Beauty Deal! Laura Geller French Vanilla Highlighter for $16

You guys might remember from my Laura Geller Passport to Pretty palette review that I fell in love with her French Vanilla baked highlighter. The formula is so smooth and it's the perfect "low glow" option for those of you who don't like that greasy or overly shimmery highlight look. I use it to set my concealer and it does an unbelievable job of brightening the entire under-eye area.

It normally retails for $44 but right now, the Laura Geller website has it on sale for $16! So if you've been wanting to try it, now's the time! Especially since Ulta doesn't carry French Vanilla by itself...they only have it in a duo with another highlighter.

Grab yours now at Laurageller.com

Sneak Peek! Laura Geller Easy Illuminating Stick + Swatches

If you're a fan of Laura Geller's Gelato Swirl Illuminators, get ready because they're launching soon in cream form! The Easy Illuminating Stick will come in three colors... the famous Gilded Honey shade, as well as Ballerina and Ethereal.

They claim to be long-wearing and oil-free with light-reflecting optics. As a person with dry skin, I absolutely love a cream highlighter! They're so easy to use...just swipe and blend- totally my kind of product.

I was able to capture some swatches on Snapchat of all three shades. The photos are a little bit grainy but you can still see the colors.

Are you excited for these? I'll keep you guys updated and let you know when they launch. :)

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Laura Geller Passport to Pretty Travel Palette Review & Swatches

As a huge Laura Geller fan, I couldn't resist the Passport to Pretty Travel Palette when it debuted on QVC a few weeks ago. I have a few vacations coming up this summer and I always like to bring face palettes that have several different functions so I can save space in my suitcase. 

This one contains all baked formulas, which are made in Italy during a special 48-hour process. They start out as creams and are then baked on terracotta tiles (which you'll see if you get to the bottom of each pan). Because they used to be creams, they can be used wet for more intensity, or dry for a beautiful wash of color. 

Let's take a look! 

Packaging:

Passport to Pretty comes in a cardboard compact that's fairly large, but slim so it can still be packed easily...it's not bulky. It contains a large mirror and a double ended brush/sponge applicator.I'm not that fond of the brush (it feels a bit scratchy) but it works in a pinch. Inside, there are ten eyeshadows, two highlighters and a blush. Everything is set deeply into the palette, which resulted in a few negative reviews on the QVC website...people felt that they couldn't reach the eyeshadows easily, but that's only a problem if you plan on applying them with your fingers. Getting my brush into them was no problem at all and the pans are large enough for an eyeshadow brush to easily get in there. I think this palette was specifically designed with travel in mind so the deeper wells protect the fragile baked formula and keep it from shattering.

Eyeshadows: 
The eyeshadows are just gorgeous! They're set up so that the top row contains cooler-toned shades of pink, plum, and purple, while the bottom row is warmer beige, bronze, and brown. Most of the shades have some shimmer in them, but Sunstone and Mahogany in the second row are matte. Since these can be used wet, Laura suggests using the two deepest shades on the right hand side of the palette, Plum and Mahogany, as eye liners. I've tried it and I have to say...once they dried on my eyes, they became really long lasting!

Highlighters/Blush: 

There are two highlighters in this palette...French Vanilla, which is a super soft, almost matte highlight without visible shimmer, and Golden Rose, which is your traditional shimmery highlight.

French Vanilla is famous for a reason...I had no idea how much I was missing something like it in my collection until I got this palette! It's the perfect soft highlight...if you like that lit-from-within glow without looking like you have obvious highlighter on, you'll love French Vanilla. I use it under my brows, in the center of my forehead, down the bridge of my nose, a dab on my cupid's bow, and a little on my cheekbones to soften my blush. I have also used it as an under-eye setting powder and it's magical for that! It adds a tiny bit of coverage and brightens the entire area so much. Also, because it's not shimmery it doesn't highlight your pores and imperfections! It feels so soft, creamy and pigmented...I'm in love and will definitely pick this up separately (it's available here if you're interested).

Golden Rose is a beautiful pale golden champagne highlight that shares the same soft, creamy formula with French Vanilla, but it adds a bit of shimmer to your skin. It's very finely milled with no glitter chunks or anything like that. It just adds that really pretty pop to your cheekbones.

Malibu Blush looks bright in the pan, but it goes on sheer for a gorgeous pop of pink. When you dip your brush into the pan, you don't have to worry about clown cheeks...it's very soft and subtle at first, but can easily be built up for more intensity.

One complaint I hear about baked eyeshadows is that they go on sheer and aren't crazy-pigmented unless you use them wet, which is a little more work. These definitely go on more sheer when applied to bare skin, but I found that using them over primer makes them much more intense. The swatches below are over Lorac's eyeshadow primer so that you can see the full beauty of these colors. When I apply them to my eyes over primer, they give me a beautiful, almost foiled look and last all day. 

However, I know quite a few people who aren't really into heavily pigmented shadows and just want a sheer wash of color for a more natural look, so if that's you, you'll love to wear these on their own without primer.

Here are the cooler shades in the top row...so pretty right?

These are the warmer shades on the bottom row...I love these for everyday.

Here are the highlighters and blush...see how French Vanilla has a bit of a sheen but no obvious shimmer? Also, Malibu swatched heavily with my finger, but it doesn't go on that strong with a brush, I promise!

Here, I'm wearing the Malibu blush, French Vanilla highlighter on my cheekbones, forehead, down my nose, and on my cupid's bow, as well as the inner corners of my eyes. On my eyelids, I'm wearing Garnet in the crease and outer corner with Candy all over my lid. I softened the Garnet quite a bit since I was just going out to run errands that day and didn't want to look really made up. But that's the beauty of this palette...you can take a deeper burgundy shade like Garnet and sheer it out so it can still be worn during the day...or make it super intense for a bolder look. I also used the dark brown Mahogany shade wet as a liner. 

Overall, I'm loving the Passport to Pretty palette. It can be used so many different ways and is a perfect travel companion!

It's available now for $65 at QVC.com. I purchased it when it was on sale a few weeks ago, and it regularly goes on sale and/or Easy Pay, so if you're willing to wait, you might be able to get it for less! 

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$10 Off Laura Geller Blushes

For the next 24 hours or so (until 11:59pm tomorrow night), get $10 off a blush at LauraGeller.com using code SUMMER10 plus free shipping on orders of $35 or more.

Happy shopping!



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NEW Laura Geller Baked Blush Palette at QVC

I saw a sneak peek of the Laura Geller Baked Blush-n-Brighten palette ($32.74) on Snapchat and I knew I had to have it...now it's live on the QVC website. I love Laura's Baked Blushes and this one contains two of her best-selling shades, Pink Buttercream and Tropic Hues, plus a new shade called Peach Berry.

If you haven't tried Laura's Baked Blushes, you're in for a treat. They're made in Italy and start out as a cream...then they're baked for 24 hours on terracotta tiles. The result is a gorgeous silky texture that goes on smoothly and looks really natural.

I currently have a small sample size of Tropic Hues, which has swirls of coral, pink and bronze and it's one of my favorite blushes lately. Pink Buttercream (which I haven't tried yet) is a pink petal hue with flecks of copper and gold in it and Peach Berry contains swirls of peach and pink.

Here's a close-up of the shades...aren't they gorgeous?

You can find the new Laura Geller Baked Blush-n-Brighten palette at QVC.com

50% Off Laura Geller's Best Sellers

For the rest of today (until 3am EST on 5/27), visit Laura Geller's website and get 50% off her best-selling products like her baked blushes, Spackle primer, Love Me Dew Lip Crayons, Glam Lash mascara and more!

I'm a huge fan of her Baked Blush-N-Brighten (I need to stock up on some more shades!) and lately, I've been using the Spackle Primer in Ethereal several times a week. I also had the opportunity to try one of the Love Me Dew crayons in a gift set I bought at Marshalls a while back and it was the creamiest, most moisturizing lip crayon ever!

So head on over to LauraGeller.com if you've been wanting to try some of her most famous products at half price and use code GMA2016 to get the discount. 

Happy Shopping!

New Laura Geller Products at Ulta

There are some exciting new Laura Geller products arriving at Ulta Beauty today, including some cute sets, a new powder foundation, and bronzers...let's take a look!

Tahitian Glow Kit ($39)- This set comes with one of my favorite summer products...the Baked Body Frosting in Tahitian Glow (here's a link to the original so you can see the other shades...I like Tahitian Glow for my fair skin though). It can be used wet or dry (using it wet yields a more intense color) and it's the perfect bronze shade to even out the skin on your entire body and give you a faux tan that washes off in the shower. I use it by itself or to even out self-tanner streaks. It diffuses light and makes your skin look flawless...it's so good. This kit also comes with Spackle Tinted Primer in Champagne, Love Me Dew Lip Crayon in Fig Prosecco, and DramaLash Mascara in Black...a $106 value. 

Beach Matte Baked Hydrating Bronzer ($33)- I love matte bronzers and this one has the cutest quilted pattern! It claims to be whipped from hydrating extracts and and anti-oxidants to deliver moisture to your skin while giving you that perfect beachy glow. It comes in three shades. 

Double Take Baked Versatile Powder Foundation ($36)- This is Laura's signature baked formula with ActivMesh technology for a weightless breathable finish. It can be used dry for a medium buildable coverage or wet for even more coverage. 

Eye Calligraphy Liquid Eye Liner ($22)- This is a quick-dry formula with a precision marker tip for creating thin or bold lines. It's water resistant for all-day wear. 

Baked Beauty 101 ($39- a $126 value)- This set comes with four travel sizes of Laura's Baked products, plus a double-ended brush and bag. I know that her French Vanilla highlighter and Tropic Hues blush have a total cult following, so I'm thinking about getting this kit just so I can try those two products! 

It contains: 

• Travel Sized Baked Foundation in Medium (0.06 oz)
• Baked Highlighter in French Vanilla (0.06 oz)
• Travel Sized Baked Blush in Tropic Hues (0.04 oz)
• Baked Eye Shadow Duo in Dolce/Raisin (0.26 oz)

Glowing Goddess 5 Pc Summer Glow Collection ($42)- I'm in love with the gorgeous peachy and bronze colors in this kit! That blush and lip gloss are calling my name. 

What's included: 

• Spackle Tinted Under Make-Up Primer in Bronze (2.0 oz)
• StyleLASH Intense Lengthening Mascara in Black (0.33 oz)
• Blush-n-Brighten Baked Cheek Color in Apricot Berry (0.176 oz)
• Color Drenched Lip Gloss in Melon Infusion (0.3 oz)
• Retractable Powder Brush

There are so many new products! What's on your wishlist? 

Laura Geller Filter Finish Baked Radiant Setting Powder Review

Laura Geller Filter Finish Baked Radiant Setting Powder ($32 at Ulta) is new for Spring 2016 and I purchased it during a recent Ulta haul. As soon as I saw it in the store I was drawn to the beautiful color-correcting shades, the promise of blurring all of my skin's flaws, and the fact that it's Laura Geller because I love almost every product I've tried from her line so far. But I'm honestly left a little confused by this one...keep on reading and I'll explain.

Description: Droplets of pure pigments blur flaws, balance your skin tone and illuminate your face with a warm natural glow. Swirl it on liberally over your makeup - there's no such thing as too much - for the perfect finish.

Price/Where to Buy: $32 at Ulta.com and Ulta stores

Quick Verdict: I would use this as a highlighter but not as a setting powder. 

Filter Finish contains several different color-correcting pigments that are meant to even out your skin in a subtle way when blended together. Lavender brightens dull skin, while green neutralizes redness, yellow hides under-eye circles, and orange neutralizes blue tones. I swatched this in the store and fell in love with how smooth it was (like all of Laura's baked products) and it seemed to brighten the skin on my hand where I applied it and gave it that "lit from within" glow. I always seek out products that will brighten my complexion because my dry skin looks lackluster and dull most of the time and it usually needs a little help.

Based on the description, this is meant to be used as a setting powder all over the face and that "there's no such thing as too much".  Over the past few weeks, I've really put this to the test...I've tried it all over my face (from sheer to heavy) under my eyes, and as a highlighter and what I discovered is that I can't use it the way it's described...at all.

It's hard to tell from my swatch because I couldn't get the lighting quite right, but this has a really shimmery finish...one that you'd expect a highlighter to have rather than a setting powder. It seems to draw attention to, rather than away from lines, wrinkles, pores and uneven skin texture. When I used a lot, it actually gave my skin the illusion of more texture, rather than a soft focus blur. Under my eyes was the worst place to put it and made my fine lines stand out like crazy. When I highlight under my eyes, I like to use more matte highlighters and this has way too much shimmer for that area.

The funny thing is, when I first put it on inside the house, I liked the glowy effect it gave my skin (hence why I thought I liked it when I swatched it in the store), and it did seem to blur away my flaws. But the minute I went outside or into brighter, more unforgiving light, it was a totally different story and I could see absolutely everything I don't want to see. It looked almost frosty on my skin!

If I used a very light hand, it didn't emphasize my pores and lines, but it was also barely noticeable and wasn't enough to "set" anything. I found that it works best as a highlighter on my cheekbones and high points of the face, due to the amount of shimmer in the formula. When used in that way, it's actually really beautiful and gives a nice ethereal glow.

Overall, I really like this as a highlighter, but I think it's mis-marketed as a setting powder...at least for me. It's possible that someone younger with no visible pores or lines and a more flawless complexion could use this all over their face as a finishing powder to achieve a glowy look, but if you have anything to hide, this will just bring it out even more...especially if you follow the directions and use it liberally. I find that products such as Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light or Wet N Wild's Reserve Your Cabana have more refined shimmer and can be used all over without drawing more attention to textures in the skin. This just missed the mark when using it for it's intended purpose, unfortunately. It's a shame because I usually love everything Laura Geller! 

Have you tried this? What do you think? 

Laura Geller Filter Finish is available at Ulta. 

Sneak Peek: New Laura Geller Highlighters!

As a huge fan of Laura Geller's Baked Gelato Swirl Highlighters, I was so excited to see this photo on Instagram of two new shades that will be launching on April 10th...Peach Glow and Charming Pink!

A quick Google search led me to the QVC website, where the original two shades, Gilded Honey and Ballerina, are being sold with a brush. In the description, it mentions these two shades, but they aren't available for purchase yet. 

Peach Glow is described as a "warm and luminescent golden shade" and Charming Pink is a "shimmery and glowing pearlescent pink". 

If you've never been introduced to Laura Geller's highlighters, you can check out my review of the shade Ballerina here.

What do you think? Are you excited for this launch? 

Laura Geller The Art of Flawless Today's Special Value

I have an amazing QVC Today's Special Value to share with you guys tonight...it's Laura Geller's The Art of Flawless 5 pc. Color Set w/bag and it contains some really exciting products (three of them are brand new!) Let's take a look...

This kit contains:

• NEW  Double Take Baked Versatile Powder Foundation with sponge applicator- use dry for a matte finish or wet for a luminous finish! 
• NEW Baked Gelato Illuminator in Rose Glow, a golden pink shade- It's a new shade!!! Plus it looks different...the other Baked Gelato Illuminators have a swirl pattern (see my review here).
• 0.25-fl oz Lashes Eyelash Primer in Black
• NEW Lip Oil Tint in Hibiscus Pink, a sheer sultry pink with high-shine shade- I love lip oils...can't wait to try this one! 
• All Over Face Brush
• Bag

This entire set is only $49.96 and is on 2 Easy Pays of $24.98 if you'd prefer to have your card billed in installments. I can't wait to try everything in this kit but I'm especially excited for the new Baked Gelato Illuminator shade in Rose Glow!

This deal is only available for 24 hours, so grab yours now at QVC.com.

Laura Geller Roman Holiday Gift Collection- Special Value Today Only

If you've been wanting to try Laura Geller products (or are already a fan of the brand) you'll be really excited over the new Roman Holiday collection which debuts today on QVC. This entire 8 piece set is $59.96 today only and that's only $7.49 per piece! That's like getting these at drugstore prices...just amazing. 

This kit contains full sizes and includes two brand new products that are just launching today...the new Balance-N-Glow Foundation (a glowy version of her famous Balance-N-Brighten foundation) and her new Universal Brow Gel Pencil. Let's take a look...

Laura Geller Roman Holiday Gift Collection

This kit includes: 

• 0.32-oz Baked Balance-N-Glow Illuminating Foundation
• 0.01-oz Baked Eye Shadow Palette in Baroque, a soft caramel shade; Cafe, an espresso brown shade; and Roma, a deep plum shade
• 0.012-oz I-Care Eyeliner in Black
• 0.04-oz Pout Perfection Lip Liner in Tulip, a warm pink shade
• 0.042-oz Brow Gel Pencil in a universal shade
• 0.14-oz Color Enriched Lipstick in Rouge Audrey, a classic soft rose pink shade
• 0.18-fl oz Color Drenched Lip Gloss in Pink Piazza, a bright strawberry pink shade
• 0.33-fl oz Stylelash Lengthening Mascara in Black
• Decorative box

I think I'm most excited about the new Balance-N-Glow Iluminating foundation. I use Balance-N-Brighten currently and it's such an easy product to use everyday. It's a powder foundation that's baked and contains color correcting pigments to make your skin look flawless. It's so easy to apply with a kabuki brush...it takes me just a few seconds to do my makeup (great when I'm in a hurry) and the finish is beautiful, even on my dry skin. The new Balance-N-Glow that's in this kit takes it one step further because it gives your skin a glowy finish that's not shimmery or sparkly. Now that the weather is turning colder, my skin is going to get even more dry and dull so I'm really looking forward to trying this version! Not to mention that the regular Balance-N-Brighten is $33, so I'm assuming Balance-N-Glow will be similarly priced when it launches by itself. That makes this deal amazing because it's only $7.49 today! 

Visit the QVC website to see a video presentation of this kit. 

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!