Monday, March 22, 2010

Foundation Shopping Blues

Have you ever purchased or received a sample of foundation that is supposedly your perfect match, but when you get home, you realize it looks nothing close to natural? I used Laura Mercier Oil-Free Foundation for a photo shoot once, and the model's skin looked so amazing, I have since been wanting to try it out for myself. I have visited the Laura Mercier counter at various department stores to get samples, and no one seems to get it right. I can't even test the colors myself because the department stores are always so loaded with pushy sales assistants grabbing bottles from me and attacking my face with foundation sponges, that even though I prefer to find my match on my own, they won't allow me.

I swatched several of the samples on my hand, and compared them to my Korres Ginger and Vitamins Foundation and MAC Select SPF that actually match me. The odd colors are the Laura Mercier samples:


What a large variance!!! I have been so irritated that I can't get a decent sample. I even had one makeup artist apply the foundation to my entire face, I went into natural light to check it, it was a perfect match, and went home to realize she gave me the wrong color sample. Sigh. I am so turned off I just might give up on trying Laura Mercier.

In any case, when you do go shopping, make sure you or the sales assistant matches the foundation color to both your jawline and your neck. My jawline and face are a bit darker and a bit more pink then my neck and body. Therefore, most people tend to match my jawline and face, and though the foundation matches my face, it makes me look darker and pinker than the rest of my body. You want your body and face to be even.

Also, make sure that before you purchase a foundation, if you can't get a sample, at least try it all over your face, step out of the store or mall, and go into natural daylight with a mirror. Most department stores will let you borrow a mirror and step outside the doors for a minute, so I prefer shopping at those types of stores if possible. If you have a mirror you can also check your self. Stores like Sephora have terrible lighting that is nothing like natural daylight, so your color will usually be a little off.

Have you ever tried Laura Mercier? What do you think?

9 comments:

  1. i've never tried laura mercier, but i do love your advice about matching the jawline and the neck. i'll remember this in the near future. thanks.

    cherylclarke.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have always heard great things about Laura Mercier foudations, specifically the tinted moisturizer. Just haven't had a chance to get matched for a color but it sounds like it can be an ordeal. I'll remember your advice about matching, thats a great idea.

    ReplyDelete
  3. @Cheryl =) Glad to help, foundation shopping is almost like jean shopping....it can be so hard to find the perfect one!

    @Neena Yeah their tinted moisturizer is supposed to be great! I'm a bit put off my LM right now so I might wait awhile before trying the TM. =)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Quick question - were these by change the "new" color range, such as the caramel color etc? I got an email from them recently about adding the 3 deeper colors, and was curious about them.

    ReplyDelete
  5. @Bianca The colors I swatched are not part of the "new" color range. It is great they have expanded the color range and if your skin tone falls in the new range, I hope you find a good match!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I am not sure how deep the colors are - I currently wear WRF4 in Korres, but its weird because I started with WRF3, and felt it was the right shade, but not deep enough. The WRF4 is deep enough, but I dont think its the right shade. I might try the WRF5 next time and see if its closer to the 3, I dunno I always have a weird time with foundations. Thats why I wondered if these were the newer colors. I am not close enough to a store that carries LM to go try them..

    ReplyDelete
  7. What I do not get are makeup artists immediately going for the darkest shades when they see Indians. I have a lot of beige/yellow undertones and very little red, but at LM one artist insisted I was walnut or mocha. I made them swatch me in the sunlight and turned out that caramel was my match. LM as a brand is great and I loved my tinted moisturizer, but I advise playing around with the colors in sunlight for the right match and checking your color after about 30 mins of wear for any oxidation color changes before you buy.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I had a really bad experience with Laura Mercier. I got the moisturizing foundation in sunny beige and it makes my face look dirty and instead of "dewy" it looks greasy. It also feels heavy on my skin, like I'm wearing a mask. I don't suggest that foundation :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hey I know this is old, but I'll give you my two cents on this foundation. This is the most cakey foundation in the market. I dont think its worth it. Unless of course you like full coverage but still it feels like a mask on. I had the color suntan beige and it is actually really dark for my NC 40 skin tone. Its supposed to be good for pictures, but there are many other foundations that are lighter and photograph beautifully. Its just not worth it, in my opinion. Congrats on your wedding, btw :)

    ReplyDelete

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails