Estée Lauder blockbuster set 2023 Review

Every year, Estée Lauder famously brings out a blockbuster set. Perfect for breaking up and filling Christmas stockings, these are eagerly anticipated by many. This year, the box is rather different because it has fewer makeup items and sample sizes, instead they've decided on several full size skincare items and a few makeup items. As usual, the box is worth much more than you pay for it. In Black Fridays past, you were able to buy the box alone. This year it was the usual routine of having to spend a minimum amount and then buy the box for £85 but you got 20% off the qualifying purchases.

I bought a lip balm set and a lipliner to qualify. 

The skincare items are

Advanced Night Repair 30ml (everyone’s fave)

New Advanced Night Cleansing Gelée with 15 Amino Acids 75ml, deluxe travel size (good for travel, never tried before but looks good)

Revitalizing Supreme+ Youth Power Creme moisturiser 15ml. (Sample size - giving it away)

1 x Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Gel-Creme Synchronized Multi-Recovery 15ml, full-size (not tried but looks good)

1 x Gentle Eye Makeup Remover 100ml, full-size. (This one is made in China which horrified me. But I’m sure it’s a good one. My favourite is Lancôme but this will be useful or given as a gift)

The rest is makeup…

 1 x Limited Edition Eye Shadow Palette in CELESTIAL GLAM, deluxe travel size (.24 oz./7g) Includes 6 shades

This is very powdery with a lot of kickup and aside from the pink shade, they are very meh very boring. The compact is cute but very cheap looking and wouldn’t make a very impressive gift. Looks very much like a GWP. They used to have gold casing etc. A step down.

2 x Limited Edition Lipsticks, full-size in Starlet Red (A vibrant red with a warm undertone and creme finish) and Saturn Reign (A blue-hued pink with a cool undertone and creme finish.)

These are a moisturising formula and somewhere along the line Estée Lauder has lost that fruity scent and gone for a more vanilla scent (I like that) but again, both these shades are meh. I was excited for the pink to be a bit like MAC Candy Yum Yum but it’s more sedate. It’s not as fun on the lips as it looks like it would be in the tube. Both lipsticks are creamy and a bit sheer until built up. The red is very bold and not great on me but they’re both safe shades. And they have wonderful engraving (but the casing again is a bit cheap and GWP) however overall I think they would make good gifts.

2 x Limited Edition Lip Glosses, deluxe travel size in Divine Plum (A deep wine with a creme shine finish.) and Ruby Quartz (A rich red with a creme shine finish. These will be gifted as I am not a gloss fan. They would make cute gifts.

1 x Double Wear 24H Stay-in-Place Lip Liner, full-size in 07 Red

This is a great liner and I’m a huge fan of Estée Lauder lipliners but for me it’s a bit too red and warm. When wearing red I prefer the more pink MAC Cherry liner. The pencil is the exact same shade as the lipstick. I tried it with the pink lipstick and it wasn’t bad but really the pink is left orphaned. I wore the pink with a pink liner I already had.

1 x Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volumizing Mascara, full-size. 

Again, Lancôme is my go-to for mascara, but I have used this one before and it’s very good and I’ll definitely use it. 

There was no blusher or highlighter palette this year, much to many an outrage.

Then the train case - huge and a bit tacky and I will be giving it away but it’s fun and very Christmassy.

Overall it’s definitely worth the £85 spend. Supposedly it’s worth £411! I would only say if you’re a fellow makeup fiend, you’ll already own all of these shades. Aside from the red lipstick, none of it is Christmas themed which is a safe move but a bit disappointing as I love sparkle around this time of year.

Some eye looks and lip looks: