Laura Mercier Mineral Powder Review

Wearing the foundation in question

If someone would have told me a year ago my first foundation review would be on a mineral one, I would have never believed them. I used Bare Minerals all throughout high school, until I discovered liquid foundation and haven't looked back since. That is, until I tried the famous Laura Mercier Mineral powder this past spring.

My hands are pretty tan..weird. Ignore that liner swatch :)

As per Laura Mercier, this mineral powder is described as a "finely milled powder composed of natural elements with 15 active amino acids." I don't know much about the science behind the amino acids (they are supposed to clear the skin of toxins apparently), however I can say that this powder is certainly finely milled and incredibly soft to the touch. It has a silky texture that I think surpasses its mineral competitors like Bare Minerals. It has not broken me out either, and I have acne-prone/sensitive skin. It also boasts SPF 15, which isn't bad but I always wear a sunscreen beneath my base makeup no matter which one I'm wearing.

The thing I love the most about this powder is its neutral undertone. I have it in the shade Real Sand, and I am approximately a NW/NC 25 in the summer. While I could probably do with the next darker shade (I purchased this in March), I find that it is very forgiving and blends beautifully. The neutral undertone means it could work for a myriad of skintones in my opinion; I often struggle to find foundations that aren't too yellow or pink for me. This conceals my redness/blemishes and I can build it up to medium coverage easily. For reference, I use the Real Techniques Buffing Brush to apply this.

Overall, I really love this powder. The biggest drawback is its lasting power on my skin. By itself, I find it only lasts about 6-7 hours before it begins to wear off and look cakey in areas like around my nose. That said, a lighter application is best and while you may be able to build it up to medium-full coverage, I've found it looks way too cakey that way. It looks nice dusted over a liquid foundation too.

Final Verdict

Pros: neutral undertone, buildable to medium coverage, looks natural

Cons: only lasts 6-7 hours, can look cakey if trying to achieve higher coverage

I hope this review was helpful to anyone interested in trying out this mineral powder! It contains 0.34 oz of product and retails for $35 at Sephora and department stores. It isn't cheap so I suggest trying to get a sample if you want to try it out. 

Hope you're all enjoying your summer!

xx