You Never Knew This About Laura Mercier (The Person)

Whether it’s the cult Secret Camouflage concealer, Translucent Loose Setting Powder, or Tinted Moisturizer, chances are you’re familiar with Laura Mercier products, and maybe even rely on one or two of them as part of your daily makeup routine. But you're probably less familiar with Laura Mercier, the woman behind the international beauty brand that launched 21 years ago.

Mercier was raised in Provence, France and began her training at 17 at a painting school in Paris. She soon shifted her focus from the canvas to the face, specializing in skin care and makeup before becoming a freelance makeup artist and moving to New York City in 1985.

Just over a decade later, she launched Laura Mercier Cosmetics, grounded in Mercier’s philosophy of creating a naturally flawless complexion for all ages and skin types. Now, the brand is one of the most loved and respected beauty lines in the market. (I can vividly remember the first time I tried Secret Camouflage, six years ago; it has become one of the most frequently purchased products in my makeup bag.)

To coincide with the announcement of Suki Waterhouse as a new Mercier Muse, we caught up with Mercier herself to learn more about how she built her brand and her must-have makeup looks.

What first inspired you to pursue beauty as a profession, not just a passion?
"I went to art school and was obsessed with doing something artistic. That was my primary love and aesthetic was my second love so... I became an aesthetician. Combining the two was the perfect scenario to get into the beauty industry, which I basically did without knowing where I was going. It just happened. After aesthetics school, I was asked to be a makeup artist for a company called Carita. After that I became a freelance makeup artist and [soon] it was one shoot, after another shoot, after another! You learn and work with different people and the next thing you know, you have a career in that field. You think, 'Oh actually, I like it!' It’s art and it’s skin. It just fit me. Now we’re here, 35 years later!"

Social media has really impacted the industry over the past few years. What excites you about it?
"People taking videos, becoming vloggers and bloggers and influencers, [it's] wonderful because you have this impartiality that didn’t exist before; now it belongs to everyone. Everybody is entitled to speak for it, sometimes not in the most expert way, which is the bad side of the story. But sometimes with a very candid and objective look, which is very interesting, giving different interpretations that a brand might not think of. This is real people talking about it. It will never go back.

"Technology is now so advanced on every single ingredient. It’s getting better and better. Every single day we discover that one ingredient is less or more good for you. People take it more seriously. Products are way more stable than before and they’re also not bad for you, which is a big deal, too. Back in the ‘70s, that was not a concern."

"An illuminating primer that gives you an instant glow or a tinted moisturizer that immediately makes you look like you’ve come back from a weekend in the sun. Bronzers in general – it’s very French by the way, looking very tan. We’re obsessed! A colorful lipstick adds an instant oomph to your face. The magic of makeup is endless."

"I have a kit of priority products for the weekend. It’s a very small bag that has one black pencil, mascara (but I don’t even put on mascara all the time), brow pencil, and a reddish lipstick. That’s it. And Secret Camouflage of course!"

"That’s a different story! You have an hour ahead of you. You do the whole nine yards! I will choose whether I do my eyes or my lips; I will not do red lips and a smoky eye. Either way it’s going to be a statement. The eyes are going to be smoky with kohl inside with defined brows, or it’s going to be subdued [eyes] with a matte, red lipstick."

Of all the products you’ve ever created, is Secret Camouflage the one you’re most proud of?
"Yes, I would say so. There are others, primers and a tinted moisturizer, but this one is definitely my baby. It’s the reason why I did this brand. I thought it was needed on the market. I thought it would be something that would not be so popular because it’s challenging to sell, challenging to demonstrate, and challenging for people to understand."

Products aside, are there any other career highlights that you’re really proud of?
"Making my brand was a big turn for me; it was harder than I expected in terms of workload. For many years, I continued being a freelance makeup artist and doing the product, and doing the promotion of the brand. However, I don’t regret it and, looking back, I am so lucky and privileged that I have been able to create my own product. I’m more proud of the actual work rather than just having my name on a product. If it had been another name, I would have not cared. The most important thing is that I was involved in the making of it, which was a different learning experience and a different way to express myself."

When do you feel your most beautiful?
"Feeling healthy, tranquil and confident. That’s when I feel the most together and therefore beautiful."

Your beauty empire is massive. But is there anything else you'd like to achieve?
"I think I've done everything I wish for with the brand. The versions and textures of colors you could do is a lot of fun. The next step in life would be to do something that's good for the environment, good for the planet, and good for the people. Through charity we are able to give back and I think every brand should do that. Then it's being innovative and creative to do something good."