Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Capri Summer 2012 - Bronze Sands Pure Color Cyber Metallic Palette

With the Fall collection from Estée Lauder looming on the horizon (preview pics at Smartologie), I feel extra bad that I slacked on getting this post up earlier. You know, when it was still available to purchase. This palette is pretty much sold out everywhere, but if you do come across it in a retail location, JUMP ON IT. It is a) beautiful, b) fetching extortionist prices on ebay and amazon, and c) the perfect palette to complement this fantastic summer weather. I debated whether to even put this review up, but I figured the high collectible status might merit some extra swatches circulating out there in the wilds of the web.

So, without further ado, the Bronze Sands palette from the Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Capri Collection for Summer 2012:

Yeah. It's pretty damn gorgeous. I wasn't sure if I loved the rippled sand effect when I saw the pictures online, but in person, it works.

The texture and finish is exactly the same as that of the Cyber eyeshadow singles I've reviewed before - that tribrid finish that can be used wet or dry. The cream is the sheerest of the five when used dry, the brown the richest. All of the shades become more opaque and more metallic when used wet. They all do best applied over a primer to prevent fading, and I would add that you need to be careful when blending. The texture is so incredibly silky that they can easily blend into a muddy mess if you're overly vigorous.

But...is this a palette that is worth hunting down, or paying exorbitant prices for on ebay?

For the quality and aesthetic appeal, it might be. However, if you have been keeping on top of the recent releases from EL, then chances are you probably already own a couple of these shades in a different format.

The cream, brown and gold shades are the three that don't have any dupes in the past or current line-up of Cyber shadows. The brown is very similar to Cyber Copper, but richer and warmer in tone.

If you already own Topaz Chameleon and Cyber Teal, then you will find these shades to be a repeat.

What I love about the finish on these is how strongly metallic they read, regardless of the light. In the swatches below you can see differences, but that strong gleam and shimmer shows up even in murky indoors lighting. In soft, incandescent light, they are STUNNING.

In indirect natural light.

Indirect natural light, different angle.

Full sunlight.

Artificial light.

I can't do my usual review breakdown, as this is not an item that is currently available. I will say that I do love the tribrid finish, and find this palette to be perfect for this time of year, when a higher level of gleam works beautifully with tanned, dewy skin. It's not strictly speaking a versatile palette, since the finish on all the shades is identical, but it's one that rounds out a collection nicely.