Estee Lauder Blue Dahlia: Surreal Violet Eyeshadow Palette

Estee Lauder Surreal Violet Eyeshadow Palette ($42.00 for 0.27 oz.) is a purple-hued palette from the Blue Dahlia Collection, which debuted for fall. It includes five shades: pink-lilac with soft sheen; dusty gray with mauve in a matte finish; shimmery white; darkened eggplant with a matte finish; and a sparkly cool-toned purple.

The palette’s interior design is similar to Guerlain’s Eyeshadow Palettes, but the outer packaging is entirely different, and Guerlain’s palette does include a sixth shade along the right hand side of the palette. None of the five Guerlain palettes released for fall resemble either of the two palettes released by Estee Lauder, though–there might be one shade overlap at best, but they are all pretty different from each other. As far as texture is concerned, Guerlain’s is a little smoother, but the pigmentation is similar across both brands with some shades slightly sheer and others more opaque.  Again, even though at first sight, the two brands seem similar, the color schemes for their palettes deviate quite a bit, so it may not curb your desire for an $84 palette.

Both of the matte eyeshadows are a touch dusty but very workable when used with a brush–just make sure to tap excess off to avoid fall out–while the pinky lilac shade is absolutely gorgeous, because the sheen is just right. The frosted white shade may be garish on darker skin tones, and the high-shine finish works better on the lid than on the brow to highlight. The sparkly purple shade is pretty but a little sheer and a good portion of the sparkle seems to disappear by the time you apply it to the lid.

My favorite part about the palette is how well the colors work together.  This is not a palette that has too many dark shades, not enough available textures, or colors that just don’t work together.  It’s well-designed to create both lighter purple-based looks as well as smokier looks.  The inclusion of both matte, satin, and frost finishes allows for the creation of looks with depth.

P.S. — Is it just me or are white sponge-tip applicators incredibly cheap looking?  I don’t like sponge-tip applicators in general, but white just seems to scream cheap to me.

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• Product: 26/30
• Value: 9/10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 4/5

RECOMMENDATION: If you’re a purple fiend, I think you’ll get a lot of use out of this palette.  There’s a good mix of both warmer and cooler shades, as well as lighter and darker shades, to make this a rather versatile palette.

AVAILABILITY: Nordstrom

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Estee Lauder Surreal Violet Eyeshadow Palette

Estee Lauder Surreal Violet Eyeshadow Palette

Estee Lauder Surreal Violet Eyeshadow Palette

Estee Lauder Surreal Violet Eyeshadow Palette

Estee Lauder Surreal Violet Eyeshadow Palette

Estee Lauder Blue Dahlia: Surreal Violet

Estee Lauder Surreal Violet Nail Lacquer ($18.00 for 0.3 fl. oz.) is a gray-toned pink-mauve with copper-bronze shimmer. It’s a little on the sheerer side with two coats, but it was nearly opaque, so I left the swatches with two–but you could probably do a third for a totally opaque result.  The formula itself wasn’t too thick or thin and applied smoothly without any issues.  Drying time seemed average, and there was a soft glossy shine, but I’d still recommend a top coat.

The amount in the bottle is a little below average, I’d say, while the price tag is a bit hefty.  Those with larger collections may want to add this more unique shade to their stashes, but if you’re just building up your collection, this may be too much on the expensive side.  You can grab Illamasqua ($14/0.5 fl. oz.), NARS ($16 for 0.5 fl. oz), and Lippmann ($18/0.5 fl. oz.), which are all stellar polish brands, and get more for your money.

I would also like to give this polish props for being utterly difficult to photograph in natural light — thanks a lot! What a diva on set!

If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!

• Product: 26/30
• Value: 6 /10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 4/5

RECOMMENDATION: Those who are fans of greiges and purples may find themselves in love with this mix of both!

AVAILABILITY: Nordstrom

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Estee Lauder Surreal Violet Nail Lacquer

Estee Lauder Surreal Violet Nail Lacquer

Estee Lauder Surreal Violet Nail Lacquer

Estee Lauder Surreal Violet Nail Lacquer

Estee Lauder Surreal Violet Nail Lacquer

Estee Lauder Blue Dahlia Collection for Fall 2010

“The beauty of the palettes is that you can create many looks ranging from neutral to dramatic. For a neutral look, use shades 1 and 3. To add more color, blend shades 2 and 4 to your desired intensity and line the eye with shade 5. I want women to play and have fun with the colors!” – Tom Pecheux, Creative Makeup Director, Estée Lauder

Introducing the new vision in color for the Fall 2010 season, the Blue Dahlia Pure Color Collection for smoldering eyes, shimmering lips and bold nails. Estée Lauder Creative Makeup Director Tom Pecheux debuted his inspiration for this collection backstage at the Derek Lam Autumn/Winter 2010 Fashion Show. At the “Myth of the West” themed show, Tom created a strong, intensely energetic look that perfectly tied together the design and fantasy of the clothing. The complete makeup collection includes two distinct looks as well as two complimentary lip products that create a visionary, avant-garde look with a touch of whimsical glamour.

“The blues and purples in the collection are iconic colors for autumn and winter. I like to give women choices in the way that they look. From a neutral to a smoky to a fashionable, strong look, these shades can be used with them all.” – Tom Pecheux, Creative Makeup Director, Estée Lauder

Look 1: Blue Dahlia

• Blue Dahlia Pure Color Five Color EyeShadow Palette ($40.00)
• Rose Dusk / Night Bloom Pure Color Gloss Stick ($18.50 each)
• Rock Candy / Twilight Petal Pure Color Gloss ($20.00 each)
• Twilight Rose / Sepia Sand Pure Color EyeShadow Single ($20.00 each)
• Blue Dahlia Pure Color Nail Lacquer ($18.00)

Look 2: Surreal Violet

• Surreal Violet Pure Color Five Color EyeShadow Palette ($40.00)
• Orchid Dream / Mauve Mirage Pure Color Gloss Stick ($18.50 each)
• Raspberry Pop / Star Pink Pure Color Gloss ($20.00 each)
• Enchanted Meadow / Emerald Star Pure Color EyeShadow Single ($20.00 each)
• Surreal Violet Pure Color Nail Lacquer ($18.00)

Complimentary Products for Lips

• Midnight Bloom Pure Color Gloss Stick ($18.50)
• Midnight Bloom Pure Color Gloss ($18.00)

Availability: The Blue Dahlia Pure Color Fall 2010 collection will be available for a limited time at all Estée Lauder counters nationwide and www.esteelauder.com starting in July 2010.

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