In 2021, Laura Geller Beauty made a bold decision to position itself as a leader in mature beauty by exclusively targeting women 40+. Simultaneously, the brand took a deeper look at its overall product assortment and customer feedback, and found that its iconic Baked Gelato Highlighter formula could be optimized to better meet the needs of women with mature skin. In response, the brand relaunched its viral highlighter in the #1-selling Gilded Honey shade with a refreshed formula specifically designed for mature skin.
Driven by the insight that women 40+ were underserved in the beauty category, the idea was to reinforce Laura Geller Beauty’s leadership in mature beauty by listening to its community and evolving a fan-favorite product to better meet their needs. The goal was to modernize an iconic, viral formula without losing its equity – strengthening brand trust, re-engaging loyal customers, and attracting new mature consumers through a relaunch rooted in relevance and performance.
The hero of the new and improved highlighter is Boron Nitride, a light-diffusing mineral that creates a soft-focus, “lit-from-within” glow along with hydrating ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, and Squalane to help with skin that becomes drier as we age. To celebrate the launch, the brand tapped former makeup artist and actress Debi Mazar for a playful campaign shot in Italy—the product and brand's manufacturing home for decades. Her credibility in the beauty space, combined with her authentic connection to the 40+ audience, reinforced the brand’s commitment to representation and expertise in mature beauty.
The launch rolled out through a multi-channel strategy, including social media exposure, earned media, paid media support, email marketing, influencer partnerships, and a sales presence on QVC, Amazon, TikTok Shop, and the brand’s website. Supporting assets included email marketing, a dedicated landing page, influencer content posted across 4 social platforms, a custom VIP mailer, bi-coastal customer pop-up events, an international influencer trip, and a press release.
A key challenge was modernizing a viral, cult-favorite product without alienating its loyal fanbase. This was overcome by preserving the beloved Gilded Honey shade and baked formula while transparently communicating the formula enhancements through education-led messaging, before-and-after visuals, and real-woman testimonials. By blending science-backed innovation, community-driven insights, and age-positive storytelling, Laura Geller Beauty delivered a relaunch that was both commercially impactful and uniquely resonant with an often-overlooked consumer.
Through a multi-channel activation spanning social media with over 800K video views, 678 press placements, paid media ads, and a sales presence on the brand’s website, QVC, Amazon, and TikTok shop, the campaign honors the artisanal Italian craftsmanship that has become a pillar of the brand. Highlights of the campaign’s success included 1,033 influencer posts across four social platforms, a custom VIP mailer, bi-coastal pop-up events with 1,500+ attendees, and the brand’s first-ever influencer trip to Florence to learn how the product is made in its birthplace and inspire content creation. The relaunch drove strong results: on launch day the product page accounted for 12% of site traffic, ranked #1 in Highlighters, and sold out in 48 hours on Amazon with a 4.7-star rating. By modernizing an iconic bestseller, Laura Geller Beauty reinforces its leadership in mature beauty and commitment to celebrating real women.
