Three foundation addicts go back to basics with a little help from Laura Mercier’s new tinted moisturizer

It should come as no surprise that the GLAMOUR beauty team is addicted to foundation. Let’s face it – trying out the latest makeup formulations is part of their jobs. Plus, they each have their own reasons behind their love of full coverage formulas. Executive Editor and Beauty Director Funmi Fetto looks for a weightless coverage that evens out her skintone but still looks natural. After suffering from teenage acne, Beauty Editor Lottie Winter has always relied on a full foundation. Finally, Elle Turner, Deputy Beauty Editor, calls upon her heavy-duty formulas to give her skin a boost after a late night or when she’s feeling run down.

Now, thanks to Laura Mercier’s recently reformulated Tinted Moisturizer Natural Skin Perfector SPF30, which includes even more shades to cater to a broader range of skintones, as well as higher SPF and more antioxidant ingredients, the team attempts to go back to basics and rediscover their natural radiance and inner confidence. Here’s how they got on…

Funmi Fetto, GLAMOUR Beauty Director

“I love it on so many levels. Firstly, the wide shade range meant I had no trouble finding one suitable for me. Then there’s the epic makeup-meets-skincare formulation.”

Can I be really honest? Tinted moisturisers have never been on my personal radar. There are a number of reasons for this. I’m always slightly cynical about products that claim polymath-like powers – can one product really deliver on so many levels? Most, in my experience, fall short.

Then there’s the coverage issue. Tinted moisturisers are famed for their barely there charms, so for someone who loves a bit of coverage, it poses a dilemma. I like the idea of something weightless – no one wants a base that looks and feels like a mask – but I also want something that can even out the look of my skintone and leave me with a natural but expensive-looking finish. Beyond this, I have rarely come across a shade range that is extensive enough to include me.

And so, unsurprisingly, I have a history of dismissing tinted moisturisers as foundation’s poorer, less efficacious and non-inclusive relative that will fail to make me look polished and leaves me exposed. And then I tried this. I love it on so many levels. Firstly, the wide shade range meant I had no trouble finding one suitable for me. Then there’s the epic makeup-meets-skincare formulation. The vitamin C and E complex fights against environmental aggressors (which damage the skin), the hydrating complex (including tamarind seed extract) locks in moisture for 24 hours (ideal because my oily skin can, conversely, also be quite dehydrated) and it includes an SPF (so I can take one step out of my multistep skincare regime). The serum-like texture blends in seamlessly, it’s light and breathable (but simultaneously gives me a good amount of coverage), evens out my skin and looks like I have nothing on. In a good way. Long story short, it’s genius. They call it a ‘natural skin perfector’ and I have to say, it’s spot on. So for anyone who thought they knew everything there is to know about tinted moisturisers, try this; it’s a face-changer.

Lottie Winter, GLAMOUR Beauty Editor

“It’s pigmented enough to provide that essential confidence-boost, blurring any areas of concern and evening out tone, but it’s also lightweight, allowing my real skin to show through for a radiant finish.”

You may not know it by looking at my skin, but I’ve never quite recovered from my teenage acne. Sure, I’ve got my breakouts under control thanks to a carefully curated skincare regime, but I’ve never shaken my dependence on full-coverage foundations.

I long for that elusive, natural-looking glow, and although my skin has changed over the years, my confidence has not. I feel self-conscious and exposed without the security blanket of a high-coverage base. In fact, I don’t leave the house without it, even to pop to the shops.

The prospect of going back to basics to achieve a more bare-faced finish with the help of Laura Mercier’s newly formulated Tinted Moisturizer filled me with excitement and apprehension in equal measure. I’ve wanted to embrace my natural skin for years, plus, the brand is known for its superior complexion offerings. Its original Tinted Moisturizer is a cult beauty product and the new and improved formula boasts even more skin-boosting benefits. However, it didn’t make the idea of exposing insecurities instilled in me from my teens any less daunting.

I need not have worried: the new Tinted Moisturizer had me covered from first application. It’s pigmented enough to provide that essential confidence-boost, blurring any areas of concern and evening out tone, but it’s also lightweight, allowing my real skin to show through for a radiant finish. Unlike some heavy formulas, it doesn’t crease or gather in fine lines, and skin doesn’t feel clogged or heavy throughout the day. Plus, the superior antioxidant blend including taramind seed extract provides lasting protection from environmental aggressors, which is so important when you work in a city.

All in all, I felt like the new formula had my every need covered, but most importantly – wearing it I felt confident again.

Elle Turner, GLAMOUR Deputy Beauty Editor

“I’m after something with a dual function that I can use over my dark circles, which will also leave me with healthy, sheeny skin. That’s why Laura Mercier’s Tinted Moisturizer – which now comes in an illuminating formula that’s right up my street – has been a revelation.”

Lately, thanks to my dark eye bags – which get worse when I’ve been out late – and an outbreak of spottier skin, I’ve been leaning towards heavier foundations. Like most people, I want my skin to look clear, fresh and glowing without caking it in makeup, but hunting down a product that gives a good amount of coverage without feeling heavy or completely masking my skin is a difficult combination to find. Unless, of course, you’re willing to spend a lot of time blending (time I don’t have when rushing out in the mornings).

I’d like an easy solution I can apply on the go, but, more importantly, I’m after something with a dual function that I can use over my dark circles which will also leave me with healthy, sheeny skin. That’s why Laura Mercier’s Tinted Moisturizer – which now comes in an illuminating formula that’s right up my street – has been a revelation. It is ultra-pigmented meaning you don’t need much. It’s lightweight, so my skin feels like it can breathe, and the shade range is considered which means no off-colour undertones. All this means I am left with a beautifully natural-looking finish with an extra dose of glow and hydration (handy as my skin tends to get drier as we head into autumn). A tiny amount counteracts the blue bags under my eyes, evens out redness and makes me look like I’m not wearing much on my skin. Basically, it’s good skin, bottled. As for the packaging, it’s streamlined, fuss-free and ideal for throwing in your handbag. I’m sold.