Estee Lauder-fest!

Their Sumptuous mascara, Vanilla Truffle Lipstick and Double Wear Cream eyeshadows have given me a real appetite for the Estee Lauder brand. I have been really impressed with the quality of their products and the luxe packaging that is also sturdy and practical (I hate flimsy plasticky packaging!). I used to own their Double Wear foundation about 5 years ago and I remember buying it continuously (even on my measly student loan) but as always, after time, you start to wonder what other products are out there and you go in search of something different. I am looking forward to revisiting Double Wear foundation again the next few days and falling in love with it all over again. It's almost like when you listen to an amazing song too much and get bored of it after the millionth listen, then you rediscover it years later and realise how good it was to start with!
I have always had the impression that Estee Lauder produce really good quality foundations and powders and that they form the basis of what they're all about. I was excited to try the Aeromatte powder as I have hit pan on my Korres Wild Rose powder and wanted to find out if there was another powder out there that offered slightly more product for your money (as much as I love the Korres powder, you really don't get all that much in the pan). Here comes the shallow bit again but I just love the packaging and the rippled effect on the pan...

As always, I much rather using my kabuki brush to apply powder rather than the sponge applicator provided. I always find that it creates a more natural finish when you buff it in the skin, instead of the cakey effect you can sometimes get from sponge application. This powder is fantastic, it creates a really soft matte look to your makeup and I only had to retouch my nose and chin once in a 10 hour period. I love whipping this little compact out of my bag though so I would almost use any excuse to do it!

I have been on the look out for a paler long lasting concealer for use under my eyes and around my nose as I have undereye circles and I often get very red around my nostrils in winter. I wanted a paler shade than my current MUFE Full Cover concealer for when I'm off the fake tan and I also wanted to try a lighter formula. This Estee Lauder Stay In Place concealer in Light/Medium has a sponge applicator, SPF10, it's waterproof and REALLY long lasting. The consistency is perfect, just liquid enough to allow the appropriate amount of blending. Once it has set, it's touch dry (I hate concealers that are waxy or take ages to sink in, they just end up slipping off your skin within a couple of hours). This one doesn't budge at all and it covers my redness like a dream. This concealer is something you can really rely on and it's great for cold winter days when you're probably going to get rained on or caught in snow! That's a certainty in blustery old Scotland!

Ever since trying the Estee Lauder Double Wear Cream eyeshadow in Antique Gold, I have been hankering after more shades. I love a silver eye so the shade, Silver Star from the collection is the perfect pale base for creating either a look that it subtle and sophisticated or built up with darker powder eyeshadows to create an intense and dramatic effect (The Sleek Graphite palette would be perfect). The other shade pictured, Pink Blush (a soft peachy pink) is a perfect shade for everyday wear when you want to look natural but polished. Here come the swatches...These cream eyeshadows are very similar to MAC Paint Pots but with a different selection of colours. I would say they have a very similar consistency and they last all day. Some people say they prefer the Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadows due to the lighter consistency. I own all of the above and in my opinion, the Estee Lauder and MAC ones are my favourite because you can achieve the intensity you want alot faster (the Benefit ones are so light in formulation that you have to layer them to get the same effect therefore you're using more product).
I know there's alot of bloggers who aren't big fans of primers but I am firmly routed with Team Primer. There are different primers to suit everyones needs, whether you want to mattify, smooth out the skin and minimise fine lines or just get that extra glow with an illuminating one. I love experimenting with different ones to achieve different looks. This Estee Lauder Face Primer Plus Illuminating Base is designed to even out skin tone, add radiance and create a solid base for makeup to adhere to. I know alot of bloggers shy away from illuminating products as they are worried that they will make them look greasy or shiny, but I used this primer under my foundation and then set it with the Aeromatte powder and the effect was in no way shiny. It just gives that 'glow from within' look and makes your makeup look fresh all day. These kind of products are a fantastic pick me up if your complexion is looking a bit lacklustre or dull (also great if you have overdone it a bit the night before, which obviously I never do because I'm such a clean living soul!)

The Estee Lauder Opulent Shimmer Gloss in Gold is perfect to layer over any lipstick to create more dimension to the lips and gives a gorgeous effect. It's very subtle which means it marries very well with just about any colour. I love the formulation of the gloss, there's no grittiness or sticky feeling, just gorgeous flecks of gold shimmer. I love the pretty packaging (yep...I'm a sucker for nice packaging!). The only gripe I have with this is the brush applicator which I felt was too stiff and makes application a little awkward. I can deal with that because I love the gloss (it also has exactly the same smell as MAC lipsticks which is a vanilla smell). Yummy!

Here's what it looks like on it's own....

Let me know your thoughts if you have also tried these products. I will be doing some FOTD's featuring the Estee Lauder and YSL products I've posted on recently so stay tuned for those!