The New La Mer Skincolor Collection is even more Luxurious than Before!

It is the season for holiday collections, and I have lots to share with you.  But ever since I started at my new firm, the days are passing in a blur, and by the time I get home at night, I just pass out.  So, with a pipeline of goodies and limited bandwidth to express myself out here, the usual first in first out policy takes a back seat against prioritizing limited editions.  But even in spite of it all, what I have been burning to share with you, is something that I’ve been absolutely loving to bits lately…. the new La Mer Skincolor Collection!

La Mer is a brand that I hold dear to my heart as I have mentioned several times before, not only for their excellent skincare, but there are also a couple of gems in their Skincolor collection that have been my HG for a long time.  A couple of years ago, rumors started circulating that La Mer was going to refresh the line and so there was a mad rush to stock up.  And now finally the new collection is finally out, and let me tell you, they are excellent!  La Mer Skincolor Collection consists of 3 base products and 2 brushes.  I’ve been testing them out for the past month, and am just dying to share them with you.

La Mer The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation

I am a foundation buff, and so that is where we shall start our discussion today.  To set the record straight, I was not a fan of La Mer’s previous generation of foundations.  There were a couple of true gems that were (and still are) my HG, but the foundation was not 1 of them.  And I am genuinely pleased to see that La Mer had taken inputs from all their fans, and released a new formula that is so spectacular it has made it into my personal all-time favourite.

La Mer The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation improves upon its predecessor with the inclusion of the famed Miracle Broth, antioxidants, and SPF20 sun protection.  At the same time, the texture of the foundation is much lighter and silkier than before, and is in fact such a pleasure to use sensorially that I am churlish to try anything else (even though I have at least 6 other high end foundations waiting for me to get started on)!  I brought the bottle with me on my 2-week sojourn to Australia, and for lack of tools, took to applying with my fingers and was happy to find that it is as easy to blend with my fingers as it is with a brush or sponge!  More importantly, it lasts all day without fading, no oxidation (which is rare in my experience despite product claims), and no creasing!

There are 15 shades, but only the 8 shades swatched above are available in Singapore.  Each of the shades have a 2-digit numbering system, the first digit corresponds to the intensity (0 – lightest and 4 – darkest) and the second digit corresponds to the undertone (1 – cool; 2 – neutral; 3 – warm).  I am using shade 13 Linen and it is the best matching foundation that I have ever owned!

The experience of applying La Mer The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation is like revealing your true natural flawless skin.  It is so imperceptible, you can not tell it is foundation at all.  The finish is so skin-like, with a natural lit-from-within radiance, and medium to full coverage ; so the effect is like erasing all the imperfections leaving only my own natural skin.  As you can see from the half-faced comparison above, a thin blended out layer of La Mer The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation is able to conceal any red patches (around my nose), minimize dark circles and the appearance of blemishes.  I was rather enjoying the fact that I woke up that day to 2 zits on my nose… 1 on either side, so you can compare the effects of the foundation all the better (blogger humour!).  Layering more of the foundation under my eyes will be able to adequately conceal my dark circles, but severe ones and red angry zits will still require a concealer.

La Mer The Concealer

I was (still am) a huge fan of La Mer’s previous concealer [reviewed here], and so it was a real test to see how much better it can get.  The most notable difference is the change in packaging – the previous Radiant Concealer was a pan housed in a small square compact with a built-in mirror and a tiny flat brush for application; and the new Concealer comes in a twist-up tube.  I think most people will agree the twist tube is more convenient and hygienic, and does not require an additional brush to apply.  The formula remains the same creamy texture that glides on easily, conceals imperfections without emphasizing lines and flakey skin.

Swatches of La Mer The Concealer shades #02 Very Light (left) and #12 Light (right).  Taken under different lighting conditions from the pair of swatches below, so the colors may appear different.

The good news too, is that there is now 1 additional shade (making a total of 4) to cater to those who are fairer… there were only 3 in the past.  I was unable to swatch all 4 shades at the time of my preview, but it appears that the shades now run lighter than before.  As a point of reference, I used shade #2 Medium in the old Radiant Concealer (which was the lightest available), but the new shade #12 Light is lighter in comparison, and the new shade #02 Very Light is even paler.

Swatches of La Mer The Concealer (new) shade #12 Light versus La Mer The Radiant Concealer (old) shade #2 Medium.  Taken under different lighting conditions from the previous pair of swatches, so the colors may appear different.

Perhaps because the shade #12 Light that I received is a tad too fair for me, I found it did not conceal my dark undereye circles as well as before.  If I tried to blend it out with a brush, The Concealer sheers out too much, so the best way to use it is to swipe the tube directly on the skin and then tap gently with a finger to blend out.

Lastly, La Mer The Concealer now comes with 5gm of product (vs. 3.5gm previously) which is a substantial improvement!

La Mer The Powder

The very first loose powder I bought and covet to this day, is La Mer The Powder.  I had reviewed it at length here, and compared it against a few other luxury branded loose powders.  The new reformulation feels very much the same as before, light as air and luxurious as cashmere.  It now features La Mer’s Miracle Broth, so arguably it does some good for your skin in the long run, especially when layered with The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation and La Mer skincare.

La Mer The Powder is one of the lightest and finest powder I have ever tried, and it may be my imagination, but it seems to be even finer than its predecessor.  It has built in shimmers, which is so incredibly micro the shimmers completely disappear once applied on the skin, leaving a beautiful luminous glow.  There is only 1 universal shade in Translucent (whereas there used to be 4), and it comes in a beautiful hefty glass jar with a cute little plush puff.  The bad news is that La Mer has shrunk the size of the product to 8gm, down from a generous 25gm in the past; and raised the price.  Though disappointing, if you consider the prevailing prices that other luxury brands charge for their loose powder, La Mer’s pricing is on par for its market positioning.  And for fans like me, it is good to have The Powder back again!

La Mer The Powder Brush

What is exciting is that La Mer has released 2 new brushes to accompany their latest Skincolor Collection, and they are really fabulous brushes.  I did not get a chance to try The Foundation Brush in actual application, but it feels incredibly soft and densely packed to the touch.  I’m intrigued by the shape, and will report back if I get a chance to test it out.  The brush that I have here is The Powder Brush, and it is huge.  The Powder Brush comes in a rounded domed shape and I don’t have anything quite like it.  I love the solid wooden handle, and find the white handle and pewter ferrule to make a very beautiful combination.

The closest that comes to it in terms of size and shape is my Chikuhodo Z-9 powder brush, but even that seems diminutive in comparison, and not as rounded as La Mer The Powder Brush.  The latter is of course made of synthetic bristles, but it is so soft it does not feel scratchy on my skin at all.  On the other hand, it is a rather densely packed brush which is perfect for buffing, but if you are looking for a very loose and airy powder application you will find the Z-9 better suited.

Conclusion

I’m really loving La Mer’s new Skincolor Collection!  Of course, The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation is a big hit for me, and I hope you will get the chance to experience and find your perfect matching shade.  I’m also really excited that The Powder is back, and I don’t have to worry about my backup stash running out (because the hoarder in me went and bought backups when I heard rumors that it was being discontinued!).  Although I still find myself reaching for its predecessor, The Concealer is a nice pocket-friendly addition to my makeup pouch.  Even with all the gorgeous holiday makeup proliferating, nothing is more important than having a flawless base.  So definitely check these out, and let me know your thoughts!

_{This post featured products that were generously provided for my consideration.  Regardless, all opinions expressed here are my own honest, unbiased views.}