World-renowned makeup guru Laura Mercier’s mission is to satisfy the global needs of women from all walks of life. At the onset of her career, she crossed many boundaries and worked her magic on everyone from Madonna to Julia Roberts. She proved her enterprising spirit in 1996 after entering a triumphant new chapter in her career with the launch of Laura Mercier Cosmetics. Her makeup empire, which focuses on creating a naturally flawless complexion, is sold in 27 countries. She believes that a smile makes everyone look beautiful and according to her, when you are happy, your inner beauty shines through your outer beauty. The brand’s philosophy and her incredible well documented achievements earned her significant recognition. She received many accolades for various products including the May 2016 CEW Beauty Insider Award, the 2016 Allure Best of Beauty Award, and the Designer Buys 2016 Glamour Beauty Award among many. Wassila Ayoub had the pleasure to sit with the brilliant Laura Mercier that essentially makes any woman feel beautiful with a touch of her makeup.
In the early days of your career, you worked your magic on many stars including Madonna, Julia Roberts, and Sara Jessica Parker. What was it like working with the industry’s biggest names?
It was always fantastic and creative and with each client I have such fond and special memories of our time together. I was most fortunate to work with people that I genuinely enjoyed spending time with and have mutual respect and admiration for one another.
What was the most challenging aspect at the onset of launching your makeup empire? What prompted you to launch your own line?
The most challenging aspect of launching my line was combining my freelance work with my regular celebrity clients and creating the line where I had to dedicate time to being in the lab, promoting the line and press. Often times schedules would conflict and I would have to sacrifice one or the other to meet the needs of either my freelance work or a deadline to bring the line to market.
What prompted me to launch my own line was that I had a passion for creating colors and textures that didn’t exist in products that were on the market at the time. I enjoyed teaching artistry to other artists and teaching women how to apply their makeup. I still have that same passion today as I did back then.
The company’s philosophy focuses on natural looking makeup. What are some of the iconic products from your line that can help achieve a flawless natural look?
Some of the iconic products from Laura Mercier that can help achieve a flawless, natural look are the Primers, Tinted Moisturizer, Secret Camouflage concealer, Secret Concealer, Translucent Loose Setting Powder, Secret Brightening Powder and Silk Crème Photo Edition Foundation.
Out of all the products you’ve created, which product are you most proud of?
I am most proud of the Primers, Tinted Moisturizer, Secret Camouflage concealer and Translucent Loose Setting Powder. These products were all primarily makeup artist products or products found in a French pharmacy that I brought to the US for the American consumer (Tinted Moisturizer). They are all products that are iconic to the brand and are staple products in celebrity makeup artist boxes.
Many women seek makeup to hide imperfections and aging faces. Should women embrace their flaws? What are your thoughts on this?
One of my signature beliefs is, “what makes you unique, makes you beautiful!” I find “flaws” the most interesting thing in someone’s face and the most beautiful. I don’t believe in a standard of beauty and think that we should all embrace that we are uniquely different and beautiful in our own way.
How do you define beauty?
I don’t think I can define beauty because I find beauty in so many things and things that are so different. I think beauty is subjective and if you can find happiness in who you are, that can be the most beautiful thing in a person as it comes through in their demeanor, energy and the joy that they hopefully put out into the world.
These days, women are busier than ever. What are some easy and fast makeup tips you have for women on the go?
Since Laura Mercier is a makeup artistry brand, we create products of the highest quality, innovation and high performing formulas that are at a makeup artist standard and will meet the demands that a professional makeup artist would have for how a product should perform. With that in mind, I tell women who may not have a lot of time to spend on their makeup, to focus on their priorities.
I also say if you only have 5 minutes, try to give yourself 10. This way you are investing the 5 minutes on your makeup so you may not have to worry so much about it lasting throughout the day. Once you have your priorities, choose products that are long-wearing, have performance claims that have an ease of application and will have staying power. For the face, the less you use the better. If you can use a primer as your base, this will help to make your makeup last longer. Choose a long-wearing concealer such as Secret Camouflage that is meant to conceal and not move or disappear as the day goes on. Set your makeup with loose powder such as our Translucent Loose Setting Powder.
For eyes we have an eye shadow stick, Caviar Sticks which is a formula that is easy to apply and once you have it on, it doesn’t move and lasts throughout your day. They are so easy to use and have gorgeous color payoff that will not fade as the day goes on. Lastly, no matter what formula you wear on your lips, start with a lip pencil. This will create a base of color for your lips and hold onto whatever formula you put over it to make your lip product last longer.
The climate in the Middle East can be very hot. Any tips on how the Middle Eastern woman can achieve a cool and flawless look?
Middle Eastern women can choose products that are long-wearing, have performance claims that have an ease of application and will have staying power. For the face, if you can use a primer as your base, this will help to make your makeup last longer.
Choose a long-wearing concealer such as Secret Camouflage that is meant to conceal and not move or disappear as the day goes on. Set your makeup with loose powder such as our Translucent Loose Setting Powder. For eyes, we have an eye shadow stick, Caviar Sticks which is a formula that is easy to apply and once you have it on, it doesn’t move and lasts throughout your day. Our Long Lash mascara is beautifully smooth, water-resistant and the smudge proof formula contains rich dark pigments to enhance lash color for maximum drama.
Lastly, no matter what formula you wear on your lips, start with a lip pencil. This will create a base of color for your lips and hold onto whatever formula you put over it to make your lip product last longer.
What do you keep in your own makeup bag?
In my handbag, I always have a mirror, lip balm, lip liner, lip stick and a lip gloss.
Please share five of your top beauty tips with our readers
My five beauty tips are as follows:
- If you don’t have time to do anything for your makeup at the very least put something on your lip. This will immediately give you a more polished, sophisticated look.
- Don’t cake makeup - less is more and will make you look younger/more youthful.
- Make certain your foundation shade matches your décolletage.
- A smile makes everyone look beautiful, regardless if you have makeup on or not.
- Accept and embrace what you deem as your “flaws”. When you are happy with yourself, your inner beauty shines through as your outer beauty.
