Laura Mercier "Foundation primer (hydrating)" - faulty product alert!!!

[PickledLily]

I've used product for a couple of years now; I thought it was fantastic and I loved it. It's a little like a very fine-grade Polyfilla; perfect for covering all those unwanted wrinkles!

That was until I bought some last year. Shortly after first opening the tube, the thick cream separated into water and a thin goo. Totally unusable. Thinking the tube had got too hot or too cold, I bought another tube (different retailer) and exactly the same thing happened again.

I returned it to my local LM retailer; they wouldn't refund me as I hadn't bought it at their store. I emailed LM head office (in the US), and this is the reply I received:

"I apologize for the inconvenience. Currently we are aware of this item defect and our product development is working towards resolving this issue. If you can provide me with proof of purchase such as receipt or an order number I can send out a replacement. However I do see that your email address is based in the UK, unfortunately we are not able to ship outside the United States. Since this product has a known defect I can replace with the same hydrating primer and hope that you receive a good one or with our new radiance primer. This primer is for all skin types and leaves a beautiful healthy glow on the skin. If you can provide me with a valid US mailing address where maybe you know someone that would forward your package to you, that would be the only way we can replace. When you reply please include the proof of purchase, which primer you would like, and an address. If you can?t provide a US mailing address, please check your original stores return/exchange policy and if it hasn?t passed their grace period, I would bring it back to them to simply exchange."

So it would seem they are still selling this product despite knowing that it is defective. And unless you've kept your receipt and can access the store you bought it from, there is no mechanism for getting a refund in the UK.

You have been warned!!!

I bought some last year and it is absolutely fine

Sometimes the batches get mixed up, I think, so it's hard for them to recall all the product. I suspect there may still be plenty of this product that is perfectly fine on sale. I would recommend buying it as usual and then opening it in the shop there and then to see what the contents of the bottle you have bought are like. That way, if there's a problem you can get a refund on the spot. If you buy online there are "distance buying" rules anyway which mean that they have to give you a refund if you return it within the stated time.

I recently bought a Smashbox pen eyeliner which was awful and when I grumbled about it they told me that there had been some faulty ones which they thought had all been sent back but some of them must've been missed in the recall. They replaced it without question and the replacement one I have is very nice.

What retailer did you use in the uk? And did you purchase using a card with itemised billing? I would take my card statement into the store with the email and say:

'I purchased this product from your company in good faith. However, having spoken to LM they have confirmed that there is a known defect with the product. I have proof of purchase in the form of my card statement and I would appreciate it if you could replace/refund the item for me.'

Any good store manager will action the replacement/refund. If they don't, ask for their customer services managers' contact details and say exactly the same to them. And if they don't help you, demand the LM UK contact details. In the meantime, email LM USA and expain that you think it is completely unreasonable for you to provide a contact in the US and express your wish that they either make an exception and send you one directly from the US or they make contact with their agent in the UK and have them arrange for one to be sent to you.

Sounds like a lot of work but other than speaking to the store manager, all emails etc should take 5 mins max.

Good luck :o

Fritzi, Kittens - that's the problem. Sometimes it's been fine, sometimes it hasn't. The ones that have been faulty start off looking fine when you first use them; it's only a few weeks after it's been open that it separates. I'd expect their retailers to be made aware if there are issues with their products but when I went to the LM counter in Harvey Nics, it was news to them.

MrsMartin - Unfortunately I can't remember where I bought it - I tend to buy my cosmetics when I'm traveling for work, so it will either have been Harrods or Heathrow T3 or T5. Neither are practical for me to visit and to be quite frank, I can't be bothered having to send it off, wait, argue, blah blah blah.

I did email LM pointing out exactly what you've said. Seems to me their US/UK comms/customer service have room for improvement. Let's see what they come back with.

Either way, I'm unimpressed and won't be buying any more. I just wanted to forewarn everyone so you can make an informed choice when buying this product.

Realised my reply was a bit brusque, it wasn't meant to be - was trying to tap a reply surreptitiously whilst at work!