Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 - Oil Free

I've used LM oil free tinted moisturiser for a number of years on and off.

I have combination skin and like to wear a fairly natural finish but enough to even out my skintone. I used to wear this all the time, it was my 'go to' make up (the one what converted me from foundation to a tinted moisturiser) but over the last 3 years or so I have found others I prefer.

I decided to review because I feel it is a good tinted moisturiser, a heavier coverage than many but not to heavy (my freckles still show through) but despite being oil free I find it just doesn't stay on my Tzone. I love a dewy finish but this just becomes shiny. To start with it gives a beautiful radiant healthy glow but no longer than a couple of hours. Looking back before I had my son I had more time to keep check of my make up through the day and probably reapplied and finished with a loose powder a few times a day because I loved the finish, but nowadays I just want something hassle free and longer wearing. Sadly this isn't it. I'd consider buying again for my holiday because of the SPF and very natural look but for everyday ease I just feel it's not really worth the money because it's got no lasting power.

If this is oil free then there is a serious problem. I have oily/combo skin in general but this was worse than any other foundation or tinted moisturizer I have tried. I was oily within 15 minutes of putting this on (and I put powder and setting powder over it). It caked up after I got oily, even though I blotted. I'm not sure what the problem is but for the price, I am very disappointed.

I previously bought the regular version of this tinted moisturizer but it left my skin looking like an oil slick, especially in the summer (I have combination skin with an oily T-zone which gets even oilier as the temperature rises). Since this is oil-free and the package states it's supposed to help control oil breakthrough, I had high hopes for it. However, the only way it works for me is if I wear a mattifying, oil-control primer underneath. I tried wearing it on its own but the result is the same as with the regular product - my T-zone looks really greasy. (Mind you, we've had very warm and humid weather this week, unusual for Canada in May). On the positive side, I love the texture of the lotion and the range of colours (Nude, a light shade with warn undertones, is a perfect shade for me).

This was the first tinted moisturizer I have ever purchased and I am very impressed! I have oily/acne-prone skin and this has never broken me out. I do my regular makeup routine (concealer, baking, powders, bronzer, blush, highlight, etc) and just replace the foundation with tinted moisturizer. It has a beautiful, natural finish. When first applied, it does look a bit oily on the skin but after waiting a few minutes it will start to mattify. For a tinted moisturizer, it has nice coverage, even better than some high end foundations (Dior Forever foundation). A brush definitely will give you more coverage with this product. I would definitely recommend this to people with oily/acne-prone skin if they're looking for a natural finish.

I spend quite a bit of time outdoors and I wanted something that wasn't heavy, gave me a little bit of coverage and has SPF. I'm not trying to be rocking Estée Lauder Double Wear this Louisiana humidity and heat. I didn't mind the fact that it's not exactly oil controlling, it doesn't claim to be that kind of product. My problem was the ashy/ghostly cast my shade, Walnut, has. I'm sure it's the SPF that's the culprit but it makes it look off and is not what I was expecting from a $42 product. I decided to mix this with my Revlon Colorstay that's too dark try to offset the ash. I'll use up cause I need the SPF but will not repurchase.

ETA: I returned this product. I never reached for it because that ghostly cast and greasiness was just too much of a turn off. Just not worth trying to make it work.

It took me a couple of tries before I found my color. I'm NC 20 and finally I was matched to Porcelain. But this oxidized on me however it looks ok and does give me more coverage than the regular LM TM. Am liking this more and wearing it more often. Took me a couple of wears to fall in love with this. I find I do need a primer with this.

i tried the Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer not oil-free version and it made my skin ridiculously oily throughout the day -- literally looked like a ball of grease. I went back to Sephora and picked up the oil-free and it has solved that problem for me completely. It controls the oil for me throughout the day - not to the greatest extent but it helps and believe me, it SMOOTHES out your skin like no other. I deal with hyperpigmentation and a swab of this makes a huge diff.
It doesn't conceal my pimples when I get them, but this is a TM so for people dealing with acne prone skin, don't hate on this and just buy a full coverage foundation instead. This is great for smoothing out my pores while still making my skin look like skin (pimple spots, freckles and all) and adding a little bit of a dewy finish which is exactly what I want.

Only thing is it's rather expensive, so if there are dupes out there I'd gladly like to try it out but for what the product is and claims to be alone, this is a holy grail.

Skin: oily, uneven skintone
Use it for: no makeup makeup

I have been using it for roughly 3 years, and I have it in 3 different shades.
It is easy to blend it with your hands and I found it to be very spreadable. The best application I would recommend though is to use a beauty blender. My friends and even once a dermatologist, swore thinking that I wasn't wearing any makeup. This happens only when I use it with the beauty blender. I have also found the coverage good, more coverage than the regular (oil included) Laura Mercier tinted moisturiser. I highly recommend it if you have dry skin.

As for the cons, since I have very oily t-zone, it usually lasts 3-4 hours and then my face resembles a seasoned cast iron skillet. So sometimes you have to top it off with a press powder after applying it.
One of the most important things in makeup for me is to see how it looks like worn under natural sunlight to avoid the cakey look. In the first 3-4 hours under the natural daylight it looks amazing and very natural skin-like. However, the biggest drawback is that it OXIDISES :-(. The colour becomes orangey and reddish after hours, even with the yellow undertone shades. Thus giving a cakey look.

Still on the hunt of a natural matte tinted moisturiser that doesn't contain denatured alcohol..

I'm amazed at all the negative reviews of this - I've loved it for years. I've never found it hard to blend (perhaps because my dry skin means I always have argan oil on underneath?) and the only time it ever becomes visible after I've applied it is if I'm really sweating under my glasses. Otherwise, it provides sheer, beautiful, luminous (but not sparkly), buildable coverage. My slightly olive but super pale skin is hard to match, but porcelain is fine. I set just the t-zone with Ben Nye luxury powder and it's perfect. My only gripe is the price - and I'm having the darndest time finding anything as good at a cheaper price point.

This has been a favorite of mine for years. I have normal to dry skin but prefer this to the original TM. I think it has better coverage and I prefer the demi-matte finish. It looks like my skin but better. It's not full coverage by any means but provides more coverage than the average TM or BB Cream. I like to mix BECCA liquid illuminator on with it for a dewy look or layer it over the LM Radiance Primer. A classic product that never disappoints.