Laura Geller Air Whipped Blush

As a cream blush lover, I had to try Laura Geller's Air Whipped Blush ($26). I love my Laura Geller baked makeup, and I suspected I would be equally delighted with a blush described as a silky-textured soufflé.

Here's what grabbed my attention.

You are about to experience a blush that looks and feels like no other. One with a formula that's whipped, lightweight, and cooling - that feels creamy, and moisturizes too. A blush that is sheer and natural, with a depth of color that can illuminate your complexion and brighten your look. Plus, it smoothes skin's texture, imparts luminosity, and blurs away little lines and imperfections.

This superb, silky-textured mousse is fragrance-free, paraben-free, and loaded with antioxidants vitamins A, C, an E. There's a healthy helping of squalene for emolliency, plus moisture-binding sodium hyaluronate and shea butter for hydration. It also has retinyl palmitate in it. Be warned if you are extremely sensitive to it. Time will tell if it bothers my skin. The concentration appears to be low.

The Air Whipped Blush is available in two shades: Whisper Petal (a soft pop of pink) and Whisper Mauve (sheer mauve with a touch of luminescence). I ordered both. I can never decide.

I was a little surprised when they arrived. In both shades, the creamy blush had separated from the jar, and a small amount of the blush had transferred to the lid that provides a tight seal - probably in shipment. They didn't seem any worse for wear, nor did the separation seem to be from age or dryness, so I decided to keep and use them. I started by using the product on the little plastic lid to get that cleaned up.

The best swatch photos I got of the shades were actually the worst photos from a photography perspective. They were both taken outdoors on cloudy days. Since they do show the shades as they appear on my skin in different lighting, I decided to use them. The best color photo is probably the one below.

Whisper Petal is at the top of my arm, with Whisper Rose below it. Just as the square shade representations on Laura Geller's Web site showed, Whisper Rose isn't rose at all. The contrast with the pink petal shade and the real rose show that it's a warm shade. I wouldn't have used "rose" in its name, but I love the color. It's a complex blend of brown, peach, mauve, and who-knows-what.

The photo at left with the white rose shows the contrast of the shades even better - even if it is blurry. Whisper Petal is very pink, and Whisper Rose appears to be a glowing peach. I am sitting at my computer looking at both shades on my arm indoors now, and today I would describe them as a matte pink and shimmering peach. I like both because my cool skin can wear many warm shades. Those with warm skin tones will prefer Whisper Rose.

You should give one a try. I purchased mine during a Friends & Family sale; you could wait for another if you want to save a few dollars. They blend like mousse, making their appearance on the skin extremely natural. Just make sure to protect the formula's delicate texture and prevent dry-out by replacing the jar liner disc and cap tightly after each use.

You can purchase Laura Geller Air Whipped Blush at Laura Geller's Web site. I wish her makeup was still sold by Sephora.

Photo at top courtesy of Laura Geller