In Israel, women soak in the Dead Sea, known worldwide for its healing properties and beautifying effects on the skin. In Brazil, they sit on the beach and rub sand with suntan oil into their thighs and buttocks to break up cellulite and keep their skin supple and smooth. The secret of the Japanese geisha’s smooth, flawless skin is camellia oil, which contributes moisturizing, conditioning, nourishing and softening benefits to the skin. The anti-aging secret in China is Silver Tip White Tea, which is produced exclusively in the high mountains of the Fujian province.
Women knew it all along. Before makeup or anything else, it’s important to have good skin. Every woman should invest in a good skincare system that works for her. After all, even if you have tons of makeup and the most expensive brands at that, it’s almost useless if you don’t have good skin to work with. The skin serves as a canvas. In fact, the better your skin, the less makeup you’ll need.
And Laura Mercier believes just that. Her philosophy is simple. "Making your skin look perfect is the first and most important thing you can do to achieve a truly great look."
Raised in Provence, she began her training at age 17. She entered painting school in Paris and later on decided to shift her talents from the canvas to the face: Mercier attended the Carita School where she specialized in makeup application. Soon after she began working closely with well-known French makeup artist Thibault Vabre.
When she was asked to join the team to launch American Elle, Laura Mercier moved to New York in 1985. There she worked on advertising campaigns for Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale’s, and Clairol, including editorial spreads for magazines including Elle, Vanity Fair, Glamour and Seventeen. While working with cosmetics and clothing companies such as L’Oreal, Maybelline, Victoria’s Secret, Gap and Banana Republic, Mercier began working with Madonna on her looks for print, television and film. She later entered into a four-year contract designing the makeup looks for all of the advertising campaigns of Elizabeth Arden. She also worked with Chanel on the company’s beauty advertising campaigns in France.
In 1996, Mercier developed her own line to benefit women of all ages and skin types. Unsurprisingly, it was a success. Stores such as Neiman Marcus, Henri Bendel, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom carried her line of products. Laura’s products can always be found in the bags of celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker, Julia Roberts, Angelina Jolie, Jessica Alba, Liv Tyler, Gwyneth Paltrow, Oprah Winfrey, Cameron Diaz, Susan Sarandon, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Heather Locklear, Patricia Arquette, Glenn Close, and supermodel Shalom Harlow. Now in its ninth year, her line has expanded to include makeup, skincare, body and bath and fragrance.
This year, Laura Mercier further expands her skincare line with the newest addition of Laura Mercier Flawless Skin, a preventative and treatment specialty skincare line designed for women concerned with dull, pigmented and aging skin. Working extensively with Japanese Dr. Kaneko, a cosmetic scientist with a Ph.D. in lipid and nano technologies, Mercier created Flawless Skin based on the remarkable anti-aging properties of Deep Sea Water. Found in only a few locations in the world far below the surface where sunlight does not reach, Deep Sea Water can penetrate cellular membranes easily offering long-lasting hydration and defending against wrinkle formation, and can enhance metabolic reaction within the skin, inspiring new cell development.
The Flawless Skin Purifying Oil is a quick one-step cleanser that deep cleans the pores and rinses away the most stubborn makeup and excess dirt, sebum and oil – without stripping the skin of its moisture. This really gives you a feeling of deep cleanliness, at the same time awakening and revitalizing weakened and aged skin cells. The result? It reveals super fresh and supple skin.
To refresh, energize and prepare the skin, Flawless Skin Perfecting Water hydrates and infuses the skin with active ingredients to condition and soften the skin leaving it pH-balanced. And you’ll love this: it is never drying and while it addresses surface dehydration, it minimizes and reduces the appearance of pores.
Lastly, two must-have treatment products: Flawless Skin Renewal Serum and Flawless Skin Illuminating Brightener. The Renewal Serum helps stimulate cell turnover and helps bring young skin cells to the surface – providing clear, radiant skin while melting away surface imperfections. With the constant sun and pollution of Manila, the Renewal Serum should be every woman’s staple as it neutralizes free radicals such as the damaging effects of the sun and pollution. It also strengthens your skin’s ability to hold moisture, thus defending against dry skin, wrinkle formation, hyperpigmentation and other unwanted skin damage.
The Flawless Skin Illuminating Brightener targets the formation of those unwanted sunspots. How does it work? It contains unique liposome capsules that carry brightening ingredients to troubled areas. This is one product that really addresses skin dullness, pigmentation while brightening overall skin clarity.
So, still on a quest for great skin? Why journey to the Dead Sea, rub sand on your skin or trek up the high mountains of the Fujian province? I say look no further. Laura Mercier ends that search. Flawless Skin is one of the best regimens for a truly flawless face.