Laura Mercier • Secret Brightener • Concealers

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*TOP REVIEWER* scopingforyou on 12/30/2012 1:09:00 AM more reviews by scopingforyou

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

PROS: The first time I've found shimmer/illuminating and subtle in the same product. I LOVE this for highlighter along the bridge of my nose, top of cheekbones, etc. Has two colors to choose from. The original version (not #2) looked better on my N to NC 10-15 skin. (I lean just a little warm.)


CONS: Not cheap. I think if you're trying to just use this alone to cover circles, that it wouldn't work well. (I use it as I mentioned in "pros.") I also wish they had one that was just a tiny bit lighter with the same amount of shimmer.


ALTERNATES: Trish McEvoy's Correct and Brighten Pen has no shimmer and dries just a little chalky (on my dry skin.) Chanel's Eclat Lumiere dries just a tiny bit chalky too (no shimmer). I love the highlighter in the highlighter/concealer by ELF.

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candied on 12/10/2011 4:21:00 PM more reviews by candied

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Laura Mercier Secret Brightener is a luminizer billed to "brighten dark circles, reduce shadows and minimize discolorations." It's packaged in a nicely hefty click-pen, with a synthetic brush tip. I came across this product because I bought the Laura's Secret Flawless Brightened Eyes Volume 2 kit from Sephora, I don't know that I would have purchased this item separately to try, given its relatively big price tag.


According to the little instruction card included with my kit, LM recommends using the Secret Brightener under her Secret Concealer, with Secret Brightening Powder dusted lightly over top.


I think luminizer is the correct term to describe this product. It's a lightly flesh-colored thick cream that is luminous and light-reflective, with no noticeable shimmer or large glitter particles. It spreads smoothly and nicely, without being overly pasty or slippery. It is a rather thick formula to be in pen form, but I think if you're patient with the click dispensing, the packaging is ideal (as opposed to a pot or tube). Don't expect any color correcting or concealing properties with this pen, unless your undereye circles/discolorations are very slight! I think Secret Brightener lends a nice luminosity underneath undereye concealer, and prevents it from looking too flat, if you know what i mean. I use it daily underneath either the LM Secret Concealer, or another of my faves, KA SSE and have no problems with creasing or gathering in fine lines/dryness.


As for dispensing, be patient! What I tend to do is give the pen one or two clicks AFTER I'm done using it in the morning, so there's the perfect amount waiting for me the next day. Otherwise, in the morning rush, I'm tempted to click click click while impatiently waiting for the product to appear -- leading to regret and product overload. We've all been there, right? (thinking of some guilty offenders like Stila Lip Glazes...)


Side note: LM Secret Brightener has much less (if any) concealing power than Clinique Airbrush Concealer, which I think is fair, given that the Clinique IS a concealer. I would have loved the Clinique, except my fussy skin decided it was allergic to it.

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shubanaa on 10/11/2011 6:29:00 PM more reviews by shubanaa

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Tan   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

This product is too expensive for what it is. The clicker doesn't bother me as much as the amount of product you receive with this purchase. I only used this item under my eyes and browbone when I was stepping out without foundation/concealer.
This "secret brightener" does a cute job of brightening under my eyes when I don't want a done up look (side note; I'm the type who doesn't mind showing off my under eye baggage.. make's me feel like I look real). But I was heavily disappointed when the clicker stopped producing it's magic today. I feel like i've only used it maybe fifteen times.

So sad.

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Katie80 on 6/18/2009 6:51:00 PM more reviews by Katie80

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

Does absolutely NOTHING. Seriously. Can't figure out what they're thinking with this.

Basically, it's this:

A very expensive pen with some shimmer liquid in it.

Do not bother.

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Jmorton07 on 11/26/2008 5:45:00 PM more reviews by Jmorton07

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Green    

I just got this yesterday, so I've only used it twice. But I can already tell...it's way too sparkly and too pink. I got #1. It looks more like a pink cream eye shadow. I just wanted to detract from my undereye dark circles, which is did in fact do, but it also added too much sparkle in the meantime. I'm going to keep playing with it, but I'm pretty sure I'll be exchanging this for something else at Sephora.

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*TOP REVIEWER* lilamyg on 10/18/2008 1:27:00 PM more reviews by lilamyg

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

Ehh...this product is alright...but for the price I would just buy the secret brightening POWDER which is the most amazing creation ever for hiding under eye circles.

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*TOP REVIEWER* etmg on 7/25/2008 3:59:00 PM more reviews by etmg

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

i decided to buy this after a makeover at an LM counter. I do have problems with dark circles/puffiness and the SA explained that Secret Brightener should go on under Secret Concealer, which in turn should go on under the brightening powder for maximum obliteration of undereye circles/darkness.

However, I am just not convinced by this product. It is basically just a highlighter pen dispensing a pinky whitish sheeny product that kind of looks like a liquid version of Nars Copacabana (if you get my meaning). It goes on okay but is very hard to blend - I ended up blending most of it away and to my mind the combination of puffiness + highlighting product = super highlighted puffiness. It just seemed like an unecessary step in a complicated regime. I now tend to use secret concealer set with a very very light dusting of the brightening powder. I feel that unless you are an absolute expert with application, this use of multiple products on the undereye area, especially if you have fine lines is way too much. Especially in natural light on a hot day it is much to caked on. I won't buy this again, but am using it up as a highlighter on my browbone/cheek area

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lauraaz on 6/1/2008 2:58:00 PM more reviews by lauraaz

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I bought this product because I have very dark circles under my eyes, and I was hoping to find something to camoflage them that wouldn't sink into the wrinkles under my eyes. I didn't like this at all- it actually made my eyes look worse, like I had two black eyes! It is reflective but in a bad way, it emphasizes the puffiness and dark circles. I would not recommend this as a concealer, but I do think it works well as a brightner under my eyebrows.
I also don't like the package- I thought it would be convenient to not need a brush to put it on, but you can't tell how much product is coming out between the brush bristles- I end up with too much that gets wasted.

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hesperia on 5/25/2008 8:28:00 PM more reviews by hesperia

Age: 44-55   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I like this concealer. I wear it under my foundation. First, I put some under-eye cream. Then, I put this on, pat some foundation on top (emphasis on 'pat'), and seal it with a very light dusting of Cover Fx setting powder, or Laura Mercier Brightening Powder. It covers well, and stays well for quite some time.

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67tempest on 3/25/2008 4:55:00 AM more reviews by 67tempest

Age: Unknown   Skin: Very Dry   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I was recently at Sephora and was just browsing around the store and seen this... it sounded promising.... I already had my makeup on so I could not test it while I was there..... anyooo 200 dollars later on a bunch of stuff... I could hardly wait to try it.... all I can say is ugghhh ... what a waste.... it does absolutely NOTHING...it is a very sheer pink slightly shimmery cream in a click type pen... I think it made my dark circles look worse...it was very rich and creamy so I can't say that it made my undereyes look crepey... it just does nothing... perhaps I am using it incorrectly ... when I go back to Sephora to return this I will ask but I give this a serious thumbs down....

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blackrose_42 on 2/21/2008 8:50:00 PM more reviews by blackrose_42

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

I really like the Secret Brightener. It's one of my favorite products. I have a lot of trouble with dark under-eye circles and when the makeup artist at Saks used this on me I could definitely tell a difference. It really seems to brighten up my undereye area with a bit of shimmer. I use a makeup brush to blend it in because I've noticed if you don't blend well it tends to show in the fine lines and wrinkles. My only qualms are that it is a bit expensive (for me, anyway) and that I wish it was packaged a bit differently. The twist pen usually puts out quite a bit of product. As someone else noted, maybe if Laura Mercier would put it in a small pot or a better adjustable pen that would help. But regardless of those aspects, I've had a lot of luck with it and will definitely buy it again.

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*TOP REVIEWER* bellefranjic on 2/18/2008 12:44:00 AM more reviews by bellefranjic

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I must have been feeling spendthrift when I purchased this. Maybe I got sucked in by the notion of secrecy and its implied exclusivity. With hindsight and a few uses, it seems like far too much to shell out for an utterly unnecessary item. It does impart a luminescent 'cream' that leaves a slight shimmer and possibly reflects light and all that jazz. I can see that this would be a good tool for a photoshoot make-up job, particularly where a flash is involved, but am dubious about its utility for non-photographic use. In my mind, a concealer mixed with a light luminescent powder or eyeshadow would achieve the same effect and wear longer than this product.

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lacornflakegirl on 12/26/2007 3:42:00 PM more reviews by lacornflakegirl

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

This product is great! I really have no significant problems with under-eye darkness, but I use it every day in the area and it just brightens my whole look up. It's also super easy to use, and reflects light all day long.

It is super pricey for a non-essential item, BUT it lasts forever and there is no waste with the container that dispenses controlled amounts :)

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megumi on 11/22/2007 8:21:00 AM more reviews by megumi

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

This product is just okay for me. My aim was to brighten up the undereye area. It does some highlighting and works best when paired with the brightening powder. But not really that much of a difference to me. Very expensive. I much prefer ysl touche eclat, where I can see a major difference.

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*TOP REVIEWER* RavenBeauty on 8/22/2007 7:40:00 PM more reviews by RavenBeauty

Age: 30-35   Skin: Oily, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I was really disappointed. I bought this and the Brightening Powder and both were rather unremarkable. A lot of hype with no results for me. I've been on a mission lately to find a wonderful eye brightener so I've bought a few and of course had to get this one to check it out before deciding which one I will stick with. I like the pen aspect however as a few reviewers mentioned, way too much product is dispensed no matter how gently you click the pen. I could live with this if the actual formula did something for me. I have natural pink undertones so this should have worked beautifully for me. The watery pinkish stuff that comes out did nothing for my under eye area. In fact to my horror, it seemed to accentuate the darkness under my eyes! I tried it a few times in different ways and each time my eyes had more of a bluish cast. It made the thin skin under my eyes seem almost translucent and suddenly you could see every discoloration and imperfection. It was just the opposite of what I wanted. I just got Bobbi Brown's Tinted Eye Brightener and that actually does something! I was stunned by how well that one works so that's a keeper but this is going back to Sephora.

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kiiat on 7/15/2007 7:08:00 PM more reviews by kiiat

Age: 30-35   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I'm a sucker for makeup and when the MA at the counter used this in conjunction with the secret concealer I immediately whipped out my wallet. This product is amazing; I find that the shimmer brightens my eye area and takes away the darkness of my circles which, for me, is amazing. The only problem I have with this product is what everyone else is saying on this forum - change the packaging! Put this magic potion in a small pot where you can dip your finger into!

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*TOP REVIEWER* librarian_girl on 6/30/2007 2:48:00 PM more reviews by librarian_girl

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I really did not care for Secret Brightener. I tried working with this several days running. Between problems with the packaging and the lack of impact, I simply could not justify the cost ($30 US) and back it went to Sephora.

First, the packaging. This comes in a click pen tube with a brush attached. I could not get the product to dispense evenly or consistently. Click, click ... too much, too little, or insult to injury, no product at all. Grrrr. I also found the brush difficult to use. Exact or precise placement was almost impossible.

Second, the color. I am PPP so I selected shade #1 (fair to medium skin tones). The color swatch on sephora.com was dead accurate. #1 is seashell pink. Think a pepto bismol milkshake. The color did nothing to brighten or camoflage my slight dark circles.

Third, the formulation. This product is concealer weight, but offers no real pigment. I suppose that's a blessing given the shade. I tried blending and not blending. I tried using my finger, then another try with a concealer brush. Nothing, nada, zip. No change.

For the money, I say give Neutrogena's Skin Soothing Under Eye Corrector a try. I admit that I wasn't terribly impressed with that product either, but at 1/3 the cost, I would say the Neutrogena is the superior of the two.

As I said, I sent LM's Secret Brightener back and I have no intention of repurchasing.

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lillamyspysen on 6/7/2007 5:17:00 PM more reviews by lillamyspysen

Age: 25-29   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Green    

This is a produt I didn`t think I would ever buy but... I was getting desperat for a concealer to cover my dark circles. I have tried everything (MAC, YSL, Lancome, Biotherm, Clarins, etc.) but nothing did the trick Then a friend recomended LM, first i bought the secret concealer, then the seacret brightning powder, but it wasn`t until I bought this one the miracle appeared. When I use them together it looks great. I can really recomend them. Now I look like I did whwn I was 20!

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*TOP REVIEWER* ltgee on 5/30/2007 11:15:00 PM more reviews by ltgee

Age: 30-35   Skin: Oily, Tan, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Did not show up on my eyes at all. Was like using shimmery water. The twist applicator always dispensed too much product (waste). I purchased #2.

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tinksbell on 4/16/2007 6:52:00 PM more reviews by tinksbell

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Hazel    

I am not sure if this is for the Secret Brightener powder (which is white). I didn't like this at all. I used it to set my LM concealer and just didn't see what the big deal was....I feel for the price I can use well rested from BE.

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