Estee Lauder- Azuree

A bold leather chypre is among the last things one would expect to find in the Estee Lauder lineup. But one of the most wonderful fragrant secrets is Azuree, a 1969 Bernard Chant creation that is still available today. The marketing story for Azuree was something about Estee Lauder's villa in the French Riviera and the colors of the Mediterranean, but honestly, I don't see it. Azuree doesn't feel blue and sunny at all. It's related to other vintage leathers like Cabochard, Armani (1982) and even Bandit. It takes the wearer as far away from the Lauder yenta image as possible. It's an urban and elegant perfume. Not to mention sexy.

Azuree starts green and more than a little bitter. The aromatic herbs might be that Mediterranean connection, but this is not a bouquet of Herb de Provence, nor is the abundance of citrus in the top notes making Azuree light and fresh. It just adds to the bite and crispness of the scent. It means business and isn't afraid to say so. Before the dark oakmoss and leather dry-down appears there's a beautiful and restrained floral heart. It's not girly and not sweet: Azuree never stops being quite wearable for a man. Instead, the flowers- jasmine, geranium, rose and cyclamen (I sometimes also smell carnation, but it might just be an olfactory illusion)- tone down the perfume, though just a little. They keep it balanced and not too loud (a common issue with many a Lauder).

The dry-down is a chypre lover's heaven. Dark, a little smoky (the patchouli is doing its thing here in the best possible way)  and very leathery. It feels warm and familiar- not cuddly but also not the larger-than-life dominatrix of Bandit. I wonder how many of Azuree fans are ones who've known it for years and how many came to love it in the last decade. Estee Lauder is not doing anything to promote it- many (most) stores either don't stock it and if they do it's kept under the counter, just like the original Private Collection.

My own bottle, labeled as "Perfumed Cologne" is very old. It smells better than the testers I tried at Ulta, but they are still recognizable Azuree (I can't guarantee it's the same for the actual current bottles. I doubt the testers see much use). At $35 for 2oz Azuree is still one of the best deals in town.

Photo: French singer Sylvie Vartan, French Elle, November 1969

Estee Lauder Beautiful

Beautiful by Estee Lauder made perfect sense when it came out in the big and loud 1980s, and it still smells good on those who've been loyal to it for years. Beautiful is instantly recognizable and it seems like everyone known at least one woman who wears it as her signature scent. I fully get why, considering my own wardrobe includes a few perfumes from this much maligned genre, big (BIG) floriental. I wear and love Panthere de Cartier, Tiffany by Tiffany and Jil Sander No. 4, to name a few. So why not Beautiful?

Part of is because, indeed, Beautiful was too common. I never liked smelling like everyone else, and since I was already of perfume wearing age when Lauder launched it in 1985, it was part of the olfactory background everywhere. My Estee Lauder of choice back then used to be White Linen. Then there was something a bit off with the way Beautiful behaved on my skin. It's too much too quickly and made me feel it was trying too hard to be beautiful- all those aggressive floral notes together, mixed with something green and something sweet for good measure... It makes me think of that style rule of taking off one item or accessory just before leaving the house, to make sure you haven't overdone it.

Maybe that's it. I always felt Beautiful is pretty but not stylish enough. It lacks a little restraint to make it truly elegant, which I guess I did find in my other favorite florientals. That said, nowadays that you no longer smell it in every teachers lounge and office elevator I find myself enjoying it a lot more. There's not enough happy tuberose in the world and one little spray of Beautiful can sometimes make my day.

Beautiful by Estee Lauder can be found anywhere under the sun, online and offline.

Assorted Beautiful ads from the 1980/early 1990s- imagesdeparfums.fr

Estee Lauder Pleasures Bloom

Reading Angela's review of Estee Lauder Pleasures Bloom on NST yesterday I kept nodding in agreement:

It’s a drinkable, refreshing potion, like a sipped glass of chilled pink zinfandel from a box on the patio at a baby shower. It doesn’t offend and it definitely refreshes. While it cuts the heat and takes the edge off those irritating baby games, it also doesn’t inspire me to ask for a second glass.
...
Although I decided I don’t need a bottle of Pleasures Bloom, it would make an easy gift for the aunt you don’t know well. Almost everyone would like Pleasures Bloom even if no one loves it.

Yes. Exactly.

A kind SA at Ulta gave me a couple of samples the day my local store got Pleasures Bloom and I admit I enjoyed wearing it. Except for the little problem of getting a piercing headache every time. Which is really unfortunate, because Pleasures Bloom is a rather well-made fruity floral that should be fun and easy to wear. While I'm not much of an Estee Lauder fan (Amber-Ylang Ylang is the only Lauder perfume I bought in 17 or 18 years), I always admired the way the company seems to respect its customers. The fragrances might not be my style but they're clearly made for people who enjoy wearing real perfume. In today's dumbed-down market this is a notable and commendable approach.

Pleasures Bloom smells like a summer fantasy of spending a mid-July day in a shabby chic garden, reading chic lit while lounging in a hammock. Reality is that I avoid the sun, suffer from allergies and get horrible insect bites as soon as I set foot in our yard. My idea of "outdoors" is 5th Avenue and having my phone and laptop around me at all times makes the lounging thing highly uncomfortable. Oh, and shabby chic style is as foreign to me as rococo.

Still, this pink smelling Lauder is fun, light enough to not go sour on skin even though it's loaded with roses, peony, lychee and other imaginary fruit and I've worn it on some seriously scorching days. It smelled good. It smelled nice. It was so decidedly not me I felt like crawling out of my skin even without the aforementioned headache.

I'd love to smell Pleasures Bloom on women around me. But I'm taking a shower and going to spray myself with Patou's 1000.

Estee Lauder Pleasures Bloom ($52, 1.7 oz EDP) is available at just about any department store under the sun.

Image: vintagefresh.co.uk

Breaking News: Estée Lauder Cos. to Shutter Prescriptives Brand

From WWD:

Estée Lauder Cos. Inc. said Thursday it will shut down wholesale distribution of its 30-year-old Prescriptives brand by Jan. 31. Products will continue to be available through the brand’s Web site for consumers needing replenishment, until supplies run out.
...
Without elaboration, the company stated: “A core component of the Estée Lauder Companies’ corporate strategy is to evaluate, and where possible, turn around underperforming brands with the goal of improving return on investment. After a thorough analysis of the Prescriptives brand, management concluded that the brand’s long-term business model is no longer viable given the current market environment. We believe that the difficult decision relating to Prescriptives will allow us to redirect our resources to key strategic imperatives where we see the highest growth potential,”

I think Prescriptives has always had an identity problem. The products were nice and solid, but the image was lacking in personality. Not fabulous enough to attract new customers and not cheap enough to fly off the shelves. They lacked sex appeal and/or glamour, and I guess in this economy you got to have some kind of hype.

Are you a Prescriptives user? Are you surprised?

Info and quotes: WWD.com

Lancome Absolue Hand vs. Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Hand Cream

A hand cream face-off

Last week when I talked about using unloved high end face creams and serums on hands, my friend Tom commented on how important it is to keep the paws from showing signs of aging. Crepey skin, brown spots... not pretty. The thing is that most regular hand creams are good for providing a protective layer from drying environment, but they do little (read: diddly squat) in the anti-aging department. We're lucky if they have an SPF, but mostly they're either overpriced Vaseline or some version of body butter. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but we need more.

Enter the high-end creams.

While sometimes it seems crazy to pay so much for a tube of cream that sits next to the sink or in the remote control basket, many of these products actually make a difference in the way one's hands look, and that can be priceless. The two creams I've been testing lately, Lancome Absolue Hand and Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Intensive Smoothing Hand Cream, are serious players in this field, and both give my beloved Chanel a run for its money.

Lauder Re-Nutriv feels thicker and takes longer to fully absorb. But the soft and smooth feeling lasts longer. On the other hand (ha! I actually did some of the testing simultaneously, one on each hand), Lancome Absolue offers SPF 15, which is a huge advantage.

Both creams perform well and keep my skin texture nice and smooth. Since sun protection is the number one step in keeping hands in great shape, if pressed to choose one I'd go with Lancome, but perhaps I'd feel differently in cold and dry weather.

In any case, don't forget to apply sun block before getting in your car. It's easy to overlook, but one gets seriously exposed to those evil rays while driving.

Lancome Absolue Hand ($42 for 3.4 oz) and Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Intensive Smoothing Hand Cream ($45 for 3.4 oz) are available from decent department stores and directly from the companies online stores. I got several travel size tubes of both with various purchases at Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman.

Image: amykagawacom

Estee Lauder 'Pure Color' Nail Lacquer In Berry Cordial

The purple nail polish craze continues. This time with the darkest magenta one can ask for.

Berry Cordial was originally launched by Estée Lauder last season, as part of the Chocolate Decadence collection. It was supposed to be a limited edition color, but it seems to have a longer stay than expected, as it's still available from Bloomingdale's and Nordstrom, and isn't marked as an LE. I got it as gift from a friend who knows about my recent quest for the purple, and Berry Cordial definitely hits the spot color-wise.

Try as I might, I couldn't photograph the polish even semi-decently, so the original stock photo will have to do. It's so dark that between my lack of skills and my miserable camera, the nail swatch looked black. In reality, the color looks more red (or crimson) in bright daylight (not that we've had too much of that lately) and like a purple tinged black cherry at night. All of this means Berry Cordial is very dark. While on the vampy side, it's not over-the-top, unless you have Morticia Adams nails. If you've already worn Essie Wicked or Chanel Tulip Noir to the office, Berry Cordial shouldn't be a problem to pull off, as it's actually quite classy and elegant and completely devoid of glitter.

When it comes to quality the good news is that one coat is enough for a perfect opaque finish that is true to the bottle. The thick brush covers the nail easily, so each nail is coated quickly and efficiently without streaking. The bad news is that like several other Lauder polishes I've owned, it's incredibly quick to chip. I tested this Pure Color lacquer with several base coats: two from Zoya, an OPI and an Essie with the same chipped results, so it's safe to say it's the polish. You absolutely must use a protective coat and renew it daily, and even then expect the need to touch up and redo every few days.

Estee Lauder 'Pure Color' Nail Lacquer In Berry Cordial ($18) is available online from Bloomingdales.com and Nordstrom.com.

Raspberry Cordial cupcake photo (and recipe) from the wonderfully inspiring Tofu and Cupcakes blog

Estee Lauder Private Collection Amber Ylang Ylang

The last time I bought an Estee Lauder perfume was in the very early nineties, when I went through a couple of White Linen bottles before suddenly having a complete change of nose on it and not touching the last bottle ever since. Not caring much for assertive chemical florals, I allowed myself to ignore most of their releases, with the occasional sniffing stop at the counter for the sake of shaking my head and wondering "What on earth was Luca Turin sniffing?". Sensuous didn't rock my world, either, though , though at least I could see the appeal (other than Gwyneth Paltrow in only a white shirt and black stockings).

But the list of notes for the latest Estee Lauder release, Private Collection Amber Ylang Ylang (Ylang Absolute, Italian Bergamot, Geranium Oil, Bulgarian Rose Absolute, Cinnamon, Incense, Vanilla Bean, Sandalwood, Amber) sent me straight to the nearest Lauder counter as soon as I got word the bottles have arrived. I sprayed from the tester and continued my merry way to the Bobbi Brown makeup, thinking more about taupe eye shadows than of the happenings on my left wrist.

Ambery perfumes come in many shapes, forms and ideas. It's the ingredients making what we recognize as the "ambery base" (mostly labdanum-tonka-vanilla. More on this in Helg's fascinating article on Perfume Shrine) that determine the actual feel of the perfume. And our skin chemistry. Mine loves amber in almost all forms and makes it radiate and come alive. I get far less powder and much more of the warm glow with some animalic teeth from most amber scents. Amber Ylang Ylang is no exception to this.

That first testing has seen me going back to the mall the following day and buying a bottle. I just had to. That feeling of elegant warmth, rich and luminous is irresistible for me. While its a lot softer than the ultimate amber, Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan, it's a lot easier to wear because it lacks the edge and punch. I save the Lutens for nights out and knock'em dead occasions, and wear this one whenever the mood strikes. The creamy and pretty facette brought by the ylang ylang is making the scent less formal than Ambre Sultan, but also far less sugary than other ambers I can think of, like Balmain Ambre Gris or Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier Ambre Precieux. I can't say I smell much (or any) incense and even the sandalwood is less woody and more a soft light presence.

It's interesting to note how differently this perfume is perceived by others. Angela on Now Smell This was underwhelmed, while Kristen the Beauty Addict felt it's the scent for a homebody. For me, it's not a fuzzy scent. It glows and pulsates too much to be ignored. Amber Ylang Ylang goes with cashmere, as the others have mentioned, but I pair it with my favorite burgundy cashmere sweater dress, the one that flows close to the skin and shows some cleavage.


Private Collection Amber Ylang Ylang is available from Saks, Neiman's and Estee Lauder.com. I got mine at my local Saks. The 1 oz bottle (perfect size) was $65, there's a 2.5 oz available for $120 and a gorgeous pure parfum bottle with semi-precious stones adorning the cap (above) that would cost you $300 for 1 oz. To put things in perspective, it's the price of 1 oz of Mitsouko extrait, which is just a little more on the masterpiece side of things, with all due respect to Erin Lauder and her vision.

To Boldly Go- Estee Lauder Signature Hydra Lustre Lipstick In Black Cherry

I've already mentioned my lack of enthusiasm for this years holiday makeup collections. None of them seemed exciting, innovative or featured too many must-have items. I was extra annoyed with Smashbox who repackaged existing products into "Holiday Kits" which are really good value but there's nothing really new in them and as far as I'm concerned, each set has at least one product I either don't need or don't like, which makes them not such a great deal after all. There are pretty palettes from Givenchy and Chanel, but once again, not all the colors are ones I'd pick. Bobbi Brown has the right idea in that department: empty pans for 3, 4 or 6 colors which can be filled with almost any eye shadow, blush and glitter lip color (why just the glittery ones?). Sice you're getting the full size products the result is wickedly expensive (the six color set ends up at $130. Ouch).

That said, I ended up falling for a holiday lipstick: Estee Lauder Signature Hydra Lustre Lipstick in Black Cherry. It comes in the cool facetted design, as it's part of the Vintage Jewels range and calls to mind better days, when the Lauder counter in the department store was a wonderland of luxury and magic. I really like the face lift and new approach Lauder has taken in the last couple of years, making the house relevant and interesting again, even among the newer (over-)hyped brands.

Black Cherry has won me over with its bold and rich color, a dark red with brown-rosy/plummish tones that make it a lot more wearable for me than the other colors in the collection, and creamy, moisturizing formula. It glides on easily even if you don't use a brush and stays in place even after your first sip of latte (though not as perfectly as when just applied). A comfortable wear, non-drying or flaking is always a plus. You absolutely must use a lip liner with such a dark color. I liked the one the SA had me try with the lipstick in store, the Automatic Lip Pencil in Midnight Plum, so I got one to go.



Estee Lauder Signature Hydra Lustre Lipstick ($19.50) In Black Cherry is available online and offline from every semi-decent department store. I bought mine at my local Nordstrom where I got the best customer service I've came across at any makeup counter in years. It was not limited to the Lauder ladies. I felt the same way across the isle at Nordie's Chanel. Someone at Saks and Bloomie's should take note, because I'm giving my business to those who deserve it.

Model: Giselle

Let's hope the people at Lauder have a healthy sense of humor

From Yahoo news.
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080814/earns_estee_lauder.html?.v=1

Edit: The link now shows that they fixed their typo. My screen capture above is how it appeared originally.

This And That

Good Reads:

• The new face, according to the NY Magazine. I don't know if I should run to find a plastic surgeon or just hide under my bed.


• The nose doesn't forget, according to the NY Times. A scientific explanation to why smelling Colours by Benetton still makes me misty eyed.

Fragrance:

• I tested the new Estee Lauder Sensuous three times so far. It's not interesting enough to me for an actual review, but I see why it has a mass appeal. It's not a typical Lauder and it's better done than most of the things you'd find in Macy's. I just can't get excited about a sugar-glazed wood. Maybe I'll try again when the parfum version comes out.
  
• Lancome Magnifique- I smelled, I shrugged, I forgot. Anne Hathaway deserves better than this (seems to be the theme of her life lately).

Skin Care:

Speaking of Lancome, they have launched a new serum in the Secret de Vie range. The moisturizer is still my holy grail, so I might have to get it. I tried it at Saks today and it seemed nice. And despite what the SA told me, you can get it directly from Lancome. The Saks exclusivity was her excuse for the lack of samples. I'm getting seriously fed up with department stores and their employees. Thankfully, there's always online shopping.

Makeup:

• Among all the new collections for fall, some older and worthy makeup items are going to the great makeup counter in the sky. Alison Raffaele is discontinuing a whole bunch of makeup products and brushes. If, like me, you're a fan of her soft glosses, this is the time to stock up and hoard. Too bad there's no special discount. Besame Cosmetics, on the other hand, offer all their discontinued items (labeled Au Revoir) at amazingly low prices. With the adorable packaging and exceptional quality, this is one good bargain. The website doesn't make it easier to find them, though, so you'll need to search each category.
  
  
• At the total opposite end of the spectrum you'll find Giorgio Armani's fall makeup collection. The Python Palette is giving me a bad case of coveting. It's gorgeous, but is it $100 gorgeous?

Celebrities:
Katie Holmes is bringing ugly back. Who would have thought we'd ever see the tight rolls making a comeback? And, yes, it does make your butt look bigger.

Images: Go Fug Yourself, stOOpidgErL

Excuse me while I snicker

Earlier this year, when the NY Times went straight for the Pulitzer by revealing that beauty bloggers sometimes get free samples, there were people who questioned our ability to review products in an objective manner (despite all the evidence to the contrary, in this blog and many others).

A big part of why that article felt so insulting was the underlying accusation that bloggers have no ethics, unlike print media that has strict rules, and therefore is more objective. When I say it was insulting, I mean insulting to readers' intelligence, because (just like many of my commenters noted), one look at the traditional media is enough to confirm its obligation and dependence on advertisers.

That's why I couldn't help myself from feeling a smidge of schadenfreude when reading Natasha Singer's much braver article over the weekend. This quote says it all:

“Boy, they really sold out — Hearst — didn’t they?” said Allan Mottus, a beauty industry analyst who publishes the Informationist, a trade publication. Mr. Mottus added: “You have to take your hat off to Lauder. It is an enormous coup.”

Pink with a Twist

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and many of our favorite companies have launched pretty pink items that we can buy and have a percentage of the sale donated to the good cause. You can have a look at offers from Estee Lauder Pink Ribbon Collection (most items are already sold out), Smashbox, L'Occitane, Prescriptives Pink Ahead Collection and Crabtree & Evelyn.

Since I don't do pink makeup and I'm not in the market for a more hand cream, I really loved this offer from the Pashmina Store: 5 % of every pink item purchase will go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, including the pink animal print silk-pashmina blend scarves. I'm all about zebra prints these days, so my choice was easy. It would liven up my dark coats on dreary winter days.

Comparative Mascaraizing

While writing a perfume review is probably the hardest part of my blogging, testing and writing about mascara must be the easiest. The requirements are simple: define, lengthen, hold a curl, don't smear/flake/clump/dot and be easy to remove. There are only so many colors to choose from, texture is rarely an issue and the best part is that most mascaras on the market are quite good. In a year and a half of beauty blogging I came across only two disappointing products.

Projectionist from Estee Lauder is another good one. I already have their More Than Mascara in my regular rotation for its great, natural looking and well-defining action. There's a big marketing spiel about "moisture binding molecules", but honestly, I can't tell if it's any different than other mascaras I've been using. All I care is that it makes my lashes look pretty.

Projectionist has its own story. Something about "Hollow spherical polymers act like inflated balloons that volumize and lift". I can't say that I'm feeling or seeing a difference, even when I wore the two Estee mascaras together, one on each eye. They looked the same, added a touch of volume, a hint of length (nothing extreme, just the right amount for my already not short lashes), held the curl nicely enough and darkened my lashes. Although the MtM color is the one called More Black and the Projectionist was a regular black, I couldn't see a difference. I even tested them on my lower lashes to try and see variations in color, but got none. As a last test I asked my husband if he could see a difference between the eyes. For what it's worth, he couldn't.

Projectionist endured both nights out on the town and several warm days, never smeared or flaked and was easy to remove without extra rubbing both with Almay oil free pads and with the ubiquitous Lancome Bi-Facil.

More Mascara

Despite the trend of mascaras that make you look like you're wearing falsies, I prefer less drama around my eyes. I still want length, curl and definition, though. I've been using both Lancome Hypnose and Clinique's High Impact with great satisfaction, and now I can add another mascara to this list of really good ones.
Estee Lauder's More Than Mascara (I have it in More Black) gives similar results. It doesn't boast any special superpowers, yet it delivers beautifully defined lashes, adds some length (not exaggerated) and holds a curl. No clumps or flakes yet, and I've been using it for three weeks now. Also no dots and smears, and it dissolves relatively quickly in Lancome's Bi-Facil cleanser.

I think it's too rich for my naturally thick lower lashes, so I haven't tested it on them. And, speaking of rich, I have no idea what's the difference between the two blacks they offer: More than Black vs, Rich Black. Has anyone ever tried to compare?

Still in the Dark

So, how many people were at the Chanel counter today to pick up their Black Satin polish? I wasn't there, because I'm quite happy with my little less goth look, which this week is courtesy of Estee Lauder. I got my Dark Chocolate polish, and have been wearing it since Thursday.



It's a red based brown, less chocolatey than I had hoped for, but dark and on the vamp side. It required three layers to get the depth of color that can be seen in the color swatch from their web site, and in applying it felt thinner than the Essie polishes I've been wearing lately. But it might be because of the base coat I'm using (OPI's Start to Finish)


The other problem with this polish is its lack of sheen. It absolutely requires a top coat, because it gets dull in a matter of hours. I'm still wishing for a polish that has a milk chocolate look, but it would do for now. It does look pretty, even if my husband couldn't see the difference between this one and Essie's Wicked.

Into the Dark

October is nail polish month at Blogdorf Goodman. We all seem to be going darker and darker, though I'm still not caving in for anything black. It looks like I'm not the only one who was seduced by the powers of Essie's Wicked. I've blogged about it last week and have been sporting it since, just like the Beauty Addict. It's the darkest color I've ever worn on my nails, and I absolutely love it. It's definitely more elegant than goth, which is a very good thing once you're of a certain age. I second Kristen's advice about keeping nails short. The color has more than enough personality by itself, no need for milage.

The other color I bought last week was Essie's Double Dip. I was hoping for a chocolate, but the color sample on the site was misleading. It's a pretty metalic medium red, that today looks very nice on my toes. But it's definitely not what I was looking for. So in my quest for that perfect brown, I'll be trying next Estee Lauder's Dark Chocolate.