Get to know New York make up artist {Laura Geller} in her natural habitat – a NYC coffee shop, beauty magazines piled high, a hot cup of coffee waiting for her and a muffin in the middle of the table to nibble at while we talk…
{Cult Beauty} Hi Laura! First things first, can you tell us a little abouthow you ‘discovered’ make up, and what made you decide to become a make up artist? Was it something you always dreamed you’d be?
{Laura Geller}It would have to be when I was twelve or thirteenyears old, growing up in the suburbs of New York City. I had a neighbour whom I was fascinated by.She worked in the cosmetics business, and I was amazedby the way thatmake up could transform her.I would spend as much time as possible hanging out with her and asking questions about make up –my natural curiosity was peaked! Make up excited me!From that point on, instead of going out with friends, I wanted to spend every spare momentbehind the make upcounter.
{CB} Growing up, were you exposed to make up from an early age? Were you drawn to the transformative properties of cosmetics and do you have any vivid memories associated with particular products as a child/teenager?
{LG} As a teenager, I was mostly exposed to Yardley Soap and Il Makiage – and then to street and stage make up. It all seemed sovibrant and soavant garde. How could anyone not be enthralled and drawn into this colourful world?!?!
{CB} Having decided upon make up artistry, what prompted you to develop your own range? And which product came first?
{LG} After years of selling other brands, I was finally able to sell my own product on QVC US in 1997. I was able to take my own learnings from stage and theatre make up and offer a ‘contour and highlight’ kit to teach others – which is one of my favourite things to do.Taking make up artist theory and finding ways to adapt and simply if for women at home wasthe best part.
{CB} Is there a particular make up look you favour/recommend consistently – a sort of, one-look-suits-all go to, that our readers could recreate themselves at home?
{LG} My philosophy on make up is about enhancement. You don’t need to be fully made up – you just need a little bit of ‘tszuj-ing’. Consider the canvas first – start with {Spackle} to lend skin a beautiful, lit-from-within lustre then follow with {Balance-n-Brighten} to blur imperfections and unify uneven tone. With a beautiful base, you can then add blush, shadow and lip colour as desired but remember, the ultimate look should be ‘you but better’ – if it doesn’t look like you, then what’s the point?
{CB} What’s your morning, ‘getting ready’ routine. Do you have a fail-safe, everyday look or do you try to mix things up a bit, depending on your mood?
{LG} First, {Lipstick} is a must – but I treatit more like an accessory than amake up product. Lipstick is probably the only thing I am consistently changing in my make up routine –the girls in the office know, my son, Daniel, knows – I change my lipstick colour everyday – whatever suits my mood and my outfit!
Then most importantly… what I call ‘The 3 Es’. I will never, ever leave the housewithout these. Ever. {Eyeliner},eyelashes – {DramaLASH}gives some serious separation and volume – and eyebrows. Et voila!
{CB} And what’s your favourite Laura Geller product – and do you have any tips to getting the most from it?
{LG} They’re like all my children –I can’t say I have a favourite!However, if I must pick one, I would probably pick {Spackle}becauseI almost alwaysuse aprimer… though I’m also addicted to{Balance-n-Brighten} because it’s so versatile – camouflaging, highlighting and unifying skin in just one sweep.
{CB} And finally, where do you find your inspiration? Do you have any muses, or celebrities you think always look amazing?
{LG} I believe I find inspiration from “HER” – my customer. I am so dedicated to innovating, not imitating. Finding new, breakthrough products that help women find a new or better way to update their beautyroutine. How can I help please “HER” in a way that surprises and delights?For me, it’s more about this than it is about anything else – if I can make “HER” happy with this breakthrough innovation, the trend will follow. I want to be the brand that appeal to women aged 19-99, without exclusion – we have something for everyone.
SHOP LAURA GELLER >>
Verity Douglas
Content Editor
Cult Beauty’s Content Editor and a Cult Beauty OG, Verity loves nothing more than the marriage of language and lip balm. A quintessential Libran, she’s a self-professed magpie for luxury ‘must-haves' and always pursuing the new and the niche — from the boujee-est skin care to cutting-edge tech. Balancing an urge to stop the clock with her desire to embrace the ageing process (and set a positive example for her daughter), Verity's a retinol obsessive and will gladly share her thoughts about the time-defying gadgets, masks and treatments worth the splurge...
