Laura Mercier Highlight in 01

Overview

Of all my highlights, this is the most flattering and wearable. The magic of this beauty is that you can create a subtle, work appropriate glow to an intense highlight. Essentially, it's a your-skin-but-better champagne sheen with refined shimmer. And because you get the sheen without obvious sparkle, you can apply it to all the points of the face you want to enhance, without having to worry about “over-highlighting.”  It’s perfect for those with light to medium skin. If you have a deeper complexion, it might work for you. It is a champagne shade so it might look more intense, possibly ashy, against a deep skin tone. In terms of formula, it reminds me of the Hourglass ambient lighting powders, because it's super soft and blendable and allows you to create a natural highlight, suitable for any occasion. Yet, I feel you can get much more sheen from this than Hourglass. If you compare it to the Hourglass strobe powders, Laura Mercier is still a better buy, because there are no sparkles in the powder, just a champagne sheen with fine shimmer. Nine times out of ten, this is the highlight on my face.

Formula

The formula of this product is why I love it so much. The name: “matte-radiance” powder mystifies some people. How can a product be matte and radiant at the same time? But this is. There is shimmer in the pan and in a swatch, but it melts into the skin to give a luminous sheen. It is a super-soft baked formula that is very forgiving if you have mature skin or texture on your skin. Some highlights, especially metallic ones, can really emphasize any texture and imperfections you have on your cheekbones (or other areas you highlight.) And don't worry, it's a very fine shimmer- not chunky sparkle. With this, you can highlight with confidence. Below I compare this highlighter's champagne base with refined shimmer to a highlighter that's just pure sparkle.

Above you see the difference between Laura Mercier's Highlight 01 and Nars's Reckless. sheen vs. sparkle. Highlight 01 has a champagne base with fine shimmer & Reckless has no base or sheen, just iridescent sparkle.

Shade Range

Within the “matte radiance” powder line, this is the only highlighting powder. There are 4 bronzing shades available in this formula, which could serve as a bronzer, or perhaps even a face powder, if you have a very deep complexion. But they don't offer the highlighting impact and lit-from-within glow that Highlight 01 does. The brand more recently released their "face illuminator" powder line, which have the beautifully embossing in a baked gelee formula, such as the infamous Indiscretion. The face illuminator line offers a better range of shades for all skin tones, from Devotion, a cool pink, to Seduction, a topaz or deep bronze. These highlights are lovely, but in my opinion, they can't compare to the refined, soft-to-the-touch formula of Highlight 01. Honestly, I also own Indiscretion and planned to return the product; whereas, I use Highlight 01 pretty much every time I apply makeup. 

Laura Mercier's Highlight 01 on top and Indiscretion on bottom.

Application

Because this product is pigmented, super-soft, and blendable, any highlighting brush should work. The Anastasia highlighting brush picks up the powder beautifully for a more intense highlight. Today I applied the Ulta cream highlighting stick and patted Highlight 01 on top, both with my fingers. Even that way, it blended out beautifully. That’s how good the formula is. To give you an idea of the product's versatility…for a while, I dusted this all over my face to set my makeup-using a large, fluffy powder brush and with just a light touch into the powder-to create an all over, luminous finish. 

Purchase this if…

You want a lit-from-within-glow rather than a stark highlight, have texture or mature skin, or just want a gorgeous champagne highlighting powder. If you are under-whelmed with Hourglass’s ambient and strobing powders and Becca doesn’t strike your fancy, this is the powder for you.

Interview Make-Up

Recently, I’ve tried my hand at an entire new avenue of beauty...interview-appropriate makeup. Now, let me first premise that the makeup you wear should depend on the job and environment. For instance, interview makeup for a corporate work environment will look completely different than if you are interviewing to be a makeup artist or in another related, creative field. So, maybe you will customize your interview look based on your fashion and makeup style. Easy additions to up your interview look might be a precise winged liner or soft contours. Just be sure to blend and pick a product with the right undertones! Despite what job your after, there is one common thread: we all want to look like we mean business. For that aesthetic, I’ve found a natural, soft, but polished look, to be my go-to face as a young professional. 

Just a few of my interview must-haves as I scramble to create an unforgettable first impression...

I first run my hair through a straightener to silken my locks but still keep my hair’s natural waves. Then I focus on creating a natural glow that makes me look fresh and ready for anything. To achieve this, I begin makeup application with my gorgeous YSL touché eclat blur primer. The silicone consistency and stream of gold shimmer throughout, makes me feel like a queen. Which is essential...we should feel like a million dollars if we’re about to sell ourselves to a future employer and explain what makes us so fabulous. Following the primer is my beloved Josie Maran Vibrancy foundation. This gives an effortless glow and sinks into the skin within seconds. 

This glow-getter combo will give your skin the right amount of dew, so you look fresh, not sweaty.

Following my base comes my eyeshadow, which I wanted to keep light and delicate.  I immediately scavenged through my makeup drawer for Tom Ford’s Nude Dip quad, because this product is the epitome of sophisticated shimmer and effortless eyeshadow. 

The quad of all quads when you want an enhancing assortment of champagne and taupe.

To fix any fall out and add coverage to blemishes, I then spot conceal with my Josie Maran concealer crayon in Fair 1. Now that our base looks flawless, we can add some dimension to our face with bronzer and highlight. I used a limited edition Givenchy bronzer in shade 2, Douce Croisiere. Any bronzer will do, as long as it doesn’t pull too orange and is buildable. As for highlight, I picked Farsali’s glazed Jellybeam highlight, which can be applied with a pat of the fingers and gives a barely-there glow.

Barely-there glow is the way to go for interview situations.

Last but not least, I add on the finishing touches with a lengthening mascara. My favorite is Tarte’s tarteist lash paint. They will make your lashes bold enough that liner is optional. Then, for the ultimate rosy mauve pout, I would recommend Tom Ford’s lip color matte lipstick in First Time, topped with Smith & Cult’s lip lacquer in Now Kith, if you opt for a glossy lip.  

The ultimate lash and lip duo.

I hope these makeup products will make the stressful process of getting ready for an interview a little more fun. I’m a believer in the adage that the better you look, the better you’ll feel. Hopefully this insight will help you tackle tough interview questions with finesse. 

Good luck beautiful!

Laura Mercier Highlight 01

Overview

Of all my highlights, this is the most flattering and wearable. The magic of this beauty is that you can create a subtle, work appropriate glow to an intense highlight. Essentially, it's a your-skin-but-better, champagne sheen with refined shimmer. And because you get the sheen without obvious sparkle, you can apply it to all the points of the face you want to enhance, without having to worry about “over-highlighting.”  It’s perfect for those with light to medium skin. If you have a deeper complexion, it might work for you. It is a champagne shade so it might look more intense, possibly ashy, against a deep skin tone. In terms of formula, it reminds me of the Hourglass ambient lighting powders, because it's super soft and blendable and allows you to create a natural highlight, suitable for any occasion. Yet, I feel you can get much more sheen from this than Hourglass. If you compare it to the Hourglass strobe powders, Laura Mercier is still a better buy, because there are no sparkles in the powder, just a champagne sheen with fine shimmer. Nine times out of ten, this is the highlight on my face.

Formula

The formula of this product is why I love it so much. The name: “matte-radiance” powder mystifies some people. How can a product be matte and radiant at the same time? But this is. There is shimmer in the pan and in a swatch, but it melts into the skin to give a luminous sheen. It is a super-soft baked formula that is very forgiving if you have mature skin or texture on your skin. Some highlights, especially metallic ones, can really emphasize any texture and imperfections you have on your cheekbones (or other areas you highlight.) And don't worry, it's a very fine shimmer- not chunky sparkle. With this, you can highlight with confidence. Below I compare this highlighter's champagne base with refined shimmer to a highlighter that's just pure sparkle.

Above you see the difference between Laura Mercier's Highlight 01 and Nars's Reckless. sheen vs. sparkle. Highlight 01 has a champagne base with fine shimmer & Reckless has no base or sheen, just iridescent sparkle.

Shade Range

Within the “matte radiance” powder line, this is the only highlighting powder. There are 4 bronzing shades available in this formula, which could serve as a bronzer, or perhaps even a face powder, if you have a very deep complexion. But they don't offer the highlighting impact and lit-from-within glow that Highlight 01 does. The brand more recently released their "face illuminator" powder line, which have the beautifully embossing in a baked gelee formula, such as the infamous Indiscretion. The face illuminator line offers a better range of shades for all skin tones, from Devotion, a cool pink, to Seduction, a topaz or deep bronze. These highlights are lovely, but in my opinion, they can't compare to the refined, soft-to-the-touch formula of Highlight 01. Honestly, I also owned Indiscretion, but returned the product; whereas, I use Highlight 01 pretty much every time I apply makeup. 

Laura Mercier's Highlight 01 on top and Indiscretion on bottom.

Application

Because this product is pigmented, super-soft, and blendable, any highlighting brush should work. The Anastasia highlighting brush picks up the powder beautifully for a more intense highlight. Today I applied the Ulta cream highlighting stick and patted Highlight 01 on top, both with my fingers. Even that way, it blended out beautifully. That’s how good the formula is. To give you an idea of the product's versatility…for a while, I dusted this all over my face to set my makeup-using a large, fluffy powder brush and with just a light touch into the powder-to create an all over, luminous finish. 

Purchase this if…

You want a lit-from-within-glow rather than a stark highlight, have texture or mature skin, or just want a gorgeous champagne highlighting powder. If you are under-whelmed with Hourglass’s ambient and strobing powders and Becca doesn’t strike your fancy, this is the powder for you.