Constantly plastering skin in lashings of heavy foundation will do it no favours. Yes, it's nice to get dolled up and achieve a flawless complexion every so often, but as my skin is fairly dry, I turn to tinted moisturiser most of the time. But, not just any tinted moisturiser, the famous Laura Mercier Oil-Free Tinted Moisturiser.

If my skin is looking dull and I have any dry patches, tinted moisturiser is ten times better than foundation. It doesn't exaggerate any rough bits, look cakey or feel tight and heavy. Even though the formula is oil-free, it doesn't leave the skin looking unflatteringly matte and dull. The consistency is creamy, but light and it blends onto the skin so easily to give a non-greasy glow. On the skin, the light cream feels refreshing, softening and velvety smooth. As with most tinted moisturisers, it's super quick to apply, either with fingers or a brush. Using your fingers will give a much more natural look, whilst working the product into the skin with a brush will create more of a flawless finish.


Whilst Laura Mercier's Oil-Free formula provides sheer coverage (but more than some other brands offer in their versions), it tones down any redness and evens out the skin tone, without masking the complexion at all. Other, similar products sometimes add an invisible layer to the skin, which doesn't really add anything to the complexion, but Laura Mercier's cult formula gently blurs any imperfections, without hiding too much. Your skin is visible, but perfected. This base can be built up to achieve more coverage in places where it's needed, but it never looks cakey. A little goes a long way with this product and I usually use around the same amount of this, as I would when applying foundation.

 If you suffer from severe blemishes or imperfections, then you may prefer a high-coverage base, but I would always recommend using a lighter formula such as this tinted moisturiser over your entire face, before using a heavy-duty concealer to just cover the areas that really need it. That way, you don't unnecessarily hide absolutely everything and keep your skin looking as natural as possible.

Whilst the longevity of this tinted moisturiser, and all tinted moisturisers for that matter, doesn't rival a full-on foundation, it's surprisingly long-lasting, fairing well with a few, minor touch-ups here and there throughout the day. If you're looking for a base that remains perfect from day through until evening, without needing any extra attention throughout the day, then this product definitely isn't one for you.

There are twelve shades within Laura Mercier's line, of which I use Nude, and also several different formulas on offer, too: the original, oil-free and illuminating. Even though my skin is on the drier side, I prefer to use the oil-free formula, which still delivers a dose of moisture, but lasts longer on my skin than the original.

Do you like using tinted moisturisers?

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