Estee Lauder serums intrigue me. They really do. In the midst of the mumbo-jumbo of ingredients which most of them I can’t comprehend, they still manage to do an excellent job in creating very good, hydrating serums that make my skin go “oh darling where have you been all my life?!”

Today, I’m going to talk about a serum from Estee Lauder that has managed to make my skin say that. Well, if my skin really could talk, it would say “Estee Lauder was one hell of a woman. Now go have a drink of water because I’m parched“.

I’m talking about Estee Lauder’s Idealist Even Skintone Illuminator.

Description:
Estee Lauder Idealist Even Skintone Illuminator is an intensive, yet gentle oil-free serum. It instantly illuminates skintone and reduces redness for radiant, more even-looking skin. The serum’s Triple-Optic Technology is comprised of an advanced blend of optics which provides skin with a brighter, more luminous look from the very first application..
Soft focus optics smooth the appearance of skin’s surface to blur the look of imperfections and shadows.
Color-correcting optics help neutralise the look of redness and discolouration for more natural-looking, even skintone.
Brightening optics increase surface reflectance to provide skin with a naturally brighter, more illuminated look.

Ingredients:
Water, Dimethicone, Isododecane, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Polyethylene, Propanediol, Cetyl Ricinoleate, Petrolatum, Butylene Glycol, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Hypnea Musciformis (Algae) Extract, Gellidiela Acerosa (Algae) Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Extract, Selaginella Tamariscina (Spike Moss) Extract, Humulus Lupulus (Hops) Extract, Hydrolyzed Rice Bran Extract, Citrus Reticulata (Tangerine) Peel Extract, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Fruit Juice, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Algae Extract, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Gentiana Lutea (Gentian) Root Extract, Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile), Yeast Extract, Cholesterol, Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, Linolenic Acid, Linoleic Acid, Caffeine, Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Oil, Sucrose, Squalene, Phytosterols, Lactoperoxidase, Polysorbate 40, Glucose Oxidase, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Jojoba Alcohol, Isopropyl Jojobate, Phytosteryl Canola Glycerides, Jojoba Esters, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Acetyl Glucosamine, Trehalose, Glucose, Isohexadecane, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Polysilicone-11, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polysorbate 80, Tromethamine, PEG-8, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Polyglyceryl-3 Disiloxane Dimethicone, Phytosphingosine, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tocotrienols, Sodium Hyaluronate, Magnolia Grandiflora Bark Extract, Phospholipids, Tocopherol, Pinanediol, Camphanediol, Potassium Sulfate, Laureth-12, Oleic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Triolein, Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid, Cyclodextrin, Ethylbisiminomethylguaiacol Manganese Chloride, Silica, Tin Oxide, Phenoxyethanol.
May Contain: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Carmine, Bismuth Oxychloride, Yellow 5

Good lord, would you take a look at that list of ingredients?!

The serum is a lightweight, oil-free lotion that smells of oranges. That won me over right away. Mmmm… If you take a closer look at the serum, you’ll notice that there are shimmering bits in the lotion. Estee Lauder calls it light-reflecting particles. The skeptic in me simply calls it mica.

As the serum contains mica, titanium dioxide, etc, I only use this during the day under makeup. Even so, it’s enough to give me quick results on the skin. I love using this as a primer to my foundation. I find that foundation tends to “hold on” to my skin better with this serum.

I’ve noticed that my skin looks brighter and more radiant after using the serum. My skintone, especially at the tops of the cheeks where my freckles are, appear more even and blotch-free. Even with just tinted moisturiser with SPF over this is enough to make my skin look good without the need for makeup.

As I only use this during the day and in tiny amounts, this bottle is going to last me a long time. So after calculating cost-per-use for a year, it’s not very expensive for something that could give me fresh, radiant skin.

So, with the brown bottle at night, and this in the morning, my skin’s pretty much set for a good time with Estee Lauder. As Jamie Oliver puts it, happy days 🙂

Estee Lauder’s Idealist Even Skintone Illuminator retails at AU$105 for 30ml and AU$150 for 50ml and is available at Estee Lauder counters nationwide.

What I like about it: Gives me bright and radiant skin, especially when my skin’s not cooperating, a good primer for makeup

What I do not like about it: Pricey, as all Estee Lauder serums are.

Note: This product was provided for consideration. I would have gladly bought this on my own. Only when there’s a good gift-with-purchase, of course 😛