Estee Lauder: GWP & Pure Color Love Lipstick Swatches

I was shopping the other week and there was a really nice Estee Lauder GWP in Debenhams. I had my eye on their Pure Color Love lipsticks, but my first choice, then second choice were both out of stock. I was really taken in by the sparkly ones, so got a white one instead (intended to be a topper over liner or another lipstick), but really had my heart set on the other two. The girl told me to take a photograph of the other ones I liked so I'd remember their names if I saw them elsewhere. I thought I had nothing better to do than go home and buy them online, but they were sold out everywhere I could think of. I kept torturing myself with that photo of the testers, but fast forward a couple of weeks and an email popped up about another GWP and lo and behold, they had the lipsticks I was after! I must admit to double and triple checking, because I thought it was too good to be true and I'd got the shade names muddled! However they arrived last week and are the ones I wanted. You'll be surprised because they are quite different for me (not nudes), but lately I've been veering away from lighter neutrals and opting for darker statement lips.

I was going to post this at the weekend but was really unhappy with my swatches, so re-swatched everything again yesterday and decided I should also include the white lipstick, even although I didn't get it with this order. The PCL lipsticks come in a sleek casing. The lipstick bullet sticks out from the case and the actual product is rather oddly shaped. It has a tapered end with two flat edges coming to a point at the sides. I haven't applied these to the lips yet, so I'm not sure how easy that'll be to work with. I'm tempted to turn it around rather than use the flat edge, but perhaps that would just line the lips and be streaky or non-existent in the centre. Also, they smell of cupcakes. How awesome is that? I've always known EL lipsticks to have that strong fig scent, so this is something really different for them. They come in 4 finishes and the three I have to show you today fall into the "cooled chrome" category. What can I say, I'm a magpie for shiny stuff! They are said to have a "high gleam, sparkling effect" and like I said earlier, they're unlikely to be opaque as they are more of a top coat than stand-alone colour. The other finishes are matte, creme or shimmer pearl (which is high sheen, balmy texture, so not sparkly like these).
So the one I bought instore earlier, was 500 Ball Of Light. It's a yellow-white in the case and the sparkle is quite difficult to see. Swatched, it's a transparent base with a bit of whiteness to it and pink and blue micro-shimmer. The flecks are really, really tiny, but quite pretty. I'm keen to play around with this and see what it looks like layered because it's not anything exciting alone (looks like a lip balm).  All my swatches are at the bottom of the post.        
The one that really got me excited instore that they'd sold out of, was 370 Pocket Venus. The colour is ultra festive and swatched so beautifully under the store lights, that I knew I needed this for Christmas. In the case it's a deep wine with visible shimmer. Swatched it's a little more sheer, but the colour is buildable. It's a wine-red, a bit like deep raspberry jam, with lots of pink flecks. I suspect the more you use these, the more the glitter comes to the surface.
The final one I'd seen instore was 470 Moon Rock and it's black. I told you I was straying from nudes! In the case it looks really dark black with a blue or green glitter flash depending on how you hold it in the light. It's not as scary when swatched as again it's sheer, but buildable. Though I would say, layering too much can make them streaky. You begin to rub off the colour and move it elsewhere. Or at least that was the case in my hand swatches, it might be different on the lips over liner and lipstick. It swatches very much a purpled black with blue micro shimmer (I couldn't see green in the swatch). It's not as vampy as you'd expect and again it's going to be really fun to play with this and see what it can do over something else.
The high shine and glitter combined in both the red and black creates an almost metallic finish in certain lights, which is what you'd expect from a chrome. They aren't straight up metallic in my opinion though. I have bought Estee Lauder makeup before, but I really think it's exciting to see them come out with this line which appears to be marketed at a younger or more fashion forward consumer. The finishes are different and there's interesting or less mainstream colours, that you wouldn't find on every makeup counter. I think as a whole, the brand has had a bit of a shake-up over the past few years to appeal to a different audience.
In order to qualify for the GWP (spend £60), I had to get something else alongside the 2 lipsticks, so I got the Stress Relief Eye Mask. You know I'm crazy for any masks or patches, so I figured this was something I'd easily use these up. I already have a single packet of the other eye patches (Advanced Night Repair Concentrated Recovery Eye Mask) that I've been saving for a special occasion (!), so I didn't know how these would differ. I was hoping they'd be those thick pads that are sticky on one side and soft fabric on the other. I tried them the other day and they definitely aren't what I thought!
They are actually super thin, woven patches, soaked in serum, exactly like the Kanebo ones I had some 20 odd years ago (though you applied the serum yourself on those). My disappointment was short-lived, as they performed really well. The box comes with 10 sachets and a pair in each sachet. I was convinced I'd been diddled and there was only one patch in mine, until I realised there was a thin plastic thing separating the two and another patch therefore underneath what I believed to be the base of the plastic packaging. You pop them on for 10 minutes, then remove and pat in any remaining product.
They stuck well, didn't once attempt to migrate down my cheeks (looking at you snail patches!) and I could really feel them tightening throughout the process. I wasn't quite sure what I was looking for afterwards. I've been making progress on the lines around my eyes with other products lately, so I didn't really need much help there or expect to see further improvement. The thing that struck me immediately was how bright my eyes looked. My actual eyes looked sparkly and the whole eye area bright and fresh. I was so blown away by that, that I didn't really study anything else, but I've since read the aim of these is to reduce puffiness and moisturise, so they must've de-puffed too!
If you're struggling for another item to qualify for the gift, I always recommend the Perfectly Clean Multi Action Foam Cleanser/Purifying Mask.  It's one of my all-time favourite cleansers (smells nice, lathers well and leaves skin silky soft) and it also doubles up as a mask.  This is what I bought with the white lipstick instore.  Or the Nightwear Plus 3 Minute Detox Mask.  The cucumber scent initially put me off this mask, but it's become one of my favourites as it gets to work so quickly and leaves skin feeling really deep cleansed, tightened and refreshed.  The gift with purchase is available for a limited time and only while stocks last and it's been out over a week now, so I wouldn't hesitate if you fancy it. It includes mini sizes of; Advanced Night Micro Cleansing Foam, Revitalizing Supreme + Global Anti Aging Cell Power Creme, Eye Balm and Wake Up Balm alongside Envy Lash in Black and Brow Now in 03 Brunette. They come in a black and white logo cosmetics case.
I also have a discount code for you, for 15% off site wide, just click here and use the code LF15.  Gifts are out of stock if not added to basket, £60 spend on Estee Lauder must be met after discount to qualify for free gift. 

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