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Estee Lauder Potent & Intense Nude Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick Reviews, Photos, Swatches

Estee Lauder Potent Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick
Estee Lauder Potent Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick

I bought a few more shades of Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick ($30.00 for 0.12 oz.), as I was quite curious to see how well lighter, less intense shades would work out. (You can read my initial review here.) The wear isn’t quite as long as with the deeper shades, which isn’t much of a surprise, but even the lighter shade I tried didn’t settle into lip lines and still applied fairly smoothly. Both shades were nicely pigmented, somewhat hydrating, and comfortable to wear. The formula has a sweet, vanilla scent (no fig!) but no taste.

Estee Lauder Potent Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick ($30.00 for 0.12 oz.) is described as a “light, pink-coral nude.” It’s a light-medium, pink-coral with warm undertones and a luminous sheen. It had mostly opaque color coverage, and it applied smoothly for the most part. The consistency of this one felt a little higher in slip, so if you over-applied the color, you could see “lines” left if you pressed your lips together. This shade wore well for four hours. MAC Flavour (LE, $16.00) is more matte. MAC Betty Bright (LE, $16.00) is darker, brighter. YSL Corail Jalouse (32) (P, $34.00) is darker, brighter. Tom Ford Beauty Summer Fling (04) (LE, $49.00) is darker. Too Faced Taffy (P, $21.00) is lighter. Urban Decay Native (P, $22.00) is darker. See comparison swatches.

Estee Lauder Intense Nude Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick ($30.00 for 0.12 oz.) is described as a “mid-tone rosy neutral.” It’s a medium, muted plum with soft, warm undertones and a luminous finish. It had rich, opaque color coverage, and the texture was lightly creamy and applied smoothly and evenly. The color wore well for four and a half hours. Too Faced Sweet Maple (P, $21.00) is warmer, browner. Givenchy Rose d’Exception (206) (LE, $36.00) is lighter. Urban Decay Strip (P, $22.00) is a touch darker. Revlon Pink Truffle (P, $7.49) is glossier. MAC Brick-o-la (P, $16.00) is darker. Make Up For Ever #4 (P, $19.00) is more matte. See comparison swatches.

Estee Lauder Potent Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick
Estee Lauder Potent Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick

Estee Lauder Potent Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick
Estee Lauder Potent Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick

Estee Lauder Potent Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick
Estee Lauder Potent Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick

Estee Lauder Potent Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick
Estee Lauder Potent Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick

Estee Lauder Potent Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick
Estee Lauder Potent Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick

Estee Lauder Potent Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick
Estee Lauder Potent Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick

Estee Lauder Intense Nude Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick
Estee Lauder Intense Nude Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick

Estee Lauder Intense Nude Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick
Estee Lauder Intense Nude Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick

Estee Lauder Intense Nude Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick
Estee Lauder Intense Nude Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick

Estee Lauder Intense Nude Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick
Estee Lauder Intense Nude Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick

Estee Lauder Intense Nude Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick
Estee Lauder Intense Nude Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick

Estee Lauder Intense Nude Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick
Estee Lauder Intense Nude Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick

Makeup Look
On face:
  • Guerlain Parure de Lumiere Foundation
  • Guerlain Les Voilettes Pressed Powder
  • Sisley Paris Mango Phyto-Blush Eclat
On eyes:
  • Burberry Trench Eyeshadow
  • Sisley Paris Toffee Eyeshadow
  • Urban Decay Scorch Eyeliner

65 Comments

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Wwendalynne Avatar

Potent was one of my grabs and it is a perfect regular day lip for me. Good price point for quality product. Still love the brights in this formula even more, but I eventually come down from that cloud and reach for shades like this.

Janelle Avatar

Christine- I see the words “lightly creamy” and “somewhat smoothly” which made me curious about how moisturizing you feel these are? MAC seems to make my lips dry, dry, dry, and although, I have had luck with Lauder lipsticks in the past did not want to order one online shelling out $30.00 and hate it.

Janelle Avatar

Thanks Christine! I see “somewhat hydrating” with “creamy” and “smoothly” and I get so exciting thinking I finally could do away with my tinted balms, but it looks like that is not the case 🙁

Alla Avatar

If it weren’t for the fact that I already found an MLBB I adore (Guerlain Gemma). I’d be all over Intense Nude. But nothing can compare to my love for Gemma. Both colors look really nice on you!

Alla Avatar

It is! And guess where I found it? Why, through your review of course! 😉 I like to browse the blog for older reviews to get ideas for products/looks that I might not otherwise encounter. So thank you for pointing me to Gemma, this lippie never disappoints!

meganlisa Avatar

I did bite on these…got three shades including Intense Nude (also Powerful and Dynamic). I love them and agree that Intense Nude is a more wearable nude. Now, after your review, I’m eying Envy. Oh well….
The basic red was also so very pretty.

Lydia Avatar

I’ve been eyeing these since your first post on them – Estee Lauder tends to be one of my favorite high-end brands – but wanted to see reviews of more colors before I took the (pricey) plunge. Now I definitely know that Intense Nude is going on my wishlist!! Nude lipsticks almost always look awful on me because of my darkly pigmented lips, and Revlon’s Pink Truffle is my HG-MLBB shade. This could be a winner!

xamyx Avatar

I like both shades, but not quite enough to fork over $30 each… However, this post has inspired me to revisit UD Strip, which I didn’t pay much attention to when you first reviewed them (it sort of got lost among the brighter shades!). It looks a bit deeper/plummier than Intense Nude, which makes it more of a MLBN shade for me.

Susan Dowman Nevling Avatar

Love the envy color for my complexions; beautiful color. I do not do well with while based colors fsuch as Nude for some reason. They just took “dead” on me. Perhaps bnecause my comlexion is fair. Woulld love to hear froom others with this problem. It is not the color or quality but the base color. Looks great on Christine so that’s why I’m thinking is a complexions color issue.
I also NEVER have long wear with any lipstick color and have tried plenty because I’m a collector and 64 Years old.. Any suggestions appreciated. I’m lucky if I get an hour wear.
I so appreciate the reviews and comments on the products. It has helped me dicover some terrific products and avoid some not so perfect products. Love you guys.

SandraJT Avatar

Thank the dog gods, no stinky, putrid fig!

I love EL lipsticks, some of the best around, but damn their scent makes my stomach lurch and heave. Just can’t wear them based on the scent alone 🙁 Gonna have to take a look for these!

Rachael Avatar

I’ve had my eye on Intense Nude and was hoping you’d review it Christine! I figured it would be similar to Pink Truffle, which is one of my fail-safe “work” colours. Still, I’m interested to try this new formula, so I’ll probably pick this up. Thanks for the review!

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