Once again, I wanted to share with you, my thoughts on what is really worth buying from a particular brand. This week it's Estee Lauder.
I've made no secret of the fact that I am a big fan of alot of Estee Lauder products. I know that EL isn't the hippest or coolest makeup brand and their ad campaigns are generally designed to appeal to the more mature woman. However, do not let this put you off trying their products because, believe me, I use a number of their products EVERY single day and there's a couple that are 100% holy grail.
My absolute favourite foundation is Estee Lauder Double Wear. I depend on this foundation so much and it is yet to let me down. I always apply it with my fingers, using very small amounts because I have noticed that it can look too heavy when you use a foundation brush. I wore this foundation on my wedding day because it's the only product I could rely on to last all day and keep my skin looking flawless. Alot of people complain that this foundation can pale out your complexion in photographs but that doesn't seem to happen to me. You have seen my wedding pics so you can judge for yourself how it photographs. It could be to do with the fact that I only apply a very thin layer with my fingertips. Maybe when you apply it with a foundation brush, it layers the product too thick and then the SPF ingredient causes the problem?
I highly recommend this foundation for anyone who wants medium to full coverage, without the heavy look on their skin. I didn't use photosop whatsoever in the pic above and in fact, I never use it to alter my photos because that would defeat the purpose of what I'm trying to do, which is to give a true representation of how the product looks on the skin. I always get asked what foundation I wear so check this one out!
I honestly couldn't live without EL Maximum Cover Camouflage Makeup...it is a life saver! This stuff is amazing and I rave about it to anyone who asks my opinion on concealers. Although it's actually a foundation, it is hands down THE best concealer I have ever used. This stuff covers anything and everything so it's a real desert island product. It has been designed to camouflage acne and extreme discolouration so it's extremely pigmented. I have had awful spots appearing on days when I REALLY didn't want to have to deal with a massive zit. Fortunately this stuff covers it beautifully so it's like confidence in a little tube. The Double Wear concealer is fantastic for sealing colour correctors under the eyes and giving just that bit extra coverage to diminish dark circles. It really does last all day long too. The Disappear concealer is also great under the eyes but works really well on blemishes too.
EL Bronze Goddess Soft Matte Bronzer gives you a super natural, sunkissed glow and because it's a matte formula, it's perfect for daytime. I only use shimmery bronzers at night time when the light is more forgiving! You get loads of product for your money and the brush you get with it is actually something you can use, unlike most free applicators. This bronzer has good longevity and it's very easy to blend into the skin. The thing I like most about the Soft Matte Bronzer is that it never looks cakey, muddy or orange. It has a slight mauve undertone so you can be safe in the knowledge that it will never look anything but great on your skin.
I use these two brushes every single day in my makeup routine. The Powder brush is brilliant for bronzer because it picks up JUST the right amount of product. The bristles are soft and it cleans well without shedding. My pet hate is getting makeup brush hairs all over my face! Argh! The Blending brush is absolutely perfect for applying Benfit Powderflage under the eye to set your concealer in place. It's super duper soft and never feels scratchy on the delicate skin around the eye area.
I like my liquid eyeliners to last all day long so I always look for really good formulas. The Double Wear Zero-Smudge Liquid Eyeliners are fantastic and they just don't move once applied. I have the Black, Brown and Bronze shades and I love all three of them. The eyeliners dry with a sheen to them so they won't be for you if you prefer the matte liquid liners. They have felt tip style applicators which I prefer because brushes can splay out and cause mess and it's easier to make mistakes.
I also love the Double Wear pencil eyeliners, especially in Onyx, Bronze and Black Plum...gorgeous! Onyx is the most intense black eyeliner I have ever used so it's perfect for creating more dramatic eye looks. The smudgers on the end of the pencils are great for blending the liner out or just tidying it up. Once applied, these pencil liners really stay put and I never feel like I have to re-apply them during the day. Black Plum is the most amazing metallic purple colour...it's very unique!
When I want to wear a bold lipstick, these EL Double Wear lipliners are the best base for a vivid hue. They are really easy to use, creamy and extremely well pigmented. The best thing is that they really do what they say...stay put all night. Even when my lipstick starts to wear off, the lipliner underneath ensures that my lip colour doesn't look patchy. The little lip brush at the other end of the pencil is very handy when you are on the go because you can pop the lip pencil and liptsick in your bag and you can have perfect lips all day and night. My favourite shades are Tea Rose and Pink.
You will have heard me raving about EL Pure Colour Lipstick in Vanilla Truffle because it is the perfect nude shade. The formulation is fantastic, creamy and it doesn't dry out your lips. I also love the Pure Crystal lipstick in Crystal Baby, a slightly darker, shinier nude shade. If you like your nude lipsticks, then you HAVE to check these out!
The Daywear Plus Sheer Tint Release Formula is a brilliant product for those days when you wake and realise there is no colour in your face whatsoever and you just look drained and ill. This moisturiser has a genius formula that starts off as a pale green, thick cream and once it is blended into the skin, it transforms into the PERFECT brightening shade for your complexion. It adds just the right amount of colour to your face so you look natural, healthy and well rested. This product is basically a tinted moisturiser that is great to take with you on holiday for those days when you feel like foundation would be too heavy. It also has an SPF of 15. I adore the normal Daywear moisturiser but this product takes it a step further.
I used the EL Spotlight Skin Tone Perfector on my wedding day to give my skin a natural radiance and ensure my complexion was even. This is a brilliant primer for your foundation, it sinks into the skin without leaving any residue so it won't interfere with the blending of your foundation either. The thing I really like about this illuminator is that it shows through your foundation without making your skin look shimmery or glittery. It just translates as a beautiful glow in your complexion. You only need a very small amount so it also lasts for ages.
I can't get enough of the EL Bronze Goddess Self Tanning products at the moment. They give the perfect kind of colour for this time of year. I often feel that St Tropez and Xen Tan, which I normally use, can make me go too dark. In Spring, you want a golden glow but not a full on dark tan because that can actually look heavy and ageing on the skin. I don't like it when girl's go so dark that you can't see the texture of the skin anymore. These self tanning products ensure that you look slightly sunkissed but with a freshness. I love the summery fragrance these self tanners have and I don't notice the biscuit smell you can sometimes get. The self tanner for the face is great because it's light, easily absorbed and it never breaks me out. The self tanning milk for the body gets an A+ from me because it dries so quickly...no one wants to hang around waiting for fake tan to finally absorb! I just love the way it makes my skin look...golden, glowy and even. This stuff never streaks or goes patchy. It fades in a very even way which is a must when I'm buying fake tan.
I heard a mix of two different songs this weekend...probably the most unlikely comination EVER. It's Swedish House Mafia vs. Marvin Gaye! I love both of these songs individually and I would have never thought to mix them together. I like it when different genres of music are thrown together...and it's a rockin song to get you in the mood for partying!
Here's actress Michelle Williams in Valentino Resort 2011 designed by the House's Designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli. It's a flower printed/embroidered Silk Gazar featuring one of the most popular gown detail at this year's Globes: The cascading ruffle.
Another all-over beaded gown--yes, it's a 2011 Golden Globe Trend officially! Actress Scarlett Johansson in Elie Saab Spring 2011. The blush-nude colored all-over beaded gown features a deep V neckline and caplet detail at the shoulders (similar to Jennifer Lopez' Zuhair Murad gown).
On the runway, it was belted but Scarlett (and/or her stylist) decided not to. With her dramatic hair and the "Antique" look of this sublime gown, she almost looks as if she stepped out of a John Singer Sargent painting.
Julianne Moore in Custom Lanvin by Alber Elbaz. Well, I have a feeling that this custom gown (yep, another one!) will be "controversial". People will either D.IE. for it or they will hate it. 
Jennifer Lopez in ivory silk chiffon gown from Beirut-based Designer's Zuhair Murad Spring 2011 Collection.
The gorgeous Halle Berry in Nina Ricci (from Olivier Theyskens' last Fall 2009 Collection for the house).
I love this gown that Sandra Bullock is wearing here on the 68th Annual Golden Globes Red Carpet...but I'm not loving the hair WITH this gown.
Custom seems to be the "new" Couture. It's no longer fine to wear the runway sample on a Made-to-measure Haute Couture Gown from the French and Italian Fashion Houses.. No kids, seems that actresses and their stylists now turn to non-Haute Couture Houses (Calvin Klein, Prada, etc.) and get their gowns custom made.
What was "Black Swan" actress Natalie Portman going to wear? This was the BIG Fashion Question on everyone's lips. Tout le Monde (including moi) said it was going to be Dior (she's a Spokesperson for Dior Perfumes) or Rodarte (they costumed "Black Swan"), but no, she wore a strapless dusty pink silk charmeuse gown by the Dutch design duo of Viktor & Rolf.
The one and only Angelina Jolie in Atelier Versace (custom/made-to-measure Haute Couture Versace).
Sleeves, covered shoulders, all-over beading, and a 70's Disco Vibe. Note those. Why? FOUR DEFINITE Red Carpet Trends.
Ball Gowns are another Trend for the 68th Annual Golden Globes (which I predicted thank you very much!). Here, actress Catherine Zeta-Jones chose a hunter green strapless ball gown from Monique Lhuillier Pre-Fall 2011 Collection (yes, kids, we're in Pre-Fall now!). It features folding and architectural-inspired draping. She looks a tad bit "The Mask of Zorro", but I still think she looks glamorous and the definition of a Hollywood Actress.
The stunning January Jones--is always known to make big FASHION RED CARPET Statements and this was no exception. She wore lipstick red Versace Spring 2011. She saw the turquoise blue version on the Spring 2011 Versace Runway Show in Milan and asked them if they could make it in red--since she's never worn red...on the Red Carpet. Well, if you're January Jones and want a dress in red, Versace will deliver! I'm kinda loving it. It's very Madame Gres in a way.
Actress Piper Perabo wears a black U-neck silk taffeta gown with shoulder bow detail from Oscar De La Renta Spring 2011. The shape is what I call "Mermaid Light"--since it's fitted-but-flared-from-the-knee shape it suggests the Mermaid silhouette but yet since there's no seam at the knee, it really isn't. Black seems to be a popular color (or non-color?) at this year's Golden Globes and this Oscar de la Renta on Piper is one of the best examples.
Here is actress Lea Michele from "Glee" in light pink one-shoulder silk taffeta Oscar de la Renta Spring 2011. Lea wore a strapless black Oscar de la Renta ball gown last year and got rave reviews for it so it makes sense for her (and her stylist) to return to "tried and true".
