and in particular Mercier's Tinted Moisturizer. Living in a sunny, humid area where, after a day's wear, my make-up sagged at my chin like a pair of cheap pantyhose, I was anxious to find a “holy grail” foundation that provided just the right amount of coverage and SPF protection. After hearing so many positive reviews and seeing how this “barely-there” product looked on the face of one of my friends, I too gave Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer a try.

My luck with tinted moisturizers had been hit or miss in the past. The ones I had tried ended up turning my face into one big oil slick or gave the impression that I went bonkers with the sunless tanning lotion. Worst case scenario was that my skin started to break out with use of some products, because I was hard-pressed to find a tinted moisturizer that was oil-free. Fortunately, Laura Mercier's tinted foundation comes in an oil-free formulation. This alone solved my problem with break-outs right off the bat.

Because this was impossible to find in my city, I relied on Laura Mercier's official website for advice on which color to pick that would be suitable for my skin tone. The gracious customer service representative was able to match up the foundation that I was currently using with the color in the Tinted Moisturizer, ensuring that I wouldn't receive a foundation that was too light or dark, or out of the range of my skin tone (e.g., too pink). This gave me the confidence to order a product that I had never seen, much less sampled.

The first thing I noticed about Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer was that a “little dab'll do ya.” It takes less than a pea-sized amount to cover my entire face, because it goes on so easily (a big plus, as this product is a little on the spendy side). The tinted moisturizer provides a “dewy” glow to my face without making it look or feel greasy -- no one wants to wear a cosmetic that makes them feel like they've been shoved into a vat of motor oil, face first! I was pleased with its longevity and the very light hint of color it provided that smoothed out the slight discoloration on my face. It provides only a very light coverage, so this is probably more suitable for those not trying to camouflage pronounced acne scarring or facial discoloration. But even if you are, Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer is still a great light foundation to quickly apply before errand-running or attending a casual social event.