Beauty Insider: Jason Hoffman, global beauty director for Laura Mercier

By MiNDFOOD

Laura Mercier

Ever wondered what the secret is to finding the perfect foundation or applying concealer? We find out from Laura Mercier’s global beauty director, Jason Hoffman.

Tell us about Laura Mercier’s famous concept of the flawless face… The flawless face is a process that creates a long-wearing, beautiful, natural-looking complexion using as little product as possible. There are typically four steps: primer, foundation, concealer and powder used in that order. Not all four steps are always required for everyone – it’s about using what works best for you.

Laura Mercier has recently revamped and relaunched her primers. Tell us about what’s new… It was definitely the right time to relaunch them. We are currently giving our products a makeover and Laura wanted to remove the silicone from all primers. We now have the technology to do so
while smoothing the skin and extending the wear of makeup.

There’s so much choice out there these days with foundations promising to do everything from banishing lines and wrinkles to enhancing skin luminosity. Where does one begin when hunting for the perfect foundation?
Personally, I don’t trust any products promising to banish my lines and wrinkles! The first step is determining the coverage and finish you want from your foundation. There are plenty that give a luminous or matte finish as well as sheer to full coverage. Once you determine the coverage and finish, it’s time to try
different formulas and see which ones work best for you. My advice is to keep a compliment tracker and the one that gets the most ‘likes’ wins!

The one thing most people get wrong when choosing a new foundation is…  I often see people with beautiful, healthy skin go for full coverage, oil-free, matte foundations. Very few people actually need all of that.

Laura Mercier

The thing most people get wrong when applying foundation is… I am not a fan of using a stippling brush unless you go back with a sponge to buff the product into the skin. Foundation should be a part of the skin, not sit on top of it.

What the most underrated insider tip for applying foundation perfectly every time? Using thin layers and building until you get to the coverage you need instead of over-applying then blending until it is sheer enough.

Do most of us really need to be applying foundation to our entire face? Absolutely not! If you have the right shade, you can apply only where you need the coverage and blend into the skin.

 And how about concealer – what are most of us doing wrong when it comes to applying concealer? I can’t bear to see one more person with beautiful, bright under eyes take a pale yellow concealer and make a big thick triangle under the eye! Nobody needs that much concealer.

Do I apply concealer before or after my foundation? And where exactly should I be applying it? I prefer to apply after foundation so I use less concealer (as it is a heavier product). Just like foundation, concealer should be applied where you need a bit more coverage.

We are seeing a lot of foundations combining the best tech from the make-up world with skin care benefits. Will there ever be a foundation that really does allow us to skip our skincare routine in the mornings? I could certainly see that happening in the near future. Our new Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer will actually allow normal/normal to oily skins to be used as the main moisturiser. I am intrigued by thinking even further into the future where skincare can replace current foundation formulas using holographic or reflective pigment technology. Imagine a shade-less foundation!

Laura Mercier is exclusively available at MECCA and online at meccabeauty.co.nz

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