Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer, $42

I hardly ever wear concealer or foundation on my face but every once in a while I feel up for trying it out again. Last week I received this Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in a sample pack from Sephora. While I don't regularly use skin products like this, I was excited to try it out!

This tinted moisturizer is a nice thin formula that goes on light and doesn't feel greasy at all. I really like how it evens out my skin tone and actually delivers a "glow" that it promises. Not only does the tinted moisturizer take place of foundation, it also has SPF 20 so you don't need any additional protection for every day wear.

I think that this tinted moisturizer is good because the cream isn't too thick and it blends easily. I have tried others that just feel as thick as a crappy liquid foundation. I will say though, I'd rather save wearing a product like this for the colder/dryer months of the year. Another bonus of this product is that it comes in a variety of different skin tone shades! I hate it when there are just 3 options for a tinted moisturizer!

Final verdict:
Cost: For a big bottle $42, the bottle pictured is only a sample size.
Does it feel like you are wearing a lot of face product?: Not really, I was pretty impressed with how it just felt like I was wearing my regular moisturizer.
Repeat offender?: I think it is important to buy quality skin products, especially those that are meant to match your skin tone, so even though spending $42 on a tinted moisturizer seems like a lot I would probably still purchase this brand. My only suggestion, check it out at the store to make sure you can find a perfect match!

-M

Almay Smart Shade Concealer, $8-$10

Almay Smart Shade Concealer is interesting--it's one of their products in the Smart Shade line, which claims to have the ability to "sense" the color of your skin and adjust itself to blend in flawlessly. Therefore, it comes in only 3 colors: light, light/medium, and medium. I chose light.

The product starts out nearly white. It comes in a small container with a needle-point nozzle, all signs that point to "use a small amount." It's very thin and liquidy, making it easy to spread out and blend. It feels smooth and dries quickly, almost like a tinted moisturizer.

The color isn't quite as yellowy as in the photo (I also put on a ton here), but it does have a slightly yellow tone that works well with my skin and I think helps to mellow out redness.

It's sheer coverage--no stage makeup here. For someone like me who never wears heavy face makeup, I think it works really well. I've used it under my eyes (dark circles), my nose (red), and my chin (blemish scars). I feel like it gave an overall cleansing effect, like my face looks more alive but you can't really figure out why.

Final verdict
Cost: $8-$10, depending on where you get it. Available at CVS, Walmart, etc.
Color changing: It actually does change and blend into my skin--pretty cool! It has a slightly yellow tone, though, which might not work for all skin types.
Coverage: Fairly sheer, like a tinted moisturizer. Good for those who just want a little, natural-looking fix. It also has SPF 15 (always a plus for me).
Texture: Soft, nonoily, blends easily, and dries quickly. It feels like my skin can breathe through it (not cakey at all).
Repeat offender: Yes, I would buy this again. It gives me just the amount of coverage I'm looking for and has a great texture. Plus, I put it right on top of some zits and it didn't make them worse, so I know it's not clogging my pores. I'm interested to try their Smart Shade blush--it's, like, the future, man!

-T

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20, $42

Let me just say upfront: I don't like foundation. Sure, I'll wear some under my eyes if I feel like I look tired (which, uh, has been like everyday lately) or in a futile attempt to cover a bad zit, but I can't really do the all-over thing. Feels too heavy and I feel like it always looks fake, especially up close. So, I chose the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer as a free sample from Sephora because I figured this would be the closest to foundation I could bring myself to wear.

(Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in Nude)
I must admit, this stuff is pretty nice. It's really thin, making it easy to blend a thin layer on my face. I was surprised by the coverage--it made a noticeable difference in evening out my skin tone. It felt light and soft, and I actually forgot I was wearing it. (Note: As with all face makeup I've tried, it did make my blemishes look, well, like I had tried to cover them with makeup. So, no exceptions there.) And, I learned that the color of blush really pops when applied over a nice base.

Final verdict
Cost: $42. Ow. Maybe if the price was, like, $30, which is still a lot, I'd be willing to pay for it. But $42 is just too much.
Coverage: Even though it's just a tinted moisturizer, it still evened out my skin tone noticeably. Plus it has SPF (even though it's just SPF 20, it's better than nothing!) and comes in a ton of shades.
Texture/feeling: This was my favorite part--it felt really light and soft. My boyfriend couldn't tell it was there.
Repeat offender: Well, if I had a ton of money then yes, I would recommend this. But, I just can't bring myself to spend that much!

-T

Sephora deal: This one is open to anyone with a Beauty Insider card (if you don't have one, sign up! It's free and you earn points toward samples!): 15% off your entire Sephora.com purchase with the promo code MADNESS. Good April 12-19.