I am not generally one for celebrity collaborations in fragrance or makeup. Having seen the pictures of the products that Victoria Beckham has worked on with Estee Lauder I was intrigued. The vbxesteelauder collaboration is a great example of what a good collaboration should be. The quality of the packaging and the aethecic of the whole line is very Victoria with the added bonus of Estee Lauder formulas and know how.
I took myself to Selfridges on the day of the launch and after the crowds had died down I had a play with the products. It was not my intention to buy anything, but when I saw the packaging my resolve wavered. When I swatched the products it was all over.
The packaging is brilliant. It makes Tom Ford packaging take a seat in the corner. The compacts are inspired by vintage cigarette cases. They are weighty and have a satisfying clunck and the corrugated leather effect is surprisingly resiliant. I’m a fan. The price point is hefty as is Victoria Beckham’s clothing line. . If you value the aesthetic and the quality of the product – it is. If you can get all you want from the drugstore / highstreet, it isn’t. Is it overpriced? Only you can decide that.
The range is far more brown girl friendly than I had anticipated. Forget the bronzer, it is not deep enough for my skintone. The Illuminating Cream is meh. There are other products on the market that the do more for less money. Both lipsticks are beautiful and the nude is surprisingly wearable. They are worth the splurge. The eye and lip pencils are lovely but dupable. I would suggest that you save your cash. The same goes for the eye foils. The individual eyeshadows are gorgeous… but more on eyeshadows later. My recommendations from the range are the two products that I purchased.
Modern Mercury Highlighter.
This is a re-release of a 2011 limited edition highlighter. If you got it the first time round, you may be shaking your head at the price. I didn’t and besides, the packaging is top notch. You get 7.5g of product for £48. For context – a Becca powder highlighter is £32 for eight grams of product and the Christian Dior State of Gold highlighter was £40 for six grams of product which is more expensive. The tone is a golden-pinky-peach. This means that it is ultra flattering.
The gelee formula means that the product warms up on the skin giving you a glow rather than a stobe effect. It reflects light beautifully and adds dimension to the skin without making you look like a glitter ball. It is a testament to the fact that Victoria Beckham is a real makeup addict that she was able to bring back a since discontinued item.
Eye Palette.
This was no surprise. I love eye shadows and the six shades are gorgeous and wearable. They are all metallic with super fine micro-shimmers that catch the light. For me it is not a problem not having a matte amongst them. I have lots of matte shadows I can use if I need to. Alternatively I can blend out a black or brown eye pencil. What I wanted, and Victoria delivered were pigmented gorgeous vibrant shades that blend out beautifully. How would I have improved this palette? An aubergine purple shade (obvs) would have been a perfect addition, but I can live with out it.
The vbxesteelauder collection really impressed me. Pigmentation and colour galore in exquisite packaging. If you love it, and can afford it, pick it up from Selfridges or Harvey Nichols.