The 10-piece collection is designed to perfect the skin for a dreamy makeup canvas. Here's what you need to know
If you had to say which Laura Mercier products are the best it'd be a tough call. The Tinted Moisturiser is unrivalled for its almost sheer soft-focus oil-free radiance, the Setting Powder is absolutely iconic for creating staying power and there's no better bath treat than the Creme Brûlée Honey Bath ; now we have a whole new reason to love the brand with the launch of it's first ever skincare collection, Skin Essentials, which landed in the UK today.
A makeup artist since the 80s and US Vogue's MUA of choice for over a decade, Laura Mercier knows a thing or two about the importance of a flawless base for perfect makeup and she kept this in mind when creating this skincare collection (the first from the brand which launched way back in 1996) comprising of ten products including a cleanser, several moisturisers and an eye cream.
Laura dreamt up a range of products all geared towards improving the condition of the skin to prepare it for flawless makeup application. "After years of witnessing the lack of care model’s skin endures on set, I wanted to create a skincare collection that would nourish and bring the skin back to health,” she says. Every item in the range combines French spring sea water to hydrate the skin, rosewater to calm and balance the skin and starflower oil to achieve healthy-looking skin for makeup collection.
As you'd expect from skin-loving products, the Skin Essentials is formulated without sulphates, paragons, SLS, SLES, mineral oil formaldehyde. Here's the lowdown of the range.
Balancing Foaming Cleanser, £26
Foaming cleansers aren't for everyone (especially those with sensitive skin) but given that it's free from foaming agent SLS, this one is a good choice for sensitive types. It transforms into a rich creamy lather on contact with the skin, removing makeup and impurities without leaving the skin tight. The formula includes prickly pear to help retain moisture.
Conditioning Cleansing Oil, £33
For those that prefer a cleansing oil , this could be the cleanser for you. It's another hydrating hero with squalane , kukui oil, moringa oil and safflower oil for a smooth complexion without a trace of makeup.
Soothing eye makeup remover, £22
We don't know about you but we're always removing and reapplying liquid eyeliner as we go, trying to perfect flicks and it's very annoying when you have to wait for the makeup remover formula to be gone before you can reapply. Laura Mercier has addressed this (first world) problem with this remover the allows for immediate reapplication of makeup after using. The formula has cornflower in it to soothe the delicate area that can be irritated easily.
Purifying micellar water, £26
It can be difficult to justify spending £26 on micellar water - aren't they all just the same? No, actually! This one locks in moisture and has white water lily extract in the formula known for purity and freshness and a soothing feel. Noni leaf extract is in there too to reinvigorate skin.
The Perfect Cream Multi-Tasking Moisturiser, £59
The skin needs to be hydrated for it to work well with makeup and this was the thought process behind this cream. It's lightweight and a great final step before you start with your base. It has black tea ferment to fight visible signs of ageing and marine complex to bring moisture to the skin
Mattifying Oil-Free Moisturiser, £54
This was designed especially for oily skin, created to deliver lightweight hydration. It's water-based and hydrates the skin while controlling surface oil and mattifying to prep the skin for makeup application.
Illuminating Eye Cream, £50
Pricey for such a tiny pot and seeing as we're yet to try it, we'll have to trust it's worth the money. It promises to banish the look of fine and dry lines and puffiness and under eye darkness. It's infused with caffeine -rich ingredients which we know are favoured in eye creams to reinvigorate the skin.
Refining Crème Polish, £28
Forget the abrasive textures you might associate with facial exfoliators ; this one gently resurfaces the skin for the perfect canvas for makeup withnaturally sourced and biodegradable cellulose microbeads to remove dead skin cells.
Nourishing Rose Oil, £56
This is an upgrade for Laura Mercier's original rose oil, designed to treat the stresses that models' skin sees such as dehydration and pollution. Rich in kukui and macadamia seed oils, this luxurious yet lightweight formula instantly soothes and nourishes skin, rejuvenating the complexion to support healthy looking skin.
Hydrating lip balm, £21
There's nothing as pleasing as a really, really nourishing lip balm and this one is just that. At £21 you don't want to lose it in the bottom of your bag - it's made with squalane and plum oil that team up to deliver intense moisture without stickiness.
MORE GLOSS: What is a skin essence and why it's actually really useful