Spring’s in full bloom at Estee Lauder counters with the new Vivid Garden Collection, a small release featuring a bouquet of classic spring colors in green, peach and pink.
There are shades for girls of every skin color growing in this garden. 🙂
- Duo Tone Pencil in Onyx Pearl ($18.50): This black and white shades in this duo have an opalescent quality to them, with the white seeming to change from white to pink to green and the black going from black to gold to green. Thinking about how hot it would look layered beneath MAC duochrome eyeshadows like Vex and Club has my head spinning.
- Estee Lauder Illuminating Powder ($35): I have a feeling this shimmery pink and gold highlighting powder for cheeks, lips and eyes would look lovely on light-skinned gals with cooler skin tones.
- Orchid Garden Signature Eyeshadow Quad ($35): The green and purple in this set of four shimmery shades are like a fireworks display. The green flashes from green to gold, and the purple goes from gold to purple to fuchsia, BOOM!
- Pure Color Illuminating Gloss in Peach Blossom ($18): A rich metallic coral, this gloss looks like it’ll take tan skin to the next level.
- Pure Color Crystal Lipstick in Crystal Coral ($22): This reddish-coral lipstick shimmers with golden pearl. I bet it looks hot with a khaki or bronze eye.
- Pure Color Nail Lacquer in Peach Blossom ($18): Two Estee Lauder makeup artists raved about how this sheer peach with flecks of pink and gold glitter looks great layered on top of gold nail polish.
Swatches
- Duo Tone Pencil in Onyx Pearl
- Estee Lauder Illuminating Powder
- Orchid Garden Signature Eyeshadow Quad
- Pure Color Illuminating Gloss in Peach Blossom
- Pure Color Nail Lacquer in Peach Blossom
Coral lip colors are totally my thing. I’m so lusting after this lipstick and gloss, BIG TIME!
To spice things up even more, Nordstrom stores are carrying a few additional Vivid Garden products unique to their stores — an eyeshadow quad, a lipstick, lipgloss and a nail polish. The Nordstrom items add some slightly warmer colors to the mix.
Melting your brain since the dawn of TV
Tabs and I up were up late last night, channel surfing to find top quality brain liquefying television.
VH1 is making it REALLY EASY these days. Have you seen For the Love of Ray J? It’s a reality dating show.
You know how some people are connoisseurs of fine wine? Well, I think I’m like that but with cheesy reality dating shows. Ray J (who happens to be pop singer Brandy’s brother) is no Flavor Flav or Bret Michaels — that’s all I can say. He’s cute, sure… but I think he’s missing that special reality dating weird factor that it takes to make a hit show.
Sigh. Do you remember the days before reality TV? Back when sitcoms ruled the airwaves?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Stephie says
That Onyx duo pencil looks really promising. Very handy, for the inner corners and overall lining around the eyes. All these (multi chrome?) products get me a little gaga. I’m a sucker for the pretty, shimmery, and mysterious (ish) changes in color 😛 Thanks for the heads up on Nordstrom’s warmer additions. I love coral colors too 🙂 They really complement us naturally tanned grrls.
Glosslizard says
I love the look of the duo pencil, how is the staying power? I’m also really entranced by the pretty, peachy lipgloss! I have to try it on!
Karen says
Hi Stephie,
Totally! The Estee Lauder MA told me that the white also looks fab on the lower waterline and that it opens up the eyes.
I go crazy for the duo/multi-chrome colors too. I want to take that white pencil and just pack a ton of Vex on it, LOL!
So, what are your favorite corals? 🙂
Karen says
Hi Glosslizard,
The staying power is great. I wore the Duo Tone pencil from the Bronze Goddess collection the other day and it lasted a long time. It even stayed on during dance class!
Tami says
Hey Karen,
Is this collection out yet? With all my MAC hoarding sometimes I forget about other collections lol. Anywho, I must have that eye pencil, it’s absolutely gorgeous. I wonder how the white side would look with Vellum?
Marisol says
I can’t believe that Ray J has his own show. Uggh! I miss the good old sitcoms.
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jojoba says
i love EL quads but this quad seems to be too sheer for me so i didn’t order it the other day. i got the previous shimmery palette instead of this as it also looks too much light a highlighter and i have too many highlighters to play with already!
thanks for going to the counter to play with these for us. what would we do without you!
LOVE
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Ali says
everything looks so pretty! i especially love the flower theme. btw, I was just at Bloomingdale’s today in the chanel makeup (arg.. cant help it) and saw that they have the Astral Glossimer! i asked the salesperson if it was permanent bc i always thought it was LE… she said she wasnt sure but it will be here for a bit at least. i immediately remembered your blog and PHilton loving it too lol. just thought you might like to know! 🙂
P.S. they also brought back another glossimer from that same collection called Big Bang, which is a nice semi-sheer coral shade loaded with pink and gold glitter – its a great color if you want to check it out!
Eru says
The powder is really pretty but the quad looks a bit blah for me. I can’t wait to see the powder in person! Thanks for the swatches, K!
Hugs :3
Katrina says
Hi Karen, I’ve got a question for you. I was looking at the Estee Lauder Duo Tone Pencil in Onyx Pearl and it reminded me that I’ve seen eye highlighters in the past (I know Smashbox has a popular one) and I was wondering what your take on them was and if you could suggest a good one? Thanks!
Karen says
Hi Tami,
Yup, the Nordstrom items are on counter. The cooler colors are available on the Estee Lauder website. 🙂
Oh, I’m thinking the white side would look *awesome* with Vellum!
Karen says
Hi Marisol,
Right? He’s just not weird enough to pull it off!
Karen says
Hi Jojoba,
You’re welcome! 🙂
I hear you with the highlighter obsession. I can’t get enough of them. Happy Friday!
Karen says
Hi Ali,
LOL! I can’t help but roll by the Chanel counter too. 🙂
Thank you for letting me know about Astral. I finally picked up a tube a few months ago. Did you end up getting a tube?
Oh, and Big Bang sounds like it would totally be my style. I want, I want!
Karen says
Hi Eru,
The powder would look beautiful on you!
🙂
Karen says
Hi Katrina,
Hmmm, are you referring to pencil highlighters that you can apply to the corners of the eyes to brighten them up? Benefit makes one that I like called Eye Bright.
Glosslizard says
Woot! I’m so there!
Bj says
ooh Karen, I too am totally in lust over this gloss! it looks so fabulous! the eye palette looks really great too, at first i thought it was gonna be kinda ashy but this pictures shows the colors off better! loving the green and fuchsia-purple
lexi says
oh karen,
don’t get me started with reality shows and how the creative juices got sucked out of Hollywood! can’t lie though there are a few I get suckered into – my two current faves: Rupaul’s Drag Race and Running in Heels…
I still haven’t gotten over my obsession with the bronze goddess collection..
tanya says
I’m all for trashy reality tv but I had to draw the line with “For the love of Ray J” (even the title makes me cringe)…yucky, yucky 🙂
I love these colors–makes me feel ready for spring!
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Katrina says
Hi Karen,
I checked out the Benefit Eye Bright online, but the products I’m thinking about are more like Benefit’s Mr. Frosty. It’s an eye highlighter type pencil that can be used on the rim of the eyes. I’ve only seen it demonstrated on tv (i.e. Smashbox on qvc) but it definately gets my attention and I’m just wondering if anyone has tried anything like it. Thanks again, Katrina