September has been quite the exciting month in terms of beauty hasn’t it? We’ve seen tonnes of new lipstick releases, a flood of fall collections and also the highly anticipated Victoria Beckham collab with Estée Lauder.
I was beyond excited to review the collection so today I’m all set with speedy swatches and pics to give you the low down.
I received the London look + Modern Mercury highlighter as part of a press gift. Everything which i’d normally gravitate to.
The London Look includes,
Eye Foil in Blonde Gold. A shimmering liquid eye product which can be layered over eyeshadow for a metallic high shine effect.
Eye Metals Eyeshadow in Bitter Clove. A deep molten bronze.
Eye Ink in Black Myrrh. A shimmering high pigment shadow meant to be used smudged for a sooty, smokey look.
Brazilian Nude Lipstick. A warm medium nude with strong yellow undertones.
Eye Kajal Duo Black Saffron/Vanille. A kajal duo of deep black & peachy beige.
All powder products within the collection come packaged in sleek black compacts. The effect is almost a matte, ribbed leather look which compliments Victorias edgy London style. The gold hardware too lends to the overall vibe of the packaging. Slightly oversized in proportion to the compacts and totally badass.
On the whole I like how sturdy the packaging feels. A little more ‘chunky’ than expected however still very luxe and could definitely take a beating day to day.
For a sexy evening look Bitter Clove would be my go-to single wash of colour. The texture is soft, bouncy and packed with pigment.
If a metallic, shimmery eye look is what you are after. Bitter Clove is THE product to look out for. What sets it apart from a sea of other similar eyeshadows would be the ultra intense shine and easy to blend formula. Almost a creamy, bouncy feel as you dip your fingers in.
Here’s a swatch set I took in direct sunlight to capture the shimmers better.
The closest match I found in terms of finish was the Gucci Mono Eyeshadow in Iconic Bronze. Similar in shimmer content and intensity, and catch the light similarly. The others never quite achieved the unique grungy shine Bitter Clove possesses.
For best payoff i’d recommend skipping a brush and using just fingers. It smooths out well and blends quite easily with barely any fall out (brush application gets the shimmers everywhere, it’s quite messy). An absolute dream to work with.
Black Myrrh unlike Bitter Clove is a less ‘vibrant’ formula. More modest in bling factor, but similarly well pigmented and blendable. The soft shimmers catch the light adding dimension to smoked eyes and plays well with bitter clove to contour the eye socket.
Digging through several black formulas I had at hand, I discovered the Tom Ford Cream Shadow in the LE Black Oyster duo almost identical. Even though in photographs subtle differences seem to amplify, to the naked eye, not so much. The only difference was that one was a powder and the other a cream, both achieving the same colour and shimmer factor.
That being said, powder shadows and cream layer and build in different ways, similar swatches don’t necessarily mean you won’t find a place for Black Myrrh in your stash.
For lining the waterline and tight lining, the Eye Kajal Duo was sublime. The formula, creamiest ever, with pigment to rival any other eye kohl on the market.
I also found these to wear really well with minimal smudging. Only transfer I noticed was in the outer and inner corner of the eye.
Sadly in terms of packaging, this Black Saffron/Vanille duo didn’t quite fit in with the rest. The overall look dare I say, was slightly cheap looking. Specially at this premium price, i’d expect something a little more luxe.
Among the more unique offerings, these new Eye Foils caught my eye. Something like a shimmer top coat for the eyes, they pack some serious bling. I’d reserve them for special occasions normally but don’t mind whipping them out on date nights too.
Packaging is pretty much a flocked doe foot that comes in a shiny black tube. Easy to use and mess free. Just swipe on eyes and blend with fingers.
These wear beautifully as the formula sets, with no noticeable transferring then on. The shade I have here is Blonde Gold, one of the two colours that released with the VB collection.
Moving onto Modern Mercury! As mentioned in my last VB x Estée Lauder preview post, Modern Mercury‘s a definite must have.
Initially released a few years back, when rose gold highlighters weren’t so easily available (which made it unique and highly sought after). This one’s a highlighter on steroids! Hands down THE most intense, high shine, mad pigmented highlighter I own.
I feel the deeper base may not quite play well with fairer skin, though definitely a must have for anyone who’s looking to shine bright like a diamond!
Here’re some comparison swatches.
The exceptional pigmentation and payoff of Modern Mercury is hard to miss! I just love how it looks next to all my other top rose gold picks. The closest in terms of colour would be Tom Ford Moodlight which leans slightly more pink and less intense.
For those who don’t shy away from a killer highlight, Modern Mercury is a must have although anyone with textured skin be warned, this does amplify pores and any rough areas.
Last but not least, Brazilian Nude.
If there was one product that’s signature Victoria, this would be it.
As I applied it for the very first time, I couldn’t help think, WOW that’s the exact colour I always see Mrs. VB wearing!
What’s unique about Brazilian Nude is it’s noticeable yellow tones and lack of pink or peach. A true beige-y nude. Something that should work very well on skin with neutral or warm olive tones.
The most similar to Brazilian Nude is Givenchy Beige Mousseline. Sheerer in formula though pretty close in terms of colour.
Touching on formula, Brazilian Nude is a cream finish with semi opaque coverage. The colour is buildable though I do prefer the slightly sheer look which makes this more youthful as opposed to a flat block of colour.
As you’d expect from EL lipsticks, the formula is very comfortable worn. Creamy with an almost a balmy gel feel which seems to hug the lips. It wore well for 3+ hours and quite nourishing throughout.
Overall I do like Brazilian Nude and will be adding it to my daily nude lip rotation pile as I foresee myself using this tonnes. Plus the small packaging makes this ideal for lugging around in your makeup bag
*One more tiny detail to cover before heading to my final thoughts on the collection. These lipsticks come in a very compact size. Similar in concept to the Tom Ford Lips & Boys (though the VB lipstick contains much MUCH more product. I compared it side by side to a regular Estée Lauder lipstick and it looks pretty much the same size). The overall look is of a vintage lipstick, petite and space saving to fit into tiny evening bags.
The London Look
Here’s the look I created using The London Look. I aimed for a shimmery unfussy eye and light base. Followed with strong brows and nude lip.
Prep the eye lid with a primer and some matte taupe shadow. Then a layer of Bitter Clove all over the lid (patten on and blended with fingers). Following with the eye kajal to the outer corners of the eyes close to the lash line and smudged it out. Set and smoke it with Black Myrrh.
For the face I used the soon to be released Tom Ford Waterproof foundation. Review to follow
Cheeks lightly defined with a warm beige (MAC Cheek Pollen) and topped with Modern Mercury as a highlight.
Lastly pulling the look together, two swipes of Brazilian Nude. Done!
And a closer look at the lips!
Bottom Line
As far as collaborations go, Victoria Beckham x Estée Lauder nailed it in terms of concept, quality and packaging. There hasn’t been a single dud in the selection I reviewed. The only product that fell short in terms of overall score was the liner which lost points for packaging though performance wise, one of the best liners ever! Super smooth and ultra blendable.
My top picks from the collection remain the same, except Bitter Clove has now topped the list, bumping Modern Mercury to second place. I feel it’s a product that excels in quality and will also prove to be a work horse in your collection. If you plan on getting just one thing alone, make it this!
Other Info
The VBxEstéeLauder collection is limited Edition & currently available for purchase at Tangs Beauty Dept. Also available at Estée Lauder stand alone boutique at Ion Orchard from the 1st October.
For complete price list, click here.
