"Undercover" Laura Mercier Experience...

Don't ever tell Mr MizzWorthy I told you this (he might get smug), but sometimes its good to be proved wrong.

My first foray into Laura Mercier makeup at the recent Selfridges beauty night
was somewhat hackle raising, and I was so riled about that, that I took against the foundation I bought, and slapped it on fully expecting (and maybe a teeny tiny bit hopeing?) that it would be yet another let down to be consigned to the dusty realms of my "expensive mistake" face product drawer along with MAC studio sculpt and NARS powder foundation (which should just be sold as a pressed powder in my humblest of opinons...)

Anyway, I had to eat major humble pie when I realised that the foundation is actually really rather good and I like it lots goddamnit! The wannabe undercover journalist in me started thinking that maybe I should take the MUA up on her offer to teach me "how to do my makeup properly", so I waited until the "Trafford Centre Urge" came over me, and hotfooted it down to Selfridges, where the same MUA was on counter, and as luck would have it, the beauty hall was extremely quiet for once...

Firstly the MUA actually remembered me from the beauty event - a good start!
She also seemed to be happy to spend time taking me through an entire face routine "lesson" from cleansing and prepping the skin, to creating a base and doing (natural) eyes/lips/cheeks. She was very chatty and friendly throughout, and far less insistent that if I bought product A I therefore HAD to get brush B to apply it etc etc. I even commented that I wasn't really happy using the sponges she sold me with the foundation as application took too long so I was using my fingers instead, and she didn't get pushy over that either - just advised me that if it worked for me then it was the right thing...

I asked to be shown how to create a natural "work suitable look" as I can easily whip up a night-time or dramatic look, but have less of a knack with understated looks. She started off by taking me through a cleansing routine and prepping the skin, followed by applying a moisturising primer. She then applied the foundation I'd picked up the other day with her trusty sponge (she did this lightening fast by the way - possibly practice makes perfect with a sponge then!?), and applied secret concealer to the undereye area and showed me how to use the secret camouflage kit to conceal a few blemishes. She then took me through the "LM" Method of powdering - ie using a powder puff to "press" loose transluscent powder into the foundation rather than swirling a brush over it (which effectively just dusts the fine hairs on your face, and can streak foundation). This is not a new technique to me - I was shown how to press-set with a brush by the lovely Illamasqua MUA's and it works an absolute treat...

She then applied a very natural shade of Second Skin blusher in, Winter Bloom a shade I'd never have chosen in a million years, but I was genuinely surprised by how lovely it looked on - Just a really natural hint of colour on the cheeks with zero drama but maximum effect. Again, not a mention of having to buy any special brushes - a very positive thing in my eyes.

When it came to eye makeup, I played dumb and made out I didn't even know how to hold a makeup brush (OK, I'm exaggerating, but you get my point...). I was walked through a basic eye shadow layout and shown which colours would make the most of my eye colour, with the MUA doing one eye and me doing the other. Ok, so I didn't learn anything new, but she was really patient and helpful, and managed to make me feel comfortable tightlining the upper lash line etc in front of her.We finished off with a slick of moisturising lipstick in a rosewood shade...

I was then added to the customer database so she could let me know about up and coming events etc - and furthermore there was ZERO pressure to buy any of the products what-so-ever - I mean seriously, I would have felt entirely comfortable walking away with nothing.

Although obviously I didn't...

I picked up the blusher and the Camouflage pot (a mini version of the secret camouflage concealer duo and secret brightening powder)

So my thoughts - I liked the look she/we created - perfect for work etc, and like I say, the MUA seemed a lot nicer and more approachable this time around - I'd happily go back again.

If you are a fan of natural looks done well, and you fancy a change from Bobbi Brown etc, Laura Mercier is well worth checking out - the products are very good quality, and it seems if you catch the MUA's at quiet times you get a much more enjoyable service/experience. I'll obviously post my thoughts on the concealer and blusher after I've given them a decent test...

So, anyone else had any exeriences with Laura Mercier - good or bad? We the public need to know!

MizzWorthy xxx