Laura Mercier Paint with Light Radiant Face Illuminator Palette Review & Swatches

Christine — Sun, 06 Oct 2019 14:00:00 +0000

Paint with Light

Laura Mercier Paint with Light Radiant Face Illuminator Palette ($52.00 for 0.63 oz.) is a new, limited edition trio of highlighters for the holiday season. Obsession is new and exclusive to the palette, while the other two shades are available in the brand’s permanent range.

The standalone Face Illuminators retail for $45.00 and contain 0.30 oz. of product or cost $150.00 per ounce, so the palette contains $94.50 worth of product. All three shades performed consistently with past iterations of the Face Illuminator formula; the only “downside” is that the shades are more semi-opaque to opaque than strictly medium and buildable, so as long as that’s not a deal-breaker, it’s a nice trio if you’re in need of highlighter.

Ingredients

Paint with Light

LELimited Edition. $52.00.

A-

9.5

Product

8.5

Pigmentation

9.5

Texture

8.5

Longevity

Application

91%

Total

Devotion

Devotion is a pale beige with a subtle, peachy-pink shift and luminous sheen. It had a more moderate glow when initially applied but could be built up to a more metallic finish with two to three layers (or used with a dampened brush). The pigmentation was medium coverage in a single layer but could be built up (as described), while the texture was smooth, firmer to the touch, but it wasn’t stiff to work with.

With this type of formula, I’d recommend using a denser brush to pick up product to ensure good, even pick up of product. It lasted well for eight hours on me before fading visibly.

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

Dior #002 (DC, $56.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
Urban Decay Wicked (LE, $26.00) is darker (95% similar).
Burberry No. 03 Pink Pearl (P, $68.00) is cooler (95% similar).
MAC Love This Bitch (LE, $34.00) is less shimmery, cooler (95% similar).
Tarte Gleam (PiP, ) is less shimmery (95% similar).
Tarte Spellbound Glow (LE, $30.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
Laura Geller Pixie Pearl (LE, $36.00) is less shimmery, warmer (95% similar).
NARS Devotee (PiP, ) is less shimmery (95% similar).
Tarte Worthy (LE, $29.00) is lighter (95% similar).
Wet 'n' Wild Air (LE, $6.99) is cooler (95% similar).

View Swatches

Formula Overview

$45.00/0.3 oz. - $150.00 Per Ounce

According to the brand, Laura Mercier Face Illuminator ($44.00 for 0.30 oz.) supposed to be a “long-wearing, buildable” highlighter that gives a “natural-looking” glow. The formula was typically more buildable from medium to opaque coverage with a noticeable sheen that could get more frosted/metallic if applied heavily but didn't emphasize my pores. The texture was smooth and blendable, but there was a bit of dryness to it that seemed common to this type of formula (think MAC Extra Dimension, NARS Dual-Intensity, Estee Lauder Gelee, etc.). On my normal-to-dry skin, the highlighter tended to last around eight hours.

Browse all of our Laura Mercier Face Illuminator swatches.

Ingredients

Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Talc, Dimethicone, Zinc Stearate, Silica, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Potassium Sorbate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Mica, Tin Oxide. May Contain(+/-): Ci 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), Ci 77491, Ci 77499 (Iron Oxides).

Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.

Devotion

PPermanent. $45.00.

9.5

Product

Pigmentation

9.5

Texture

8.5

Longevity

Application

94%

Total

Obsession

Obsession is a pale lavender with cooler undertones and pink-to-violet shifting pearl throughout. It had a luminous finish that could be built up from medium to intense glow depending on coverage-level and whether it was used with a dampened brush.

The powder highlighter had a smooth consistency that was never powdery and sat beautifully on my skin–almost “melted” in that sense–but did work better with a denser brush, as it was a firmer, denser powder. It had opaque pigmentation in a single layer, though it was easy to use a lighter hand with it to achieve more buildable coverage (which was how it was marketed). The color wore beautifully for eight and a half hours on me before I noticed signs of fading.

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes
Formula Overview

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

MAC Lights on Lavender (LE, $42.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
Guerlain Holographic (Right) (LE, ) is lighter, cooler (95% similar).
ColourPop Squad (LE, $10.00) is less shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
ColourPop Showtime (LE, $10.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
Wet 'n' Wild White Raven (LE, $4.99) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
Too Faced Unicorn Tears (Highlighter) (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
Sydney Grace Pink Mist (P, $9.00) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
ColourPop Hippo (P, $10.00) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
ColourPop In My Feels (LE, $12.00) is warmer (90% similar).
MAC Violet FX (LE, $31.00) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).

View Swatches

Formula Overview

$45.00/0.3 oz. - $150.00 Per Ounce

Browse all of our Laura Mercier Face Illuminator swatches.

Obsession

LELimited Edition. $45.00.

A-

9.5

Product

7.5

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

Application

91%

Total

Inspiration

Inspiration is a light-medium, rosy copper with warm undertones and a luminous sheen. It had buildable pigmentation from semi-opaque to opaque, though it was supposed to be closer to medium, per the brand. The texture felt smooth to the touch, but it was a denser, firmer powder that played best with denser brushes, which is typical of the more baked-powder-gel kind of formulas. The color applied evenly and blended out easily on my skin without emphasizing my skin’s natural texture. It stayed on nicely for eight hours before fading a bit.

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes
Formula Overview

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

Sydney Grace Morning Glory (P, $9.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
Anastasia Amber Gold (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
Tom Ford Beauty Reflects Gilt (Bottom) (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
Fenty Beauty Rose on Ice (P, $28.00) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
OFRA Blissful (P, $29.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
Bobbi Brown Afternoon Glow (P, $48.00) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
NARS Maldives (P, $38.00) is lighter (90% similar).
Laura Mercier Temptation (LE, $45.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
Smashbox Rosemantic (LE, $39.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
Anastasia Taffy (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).

View Swatches

Formula Overview

$45.00/0.3 oz. - $150.00 Per Ounce

Browse all of our Laura Mercier Face Illuminator swatches.

Inspiration

PPermanent. $45.00.

A-

9.5

Product

8.5

Pigmentation

9.5

Texture

8.5

Longevity

Application

91%

Total

Laura Mercier Paint with Light Radiant Face Illuminator Palette

Laura Mercier Devotion Face Illuminator

Laura Mercier Obsession Face Illuminator

Laura Mercier Inspiration Face Illuminator

Laura Mercier Paint with Light Radiant Face Illuminator Palette

Laura Mercier Devotion Face Illuminator

Laura Mercier Obsession Face Illuminator

Laura Mercier Inspiration Face Illuminator

Temptalia

Laura Mercier Paint with Light Radiant Face Illuminator Palette Review & Swatches

Paint with Light

Ingredients

Paint with Light

LELimited Edition. $52.00.

Quick Shop: Sephora, Nordstrom, Selfridges, Saks

Devotion

Top Dupes

Formula Overview

Ingredients

Devotion

PPermanent. $45.00.

Quick Shop: Sephora, Nordstrom, Selfridges, Saks

Obsession

Top Dupes

Formula Overview

Obsession

LELimited Edition. $45.00.

Quick Shop: Sephora, Nordstrom, Selfridges, Saks

Inspiration

Top Dupes

Formula Overview

Inspiration

PPermanent. $45.00.

Quick Shop: Sephora, Nordstrom, Selfridges, Saks