The Victoria Beckham Estée Lauder collection will be available to buy from Brown Thomas counters tomorrow, September 18th, after months of build-up.
Despite the excitement, I was prepared to feel underwhelmed. The majority of celebrity-endorsed beauty collections fall slightly flat and are reliant on personality over quality.
However, I was delighted to find that, overall, this is a clever and nuanced collection that pays attention to every tiny detail. And why wouldn’t it? Beckham didn’t become an icon and businesswoman of her stature by ignoring the details.
The collection is neat and utterly considered, while the 1950s-style packaging still sings with heft and luxury. The utility was inspired by Beckham’s experience of doing make-up while travelling; the products are generally travel-friendly. Still, the compacts “clunk” shut in a way that satisfies the soul of any make-up lover, and the ribbed black and gold finish is as chic as you would expect.
The collection is divided into four distinct looks – London, New York, LA and Paris – all of which are instantly recognisable as fundamental to Beckham’s style. Glowing skin, wet finishes, metallic sheens, soft, warmly smudged eyes and nude lips create the general feel of the collection, but there are a few exceptions.
The London look includes that warm, metallic clove-brown smoky eye (Eye Metal in Bitter Clove €40) and nude lip (Lipstick in Brazilian Nude €40) that Beckham is so known for.
The New York look is all glossy lips (Lip Gloss in Moroccan Heat €34) and bold eyes (Eye Palette €80). The LA look sees the reintroduction of Beckham’s favourite Estée Lauder highlighter, Modern Mercury (€58) and smoky eyes with the buttery double-ended Eye Kajal in Saffron/Vanille (€27).
The Paris look is suitably chic with glowing skin courtesy of the rather beautiful Morning Aura Illuminating Crème (€82), and a divine red orange lipstick in Chilean Sunset (€40).
As you might expect, the price tags reflect the prestige of the name, and though the overall collection is a standout success and excellent quality, some products are more worth buying than others.
The warm reddish undertone of the Java Sun bronzer makes it ideal for olive and copper skintones, but it doesn’t work for everyone. The Brazilian Nude lipstick (€40) paired with the Lip Liner in Victoria (€27) is Beckham’s signature lip shade and well worth investing in if you have spent years, as some fans have, seeking out that perfect Victoria Beckham nude. The Eye Foils in Burnt Anise, a rich charcoal, and Blonde Gold, a potent whitish gold, are spectacular, and dress an eyelid beautifully with incomparable shine and light reflection. Once applied, they don’t move.
The Morning Aura Illuminating Crème (€82) highlights and primes, leaving skin refreshed, while Modern Mercury Highlighter (€58) is an instant injection of sunkissed gloss when dusted across the high points of the face.
Overall, the collection is a triumph. This won’t be Victoria Beckham’s last foray into the world of cosmetics.
