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Sun Dec 17, 2006 12:59 am  |
I am fed up with matte finishing powders that provide little glow, and I have been straying from my "all natural" products because simply, there is still such a huge difference in texture and overall quality made by high end brands.
This little gem is the loose powder from the La Mer makeup range. I have been using it in shade 05 Translucent, which is one of the only three available in New Zealand. It is a light cream/ivory colour with no significant beige or peach undertones - perfect for softening my yellow/olive undertones.
The first time I tried this, the SA dusted two layers (with the horrible La Mer brushes..) and initially as I walked away I thought I looked like a pasty ghost - great stuck in town for hours while looking like geisha!! But within about 30 minutes, the powder toned down - whether it be from the elements, or from natural "sweat" and oils.. I couldn't help taking peeks at this new complexion, and I was surprised that I also received several complements about this as well.
Even in the jar, the powder has the finest glowing shimmer to it, nothing like those party sparkles that often ruin the complexion from over application. Upon applying, the powder imparts a very sheer sheen which surprisingly does not create any of that "pearly" lustre that a lot of normal finishing powders give, which I HATE - it makes my skin look like an oil slick as soon as it skins in.
This powder does not provide much coverage, but layering the powder will create a brighter glow - but for warmer skin tones it may make the skin on your neck contrast too much. The trick is to use a super fluffy brush and layer on gently. I tend to avoid using the puff applicator because it creates uneven tones and wastes too much product.
As for oilier skins, this powder probably will provide zero oil control. You will definitely need some other product, or multiple products to ensure your skin stays reasonably oily free and which can smooth over porous skin texture. I use a combination of a silicon based primer (Clarins, Pure Luxe, La Prarie etc etc) and a generous dusting of Jurlique silk powder or some other starch/clay based powder.
I only use mineral makeup, so not sure how the powder mixes with liquid foundation textures. Generally I don't find layering the multiple primer, mmu, and finishing powder to be very drying for my skin. Once the natural oils on your face slowly soften the powder, you will impart this very soft "touch of light" glow.
One problem I find with these talc and copolymer based powders is that they cause my skin to itch slightly, espcially after a long day. I am not sure if it is because I have never been exposed to such ingredients, or a general side effect from the ingredients.
Ultra finely "acrylates" and silicones, along with refined talc, are the most important ingredients used in these soft finishing powders. Compared to pure mineral based powders, minerals simply seem bulky and awkward alongside! Though I am not sure of the long term effects of using such products, perhaps they may pose to be highly comodogenic, especially for people like myself who have sensitive and porous skin. But I do take a great deal of care to ensure I not only cleanse well, but use pure clay masks regularly to draw out any impurities that may have been absorbed by my skin.
For the price, $155NZD (yikes!) or around $90USD, it is one of the more expensive loose powders on the market. But you get a very generous size, and in an even more extravagant glass jar, so unless you use everyday - it is perhaps a worthy investment for those of us who sometimes want to perk our complexions up.
There seems to be some confusion over the range of colours available too.. I always run to Strawberrynet to check if I can buy anything cheaper, but they only had Sun Dune and some other darker shades available. I ran into the same problem when I searched on Ebay and Google, very limited colour selection on the 'net for the same prices too. So if you are wanting a bronzer or if you have dark skin tones, PLEASE try Ebay - it's like $25!! Otherwise, for the neutral colours, it is restricted to department stores only.
Ingredients for 05 Translucent: talc, ethylene/methacrylate copolymer, perfluoropolythmethylisopropyl ether, calcium stearate, tourmaline, polymethyl methacrylate, malachite, phaeodactylum tricornotum extract, silica, caprylic/capric tryglceride, lauroyl lysine, calcium carbonate, dehydroacetic acid, methyl paraben, propyl paraben, butyl paraben. +/- iron oxides, red 30 lake, mica, titanium dioxide, ferric ferrocyanide, manganese violet, yellow 5 lake, ultramarines, red 7 lake. |
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Sun Dec 17, 2006 4:56 am |
great reviews,thanks 
i hear about la mer loose powder is so fine that you could put your finger into the powder and you couldn't feel the powder exists  at all
i want to know if it is true |
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Sun Dec 17, 2006 6:43 am |
| I think sand dune is from the old range-they've revamped the powder & colors. To see what the new colors are, go to the La Mer website before buying on ebay-the old powder isn't the same.. |
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Sun Dec 17, 2006 10:01 am |
What good timing miranets!! I bought this powder in Creme #01 from Neiman Marcus and tried it yesterday for the first time. Here are my impressions:
-First, in the US this is only $65. I bought the full size without trying it first since I had to mail order. I don't know when $65 started seeming like a reasonable amount to spend on a product I never tried but at some point (maybe when I spent $100 on the Cle de Peau Loose Powder) it did!
-The Good..... I tried this on bare skin and applied with the puff. It left a very nice finish. Alot of powders are very noticable in my dry areas but this one just looked smooth and left my skin feeling very soft and not dry. It did leave a nice glow without looking shiny or shimmery. So very, very nice finish.
-The Bad, Part I.....This is in a glass jar and is very heavy. It weighs over 1 pound!!! While the glass jar looks lovely, it would be impractical for travel.
-The Bad, Part II.....The shade I got did not match my skin at all. This is my fault for not getting a sample and perhaps the translucent that miranets mentioned would have been a better choice but the SA recommended the Creme. The Creme is too dark for my skin and despite the SA's claims that it has no undertones does have a peach tone to it. The powder looks so noticable on my skin color wise that it will absolutly not work for me.
-The Worst Part of All....I know loose powders are messy and become airbourne and I am okay with that. However, something happened with this powder that I have never experienced with loose powders before. When I was applying it I could tell that I was inhaling the powder particles and they irritated my lungs so much that I started coughing and continued to do so for 15 minutes or so. I applied this the same way that I always apply my loose powder and I found this reaction very strange. Even if I could find a shade of this powder that matched my skin I don't think I would buy it because it just feels unsafe to be inhaling something that causes such a strong reaction. At first I thought that the reaction could be explained by the fact that the powder is very finely milled but the Cle de Peau powder is at least as finely milled and does not cause this reaction.
To conclude I will not repurchase this powder, I will not try another shade and I will not even use the one I have a second time. Essentially $65 wasted!!! |
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Sun Dec 17, 2006 10:04 am |
| Theresa, isn't there any way to return it...you can actually claim allergic reacton to flying powder... |
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Sun Dec 17, 2006 11:48 am |
felinehhy - The marketing hype of this powder is something along the lines of "so fine that it feels like it is floating on your skin, has aerospace technology"  which is technically impossible, but that is the illusion the SAs feed you.
Theresa - I knew I should have purchased this overseas - even after ridiculous shipping it would have cost less ><~~~~ Everything is so friggin expensive here!
But anyhow, D'oh! The reaction you had may have had something to do with those acrylate ingredients - since you have tolerated CdP powders with talc without the same reaction?
I also got a large whiff of the powder when the SA was applying it on my face in store - bad timing for breathing.. but I just found it mildly cloying, not much worse than the morning sniff of Jurlique silk dust clouds.
Don't want to induce another other "lemmings" but I will also be attempting to get my hands on the La Prairie Loose Powder - which is more reasonably priced and available in more neutral tones, and the ModelCo lp which has received good reviews too. |
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Sun Dec 17, 2006 12:06 pm |
| marina wrote: |
| Theresa, isn't there any way to return it...you can actually claim allergic reacton to flying powder... |
marina thanks for suggesting this! I just called Neiman Marcus and they said that I could return it for a full refund.
miranets-please do let me know what you think of the La Prairie and ModelCo loose powders! I am always trying to find the perfect powder both finish wise and color wise. Your comments of the La Mer one were on target. The reaction I had was probably something very unusual. The SA at NM said that she has never heard it from anyone else. As for the color I think that the SA I originally spoke to made a mistake in recommending the Creme.
Who cares if you induce some more "lemmings" I guess in the future I should just get samples first.
Let me add one more thing to my prior post.
Another Good thing....While I only used it once and can't tell for sure based on one use, the powder did not cause any irritation for my very sensitive skin! |
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Sun Dec 17, 2006 1:07 pm |
| Theresa -- does this mean you're not happy with the CDP? (feeling guilty here ) |
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Sun Dec 17, 2006 1:40 pm |
| la vie en rose-There is NO need to feel guilty! I really like the CdP and may actually repurchase but the powder does add a little too much color to my face. I have yet to find a loose powder that really, truly matches my skintone. The CdP is close and wearable and I do love the texture of it. But I guess I want the perfect powder for my skintone, with the perfect texture, etc. etc......... |
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Sun Dec 17, 2006 1:45 pm |
| Don't we all....actually, I did try a sample of La mer in a medium tint & found too much peach/pink undertone..I have yet to find one, other than BB's sand,that is a true beige. Mmy skin picks up any hint of yellow or peach/pink in a powder & will turn orange & dirty looking. That being said, I never thought of trying the transluscent shade-I'm afraid of looking white.I really did love the texture though. |
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Sun Dec 17, 2006 5:06 pm |
Theresa, since you are also on the hunt for a HG powder, have you looked into NARS and Kevyn Aucoin?
They both have excellent reviews on MUA and I believe both Sephora and Beauty.com have reasonable return policies for colour matching. |
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Sun Dec 17, 2006 7:21 pm |
I don't really wear much makeup, but I do often like to dust with a good face powder. I like the look and it is especially helpful in keeping down shine when it's a long day.
I've used the same face powder since college and I'm convinced that there is NOTHING better out there than LeClerc.
The shades are somewhat bizarre. For instance, the one I use is banane - yup! as in banana - and it is pale yellow. It looks gorgeous on! I dust with that first, then with the translucide. Another of their shades is green. I know that alot of make-up artists use these pigments as correctors. Alot of people love Bobbi Brown cosmetics, and I understand that she uses yellow undertones in all of her foundations, powders, etc.
I've experimented with other LeClerc shades - they have one called nacre that is very nice to use when you're going out on the town. It lends a very, very subtle opalescence to the skin.
It's very reasonably priced a 35g tin is about $45. It's a very, very finely milled powder; quite light. If you want alot of coverage, you can layer it and it still doesn't appear that you're wearing makeup! All the shades are also available in pressed powder compacts, which come with a half circle brush. Great for touch ups and unlike any "pressed" powder I've ever seen. The only down side is that the only way to really experience the full range of shades is to go somewhere that sells it. The banane is pretty universally recommended for European complexions, but it's still fun to play around with the other shades. |
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Mon Dec 18, 2006 7:38 am |
| miranets wrote: |
Theresa, since you are also on the hunt for a HG powder, have you looked into NARS and Kevyn Aucoin?
They both have excellent reviews on MUA and I believe both Sephora and Beauty.com have reasonable return policies for colour matching. |
miranets I haven't tried either brand. I will have to take a look. BTW do you know which big cosmetics compansy NARS is affiliated with? I am thinking Shiseido but am not sure.
katee-I have tried the LeClerc powders and I thought that the shades were very nice. It is a finely milled powder. The only reason that I did not purchase full sizes is that the powders seemed "flat" and IMO looked almost chalky. Maybe I just didn't have the opportunity to really try them and it is possible that my skin was dry when I tried them. What is your opinion on the finish being flat (I am not talking about matte but actually flat looking)? I have to agree that the banana would probably work for most skin tones. I did sample the banana and while I prefered the neutral shades, the banana is something that I could wear and look okay. I will say that the very light neutral shades (Nacre and Camelia) did work well with my skin tone.
BTW for those in the US interested in the LeClerc powders here is where you can get samples: http://www.fourseasonsproducts.com/cat--T-LeClerc-Loose-Powder-35-gram--leclerclooselp35
They do charge $5 shipping for 4 samples but if you spend at least $50 they offer free shipping so you don't pay for the samples this way. If I want samples I always manage to find something to buy-especially since they sell my Komenuka Bijin shampoo. |
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Mon Dec 18, 2006 8:39 am |
Thanks LaVie! So I guess it isn't just me thinking that the LeClerc looks flat....
I have a sample of the Caron powder and while the shade is too dark I still want to try it to see how the texture is and if it irritates. I took a quick look at the by Terry and it looks like Barney's sells the brand. I wonder if Barney's is good with requesting samples since I don't live anywhere close to the store? |
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Mon Dec 18, 2006 8:45 am |
| it is very finely milled, the finest powder i've used. expensive but truly worth it. |
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Mon Dec 18, 2006 8:51 am |
i'd like to think they'd ship you out a sample as by Terry is not cheap. BTW, really nice lippies as well (though, to be honest, the site does *not* show the colours well). currently wearing the Rouge Délectation in Nut Mousse over a balm and loving it as a very natural (on me) MLBB. (i've been trying to get into the not-made-up french look  ) which Caron shade do you have BTW? |
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Mon Dec 18, 2006 8:59 am |
| la vie-how do the by Terry lippies compare to the Guerlain KissKiss lippies? I don't know what the shade is for the Caron. I actually got the sample from miranets so maybe she can tell us the shade name! |
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Mon Dec 18, 2006 9:10 am |
If the price of La Mer powder is too high for some, I can also recommend T.LeClerc. I occasionally use the Camelia shade to dust my t-zone, over Jane Iredale Pressed Base (in Bisque, for color reference), since I don't like the look of heavily-applied MMU. While Camelia looks peachy in the canister it doesn't look that way on my skin, which is a pale neutral. I can't wear anything that's either too pink or too yellow.
I suppose it is "flat" compared to MMU but that's why I like it for my t-zone! When dusted with a wispy fan brush, I get just enough light coverage. I agree that Nacre would be a good shade if something with more glow is preferred. |
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Mon Dec 18, 2006 9:23 am |
| TheresaL wrote: |
| la vie-how do the by Terry lippies compare to the Guerlain KissKiss lippies? |
it depends on which KissKiss.... and with *all* my lippies, i wear Guerlain's LipLift if i want staying power or by Terry's Hydralift if i want to make the it more sheer. currently, i'd have to say that Sisley is my absolute favourite, followed by the by Terry, and then Guerlain.... if you're talking about the KissKiss Shine's though, nothing compares. |
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Mon Dec 18, 2006 10:49 am |
la vie while I like all the KissKiss lippies, I love the Maxi Shine ones!  And don't even get me started on the LipLift! I always use that under my lipsticks (I believe I have you and carekate to thank for your raves about the MaxiShine and the LipLift).
I may have to stop reading this thread since I am already wanting to try several loose powders, am reconsidering the LeClerc in Nacre and am now even looking at lipsticks (which I don't need). |
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Mon Dec 18, 2006 11:09 am |
| TheresaL wrote: |
| I may have to stop reading this thread since I am already wanting to try several loose powders, am reconsidering the LeClerc in Nacre and am now even looking at lipsticks (which I don't need). |
forget the lippies then -- the MaxiShine are da bomb!
and many people adore LeClerc. i wish i did as it's quite inexpensive here and i could buy it at the corner store.... BTW you'll have to start your own thread when you finally do all your powder testings! |
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Mon Dec 18, 2006 12:14 pm |
| TheresaL wrote: |
| I actually got the sample from miranets so maybe she can tell us the shade name! |
Theresa, the shade is called "Radiuese", unfortunately I had no luck with the Caron rep who I was in touch with, they did not provide me with any additional information about the range of colours available. I think the only way to find out is to actually call the darn Caron botique in NYC or Paris 
Ok and can you guys stop recommending other brands of powder to try?! I already have about ten million I need to get, and my list of lemmings is getting out of control.....! |
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Mon Dec 18, 2006 12:22 pm |
| Just one more..Armani! The HG for everything makeup-however a nod to guerlains maxishine-I have a couple. I love armani..just enough irridescence to stop it from looking flat..believe me, I hate sparkles..just makes you look all glowy and Armanish.. -read rich even though you're not. The lipsticks & lipglosses are also sublime-sorry, Theresa |
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Mon Dec 18, 2006 1:12 pm |
I just took a at the colour selection for by Terry - yay yellows!
But upon hitting "Checkout" - the shipping to New Zealand was something like $150 EURO 
By Terry makes a Skin Enhancer in the same shades as the powders, so I'm wondering if it is a similar product to the Kevyn Aucoin SSE...
La vie en rose, have you had a play around with the BT line before? |
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