It was really hard for me to write this review because I approached the product with a bias, which means my opinion would be harsher than the product probably deserves. After enduring the horrible smell from my Bronze Sands palette, I wasn't very keen on putting something similar even nearer to my nostrils. Thankfully Estée Lauder Illuminating Gelée Powder in Shimmering Sands came without the horrid chemical smell. (In retrospect, I'm quite sure the Bronze Sands palette I received was defective.)
See, this is the problem, and why I hesitated for so long to publish this. There is nothing evidently wrong with this palette, but I don't like it. The texture is unique to Estée Lauder's gelée powder formula, where the closest description seems to be that it is "cream to powder" (it isn't actually cream but I guess that's the best word to describe the wet-but-not-actually-wet feeling you get when you touch the powder). It's smooth and bright and wonderfully metallic when swatched, but like the eye shadows lose its gleam when applied with a brush.
Shimmering Sands is a metallic copper at the back of my hand, but becomes an odd reddish brown when applied on my cheeks. I'm not entirely sure if it is meant to be a bronzer, blush, or a contour color, but it doesn't seem to suit my coloring. I think someone with a darker skin tone would enjoy Shimmering Sands better. On me it's neither here or there, which makes it difficult for me to use.
I find it funny how I struggled to write all this - I don't have to like every good product that's available in the market, right?
Estée Lauder Illuminating Gelée Powder in Shimmering Sands retails for $42 and is available at Estée Lauder counters nationwide, as well as esteelauder.com. I purchased mine from nordstrom.com.
critical but honest reviews are always good :)
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw initial swatches of this, I knew it wouldn't be anything for me - as you said, it's kinda an odd color on the skin. I like how pretty it is in the pan though!
ReplyDeleteOh no you don't, Xiao! I swatched this on the back of my hand the other day, and honestly with this kind of intense pigmentation it'd be much better off markted/used as an eyeshadow! I have no idea how not to overuse this on my face!
ReplyDeleteI don't 'get' this EL powder gelees either - they seem too pigmented and frosty for the cheeks!
ReplyDeleteI think the eye one is a winner though!
I love this product... definitely a win from EL!
ReplyDeleteThis is much more impressive in the compact than it is on my skin. I do love the eyeshadow palette, however, and find it stays quite metallic/shiny even when applied with my eyeshadow brushes (it does not have an odd scent either) so I wonder if you got a dud? I appreciate your candid review :).
ReplyDeleteI do find this wears quite nicely on my darker skin, but in these photos it certainly doesn't look bad on you either! I think it just gives you a different look than you may normally wear. It's a bit of a tricky product though even still, and I haven't been wearing mine as much as I should. I don't know what it is that turns me off a bit...?
ReplyDeleteThis is really gorgeous on you.
ReplyDeleteAhhh oh my goodness, you look absolutely STUNNING with those dark eyes and contoured cheeks and your hair up. Drop dead gorgeous, I tell you!
ReplyDeleteIt looked so nice in the pan but on my skin turned orange brown. Definitely not for me but the first gelee that I bought I do love.
ReplyDeleteI disagree.. I am a pale readhead and I love this product.. I use it with MAC 130 brush and it is very easy to build the intensity. Love it! It gives me a very nice glow without that shimmery look. Martine
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