TOP PICK: Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer

My skin is fairly clear most of the time (*knock on wood*) -- so for the most part, I just use a tinted moisturizer, concealer and powder. (Yes, looking "au naturel" takes lots of work!) The tinted moisturizer that I love most and keep going back to again and again is Laura Mercier. She has since released an oil-free version as well as an illuminating version, but my review is for the original, which is a staple in my makeup bag.

It retails for $42USD for 1.5 ounces, which is not exactly cheap, but is well worth the money. It comes in 7 colors, and the one that I use is Nude (the 2nd lightest color), which works well for light beige skintones. There is an SPF 20, but I don't think that the sunblock it uses protects adequately against UVA rays, so I still use a moisturizer with sunblock underneath.

The ingredients are:

Active Ingredients: Octyl Methoxycinnamate and Menthyl Anthranilate. Other Ingredients: Purified Water, Cetearyl Alcohol (and) PEG-40 Castor Oil, Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Cyclomethicone, DEA-Ceryl Phosphate, Hexyl Laurate, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E Acetate), Sodium Dehydroacetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Carbomer, Methylparaben, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Sodium Ascorbate (Vitamin C), Propylparaben. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Mica.

The container is kind of ugly, as seen in the pic above. It is an opaque plastic squeeze tube, which is kind of annoying because you can't see how much product is left, but is rather sanitary, since you can just squeeze it out and not contaminate the product inside.

Coverage is rather full for a tinted moisturizer. I use about a dime-size amount for the entire face, and with frequent use, a tube can last almost a year. By itself, it does even out the skintone and hide some enlarged pores, though you will certainly need concealer to cover up undereye circles or any scars/spots on the face that you would like to hide. The texture is like a light lotion, and blends well into the skin. I usually just apply it with my fingers, though you could also use a sponge. The finish is a bit dewy and very natural looking, similar to real skin. As for lasting-power, I do set the T-zone with a pressed powder (because my skin is rather oily) - and by doing that, it does last on my face the whole day. I do have to blot once during the day, which is not too bad for me. The oil in this does not make me break out or anything, either.

I always get compliments on my skin when I wear this, because it just looks like I have a nice complexion. Very natural indeed!