To celebrate the launch of Laura Mercier’s Smooth Finish Flawless Fluid foundation, Urban Retreat hosted an event for a handful of bloggers – and I was lucky enough to attend with my blogging buddy Mitra. At the event, Laura Mercier’s Global Makeup Artist Trevor O’Keefe offered mini makeovers whilst sharing expert tips and new season trends.

Held in the evening, my skin was looking rough after sitting under fluorescent lights and starting at my computer monitor for a full day’s work. It felt a bit embarrassing showing up to an event to show off a new foundation with my skin looking so tired, but the lovely team at Urban Retreat would hear none of it and set me up for a mini makeover with Trevor.

Armed with a beauty arsenal to make me green with envy, Trevor sat me down and went to work. First he matched my skin tone to a foundation, and it turns out I’m a perfect match for Dune. Then he went to work with a bit of concealor and finished it off with powder to set. In less than five minutes – with the aid of primer, foundation, concealor, powder and blusher – he’d transformed my face from looking tired to fresh!

I couldn’t believe it, and when Mitra showed up her first comment was: Your skin looks great! Have you had your makeover yet? I love that she thought it was natural skin and didn’t notice the foundation.

Tada! Not the best lighting – after all, I took this when I got home and I got home past 10pm – but you get an idea of how fresh my skin looked after Trevor added a few finishing touches. However, we did receive the foundation and primer in our goody bags, so I gave it a whirl on my own…

Not bad if I do say so myself! I love that my skin looks like a better version of itself, while still looking like skin.

Here I’m wearing:

• Laura Mercier Foundation Primer, a gift from the team at Urban Retreat
• Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Flawless Fluid, a gift from the team at Urban Retreat
• MAC select moisture cover in NW25
• MAC Mineral Skin Finish in Medium Light
• MAC blush in Breath of Plum
• Wild About Beauty Powder Eyeshadow in 04 Becca, from my August Birchbox
• Eyeko Eye Do liquid eyeliner
• Eyeko Eye Do mascara

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I really hate to feel like I’m wearing makeup. So one of the things I’m loving about this primer and foundation duo is that it doesn’t feel like I’m wearing loads of makeup and I get fantastic coverage. (Seriously – I feel so much more confident about going out after a full day in the office without touchups anymore!) Also, I haven’t had any spots develop because of this product, so that’s a definite plus in my book.

Even though these beauties were gifts I’ll definitely be purchasing when I run out because I’ve been reaching for them every day I’ve wanted to wear foundation since I received them two weeks ago. Thank you, Urban Retreat, for filling me in on these products! xo

Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Flawless Fluid: £34 from Urban Retreat

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer: £29 from Urban Retreat

Please note: while some of the products mentioned in this blog post were gifts, the views expressed are my own.