Before I get into my Laura Geller makeup review, here’s a fun flashback. I actually met Laura herself many years ago, when I worked as an Assistant Beauty Editor at Family Circle magazine. We were filming a Facebook Live (remember those!?) with her while she demonstrated applying her eponymous makeup line on my face.
Fast forward seven years later, and I am just now getting into her products. I like that her brand is relatively affordable while using high-quality ingredients. She is all about using products that are safe enough for sensitive skin, which is something I definitely appreciate when it comes to makeup.
Laura Geller Makeup Review
Laura Geller’s makeup line has been around for a long time (since 1997, to be exact). She’s built a beauty empire, and you can find her products in discount stores across the country, as well as on QVC.
Maybe it’s because the line has been around for so long, but I noticed that her customer base seems to be mostly older women with mature skin. That being said, I have seen a few TikTok videos pop up on my feed of younger-looking women using the line. Obviously, you don’t need to be a specific age to use the Laura Geller makeup line! If we were to categorize the customer base at all, I would recommend this brand for folks with sensitive, easily-irritated skin—regardless of age.
The most popular product she carries is the Baked Balance-N-Brighten Foundation. This Laura Geller makeup review is about her Cult Classics Full Face Kit, which I recently purchased. Below, you’ll find out all about the products I loved, and the ones that I didn’t care for.
Laura Geller Makeup Ingredients
A lot of the baked products in the Laura Geller makeup line contain the typical ingredients you’d find in other powder products. You can expect to see ingredients like mica, talc, dimethicone, centella asiatica extract, jojoba seed oil, titanium dioxide, iron oxides, and more.
It’s important to note that Laura Geller makeup is not really considered a “clean” makeup line, according to EWG Skin Deep. However, that won’t stop me from using this makeup line.
Best Laura Geller Makeup
Laura Geller Baked Balance-N-Brighten Color Correcting Foundation
This is probably Laura Geller’s most popular makeup product. The Baked Balance-N-Brighten Color Correcting Foundation works to hide imperfections and offer a natural foundation look (read: not exactly full coverage). The product offers light-to-medium coverage, and is buildable with each layer (similar to the Magic Minerals Airbrush Foundation).
This foundation feels nice on the skin, and I also like that it is really lightweight and offers light coverage. I don’t like a foundation with heavy coverage, so this pick really fits the bill for me. I also like that it is in a pressed formula, which makes it easier to apply than my beloved Alima Pure Foundation, which is a loose powder.
Another thing I liked about this pick is that it didn’t seem to settle into my fine lines and wrinkles (which, admittedly, are pretty minimal since I’m only 31). Sometimes I notice that my fine lines and acne scars are more pronounced when I use a liquid foundation. I liked that this formula didn’t feel dry when I applied it to my skin.
The formula lasted really well on my skin throughout the day. I tried it with both just my moisturizer underneath, and also the Spackle Primer that the kit came with. Both times, the foundation lasted throughout the day.
The biggest issue I have with this foundation is the shades.
When I was in the process of purchasing the kit, I did some research to see what folks were saying about the shades. A lot of people said that they recommended you go one shade lighter than what you normally would choose, as the shades appear darker when applied to the skin.
Because of that, I decided to choose the shade “Fair,” instead of the shade “Light” that I would normally choose. What’s wild is that I almost wish I had chosen one two shades lighter than what I thought I would be! I think that the shade “Porcelain” would have matched my skin tone a bit more than “Fair.” When I wore this foundation on my skin, my fiance said that I “looked tan,” which I think means that my foundation shade didn’t match the rest of my body.
That being said, I think once I get a bit of a real tan this summer, the “Fair” foundation will match my skin a bit better. My advice would be to go one or two shades lighter than what you think you might be in this foundation, as the brown colors in the baked formula can make this foundation appear darker. (Plus, it contains propylene glycol—which is an organic alcohol that helps condition the skin. However, it may be irritating to sensitive or dry skin.)
Available at Laura Geller Beauty ($36)
Laura Geller Baked Blush-N-Brighten Marbleized Blush
Okay, this blush is gorgeous! I got the shade Tropic Hues in my kit, and it comes in a satin finish which leaves a subtle sheen on the skin. It reminds me a lot of the RMS Beauty ReDimension Hydra Powder Blush, which adds a beautiful sheen and glow to the skin.
The Blush-N-Brighten Marbleized Blush comes in 12 shades and three different finishes—satin finish, natural finish, and matte finish. It feels lightweight on the skin and lasts throughout the day.
One of the issues I have with this blush is that a little goes a long way. I usually like to apply a lot of blush to my cheeks, but I noticed that I had applied way too much when I first tried this. My best advice would be to apply as little as possible and then build to your desired strength.
Similar to my shade issue with the Balance-N-Brighten Color Correcting Foundation, I feel like the shade Tropic Hues is a bit too dark for my skin tone. I wish that my kit had come with the Sunlit Rose shade, rather than the Tropic Hues. All that’s to say, though, I really loved the finish and formula of this pick, but would opt for a lighter shade!
Available at Laura Geller Beauty ($30)
Laura Geller Baked Natural Glow Highlighter in French Vanilla
I cannot decide whether I like this highlighter or not. When I swipe it with my finger and blend it onto the back of my hand, it blends in and provides a nice sheen to the skin. But when I apply this highlighter on top of my blush, it just looks chalky and subdues the colors of the blush.
I tried applying this highlighter underneath the blush and that made the issue better. I usually prefer a cream highlighter (I love these Ogee makeup sticks), as I think they look a lot more natural than a powder highlighter. Because of this, I probably wouldn’t recommend this highlighter.
Available at Laura Geller Beauty ($24)
Laura Geller Spackle Skin Perfecting Primer: Hydrate
I was pleasantly surprised by this primer. It does a great job of hydrating skin while keeping your makeup in place throughout the day. I like that it has a ton of moisturizing ingredients like glycerin, jojoba seed oil, sunflower seed oil, and more. Also, it’s important to note that the ingredient list on the bottle I received is very different from the ingredient list on Laura Geller’s website. I’m not totally sure what that’s about.
I didn’t notice that this product causes any breakouts, but it does contain shea butter, which some might find cloggy. I also love that it’s such a large bottle—you don’t typically find a primer that comes in this size. I’d recommend this primer if you have dry or sensitive skin and need some added moisture before makeup application.
Available at Laura Geller Beauty ($24)
Laura Geller Modern Classic Lipstick in Divine
Ugh, I’m not a huge fan of this lipstick. The formula is nice and glides on smoothly, but the color just feels really old lady to me. I don’t really love the shade range of this lipstick and I think the brand could go out of the box a bit more. When I applied this pick to my lips, I felt like it aged me in a bad way and wasn’t a flattering color for my skin tone.
Maybe another shade would look better on me, but I’m not going to spend the money to find out.
Available at Laura Geller Beauty ($21)
Laura Geller Retractable Angled Kabuki Brush
I love this brush! It’s perfect for applying the foundation and you can determine how much foundation coverage you want based on how much you retract the brush. So for example, if you want a light coverage of the foundation, you would retract the brush all the way down so that the bristles are more fluffy. If you want a more full-coverage look, you can retract the brush only a little bit so that the bristles are stiffer and will pick up more product.
I love how soft the bristles are on this brush. I can see myself using it for a bunch of different products. However, I probably wouldn’t use this on any liquid formulas, and I don’t think the bristles are stiff enough.
Available at Laura Geller Beauty ($22)
Is Laura Geller Makeup Good?
Yes, I think that Laura Geller makeup is good. That being said, I think some products are better than others. I’ve only really tried everything that comes in the Cult Classics Full Face Kit. There are still a bunch of other Laura Geller products that I haven’t tried yet.
Laura Geller has been in the beauty industry for a long time. I feel like she really knows her sh*t. I also think that the Laura Geller brand is geared more towards folks with mature skin. However, that won’t stop me from using the products I purchased regularly.
Where To Buy Laura Geller Makeup
You can purchase Laura Geller products on her website, Laura Geller Beauty!
Laura Geller Makeup Tutorial
Here is a brief Laura Geller makeup tutorial using the products I got in my Cult Classics Full Face Kit.
Step 1 – Apply the Laura Geller Spackle Skin Perfecting Primer: Hydrate
Pump some of the primer onto your fingers and blend it into your face. I like to let it sit for a minute or two to soak into my skin before applying the foundation.
Step 2 – Buff Laura Geller Baked Balance-N-Brighten Color Correcting Foundation into skin
Use the retractable kabuki brush to blend the product into your skin. You can apply the product with light, medium, or heavier coverage, depending on how much you retract the brush. I like to swirl the brush around on the foundation and buff it into my skin.
Step 3 – Add Laura Geller Baked Natural Glow Highlighter in French Vanilla on cheekbones
Then, I like to apply the highlighter on top of my cheekbones. The reason I prefer adding highlighter before the blush is that I like the highlight to give a lit-from-within glow. You can also add this on your brow bone, on the inside corner of your eyes, and even on the tip of your nose.
Step 4 – Add Laura Geller Baked Blush-N-Brighten Marbleized Blush on apples of cheeks
After you’ve applied the highlighter, you can apply a light layer of blush on the apples of your cheeks. Be careful with this blush, as it’s super pigmented! A little goes a long way.
Step 5 – Add Laura Geller Modern Classic Lipstick in Divine to your lips
Finally, apply the lipstick! I like to finish everything off with brow gel and mascara.
FAQs About Laura Geller Makeup
Is Laura Geller makeup toxic?
While there are certainly a lot of questionable ingredients in Laura Geller makeup, it might be a bit of a stretch to call the brand toxic—to humans, at least. It’s actually fair to say that Laura Geller is toxic to wildlife and the environment, as it contains ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate. Also, there are a number of synthetic ingredients—including phenoxyethanol, a preservative, and chromium oxide green, a colorant.
Does Laura Geller makeup have SPF?
Most Laura Geller makeup does not have SPF—including their lipsticks and the brighten foundation. There is one Laura Geller product, though, that can be used to protect your skin from harmful UV rays. That’s the Better than Bare Tinted Moisturizer, which contains SPF 50+. Think of it as a super lightweight Laura Geller foundation.
Is Laura Geller makeup cruelty-free?
According to Laura Geller Beauty’s Customer Service page, the brand does not test on animals. However, I wouldn’t go as far as to say that the makeup is cruelty-free because, as the brand admits, some of their “products may contain animal by-products.” If you’re worried about a specific product, I’d suggest reaching out directly to the brand to ask if it’s truly cruelty-free.
Is Laura Geller makeup hypoallergenic?
Similar to how some Laura Geller products contain SPF and others don’t, so, too, are some products hypoallergenic and others not so much. The baked foundation is great for sensitive skin, reported KTTV of Colorado.
Does Laura Geller makeup have parabens?
In case you didn’t know, parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in cosmetics—meaning they make your products last longer. Per the Laura Geller Beauty Customer Service page, many of the brand’s products are paraben-free. However, there are some that aren’t. You can check which ones are paraben-free and which aren’t on the individual product pages.
Does Laura Geller makeup have talc?
While most Laura Geller products are paraben-free, they are not necessarily talc-free. In fact, because a lot of these cosmetics are in powder form, you’ll likely find talc in those formulas.
I hope you enjoyed this Laura Geller makeup review! Please comment below if you’ve tried any of these and have thoughts! Also, let me know if there is another Laura Geller makeup product that you want reviewed.
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