Estee Lauder

Tease Me, Please Me: The New $40 Estee Lauder Pure Color Illuminating Powder Gelee Blush in Tease, From the Pretty Naughty Collection for Spring 2013

December 19th, 2012 by Karen 26 Comments

EstÃ©e Lauder's $40 Pure Color Illuminating Powder GelÃ©e Blush in Tease — Wearing Estee Lauder’s Pure Color Illuminating Powder Gelee Blush in Tease ($40) from the new Pretty Naughty spring 2013 collection

Stress-free shimmer. That’s what I think of Estee Lauder’s $40 Pure Color Illuminating Powder Gelee Blush in Tease (and why I’ve been loving it to pieces).

EstÃ©e Lauder Pure Color Illuminating Powder GelÃ©e Blush in Tease — A closeup of the pan

There are so many stressful things about our world right now, like practically every story on the nightly news, or that commercial for that new MTV show starring Snookie and J.Woww, but at least when it comes to makeup, that thing many of us turn to for fun and escape, there are still things as simple and beautiful as a great blush.

Every day we’re forced to make big, difficult decisions. At least blush doesn’t have to be one of them.

Estee Lauder Pure Color Illuminating Powder Gelee Blush in Tease, part of the new nine-piece Pretty Naughty collection, arrives with the rest of the release next month. In the collection, pastels feature prominently, but EL gave them a tough girl, street-chic vibe.

Picture the coolest city girl you know dressed in black from head to toe, plucked from her usual stomping grounds and plopped smack dab in the middle of the pastoral English countryside.

Basically, that’s this collection.

It includes products for eyes, lips, cheeks (Tease, what we’re looking at now, is the only cheek product) and a BEYOND gorgeous nail polish (review coming soon!).

estee lauder pretty naughty imagery — Pretty Naughty…

Tease, a semi-sheer, opalescent blush/highlighter/contour color shifts from a subtle rose to a pinkish peach, depending on the light.

Really pretty!

And I think it gives my cheeks a healthy, natural-looking glow that still has a cool girl kick to it.

With one layer, you get a soft wash of color (I like!), but you can also build it up for something brighter, KAPOW!

But before that, give this a try: run your finger across the pan…

Now that’s soft, right?

The formula — something Estee Lauder has been using for the past few seasons — combines some of the best things about gels, liquids and powders. They say that unlike conventional powders, something about it allows the pigments and shimmer pearl to float on top of the skin, creating a soft, subtle shimmer with a reflective finish.

“Subtle shimmer” — two words that make my 30-something-year-old ears perk up. 😀

When you’re a woman of a certain age (*cough* 37), shimmer products can be a little tougher to wear (well, at least for me sometimes) because the reflective particles can highlight pores and wrinkles.

Not Tease though. It has this beautiful, subtle glow that doesn’t highlight all of the other stuff going on around it…which I really, really appreciate.

You can apply it with a blush brush, but I’ve actually been liking the sponge applicator it comes with. I press a little on the apples of my cheeks, and blend out the edges with my fingers.

That’s it. And it lasts all day long.

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Get Red, Haute and Naughty: The Super Saturated EstÃ©e Lauder Pure Color Nail Lacquer Red Hautes Collection Gets Nails Ready for Anything

December 18th, 2012 by Karen 15 Comments

estee lauder pure red hautes — The EstÃ©e Lauder Pure Color Nail Lacquer Pure Red Hautes Collection, available now at counters and esteelauder.com

A valuable lesson learned from the EstÃ©e Lauder Pure Color Nail Lacquer Pure Red Hautes Collection and Dr. Henry Walton “Indiana” Jones: prepare, prepare, prepare.

Before Indy went looking for the Holy Grail, homeboy researched his cargo pants off! — filling his mind (and his man purse…so forward thinking!) with every bit of knowledge he needed for his quest.

You don’t just go running off, willy-nilly, looking for the Holy Grail based on the secondhand rumors of a friend of a friend of a friend, you know? You gotta prepare, and you gotta prepare the right way.

Proper preparation is also important when it comes to EstÃ©e Lauder’s Pure Red Hautes Collection, but not in the “let’s go chasing after ancient relics” sense. More in the “now I’ve got a perfect shade of red polish for every occasion, yay!” way.

Thanks to EstÃ©e Lauder Creative Makeup Director Tom Pecheux, if you’re on the market for red tips and toes, the collection’s five $20 crimson polishes have you covered.

With each one, Tom tried to channel red’s sophisticated, romantic side, while coaxing out their propensity for naughtiness and play. 🙂

estee lauder pure red hautes beautiful liar — Beautiful Liar

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EstÃ©e Lauder’s Pretty Naughty Collection

December 18th, 2012 by Karen 22 Comments

estee lauder pretty naughty collection for spring 2013

Pretty overload! I’m super stoked about the new EstÃ©e Lauder Pretty Naughty spring 2013 collection and its pretty adorable presentation.

Here’s a peek at four of the nine pieces from the limited edition release, which arrives early next month/year.

The EstÃ©e Lauder Pretty Naughty Collection

EYES:
Pure Color Five Color EyeShadow Palette in Pretty Naughty ($48)
Pure Color Intense Kajal EyeLiner Duo in Black/Blue ($23)
Sumptuous Extreme Mascara in Extreme Black (repromote, $25)

FACE:
Pure Color Illuminating Powder GelÃ©e Blush in Tease ($40)

LIPS:
NEW Pure Color Sheer Matte Lipstick in Naked ($25)
NEW Pure Color Sheer Matte Lipstick in Rock Candy ($25)
NEW Pure Color Sheer Matte Lipstick in Rebel ($25)
NEW Pure Color Sheer Matte Lipstick in Demure ($25)

NAILS:
Pure Color Nail Lacquer in Insatiable ($20)

EstÃ©e Lauder’s Portable Makeup Brush Collection

December 15th, 2012 by Karen 11 Comments

A new EstÃ©e Lauder travel exclusive! It’s a four-piece brush set with foundation, powder, blush and eyeshadow brushes housed in a zipped blue case.

The powder, blush and eyeshadow brush bristles feel soft against my skin and deposit products evenly.

The foundation brush, eh. It’s a little crunchy for my taste, but it gets the job done.

PRICE: Varies upon location
AVAILABILITY: Availabe now worldwide at EstÃ©e Lauder travel retail locations
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B/B+

OlÃ¡, Brilhante! The EstÃ©e Lauder Brasil Dream Collection, a Macy’s Exclusive

June 15th, 2012 by Karen 23 Comments

estee lauder brasil dream

Do you ever dream in black and white? Apparently, some of us do. My dreams are always in color, usually vivid color, but I think a black-and-white dream in a film noir style would be hella cool.

Methinks someone over at EstÃ©e Lauder was definitely dreaming in color when they brought the Brasil Dream collection to life (available now exclusively at Macy’s). My Brazil dreams usually involve beans and rice (Mmm…), but hey, I’m down with the bright blushes, glosses, lipsticks and nail polishes in this collection, too.

How about fragrances in your dreams? Do you ever wake up breathing in the scent of fresh baked bread, your partner’s perfume/cologne or the salty sea? The collection also features a fragrance called Brasil Dream, which I haven’t seen or sniffed since Milan in 2010.

If you haven’t tried the Pure Color Blushes yet, give ’em a swipe when you can. I think they’re great! Super pigmented, and the pans are HUGE.

estee lauder brasil dream

estee lauder brasil dream
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Luscious Lips and Wide Eyes Characterize the EstÃ¨e Lauder Pure Color Gloss Sequins Finish Collection and Two Tone Collection for Eyes

April 12th, 2012 by Karen 34 Comments

estee lauder fuchsia vibes
Wearing EstÃ¨e Lauder Pure Color Gloss Sequins Finish in Fuchsia Vibes on my lips

It looks like I got home just in time because a storm’s a brewin’! I had to make a quick trip into the city, which is why I’ve been MIA, but I’m back in Novato now, much to Tabs’ chagrin.

The air is thick and humid … like it’s about to downpour.

First thing I did when I got home — well, the second thing I did, after giving Tabs some treats (he was all, “Woman! Where were you?! I’ve been STARVING!”) — was check out two new collections coming to EstÃ¨e Lauder counters next month, the limited edition Pure Color Gloss Sequins Finish Collection and Two Tone Collection for eyes.

One can never have too many sequins, I always say (well…). 🙂 Incidentally, that’s the release I’m looking forward to the most. It features six powerfully pigmented, shimmery glosses in berry, coral, red, plum and nude ($22.50 each).

Oh, fig! — which is how the glosses taste and smell. They also have the thin, smooth consistency of a lip cream yet the shine of a gloss. They remind me of MAC Kissable Lipcolours with a side order of shimmer.

As for the 10-piece Two Tone Collection for eyes, it includes the basics for creating a wide-eyed look — not necessarily flashy, but pretty and practical nevertheless.

It features three new Sumptuous Two Tone Eye-Opening Mascaras ($28 each) — each one has a black shade on one side for top lashes and a colorful shade on the other for bottoms — three Double Wear Stay-in-Place Dual-Ended Eye Pencil Duos ($25 each), and four Pure Colour Eyeshadow singles ($20 each).

Here’s a close look at four of the glosses, two of the pencils and one of the mascaras…

estee lauder pure color sequins
From bottom to top: Double Wear Stay-In-Place Eye Pencil Duo in Onyx/Coffee, Double Wear Stay-In-Place Eye Pencil Duo in Onyx/Garnet, Sumptuous Two Tone Eye-Opening Mascara in Bold Black and Rich Plum, Pure Color Gloss Sequins Finish in Purple Passion, Fuchsia Vibes, Cosmic Pink and Violet Rain

estee lauder pure color sequins
From bottom to top: Violet Rain, Cosmic Pink, Fuchsia Vibes and Purple Passion

estee lauder pure color sequins

estee lauder pure color sequins wands
Wands from left to right: Violet Rain, Purple Passion, Fuchsia Vibes and Cosmic Pink
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This Is BIG: The Tips at Both Ends of the EstÃ¨e Lauder Pure Color Intense Kajal Eye Crayon Duo in White Sands/Molten Lava Are BIG!

March 9th, 2012 by Karen 18 Comments

estee lauder white sands molten lava

It doesn’t look like the trend toward super-sized makeup is leaving the building any time soon, and generally, that’s fine by me (as long as prices don’t rise and the products still fit in my purse).

There’s also something to be said for the ability to spot these oversized products from half a mile away, like the jumbo tips attached to both ends of EstÃ¨e Lauder’s $24 Pure Color Intense Kajal Eye Crayon Duo in White Sands/Molten Lava.

Dang, those things are huge!

estee lauder bronze goddess capri shimmering mirage gloss eye duo in white sands molten lava
Pure Color Gloss in Shimmering Mirage (top) and Pure Color Intense Kajal Eye Crayon Duo in White Sands/Molten Lava (bottom)

EstÃ¨e Lauder Pure Color Intense Kajal Eye Crayon Duo in White Sands/Molten Lava hails from the new Bronze Goddess Capri summer collection.

I’ve been applying eyeliner for years and have a good deal of experience under my belt, but I am still a little afraid of poking an eye out with these gargantuan things…

(NOTE: It doesn’t come with a sharpener, but there is one sold separately for $6.)

estee lauder white sands molten lava swatches
Molten Lava (left) and White Sands (right)
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Light Shimmies on Lips Wearing EstÃ¨e Lauder Pure Color Gloss in Shimmering Mirage

March 3rd, 2012 by Karen 4 Comments

estee lauder shimmering mirage

EstÃ¨e Lauder’s Pure Color Gloss in Shimmering Mirage ($22.50) might not be the flashiest piece in the new Bronze Goddes Capri collection for summer (have ya seen the Bronze Sands palette yet?), but I still think this lemony golden beige, with its bodacious silver shimmer, deserves a serious shout-out.

I’m a sucker for shining nude lips like these, especially on weekends (when my laziness kicks into overdrive). This limited edition shade actually reminds me of a slightly cooler version of my current go-to nude lip gloss, Burberry Nude Gold, except with a side of silver glitter.

I think it’s a great gloss for lazy day makeup looks. I’ll just fill in my brows, pat a little concealer under my eyes, curl my lashes, sweep some blush on my cheeks and top things off with Shimmering Mirage.

estee lauder bronze goddess capri swatches
From the left: Pure Color Illuminating Powder GelÃ©e in Shimmering Sands, Pure Color Intense Kajal Eye Crayon Duo in White Sands/Molten Lava and Pure Color Gloss in Shimmering Mirage
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