A&E Interviews : Laura Mercier

Eliza Scarborough   |   06-11-2017

 

Renowned make-pp artist Laura Mercier reveals to A&E magazine her tricks of the trade.

 

Whether it’s the cult Secret Camouflage concealer, hero Translucent Loose Setting Powder or award-winning Tinted Moisturiser, chances are you’re familiar with Laura Mercier products and rely on them as part of your daily makeup routine. But you’re probably less familiar with the woman behind the international beauty brand.

 

The pioneer of the ‘Flawless Face’, a world-renowned makeup artist and international businesswoman, Mercier was raised in Provence and began her training at 17 at a painting school in Paris. Mercier soon shifted her focus from the canvas to the face, specialising in skincare and makeup, before becoming a freelance makeup artist and moving to New York in 1985 to work with some of the most esteemed fashion and beauty magazines in the business.

 

Just over a decade later, Laura Mercier Cosmetics was launched, grounded in Mercier’s philosophy of creating a naturally flawless complexion, designed to benefit women of all ages and skin types. More than any other make-up artist, Mercier is known for creating flawless, soft, glowing complexions, with her products whose transformative powers were around long before Instagram filters.

 

Here, Mercier shares with us the secrets behind creating a cult beauty product, what she defines as beauty, and how she built her eponymous cosmetics empire on the premise that every woman deserves to feel beautiful.

 

 

What first inspired you to pursue beauty as a profession, and not just a passion?

What inspired me to pursue beauty as a profession was when I was studying aesthetics at Carita in Paris and one of my classes was assisting the makeup artist that taught artistry. I studied art and painting in school, so I was so inspired and quite interested in how this artistic expression could translate into beauty.

 

Have you faced many challenges throughout your career?

I think no matter what, life will always present you with challenges, including those within your career. It goes without saying that at the time, you don’t understand why you are going through something or why you are being challenged, but when I look back at those times and now understand the reason, I am grateful for these challenges as they brought me to many great places and where I am and who I am today.

 

What is your definition of beauty?

I find beauty in everything and really don’t have a definition of beauty. The core philosophy of my brand is, ‘What makes you unique, makes you beautiful,’ and I stay true to this philosophy to this day. I think it is important that we celebrate what is unique to us and embrace who we are. It is very easy today to get caught up in what we are lacking and an idea that we should look a certain way. I hope that I can inspire others to embrace their own unique beauty.

 

Who are your beauty icons, past or present?

I have many beauty icons, but for me I love the classic Hollywood icons of the 40’s and 50’s such as Eva Gardner, Brigitte Bardot, and Sophia Loren. Their makeup look was their signature, and part of their persona. I just love how important every element of their look was, which is a part of what makes them an icon to me.

 

Now that you have grown a beauty empire, is there anything else that you would like to achieve next?

I think there is still so much to be done! I am an artist, and to me there is always so much to be done and you never feel like you are finished. I still love creating products, getting in there with the team and seeing what we can improve on. I will look to maybe update with new technology or see what is next. It is an evolution, and it is exciting that we are all inspired to create products that make women feel and look beautiful.

 

 

Laura Mercier reveals some of her top beauty secrets, including how we can achieve the perfect complexion.

  • If you don’t have time to do your makeup, at the very least put something on your lip. This will immediately give you a more polished, sophisticated look.
  • Don’t cake on your makeup, less is more and will make you look younger and more youthful.
  • Ensure that your foundation shade matches your décolletage.
  • A smile makes everyone look beautiful, regardless of whether 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.

By Eliza Scarborough

 

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