Laura Geller makes some mighty fine blushes. I picked up this Baked Cheek Dreams Blush and Highlight Trio with a set last year, and I’ve been meaning to get around to the review for a long time!
Neapolitan features Geller’s French Vanilla highlighter along with two blushes she describes as “apricot” and “bronze.” The apricot is a pinkish coral shade that is almost neutral – just slightly warm. The bronze I would describe more as a plummy brown – there are definite pink/plum tones to it. All three have a satin finish with zero sparkle but not matte. I actually prefer to use the bronze shade as a contour, although I can use it as a blush if I apply with a light hand.. So even though Geller calls it two blushes and a highlight, I use it as a highlight, blush and contour.
The staying power of these is just amazing. I get an easy 9-10 hours with minimal fading after that. I average about 6 hours for blushes, highlights and bronzers, so this is great. The satin finish doesn’t emphasize pores or imperfections – it reflects light just enough to be really flattering without sparkling or calling attention to itself.
These pack a lot of pigment. Fortunately they’re also very blendable. If you apply too much, they cooperate very well with a clean buffing brush to blend them in. Or if you’ve already passed that and entered Clown City, Population 1, you can dust powder over them lightly or even go over them with a foundation brush that still has some product in it. They’re very easy to work with.
The compact has a small – very small – mirror in the lid.
French Vanilla may be the highlighter you’ve been waiting for all your life. It’s a neutral pale beige with just a hint of yellow tone and absolutely not a sparkle in sight. If you want a highlighter that makes a difference but will never be detected by regular mortals as a highlighter, this is it. You can apply a surprising amount without getting too much.
The apricot blush is a pink coral with a lighter pink sheen for luminosity. It doesn’t have sparkly bits, so the effect is really subtle. It gives my cheekbones noticeable dimension.
The bronze blush, which I use as a contour, is a plummy brown shade with terracotta undertones. It’s definitely on the warm side and can be used as a blush (with a light hand if you’re on the fair side), but I use it as a contour when I wear these. I know warm shades aren’t generally preferred for contouring, but I find it works well with this combo.
See the dimension in my cheekbone there? That’s with the highlight above the cheekbone, the apricot blush on the lower portion of it, and the bronze blush as a contour – all blended carefully. Available at LauraGeller.com, $29.50.
