REVIEW - Laura Mercier Custom Artist Portfolio

After seeing this extravagant make-up bag here in a video by Fleur de Force, I couldn't get it out of my head!  Knowing that I had some birthday money burning a hole in my pocket and that I was heading off on holiday soon, I popped into my local Space.NK to get a closer look and came out 5 minutes later, £65 down but with a big smile on my face!

The case is sturdy and hard but I do get the feeling that it may buckle, dent or scratch if not treated carefully.  It looks sleek and expensive and I am soo excited to start using it!




Inside, there are 4 individual zip-close bags - 1 small, 2 medium and 1 large.  These are magnetic so are easy to remove and re-attach.  This was the main feature that attracted me to the portfolio, as it is just so versatile.  I can see myself using the whole case on trips away, but also using the smaller bags for days out, carrying around with me etc.

There is also a centre piece that has brush slots on one side and a pouch on the other - perfect for slotting in palettes or tools such as eyelash curlers.

The one downside here is the size of the brush slots - there are only 2 large ones, meaning that I had to use the smaller make-up bag to put my stippling brush, expert face brush and blusher brush in.

The case fastens comfortably with the amount of make-up I filled it with but it is a shame that it could not be filled any more.  If you were using it as a make-up artist I doubt if would hold enough for you.

Here is what I filled it with for my Summer Holiday:

          

The portfolio comes with 2 Laura Mercier refillable (empty) palettes but I don't yet own enough bits to put inside them so they are staying at home for now.  I do like this system though and they are easy enough to use - they slot in and out easier than MAC palettes.

I love the extra little freebies you get at Space NK too - today I got Eve Lom sachets - a cleanser and a mask, and a little tub of the Eve Lom moisturising mask that is going in my travel bag for a Vivianna Does Make-Up-inspired in-flight facial.

A well-loved purchase but a lot of money for what is, in essence, just a make-up bag.  

Do you have the custom artist portfolio?

What do you think of it?