The first make-up product I ever bought was a Laura Mercier tinted moisturiser. My Granny was a devotee of Belfast’s Space NK and adamant that if I was going to start wearing make-up, I should do it properly. This turned out to be a rule I’m eternally grateful for. It meant I skipped the Dream Matte Mousse rite of passage altogether in favour of something that felt far more sophisticated and, crucially, looked more natural on my young skin. Even 20 years ago, Laura Mercier was renowned for creating the ultimate base products that were considered lightweight, silky and beautifully buildable. Those tinted moisturisers? Utter magic.
Despite my unwavering love for the stuff, over the years I did move on. I flirted with heavy-duty, pan-stick style foundation in my late teens (set with a hefty hit of hairspray, naturally) before graduating to barely-there skin tints in my late twenties. Now, in my thirties, I’m searching for something more elusive. I want a base that’s feather-light yet polished, and matte yet radiant. It sounds easy, but trust me, it’s not. Despite a flurry of impressive launches (Jones Road Just Enough Tinted Moisturiser, £44 and Clarins Skin Illusion Tinted Moisturiser, £40 are both great options), finding a true all-rounder has felt surprisingly tricky. Until I tried the new Laura Mercier Tinted Blur Balm, £38.
Shop: Laura Mercier Tinted Blur Balm
Rachael Martin, beauty director, says: ‘The Laura Mercier Tinted Blur Balm delivers. And it delivers on all fronts. This is make-up that enhances without masking. The texture is light and velvety, gliding effortlessly over the skin using just the warmth of my fingertips. Those with combination or oily skin mightn’t like the idea of a balm – anything that could potentially feel buttery makes me grimace. But I needn’t have feared. Interestingly, when it hits the skin, it transforms into a softly powdery finish. Not talc-like. Instead, my skin is just gently mattified and blurred.
‘As someone with combination skin, this is the sweet spot. I dislike how traditional setting powder looks on my complexion, but this cleverly swerves shine in favour of a soft-focus, filtered-esque finish – perhaps down to the infusion of light-diffusing pigments that bounce light back. In terms of texture, my skin looks smoother (particularly the raised pores around my nose), it doesn’t settle into fine lines, and it brightens my skin tenfold. While it won’t fully conceal blemishes – I still rely on a heavier-duty concealer for hormonal breakouts – it does soften their appearance.’
Pros & Cons
ProsBeautiful, your-skin-but-better finishBuildableConsNot enough shades yet – only 8
What is the Laura Mercier Tinted Blur Balm?
Laura Mercier describes the Tinted Blur Balm as a ‘transformative balm-to-powder tint that delivers a natural matte, soft-focus finish with weightless, long-wear coverage.’ Designed to blur, sculpt and smooth the skin, it also promises long-term benefits thanks to a clever blend of skin-loving ingredients. There are peptides to help refine skin texture while enhancing tone and elasticity, as well as vegetal squalane and camelina sativa seed oil, rich in fatty acids and vitamin E, well known for their ability to bolster the skin barrier.
How to Apply the Laura Mercier Tinted Blur Balm
Application comes down to personal preference, but after some trial and error, I found my own sweet spot. The warmth of my fingertips helped the product melt seamlessly into the skin, creating an even, natural-looking base. I simply take clean fingers, swirl them around the pan, then smooth across my complexion. Where I need extra coverage, I go in with a densely packed stippling brush, focusing on the sides of my nose and around my chin, where my skin is prone to redness.
Our verdict
Rachael Martin, beauty director
The Grazia beauty cupboard is a sight to behold. And not always in a good way. A beauty lover’s dream, certainly. But aesthetically pleasing, it is not. With a constant influx of new skincare, make-up and fragrance launches (cry me a river, right?), keeping it organised isn’t the easiest of tasks. That’s why knowing which products truly deserve attention matters – so they don’t get lost in our dreaded sea of packaging. One brand our whole team grapples for? Laura Mercier. From our beloved Honey Bath (nothing beats a golden drizzle swirled into a hot soak) to my aforementioned favourite tinted moisturiser, we know when a Laura Mercier bag lands on the beauty desk, it’s going to be good. And just a few weeks ago, one arrived marked embargoed. Alas! A beauty editor’s dream! There’s nothing quite like opening a bag, knowing you’re about to be let in on a very exciting secret – the Blur Balm I’ve been sitting on for the past two months.
Let me start with what I want from a base. I want it to feel light and barely there to the touch – nothing irks me more than something I can feel sitting on my skin all day. I want a finish that sits somewhere between matte and dewy. And above all, I want no pilling. None. Nada. Nil. Nothing makes my heart sink faster than watching product roll off my skin minutes after application.
Thankfully, the Tinted Blur Balm delivers. And it delivers on all fronts. This is make-up that enhances without masking. The texture is light and velvety, gliding effortlessly over the skin using just the warmth of my fingertips. Those with combination or oily skin mightn’t like the idea of a balm – anything that could potentially be described as ‘buttery’ makes me grimace – unless we’re talking about cinnamon rolls. But I needn’t have feared. Interestingly, when it hits the skin, it transforms into a softly powdery finish. Not talc-like. Instead, my complexion is just gently mattified and blurred. As someone with combination skin, this is the sweet spot. I dislike how traditional setting powder looks, but this cleverly swerves shine in favour of a soft-focus, filtered-esque finish – perhaps down to the infusion of light-diffusing pigments.
Before and after: Laura Mercier Blur balm
In terms of texture, my skin looks smoother (particularly the raised pores around my nose), it doesn’t settle into fine lines, and it brightens my skin tenfold. While it won’t fully conceal blemishes – I still rely on a heavier-duty concealer for hormonal breakouts – it does soften their appearance.
Longevity? Impressive. It’s not unusual for my oil-inclined T-zone to require a top-up by late morning, but this held its own until around 3pm. A quick dab around my nose set everything into place again and left me feeling and looking refreshed.
As for the promised long-term skin benefits, it’s still early days. I’ve only been testing it for a couple of weeks, but the peptide infusion (well known for improving skin tone and elasticity) does fill me with confidence. Watch this space.
Any gripes? Just one. My brand-new pan lost its stickiness, meaning I had to re-glue it into the compact. It’s something to be mindful of when opening it in case the same happens to you and disaster strikes.
Final verdict
Laura Mercier was my go to as a teen. Now, in my 30s, it’s found its place back in my make-up bag. For a your-skin-but-better finish that feels bright, blurring and healthy, this is a worthy investment.
Rachael Martin is Grazia’s Beauty director. Originally from Northern Ireland, she studied English Literature at Queen’s University Belfast, before moving to London to pursue a career in magazine journalism.
