It’s been a year since the initial Victoria Beckham x Estée Lauder collaboration and guess the excitement hasn’t died yet.
In my review of the last launch I mentioned it was possibly the best makeup launch of the year. And I stick to my guns when I say, this year was just as GOOD!
With the addition of new and exciting products, I was (and many of you) have been waiting eagerly to get busy applying this loveliness on our faces.
So luckily (lucky me) press goodies arrived just in time, and I packed all my new VB and took it along on holiday this summer for a full 2+ weeks of testing!
From last years launch my top favourites were the Eye Metal in Bitter Clove, the Eye Kajal Duo Black Saffron/Vanille and the Modern Mercury Highlighter (Click here for the reviews).
Which explains why I practically leaped in joy to see new additions to the Eye Metals and Kajals!
This year I received, The Skin Perfecting Powder, Eye Kajal Duo in Java/Vanille, Eye Foil in Blonde Gold, Eye Matte Duo in Noir/Vanille, and the gloss in Desert Heat.
Skin Perfecting Powder. A translucent powder that sets makeup, blurs pores for a smooth airbrushed effect.
Eye Kajal Duo Java/Vanille. A dual ended kajal with medium brown and peachy beige.
Eye Foil Blonde Gold. A shimmering liquid champagne gold for a high metal shine.
Eye Matte Duo. A deep black and cream matte shadow.
Lip Gloss Desert Heat. A neutral brown nude.
From last year to this year, packaging changed slightly. Instead of the ridged matte black, we now have a pebbled leather effect on all but one of the powder products. Standing alone, the Skin Perfecting Powder released in a weighty gold (metal) case, obviously appealing to the customer with expensive taste.
The Eye Foil Blonde Gold was repackaged into a pot rather than the initial lip gloss style tube. Even though I’ve had mixed feelings on this change, I do love that the new packaging allows a lot more product to be picked up one go; for an even INTENSE metal look.
It’s the perfect topper to enhance your evening eye makeup! Therefore, still madly in love with this unique product.
Among the new releases, the Eye Kajal Duo Java/Vanille was a sure shot winner. I loved the first release in Black Saffron.
On first swipe I was relieved that the formula hadn’t changed. It’s as silky and smooth as the black and just as smudge-able. Since my daily look involves smudged brown liner, this was obviously my new go-to 😉
below I put together a bunch of my (best) black and brown liners for comparison. As you’ll see, the warmth and tones are different in every one.
My initial thoughts on the colour was that the red undertones were too pronounced. Although since I do wear my VB Kajals as a base for eyeshadow I find this works really well smudged closer to the lash line and topped with my new favourite bronzy brown shadow (Dior fall 2017 Bronze), a deep brown with warmth and soft red shimmer.
Bottom line, these kajals were made for smudging (for a worn in look), as the Tom Ford eyeliners which I also adore. Oily eye lids will most certainly need a primer before these go on and setting with a translucent powder or brown eyeshadow is recommended.
Among the mix of newness, the new lip gloss Desert Heat was somewhat of a let down. Although the colour was quintessentially Victoria, the formula looked and feels quite regular. Overall, if this was blind tested, i’d probably assume it was ANYTHING but a Victoria Beckham gloss.
My thoughts are, unless you love a nude gloss and can’t have enough, probably skip this. I most likely would not reach for it as often as my Brazilian Nude lipstick, which is pricey but fully worth the money in my opinion.
Onto more exciting things! The Skin Perfecting Powder was the jewel of the collection, quite literally! The metal gold packaging, so weighty and luxe, it just appeals to every luxury makeup collector.
What I love is that it does feel (and look) very much like something Victoria Beckham would use daily, a wonderfully rare expensive powder that makes you look like a superstar!
But is it?
What I can say is, in comparison to other translucent (colourless) powders, this doesn’t over mattify or dry out skin or emphasize flakes. It’s a very sheer powder, just enough to set makeup and leave a slight sheen. The finish is quite sublime. I would recommend this to anyone without major sebum issues, specifically for dry and normal skin types.
As a person with combination skin, I feel it doesn’t work hard enough to keep the oil under control. However, that being said, I do love it and use it most days, simply for the fact that it doesn’t make my skin look white (as most other translucent powders do) and blurs out the pores and other little lines around my face.
Ingredient list,
Zea Mays (Corn) starch. Nylon-12. Polymethylsilsesquioxane.zinc stearate. caprylic/capric triglyceride. Isostearyl Neopentanoate. Silica. Caprylxl Glycol. Hexylene Glycol. Phenoxyethanol. [+/- Mica. Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891). Iron Oxides (CI 77492). Iron Oxides (CI 77491). Iron Oxcides (CI 77499)] <ILN43787>
Last but not least, an entirely new product by Victoria. The Eye Matte Duos.
For testing I received Noir/Vanille. My usual smokey eye combo in the smallest palette ever.
As far as matte black shadows go, the texture was quite good. It didn’t feel dry to the touch and quite pigmented as would a high end shadow. The beige too, of similar quality, very silky to the touch and not at all patchy.
I believe the overall quality to be good. Packaging wise too, easily fits into a makeup bag and ideal for touchups.
However, I do own a load of other matte blacks and matte beiges… therefore do I really need it? The answer is, probably not. Although if you do fancy your smokey eye duo in fancy packaging, this would be the ideal choice!
Something extra special, to have and to hold.
Now on to a quick look I did while in Mykonos 😉 Of course my beach look is very simple, but I used the beautiful Java Kajal duo as the star of my makeup, so you see how I normally wear this!
Bottom Line
From what i’ve tested I believe the Eye Kajal Duos to be my favourites. Even though I don’t use blues much, I need to get my hands on the Saphir/Vanille duo as well before it sells out! It’s a great product and in my humble opinion, and a worthy addition to any makeup bag!
Also on the ‘love list’ is the Eye Foils in the new packaging. I apply these with my fingers, and like that I can pick up more product than before (as opposed to the old wand type applicator). Such a great way to add extra oomph to simple golden eye looks when I wear red lipstick! If you generally opt for minimal eye makeup this is a fool proof way to amp it up and look like a pro.
P.S- Do check out this review for Blonde Mink (cream blush) which is on my shopping list as well!
Pricing & Availabilty
This time around the Victoria Beckham x Estée Lauder collection will be retailing exclusively at Sephora Singapore.
Eye Foils – SGD70
Eye Kajal Duo – SGD58
Lip Gloss – SGD55
Skin Perfecting Powder – SGD102
Eye Matte Duo – SGD85
Bubbly Michelle 