Estee Lauder Desert Dunes Pure Color Envy Eyeshadow Quad Review & Swatches

Christine — Sat, 17 Sep 2022 21:00:00 +0000

Desert Dunes

Estee Lauder Desert Dunes Pure Color Envy Luxe Eyeshadow Quad (Refill) ($44.00 for 0.21 oz.) includes two very light-toned matte shades, a mid-tone shimmery brown, and a fussy lil’ darker matte brown. It was difficult to work with as the formula was one of the worst eyeshadow formulas I’ve had the displeasure of testing in the last few years–like unbelievably bad for modern eyeshadow times!

Ingredients

Talc, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Dimethicone, Silica, Nylon-12, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Zinc Stearate, Polymethyl Methacrylate, WaterAquaEau, [+/- Mica, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Iron Oxides (Ci 77492), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499), Chromium Oxide Greens (Ci 77288), Chromium Hydroxide Green (Ci 77289), Ferric Ferrocyanide (Ci 77510), Bronze Powder (Ci 77400), Blue 1 Lake (Ci 42090), Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide (Ci 77510), Aluminum Powder (Ci 77000), Copper Powder (Ci 77400), Manganese Violet (Ci 77742), Bismuth Oxychloride (Ci 77163), Carmine (Ci 75470), Ultramarines (Ci 77007), Yellow 5 Lake (Ci 19140)] Rds Product Name: Power Surge Eye Shadow Satin Division: El (Estée Lauder)Ingredients: Talc, Dimethicone, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Zinc Stearate, Nylon-12, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Calcium Titanium Borosilicate, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Alumina, Aluminum Calcium Sodium Silicate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Silica, Tin Oxide, [+/- Mica, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Iron Oxides (Ci 77492), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499), Carmine (Ci 75470), Yellow 5 Lake (Ci 19140), Copper Powder (Ci 77400), Manganese Violet (Ci 77742), Chromium Hydroxide Green (Ci 77289), Bismuth Oxychloride (Ci 77163), Aluminum Powder (Ci 77000), Chromium Oxide Greens (Ci 77288), Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide (Ci 77510), Blue 1 Lake (Ci 42090), Bronze Powder (Ci 77400), Ultramarines (Ci 77007), Ferric Ferrocyanide (Ci 77510)] Rds Product Name: Power Surge Eye Shadow Sparkle Division: El (Estée Lauder)Ingredients: Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Talc, Diisostearyl Malate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Hydrogenated Castor Oil Hydroxystearate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Unsaponifiables, Soybean Glycerides, Caprylyl Glycol, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Aluminum Calcium Sodium Silicate, Silica, Tin Oxide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium Edta, Chlorphenesin, Potassium Sorbate, [+/- Mica, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Iron Oxides (Ci 77492), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499), Yellow 5 Lake (Ci 19140), Carmine (Ci 75470), Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide (Ci 77510), Copper Powder (Ci 77400), Ferric Ferrocyanide (Ci 77510), Manganese Violet (Ci 77742), Chromium Oxide Greens (Ci 77288), Chromium Hydroxide Green (Ci 77289), Bismuth Oxychloride (Ci 77163), Aluminum Powder (Ci 77000), Bronze Powder (Ci 77400), Ultramarines (Ci 77007), Blue 1 Lake (Ci 42090)]

Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.

Desert Dunes

PPermanent. $44.00.

C-

6.5

Product

8.5

Pigmentation

6.5

Texture

Longevity

4.5

Application

71%

Total

Desert Dunes #1

Desert Dunes #1 is a light-medium beige with moderate, warm undertones and a matte finish.

Semi-opaque coverage
Finely-milled but moderately powdery
Prone to sheering out
Best applied over tacky primer
Prone to fading (6 hours of wear)

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes
Formula Overview

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

ColourPop Runway (LE, $4.50) is darker (95% similar).
Pretty Vulgar Rise (PiP, ) is warmer (95% similar).
ColourPop Bonafide (PiP, $4.50) is cooler (95% similar).
Charlotte Tilbury Nude Cashmere (P, $34.00) is lighter (90% similar).
Dominique Cosmetics Cafe con Leche (PiP, ) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
Charlotte Tilbury Smokey Eyes are Forever Love Eyes Prime (LE, ) is lighter (90% similar).
Natasha Denona Aya (LE, ) is lighter, warmer (85% similar).
Wet 'n' Wild Rose in the Air #5 (PiP, ) is lighter, warmer (80% similar).
Sephora Linen (LE, ) is lighter, warmer (80% similar).
ColourPop Ur a Faux (PiP, $4.50) is darker, cooler (80% similar).

View Swatches

Formula Overview

The formula is supposed to be "highly pigmented" with "stay-true color" that won't smudge, crease, or settle into fine lines and doesn't "flake or dust onto face." The quality of the more matte shades was typically higher than the shimmer shades, but all of the finishes seeme to be particularly short-wearing and made it seem like my lids "ate" the eyeshadows quite quickly.

Some of the shimmers were drier and thinner, which resulted in uneven application and some fallout, particularly with the more sparkly shades. The matte eyeshadows were more pigmented and smoother on average but still were on the thinner side with slight to moderate powderiness, which resulted in light fallout and/or the color sheering out too readily on bare skin.

Browse all of our Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Luxe Eyeshadow swatches.

Desert Dunes #1

PiPPermanent in Palette.

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

4.5

Application

74%

Total

Desert Dunes #2

Desert Dunes #2 is a medium, golden brown base with lighter flecks of silver sparkle throughout.

Opaque coverage
Drier, more textured/chunky in feel
Applied somewhat unevenly, prone to fallout
Shorter-wearing (6 hours before fading and having fallout)

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes
Formula Overview

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

Sydney Grace S'mores (PiP, $6.25) is lighter, warmer (85% similar).
ColourPop Extra Bubbly (PiP, ) is more shimmery, warmer (85% similar).
ColourPop A Little Quarky (LE, $6.00) is more shimmery, darker (85% similar).
Anastasia Zamn (LE, $12.00) is warmer (85% similar).
Viseart Flirt (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter, warmer (85% similar).
Pat McGrath Bronze Gold 003 (LE, $25.00) is more shimmery, warmer (85% similar).
Viseart Limoncello (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (80% similar).
Marc Jacobs Beauty Found (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (80% similar).

View Swatches

Possible Dupes

These are likely to be very similar shades based on our duping algorithm.

Cle de Peau Les Annees Folles #3 (LE, ).
ColourPop Faze (LE, $6.00).
NABLA Cosmetics Subliminal (PiP, ).

Formula Overview

Browse all of our Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Luxe Eyeshadow swatches.

Desert Dunes #2

PiPPermanent in Palette.

C+

7.5

Product

Pigmentation

7.5

Texture

Longevity

4.5

Application

79%

Total

Desert Dunes #3

Desert Dunes #3 is a blackened brown with cool undertones and a semi-matte finish.

Medium coverage
Dry, thin, powdery
Applied unevenly, had fallout
Prone to fading (6 hours of wear)

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes
Formula Overview

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

Melt Cosmetics Rott #2 (PiP, ) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (95% similar).
ColourPop Lifestyle (LE, $4.50) is darker (95% similar).
Guerlain Royal Jungle #3 (PiP, ) is more shimmery, warmer (95% similar).
NABLA Cosmetics Adagio (PiP, $8.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
NARS Moshpit (LE, $25.00) is less shimmery, darker, warmer (95% similar).
NARS Mekong (P, $19.00) is more shimmery, warmer (95% similar).
Give Me Glow Dirt Road (P, $7.00) is less shimmery, darker (95% similar).
ColourPop Roundhouse (DC, $4.50) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
Anastasia Deep Brown (P, $12.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
MAC Give a Glam (P, $20.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).

View Swatches

Formula Overview

Browse all of our Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Luxe Eyeshadow swatches.

Desert Dunes #3

PiPPermanent in Palette.

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

Application

64%

Total

Desert Dunes #4

Desert Dunes #4 is a darker peach with warm, orange undertones and a matte finish.

Semi-opaque coverage
Finely-milled but moderately powdery
Prone to sheering out
Best applied over tacky primer
Prone to fading (6 hours of wear)

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes
Formula Overview

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

ColourPop Sandalwood (LE, $4.50) is darker (90% similar).
Tom Ford Beauty Belle de Peche #1 (LE, ) is lighter, warmer (85% similar).
Viseart Lovelorn (PiP, ) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
MAC Shell We Celebrate (LE, $20.00) is darker (80% similar).
NARS Hammamet I (P, $19.00) is darker, warmer (80% similar).
Sephora Flawless (332) (P, $9.00) is darker (80% similar).
Wet 'n' Wild VI Purple #5 (PiP, ) is darker, warmer (80% similar).
ColourPop Crime Fighting (LE, $4.50) is lighter, warmer (80% similar).
Urban Decay Caution (PiP, $19.00) is darker, warmer (80% similar).
Sephora Biscotti (LE, ) is darker (80% similar).

View Swatches

Formula Overview

Browse all of our Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Luxe Eyeshadow swatches.

Desert Dunes #4

PiPPermanent in Palette.

C-

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

4.5

Application

70%

Total

Estee Lauder Desert Dunes Pure Color Envy Luxe Eyeshadow Quad (Refill)

Estee Lauder Desert Dunes #1 Pure Color Envy Luxe Eyeshadow

Estee Lauder Desert Dunes #2 Pure Color Envy Luxe Eyeshadow

Estee Lauder Desert Dunes #3 Pure Color Envy Luxe Eyeshadow

Estee Lauder Desert Dunes #4 Pure Color Envy Luxe Eyeshadow

Estee Lauder Desert Dunes Pure Color Envy Luxe Eyeshadow Quad (Refill)

Estee Lauder Desert Dunes #1 Pure Color Envy Luxe Eyeshadow

Estee Lauder Desert Dunes #2 Pure Color Envy Luxe Eyeshadow

Estee Lauder Desert Dunes #3 Pure Color Envy Luxe Eyeshadow

Estee Lauder Desert Dunes #4 Pure Color Envy Luxe Eyeshadow

Temptalia

Estee Lauder Desert Dunes Pure Color Envy Eyeshadow Quad Review & Swatches

Desert Dunes

Ingredients

Desert Dunes

PPermanent. $44.00.

Quick Shop: Sephora, Ulta, Nordstrom, Selfridges

Desert Dunes #1

Top Dupes

Formula Overview

Desert Dunes #1

PiPPermanent in Palette.

Quick Shop: Sephora, Ulta, Nordstrom, Selfridges

Desert Dunes #2

Top Dupes

Formula Overview

Desert Dunes #2

PiPPermanent in Palette.

Quick Shop: Sephora, Ulta, Nordstrom, Selfridges

Desert Dunes #3

Top Dupes

Formula Overview

Desert Dunes #3

PiPPermanent in Palette.

Quick Shop: Sephora, Ulta, Nordstrom, Selfridges

Desert Dunes #4

Top Dupes

Formula Overview

Desert Dunes #4

PiPPermanent in Palette.

Quick Shop: Sephora, Ulta, Nordstrom, Selfridges