Review: Estée Lauder Wild Violet Collection - and upcoming products!

I am so ecstatic with my new Estée Lauder "Pure Colour Long Lasting Lipsticks" (£17.50) - every shade in the Wild Violet collection is a timeless must-have. The formulas are reliably smooth and never drying, the staying power is impeccable, and most of all, the colours are all so flattering! It takes Wild Violet, the eponymous lipstick, to remind me how pretty berry lips are. It has just the right amount of pink to look girly, and just enough purple to stop it looking twee. And Wild Fire has the same balanced perfection - just enough red to be a red, just enough orange to stop it being too classic! A truly modern red. Wild Coral is a beautiful soft wearable satin tangerine shade that recalls the impossible to buy Limited Edition Lancome Chris n' Tell lipstick. Finally the dusky pink Wild Blossom, a wearable everyday antique rose colour, ideal for pale complexions in particular. Each lipstick takes only one swipe for true colour. Wild Blossom took 2 on my pigmented lips but would be opaque on most lips even with one. They contain vitamins C and E and have a light fig scent, and wear for at least 5 hours on me.



Each lipstick is accompanied with its own Pure Colour Gelée (£16), and although I would say you probably in this instance can simply choose one, I must admit that these are another winner for me: they make lips look a LOT plumper. As Estée Lauder promises, " A luminous finish that does not disappoint." They are rather sheer on bare lips, but over the lipsticks they work wonders. The colours are: Electric Cherry, Electric Violet, Electric Pink and Electric Coral. Cherry is a reddened coral, Violet is a magenta, Pink is a fuschia and Coral is a true tangerine coral. These look like water and feel like it too: moisturising and comfortable, and never sticky. Wear time on these is probably only up to 2 hours or so before reapplication is needed to get back to that fantastic shine.

There is also the Wild Violet eyeshadow palette (£34) which looks fairly similar to the Christmas one but with more shimmer and perhaps less warm, with the jewel in the crown being the stunning deep purple at the centre. The pencil, Untamed Violet (£15.50) is a very blue purple, rather a cornflower blue on me.

In addition, Estée Lauder have brought out their hotly anticipated return to coloured mascaras. These always sell out in record time, and now having tried Extreme Indigo, I can see why. Unlike most coloured mascaras, this one actually did look blue on my lashes - and not just when I stood in direct sunlight. With its claims of "Solid Rod Fibre", "Hollow Tube Fibre" and "Micro-Locking Fibre" I was somewhat skeptical. Yet the hollow fibre and flexible fibre and "Y" shaped fibres apparently do work: this mascara is easily built up to create volumised and lengthened blue eyelashes. I am very impressed with this and appreciate the narrow wand.

"Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiying mascara" (£22.)



I will be testing out the (thankfully permanent) Extreme Black shade next! This also comes in Extreme Brown (permanent) and another limited edition shade, Extreme Violet.

The collection is completed with a new Limited Edition Nail polish in Wild Storm (£12.50), a somewhat generic steel grey, and a Limited Edition perfume called Wild Elixir (£32), which I briefly tested in store and found fairly familiar too. It smells like something that will be very popular: a flowery yet faintly woody amber scent.

All in all I would highly suggest you check the lipsticks out - very high quality and flattering everyday colours, and then check the glosses and mascara. And whilst you are at the counter, you must get a Double Wear Shadowcreme, I recently picked up "Pink Blush" and it's yet another ideal base. I hope they bring out more colours soon.



The Derek Lam fashion show at New York Fashion week has given a few clues as to what is next with Tom Pecheux at the helm -

- two new eyeshadows in silver and black, a new matte nude lipstick, and a new very exciting sounding Idealist Even Skin Illuminator, as well as a new Illuminating powder. These wonderful photos show how these simple shades, combined with a dramatic angular eye shape, can suit a variety of skin tones and always look both modern and classic.



Plus, thanks to musings of a muse blog, I am counting the days until Bronze Goddess makes its triumphant return. There will be a new eyeshadow palette and this absolutely perfect "Sea Star Bronzing Blusher." This is why Estée Lauder has been my favourite brand for so long. Fun, yet never ever loses sight of what looks good on the face.