If you’re living in a naturally warmer climate (cough, California!), it’s easy to confuse spring with the beginning of summer as blue skies dominate and the sun shimmers down.  But whether you’re jonesing for a touch of summer in your life or are already breaking out your booty shorts, bronzers are often turned towards for a subtle, sunkissed glow that is an earmark of summer and fun.

Estée Lauder ‘Bronze Goddess’ Soft Matte Bronzer ($29.50) is part of their summer Bronze Goddess launch.  It’s a smooth, silky bronzing powder that minimizes oil to keep skin looking more matte throughout the day.  The compact comes with a contoured brush, which I adore.  I don’t love sponge applicators, and usually, that’s what you get in a compact.  Instead, you can tote this easily transportable compact with a fabulous little brush inside for last minute touch-ups.

Dior Essential Bronzing Powder ($40.00) is very much like your typical bronzer, though I will say it goes on like velvet and feels like silk.  It also blends incredibly well with my natural skin tone so that it really does create a subtle bronzed look without being too heavy or unnatural.

GlowFusion Micro-Tech Intuitive Active Bronzer GlowFusion ($39.00) is Fusion Beauty’s answer to giving you glowing skin.  It is supposed to help fill in fine lines and wrinkles to help give the appearance of healthier skin that glows.  There are “soft-focus luminzers” to help give you that bronze color by their InvisiSkin complex.  With all their techy and patent-speak, it makes me skeptical.  I actually happened to get this when I attended a Nordstrom Beauty Trend Show a season ago, and while it is deliciously smooth and feels like silk on skin… I can’t say that I would ever splurge $39 on it.

M·A·C Bronzing Powder ($20.00) come in three shades that have a touch of shimmer (very fine, very subtle!) to help highlight and color naturally.  I only own one bronzer by MAC, and it will probably last me a lifetime.  I think the shade I own is Golden Bronze or something like that.  Each summer, MAC launches their summer skin/bronze line, and that’s usually a great place to pick up a bronzer.

Stay tuned for part three (did you miss part one?)!

Find these bronzers and more at Nordstrom.com or Sephora.com.

Face

• Bronze Goddess Bronzing Pearls
• Bronze Goddess Soft Matte Bronzer
• Bronze Goddess Soft Duo Bronzer in Amber Bronze Medium and Amber Bronze Rich
• Bronze Goddess Soft Shimmer Bronzer
• Bronze Goddess Tortoise Compact (filled with Soft Matte Bronzer)
• Bronze Goddess Luminous Liquid Bronzer
• Face and Body Brush

Eyes

• Pure Color Eyeshadow in Blushing Goddess (new, limited edition) and Cinnamon

Lips

• Tender Lip Balm SPF15 in Tender Bronze (new, limited edition) and Tender Berry
• Pure Color Gloss in Fuchsia (new, limited edition) and Sugarcane
• Bronze Goddess Sheer Lip Tint SPF15 in new, limited edition Fuchsia and Bronze

Nails

• Pure Color Nail Lacquer in Bronze Goddess (limited edition) and Fuchsia

Fragrance

• Bronze Goddess Eau Fraiche 100ml
• Bronze Goddess Body Oil 100ml
• Bronze Goddess Luminous Body Lotion 200ml

Available now at www.esteelauder.com!

Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Ultimate Youth Creme ($250.00) is a product I recently received to test. I want to put it plain that I did not purchase this product, so there is no confusion. I am by no means on an unlimited cosmetic budget, so for me to test a cream of this standard is a real treat, but I always desperately hope not to love it, and secretly desire it to fall flat on its face. Why? Because a face cream for $250.00 is not friendly to my budget. I preface this review with so much attention to the price because I now face a huge dilemma: there is something about this cream that has performed a small miracle on my face in the past three weeks of continuous use.

What it’s supposed to do: Resveratrate is the trademarked ingredient dubbed “The Youth Molecule” by Estee Lauder. It “is a more potent, stable, and time released form of Resveratrol.” This product is meant to extend the skin’s youthfulness so that time “stands still.” According to Estee Lauder, the skin will increase in its clarity, tone, and fine dry lines will be plumped by the moisturizer. There is science clearly involved, and they talk about “longevity genes” that regulate the lifespan of skin’s epidermal cells.

What it actually does: Based on testing it for three weeks as both a day and night moisturizer (and let me be honest, there were a few times I misplaced it, so I substituted, but generally speaking, I used this pretty religiously). After one week, I noticed something very impossible happening–my acne was vanishing. Now, this is not an acne-preventing product, it is an anti-aging product geared towards women in their late 20s and older. My diet hadn’t undergone any real change, water intake didn’t increase, and I hadn’t added any other products to my daily facial regimen.

I have never suffered from severe acne, but I get enough that it can be annoying, and there is always one that’s far too noticeable for my liking. Since using the Youth Creme, almost all of my noticeable acne has disappeared. I am not 100% clear-faced, but in my eyes, this is about as close as I could ever get. My skin looks much improved because of the blemishes being gone, but it is also more even and healthy looking. Every time I see my Mom, no matter what, she mentions how pale and sickly I look–but she didn’t say that when I saw her last week (first time since using the Youth Creme). She asked if I did something different with my makeup, because I looked healthier. Application is easy, as you don’t need much to cover the entire face, and it feels lightweight, but it still moisturizers quite well (despite wintry patches of skin). I also love that it dries quickly! There is no strong, overpowering scent, either - it kind of reminds me of a very subtle organic, maybe a touch of oatmeal scent that you can only distinguish if you put your nose in the jar. So to me, it’s nearly fragrance-free once it’s on my face.

So as I said, I face a serious dilemma: how am I going to be able to afford this in the future? I would like to note that the jar still seems mostly full, despite using it twice a day for three weeks. It gives me hope that I can stretch the jar over four to six months.

Do I recommend this product? I do and I don’t. I recommend it because it worked well for me, and the acne-miracle it worked for me would make it worth the price (how much money do I spend each month on products that only work minimally?) as the product jar should last me multiple months. I don’t, because I fear for your poor wallet if you fall in love with it as I have! You know that whole saying, “You can’t miss what you never had?” Exactly. So basically, I do recommend this product, but know that you may find yourself addicted!

Available now at www.esteelauder.com and Estee Lauder locations.

Have you encountered a similar dilemma before? What product led to your downfall? Did you become a loyal re-purchaser or have you been hunting for a less expensive alternative?

Envision graceful, lapping waves of sea green waters touching a white sand beach strewn with pebbles and sea shells. In the distance, hints of citrus and freesia pique the senses. Laughter and music can be heard coming from the harbor dotted with multi-color wooden boats. You take it all in realizing this is a day you’ll want to relive forever. This is the inspiration for Pure White Linen Light Breeze.

“White Linen has always epitomized casual elegance and the relaxation and happiness we feel in the spring and summer,” says Karyn Khoury, senior vice president of Fragrance Development World Wide, Estēe Lauder Companies. “Pure White Linen Light Breeze takes this mood one step further by having even more of a focus on the environment—of the calming Mediterranean seascape. It is a sunnier, more transparent and even more tranquil scent.”

The Fragrance
While Pure White Linen Light Breeze incorporates core elements such as rich rose enhanced by white florals and smooth woods from classic White Linen and Pure White Linen, it was also created with dazzling citrus notes, airier florals, and a sheerer more subtly sexy finish for a scent that is as warm, mesmerizing and sensual as those treasured summer afternoons. An effervescent Darjeeling Tea Note is bathed with the refreshing iridescence of citrus including luscious Italian Bergamot, sparkling White Grapefruit and energetic freshly grated Orange Zest. Watery Kumquat conveys a contemporary carefree playfulness.  A gentle unfolding of colorful Osthmanthus, vivacious Yellow Freesia and sensuous Neroli Petals intertwine with graceful Linden Flowers and rich Centifolia Rose to create a fresh intensely feminine allure. Precious Cedar Wood, rich Teak Wood, and a Soft Skin Accord embellished with a drop of ambrosial Acacia Honey impart a lasting subtle sensuality and that is effortlessly elegant.

Estēe Lauder Pure White Linen Light Breeze will be available at Estēe Lauder counters and on www.esteelauder.com beginning January 2008.

• 1 oz./30ml Eau de Parfum Spray $35.00
• 1.7 oz/50 ml Eau de Parfum Spray $45.00
• 3.4 oz/100 ml Eau de Parfum Spray $65.00
• 6.7oz/200ml Body Lotion $36.00

Also, Estee Lauder will be launching a special edition version of their noted Pleasures fragrance.   Kazumi Yoshida partnered with Estee Lauder to create a unique, limited-edition tribute to pleasures, one of the company’s best-selling prestige fragrances. After experiencing the pleasures fragrance, Yoshida began to repaint his spring designs with pleasures in mind. The result is an inspired work of art for the bottle that invokes a blooming garden and truly captures the simple pleasures in life that are the essence of the fragrance. 

View photos of Pure White Linen, as well as Pleasures… Read the rest of this entry »

PURE WHITE LINEN COLOR COLLECTION

This spring escape to a charming seaside retreat where sandy beaches and warm sea breezes await, offering a perfect remedy of soothing comfort after a crisp, cold winter. Relax on a sun-drenched porch in lightweight, finely spun fabrics in sand-washed textures and nautically infused shades with soft lines and easy cuts that say classic, comfortable style. Pair your relaxed style with luminous skin, serene eyes and sheer, subtly defined lips - all part of Estēe Lauder’s Pure White Linen Color Collection for spring. Inspired by the simplicity of the 1950’s with a fresh, modern feel, the collection features two complementary looks of classic beauty that are perfect for enjoying the warm, sunny days of spring. Nantucket Sun captures the warmth of white sand beaches and grassy dunes with earthy shades of green and coral, while Newport Rose reflects the soft, cool shades of the sea and a dusk sky in airy shades of blue and pink.

Basics

• Shimmering Shell Powder $32.00
• Golden Shell Compact $75.00
• Pure White Linen Light Breeze (50ml) $45.00

For the Nantucket Sun Look

• Pure Color UltraLight Gloss in Sparkling Shell $18.00
• Lip Shaping Gloss Pencil in Sheer Tawny $18.50
• Pure Color Lipstick in Nantucket Sun $22.00
• Pure Color Crystal Lipstick in Coral Reef $22.00
• Pure Color EyeShadow in Tea Biscuit and Sea Grass $17.50
• Artist’s Eye Pencil in SoftSmudge Brown $18.50
• Pure Color Nail Lacquer in Rose Apricot $18.00

For the Newport Rose Look

• Pure Color UltraLight Gloss in Freshwater Pearl $18.00
• Lip Shaping Gloss Pencil in Sheer Fuchsia $18.50
• Pure Color Lipstick in Newport Rose $22.00
• Pure Color Crystal Lipstick in Crystal Pink $22.00
• Pure Color EyeShadow in Ivory Box and Sea Breeze $17.50
• Artist’s Eye Pencil in new, limited edition Newport Blue $18.50
• Pure Color Nail Lacquer in new, limited edition Antique Rose $18.00

View more photos of products from this collection… Read the rest of this entry »

Estee Lauder’s Take It Away Makeup Remover Towelettes ($17.50)

Fast, effective and incredibly convenient. Portable, pre-moistened towelettes quickly remove makeup and freshen skin without water. Advanced cleansing emulsion hydrates, softens skin. Ophthalmologist-tested. Do your skin a favor: never go to bed with makeup on. Clean skin is healthy skin.  Sweep over entire face. Firmly reseal package.

What makes it worth it: I am not one to fall prey to high-end brands with makeup removing sheets when I can purchase them for much less at my local drugstore.  However, Estee Lauder’s take on the makeup remover towelette has me reconsidering my position.  These feel luxe, soft, and delightfully gentle against my skin when I use them to remove my makeup.  Unlike my drugstore finds, Take It Away makes removal effortless and a feel-good remedy for my skin on lazy days or when I need a quick remover.  The scent that lingers behind is a subtle, clean aroma.  I also feel like my skin doesn’t need instant rehydrating after using these, which I do notice is an issue when I use drugstore versions.  I do like that they give you an actual package that is resealable, whereas many drugstore versions are tougher to reseal and may end up drying out the top one or two sheets (yes, you can a container or ones that are meant to reseal, but those often are $7-10!).

Why you might pass on it: Budget.  This is really the only reason to skip these, because they’re effective, luxurious, and effortless to use.  If you’re looking to skimp somewhere, opt for drugstore makeup remover wipes and pick up Estee Lauder’s DayWear Plus (what, I love it!  I must proclaim my new found love all the time!) instead.

Find this product at Estee Lauder locations, www.esteelauder.com, and www.nordstrom.com.

ESTEE ILLUSIONIST MASCARA ($21.00)

Seductive curves. Now, power shape your lashes with up to 160% more curl. Advanced aerodynamic gel formula with innovative curling polymers gives lashes weightless, seductive curves, without stiffness or flaking. New pigment technology creates intense black impact shades that absorb light and surround your eyes in the beauty of deep, rich color. Fragrance free. Ophthalmologist-tested.

• Applicator: Medium-sized brush with an oval shape to it–small point a the end.
• Clumping: Only mild clumping was experienced on the third coat towards the roots of lashes, but not at the ends.
• Curl: This isn’t a curling mascara, but it does hold a curl when you’ve used a lash curler.
• Ease: Quite easy to apply given the nature of the wand, which allows for more precision to get to harder to reach lashes on the inner area and the lower lashes.
• Length: You get a decent amount of length after a few coats of this mascara–not the longest I’ve ever seen–a good length for both natural and more dramatic looks.
• Thickening: I would have to say that I didn’t feel like my lashes were significantly thicker, even in the appearance.
• Volume: I found I got more volume out of this Estee Lauder mascara than some of the others I’ve tried.  I felt like my lashes appeared fuller.
• Best: I liked how full my lashes looked thanks to the volumizing effect of the mascara, and the length that came out was quite lengthy.  This is a great everyday mascara for those who want a bit of length and drama, but nothing over the top.
• Worst: No real downside to this mascara; perhaps the price is a turn off for those who are more budget-conscious.

Estee Lauder DayWear Plus ($38.00)

More than moisture. More than protection. DayWear Plus actively shields skin from the multiple assaults of the environment to help prevent lines before they appear—so your skin looks younger longer. The secret? An active response anti-oxidant system with a powerful blend of new and natural ingredients. A skin-friendly UVA/UVB screen you can wear AM and PM. An advanced dual moisture system to keep skin feeling moist and healthy.  Lightweight, oil-free creme. Dermatologist-, Ophthalmologist-tested.  Apply AM and PM after cleansing, and after applying your Repair Serum.

What makes it worth it: Oh my goodness, I fell in love with this rich moisturizer as soon as I put on my first application of it in the morning!  It is a luxuriously thick cream that dries quickly and leaves skin feeling incredibly smooth and hydrated.  The scent reminds me of cucumbers and cool days, I can’t quite put my finger on it.  It’s a subtle scent, so it’s perfect for a facial moisturizer.  I just honestly felt like I was pampering my skin with this product, and I will definitely be adding this to my list of staples.  A little goes a long way, which as I always say, is most excellent.  Oh, what else?  It contains SPF15, which is an essential item you need for your daily regimen.

Why you might pass on it: None!  Buy it today.  I adore this, and I can’t think of a single reason not to at least check it out and try out the texture for yourself.  The price is the only thing that could sway you, but I imagine one container will last me at least a month of use, so I’ll fork over the money for this lovely addition.

Find this product at Estee Lauder locations, www.esteelauder.com, and www.nordstrom.com.

ESTEE MORE THAN MASCARA ($21.00)

For more defined, more conditioned, more beautiful lashes. Get intense definition–for immensely expressive eyes.  Get more black impact–shade “More Black” with advanced pigment technology creates the deepest jet black. Exclusive Moisture-Binding formula defines and conditions with two moisturizers for smooth, silky-soft lashes that are never flaky, never brittle. Unique hollow-bristle brush wraps each lash in luxurious color that brings out the beauty deep within your eyes. Why settle for less, when you can have more? Fragrance free. Ophthalmologist-tested.

• Applicator: Small to medium sized brush with densely packed bristles that comes to a point at the end.
• Clumping: Lashes do clump a touch, so you might want to have a disposable mascara wand to run through your lashes in-between the second and third coat to ensure separation.
• Curl: Doesn’t naturally add curl, but it holds one well.
• Ease: Quite easy to apply given the smaller nature of the wand, which allows for more precision to get to harder to reach lashes on the inner area and the lower lashes.
• Length: This mascara definitely delivers on the lengthening promise, because my lashes were definitely getting to that sky-high level that I love.
• Thickening: My lashes appeared a bit thicker, but not overly so, which is mostly good.  I wouldn’t want them to be too thick if it meant I’d risk sparseness instead.
• Volume: Some volume, but not a ton.  There’s a bit of an illusion of volume because of how black this mascara is, though!
• Best: Who doesn’t love a super rich black mascara?  This is a moisture-binding mascara, which means your lashes don’t feel brittle at all–love that.  I also liked the length I got out of three coats!
• Worst: It would have been nice to see a bit more volume overall, but I’m not disappointed in this mascara at all.

ESTEE PROJECTIONIST MASCARA ($21.00)

High drama for every single lash.  Now you can project thicker, longer, more defined and lustrous lashes that highlight your beautiful eyes.  VolumAire™ formula creates weightless volume and sharp definition that resists clumping. Hollow spherical polymers act like inflated balloons that volumize and lift.   ProDefinition Brush™ draws out even tiny lashes with infinite precision and separation control. Lets you lavish attention on every single lash, every single day. Blends two kinds of fibers: hollow fibers to hold formula, plus solid rigid fibers to comb it through and separate.  Pearl pigments mimic the luster and color of natural hair for a lustrous, healthy look.  Slowly work through lashes using precise strokes to build up volume, comb and separate lashes.

• Applicator: Small to medium sized brush, with densely packed bristles.
• Clumping: I didn’t find I had many clumping issues while applying my regular three coats.
• Curl: It didn’t naturally curl lashes, so you would need to use a lash curler, but it did hold the curl.
• Ease: Quite easy to apply given the smaller nature of the wand, which allows for more precision to get to harder to reach lashes on the inner area and the lower lashes.
• Length: This is a multitasking mascara, which includes lengthening, and it definitely lengthened, but it didn’t give me sky-high lashes.
• Thickening: I definitely felt that it delivered on thickening power, though; my lashes were clearly more lush after application.
• Volume: I achieved some volume, but not as much as I’d have liked.
• Best: I loved the rich black color and the way the mascara adhered to my lashes for the naturalness.  It sort of muddled through length and volume, but it was great at thickening!
• Worst: I would have loved to see more volume in this mascara–the length is probably fine for most, but I personally love ridiculously long lashes that I can get without applying false lashes.