Laura Geller: Beauty Industry Icon Celebrates Women of All Ages
A born-and-raised New Yorker, Laura Geller began her iconic career combining her two passions: beauty and Broadway, working backstage as a theatrical makeup artist. Soon after, she took center stage when she opened her namesake makeup studio on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. During the 20+ years her studio was in business, Laura became known for her wearable looks and magnetic personality—two talents that made her a resounding success on air at QVC. In 1997, the first product in the Laura Geller Beauty makeup line—a highlight and contour kit—sold out in minutes. A few years later, the award-winning Spackle Skin Perfecting Primer was born. Two decades later, it remains a cult favorite.
After pioneering the world of makeup primer with the game-changing Spackle, the brand soon became famous for its iconic baked makeup. All of Laura Geller Beauty's baked formulas are handcrafted in Italy and designed with mature skin in mind. Each product delivers weightless, silky color that never cakes or creases—even in fine lines.
Laura Geller, herself, is an inspiring, powerful cheerleader for uplifting and celebrating women of all ages. Her dedication to recognizing and catering to women of a certain age within the beauty sphere has set her apart, and Laura Geller Beauty’s bold decision to exclusively feature women over 40 in advertising, social media, and on LauraGeller.com, has secured the brand’s place in history.
BELLA got Up Close & Personal with Geller to learn more about her inspiration in formulating such a timeless brand and cultural shift in the perception of beauty.
It is such an honor getting to know a beauty industry icon! Tell our readers what first drew you to the industry, specifically in makeup and makeup artistry.
Right from the start I always had a love for two things: beauty and Broadway. Being born and raised in New York City I felt drawn to the spotlight and making women look and feel their best on the big stage. Combining my two loves, I landed the job that would change everything for me—working backstage as a theatrical makeup artist. Soon after, I started doing celebrity clients for TV and film, and then became the go-to lead makeup artist for celebrity and society weddings. A few years later, I decided to take center stage myself and open my first namesake makeup studio on the Upper East Side, Laura Geller Beauty.
Your makeup line has amassed cult favorites. What are some of your most sought-after products?
The two products that have been most successful for me have been our Spackle Primer franchise and all my baked makeup (foundations, blushes, bronzers, highlighters, and shadows). Before I brought Spackle to the masses, primer was only being used in professional settings like for Broadway actors and film. But I thought it was important for everyone that their makeup lasted and looked better.
Being a pioneer in the world of makeup primer, we have seen over 1,855 five-star ratings for Spackle from shoppers in their 60s and 70s who swear by this product’s lightweight base for long- lasting makeup, minimizing the look of pores and fine lines.
Following Spackle, we became famous for our baked makeup. All handcrafted in Italy and designed with mature skin in mind, each product delivers weightless, silky color that never cakes or creases. It’s because we take cream pigments and bake them into a powder, so the result is makeup that sits on top of skin, rather than seeping into it. The Baked Balance-n-Brighten Foundation has always been a fan favorite and a hero product for the brand and is now the first-ever makeup product to receive the seal of recognition from the National Psoriasis Foundation.
Your baked formulas are designed with mature skin in mind, and you cater to women. Was that your goal from the start or did the consumers inspire you?
My goal was to take all the makeup formulas and tip and tricks I learned from the professional world and bring them to women, encouraging them to feel confident from the inside-out. I've applied makeup to everybody from 19 to 90. They're not just mature clients, but the mature clients have spoken loudly, and we hear them. As a result of all the outreach from women 40+, we have dedicated ourselves to being a beauty brand for them.
The Laura Geller brand is known for celebrating beauty later in life. Have you faced any challenges with this creative direction, especially in an era saturated with such young influencers?
While we haven't faced any huge hurdles in this area, we have noticed a major wave in feedback from customers who love the stance we have taken. Since making the decision to exclusively feature
models over 40, we have received a wide variety of praise for our efforts. As a result, we doubled down on the message and created National Mature Women's Day, which occurs annually each April 9th to continue the conversation around ageism.
I know I have personally felt the pressure of aging and the stereotypes we put on ourselves surrounding our age, especially working in the beauty industry. Do you think society has made women fear aging by equating youth to beauty?
Yes, I do believe that society has made women fear aging by equating youth to beauty. This is the reason I took such a bold stance on the issue by deciding to only feature models over 40 in our advertising and marketing efforts, including our social media channels. With this narrative in mind, I have made it the brand's mission to destigmatize the fear of aging in the beauty industry with the goal to encourage every woman to feel beautiful no matter what stage of life they are in.
Regardless of an individual’s age who is using them, your products and brand have become iconic, timeless classics. What can we expect from Laura Geller in the future?
When it comes to amplifying mature voices, we are just getting started. With our second annual National Mature Women’s Day, we are excited to have brought back the limited-time age-based discount (Are you 47?. 47% off! 73? 73% off!), along with a special campaign that sheds light on the universal experience of feeling invisible when you reach a certain age.
You can also expect more baked makeup and even a new variation of our Spackle primer. There is so much more to come from Laura Geller Beauty in 2023, and we are so excited to share it with you.
Instagram: @LauraGellerBeauty
Website: LauraGeller.com