Laura Mercier makeover – tips & tricks for a flawless face!

As you girls are probably aware, summer is finally here… And what better way to enter the season than feeling glamorous with a flawless fresh face. Laura Mercier cosmetics prides themselves on creating a flawless airbrush-finished face and Rach and I were fortunate enough to put the company’s reputation to the test with the help of Laura Mercier’s Global Artist, Mr. Jeffrey Tasker.

I’m sure most girls can relate to having an unsure makeover experience, with way too many products you’ve never heard of being used; this time, however, I also got to learn plenty of the tips and tricks of the trade and think it’s fair to say I’m almost a professional now… Anyone for a makeover?!

In true rock star style, Jeffrey was fashionably late… but when he made an entrance, it was no disappointment! Preparations began with the assistant cleaning my face thoroughly, removing all the makeup I had foolishly put on prior to the makeover. From there my transformation was left in the capable hands of Jeffery; the look we were going for was a casual summery finish that would suit the colour I was wearing (dark pink).

And so began the four steps to a flawless face, which you can easily recreate at home. First, Jeffrey started with Laura Mercier’s Foundation Primer, a colourless gel that ensures long lasting colour and provides a much-needed barrier for your sensitive face. Next was the application of the Silk Crème Foundation – Jeffrey suggested using a damp sponge, applying it from the outside of your face, bringing it in towards your nose, not forgetting about those two ears of yours and around your neck!

The Laura Mercier Secret Concealer was the third step; he applied only a small amount as it miraculously achieves complete coverage with only a little product. The final step was a finely-milled Universal Face Powder (so called as it’s suitable for as all skin types). The powder was worked onto my skin through a rolling motion with a fabulous fantail brush…. and voila! My face could be on the cover of Vogue, completely airbrushed and picture perfect! I decided to put a picture of Rach above as her skin radiates flawlessness.

Every girl dreams of having a flawless face, but perhaps second on the wish list is a beautiful golden tan for summer. Jeffery knew exactly what I wanted, and sure wasn’t going to leave me looking pasty with my new face! A common misconception is that bronzers are primarily for making skin darker, especially amongst Asian women who strive for a lighter finish but according to Jeffrey, bronzer is more about defining your face shape, applying colour to certain areas and giving an overall healthy glow, rather then a blanket complete colour change. He applied a Matte Bronzing Powder with a brush… and he recommended using brushes wherever possible so you can get a smooth even coverage without your oily fingers getting involved.

And then for the eyes… Laura Mercier’s Eye Basics is a great pre-application for anyone who has had sleepless nights. This product effectively camouflages any imperfections and enhances the durability of eye makeup – my make-up finally lasted all through a sweaty Hong Kong day!

I fell in love with the two-toned lids that followed, created with Metallic Crème Eye Colours. On the lower eyelid, a shimmering bronzey gold colour was painted on, and for the top, it was a soft golden shade that highlighted and lifted my eyes. Over these, he laced on Tightline Cake Eyeliner in Black Ebony, pushing the product into the roots of the lashes to give the illusion of big eyes – an awesome trick you can use with all types of eyeliner!

Sexy sultry lips came last; mine were a mix of two gloss finishes combined for a soft pink finish, Clementine Gel Lip Colour and Bellini Lip Glace. But a special mention must go to Rach’s vampy lip look thanks to Bing Cherry Lipstick, one of Laura’s favourite berry shades that suits everyone, leaving her with an outstanding movie star finish. Bangin! Laura has designed her lipsticks so that they are long lasting and powerful, and every time you purse those lips together, the pigments in the lipstick burst with colour, creating a long lasting effect. This is a great concept, which truly lives up to its reputation. My lips were rocking the colour the whole afternoon!

Perhaps the most telling part of the makeover was the skin transformation from plain and dull to sassy and flawless. It’s amazing what make-up can really do… sorry boys!

Jeffery gave us an international experience with insider tips and secrets that now all you Sassy girls can enjoy. So get your canvases ready and start painting!

Although Jeffrey isn’t around on a regular basis, Laura Mercier assistants will happily help you apply and try their products at counter!

Laura Mercier counter, Lane Crawford, Times Square, 1 Matheson Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, 3101 9172; see all other Laura Mercier locations in Hong Kong here.