Product Review -- Laura Geller Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator

Like so many makeup junkies, I love a good highlighter.

I love them so much that I have way more than any one person needs.

And I still want more -- I can't help it.

I'd tried quite a few of Laura Geller's highlighters over the years and I've liked nearly all of them, so I've had my eye on the Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminators for a while now.

Now, I'm always a little leery of baked products because I find that they tend to be pretty hard and don't offer up much pigmentation -- but I'd seen so many good reviews about the Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminators that I decided to give them a try.

And I'm glad that I did.

Product Review -- Laura Geller Filter Finish Setting Powder

I have a love/hate relationship with setting powders.

I know I need them if I want my makeup to stay in place, because even though my skin is more normal to dry these days, it can still eat up foundation like nobody's business.

But because my skin leans more toward dry, I don't love a matte finish my makeup -- I prefer a glow or dewy look, which isn't always compatible with powder.

For years, I've been a big fan of the Laura Geller Balance and Brighten, which is a baked powder foundation -- it doesn't really provide that glowy look that I'm after, but my skin never looks cakey and the porcelain shade is perfect for my pale skin.

So I was intrigued by another powder from the Laura Geller line -- I've had my eye on the Filter Finish Setting Powder for a while now, and when I finished my last Balance and Brighten (which is one of the few makeup products that I've gone through multiple times), I decided to give it a try.

Laura Geller Beauty Off the Vine AD Shipment #3 from QVC

 Work has been a little hectic this week (Yeah, and it's only Wednesday...) so when my UPS guy showed up with a package from QVC this morning, it was just the distraction I needed from work craziness.

Today's package was the third and final installment of the Laura Geller Beauty Off the Vine TSV which was originally available in December. (You can read about the first and second installments here.) The products in these kits all supposedly contain powerful anti-aging ingredients that are derived from grapes, including grapeseed oil and resveratrol -- hence the wine theme.

Like the first two kits, the third installment contains the Spackle Supercharged Fortified Under Makeup Primer, Take Cover Anti-Aging Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF20 with Skin Self-Defense Complex, and a fun lip-shaped wine glass charm.

Laura Geller Fresh Brewed Beauty AD Kit #3

I apologize for disappearing for the past couple of days.  It's been a crazy week around here -- unfortunately, Brownie had some health issues crop up and we spent most of the week worrying about her and waiting for test results.

The good news is, she's fine - she just needs some medication.  We're relieved and grateful and all that jazz.

She's the picture of health, right?

When things finally calmed down yesterday and I sat down to write a few blog posts, I realized that the three items I planned to review were all out of stock.

Pretty frustrating.

Two of them, the Sephora Sun Safety Kit and a couple of the lipsticks from M.A.C's Temperature Rising Collection, are not likely to come back in stock so there's not much point in doing the reviews.  The third item, bareEscentuals Ready 8.0 in The Power Neutrals, may come back so I may wind up doing the review anyway.

In the meantime, I received the third installment of the Laura Geller Fresh Brewed Beauty TSV from QVC so I thought I'd do a rundown of the collection's colors in case you're trying to decide if you want the last kit in the AD series.

Laura Geller Beauty Off the Vine AD Shipment #2

Back in December when I received the Laura Geller Beauty Off the Vine TSV from QVC, I didn't expect to keep up with the auto-delivery kits.

It wasn't that I didn't like the products -- most of them were big favorites actually (and have continued to be).  But there were a couple of small issues with the one of the items and since I already have plenty of makeup, I thought it might be best to cancel the auto-delivery option.

Well, perhaps I'll cancel the final shipment but I just couldn't resist this second one. 

February 2013 Favorites

February definitely flew by, but there were still a few products that really stood out for me.  Here are the item that I reached for most often this month.

Laura Geller Fresh Brewed Beauty AD Shipment 2

Last week when I was in the middle of my miserable cold, the UPS man delivered the second installment in QVC's Laura Geller Fresh Brewed Beauty TSV.

Now, you know I must have felt pretty awful when I tell you that the box sat unopened for a three - three! - days.  Usually when makeup goodies arrive on my doorstep, I drop whatever I'm doing to look at the products and do some quick swatches.

The cold had knocked me on my ass so hard that even the promise of new makeup couldn't lure me out of bed.

So when I felt a little better this weekend, I was happy to play around with the new shades.

Laura Geller Beauty Off the Vine TSV

I am a sucker for cute packaging, and it doesn't get much cuter than the box for the upcoming Laura Geller Beauty Off the Vine TSV on QVC.

The kit features good-for-your-skin ingredients like grapeseed oil and resveratrol, which are - you guessed it - derived from grapes, so it only makes sense that it has a wine theme.

Hence the wine inspired box.

The kit will be featured on QVC on Friday, December 28th, starting at midnight.  It costs $54.96 (+ $6.72 s/h), and is available on auto-delivery, with future kits arriving in April and August 2013.

September Favorites

September Goodies

Another month gone...

I seriously can't figure out where this year has gone.

But I definitely enjoyed September - the weather finally cooled off a bit here on Long Island, so it actually felt like fall. 

I love fall.

I especially love fall makeup.

Laura Geller Fresh Brewed Beauty TSV on QVC

Just a friendly reminder that the Laura Geller Fresh Brewed Beauty TSV will be available on QVC starting Monday, September 24th at midnight. 

The TSV is a 6-piece kit that goes for $49.98 plus s/h, so it's a really good value.  I've been enjoying the products for the past month - if you like matte, neutral shadows, then you'll probably want to check out one of the presentations.  My personal favorite item in the kit is the gorgeous blush, which is also matte.

You can check out my photos and swatches here.

Also, if you're a fan of neutral eye shadow palettes, you might want to check out my LORAC Femme Fatale Palette giveaway too.  You can enter here.

August Favorites

So it's that time again ... monthly favorites.

This month, I don't have quite as many as usual mainly because I played with my eye makeup so much in August that I didn't really wear any particular shadows regularly. Still, I have some goodies to share - a few I've mentioned before and some I haven't.

Laura Geller Fresh Brewed Beauty Baked Collection TSV from QVC

Laura Geller Fresh Brewed Beauty TSV

Another week, another beauty TSV from QVC arrives on my doorstep.

I have a serious addiction, I swear.

This time, it's the Laura Geller Fresh Brewed Beauty Collection, which will be available on September 24th on QVC.  I've purchased a couple of previous TSVs from Laura Geller and I find her products to be largely hit or miss.  I love her Balance-n-Brighten Powder Foundation and most of her shadows and blushes.  I'm iffy on her eyeliners and lip products and flat out hate her mascaras.