in pursuit of the perfect tinted moisturizer

I've been on the hunt to find the perfect tinted moisturizer since my Laura Mercier Oil-Free TM is almost empty. I have been using Laura Mercier in Bisque for two years now and decided I wanted to try something new so I grabbed two samples from Sephora this week: Lancome TEINT IDOLE Freshwear in Bisque 4W and Hourglass Illusion Oil-Free TM in Light Beige.

Continue reading for color swatches and reviews...

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The color closest to my complexion would be Lancome, but here's the rundown of what I thought.

Brand: Laura Mercier Oil-Free TM 
Price: $42
Color: Bisque
Coverage: Lightweight 
Comments: This tinted moisturizer has been my go-to for the last two years, but lately I've found that even though its oil-free it has not kept my face from feeling oily and greasy throughout the day - in every season. Laura Mercier for me, is very hard to blend and gets dry if not blended immediately. This color does look very natural, but as a tinted moisturizer, the coverage is very lightweight. If you need more coverage apply two layers. Although I do recommend this product for someone trying to get used to the whole tinted moisturizer thing, after a few years it no longer does anything for my skin. I don't feel hydrated throughout the day, my skin just feels oily and bland.
Overall: B+; it's just a bit too expensive for the minimal sheer coverage it provides but I do love the color selections Laura Mercier provides.

Brand: Lancome TEINT IDOLE FRESH WEAR

Price: $34

Color: Bisque 4W

Coverage: Moderate

Comments: I really wanted to like this Lancome TM/Foundation since a friend recommended it to me, but I don't. TEINT IDOLE claims to provide 18-hours of coverage that's shine free, but those claims did not hold up for me. I have oily skin, so I expect to blot and reapply throughout the day, but the formula of this TM is so thin its practically like applying water to your face. It was not great with coverage, boasting a ColorKeeper™ Refining Complex, which has highly resistant pigments that help erase pores and imperfections.  I found this claim to be false for me and it did not last for 8 hours let alone 18. After a few hours my skin looked dull. 

Overall: B; the coverage does not hold up to the claims of this product and the color selection is minimal.

Brand: Hourglass lllusion Oil Free Tinted Moisturizer 

Price: $55

Color: Light Beige

Coverage: Moderate to deep

Comments: First off let me start by saying anyone who tries to get a correct color sample in the poorly lit Sephora needs to step outside into regular lighting before walking away. I don't know why the lighting is so horrible, but I walked away with the wrong color sample for my skin tone, because of poor lighting and a SA who suggested I go with the darker of the two colors I matched up to. Anyway, I heard so much about Hourglass TM from it being  free of parabens, synthetic fragrances/dyes and sulphates to its anti-aging properties and intense formula for a TM. I have to say, even though the product does not match my skin tone correctly I loved it. Hourglass Illusion comes with a primer built into the formula, and also has a subtle tint of sparkle and shine. Wearing it throughout the day I found that the coverage was even, dewy and way more moderate than Lancome or Laura Mercier. I love how this product if free of synthetic products, has anti-aging properties (which I have yet to discover) and minimizes the appearance of lines, scars, marks and pores. 

Overall: A-; I need the correct color to make a proper assessment before I drop $55 on this tinted moisturizer. 

If you have any recommendations please let me know?