Laura Geller Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator Review & Swatches

I've been wanting to try the Laura Geller Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminators ($26 at Ulta) for a while now, especially after seeing countless other bloggers going gaga over the Gilded Honey shade. A few weeks ago, I caught a Laura Geller presentation on QVC and when they got to the Baked Gelato Illuminators, I saw that they had a second shade called Ballerina, which is a beautiful rose gold shade. Laura mentioned that it was really pretty on lighter skin tones while Gilded Honey flattered darker skin tones best (although they're both meant to flatter any skin tone). She applied it to a model with similar coloring to mine and it looked so beautiful, I decided to be a rebel and try Ballerina (even though everyone keeps telling me that Gilded Honey is where it's at!). I purchased it at an Ulta store during a recent haul, but I noticed later that it's only $2 more on the QVC site and includes the brush Laura used during the show (so that's a better deal if you're interested in the brush). Let's take a closer look!

I have an ever-growing illuminator collection that's getting bigger by the day, but this one might be the prettiest one of the bunch! It has a 3-D design that makes it look like a little tub of delicious Italian Gelato and unlike a lot of powders that have a design on the top only, this one goes all the way down to the pan, so you don't have to worry about "ruining" the pretty design when you go to use it (yes, I am guilty of not using a product for a while because it was too pretty).

Laura Geller Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator in Ballerina

Baked Gelato starts it's life as a liquid that's baked and then hand-finished by artisans in Italy. So even though it looks like a powder, it's super silky like a cream, which means it doesn't create a cloud of dust and fallout when you dip your brush into it. The creamy texture also means that it has better staying power than a regular powder.

Ballerina is a beautiful rose-gold shade that gives a candlelit glow to the face. It's not overly shimmery, so you can use it all over (although I prefer to use it on just the high points of my face). I started out using my ELF small stippling brush to apply this but it was super sheer and wasn't as pigmented as it was when I swiped it straight out of the pan with my finger, so after trying a few different brushes and having the same issue, I ended up using my finger to apply it to my cheeks. It was the perfect amount of sheen for my cheekbones, so I've just been doing it that way ever since. However, I do like the fact that it's sheer when using a brush because it allows you to apply it all over your face without going overboard, kind of like the Hourglass Ambient Lighting powders.

Laura Geller Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator in Ballerina 

Since this shade has some pink in it, you can even use it as an illuminating blush if your skin is light enough...it gives a really pretty glow to your cheeks.

Overall, I'm loving Laura Geller's Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator in Ballerina and I can definitely see what all the hype is about. At $26, it's definitely a splurge item, but it's longer lasting than most of the illuminators I own and this shade is gorgeous! I also love that I can use it just on my cheeks or all over since it's not overly glittery...not to mention it just looks pretty on my vanity table. 

If you're an illuminator junkie like me, this is a must-have for your collection. And if you're new to illuminators, this is a great option because it can go from sheer to pigmented depending on how you decide to apply it.

You can pick up Laura Geller's Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator at Ulta stores, Ulta.com, or with a brush at QVC.com.