Estee Lauder • Idealist Even Skintone Illuminator • Treatments

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shar037 on 10/19/2012 10:51:00 PM more reviews by shar037

Age: 44-55   Skin: Dry, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Red, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

While getting matched for Double-Wear Light, the salesperson showed this to me. When I saw the light reflective particles, I assumed it to be yet another gimmicky product that does nothing but make you shimmer.
In my book, shimmer is cosmetics- not skincare.
But , I will say that this product is truly both.
After 1 week of using this, I looked at myself in the rear view mirror and could barely believe how amazing my skin looked. No, I didn't look for very long and no, I did not get into a car accident:)
I did some digging on Beautypedia and dug some more to validate Paula B's claims.
She is correct that this contains the very same ingredients as (Estee Lauder owned) Clinic's Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector. However, I am a chemist and I must point out that we do not know amounts of ingredient's nor the type of preparation, for either of these products.
Therefore, they could work very differently.
I once spent $300 on some stuff by Orlane and had nothing close to the results with this product.
Sun spots are already fading and the skin under my eyes does not look as thin.
As Paula B point out, there isn't a lick of research proving this products effectivness.
But, when I look in the mirror...I don't need any research!

9 out of 10 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

suebeck on 10/19/2012 2:47:00 PM more reviews by suebeck

Age: 36-43   Skin: Acne-prone, Olive, Warm   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I too bought this product hoping to even out my skin tone ( I am a medium-brown tone Caribbean woman) , but also, I was sorely disappointed. After 6 - 8 weeks, I have seen no discernible tonal difference although my skin feels smoother. I usually love EL products - the Advanced Night Repair is great - and I can't bear to throw out the bottle after paying so much for a large size, so I will use the rest on my arms, legs and body. After all, if it's designed to improve facial skin tone/texture, it can be used elsewhere. (Which I will also be doing with Idealist pore minimizer - it clogs the facial pores something rotten!)

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

absolutepitch1825 on 10/6/2012 2:02:00 AM more reviews by absolutepitch1825

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

This product didn't do anything for me. Just finished first bottle and saw no result. It would be ok as just a moisturizer but shouldn't expect more than that. It did not fade my age spot nor even out skin tone. Rather disappointed.Will not recommend to anyone.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Shelbs7455 on 9/29/2012 9:33:00 AM more reviews by Shelbs7455

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

I bought this product because I was concerned with the fact that I had uneven skintone, a couple of very noticable acne scars and because of my large pores. I have combination skin, but I often get random breakouts on my face as well. I started using this product about a year and a half ago and it has been the best thing i've ever done for my face. Prior to using this, I tried the Clinique, Philosophy and Lancome products to even my skintone, but none of them worked like this. After about a week of using this, my skin was much softer and felt more moisturized. After a little over a month, I stopped breaking out and my large acne mark on my cheek faded a great deal. I've also noticed my pores getting smaller and my skinntone is much more even. While it is costly, it has been the only thing that has worked for me, and only a small amount of it is needed. Over a year later, it is as though I have a new set of skin on my face!

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JunkieXL on 9/18/2012 3:08:00 PM more reviews by JunkieXL

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I've been using this for over a year now and my skin looks great. My skin tends to be reactive but I never had any rash using this lotion. It's easy to use because of the pump bottle, it gives a 'pick me up' without looking shiny or greasy and a little goes a long way. Works great under foundation and leaves my skin feeling and looking smooth. Just one pump at a time is all I need.

The price tag is a bit of a deal breaker... I think it's very expensive. But then again, I've been using my bottle for over a year now and it's still not empty so for me it's worth the investment.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

ttnigu on 9/18/2012 2:29:00 PM more reviews by ttnigu

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Black    

I am allergic to this. dont know if anyone has the same problem. every time i used it, my face would have bad redness on the cheek. so i stopped trying and threw it away...........

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

RedheadDior on 9/5/2012 2:09:00 PM more reviews by RedheadDior

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Red, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I've been using this for 2 days now, I know I will have to edit at some point. I usually wait to write a review but I've had constant mild to moderate acne. The morning after the first night I used it my skin was clear! I didn't use anything else like sulfur mask or spot treatments. Day 2 and my skin is still smooth and recent acne marks are starting to flatten. This seems like a miracle to me and I hope I'm not premature about my rave reviews. We'll see. For now I'm happy. I originally bought this to help my discoloration but had no idea it was going to help my pimples.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

egunn on 9/2/2012 12:18:00 PM more reviews by egunn

Age: Unknown   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I love this product! I've been using it daily for 2.5 months and my skin has been completely transformed.

The only thing I'm not crazy about is the shimmer, so I've actually been using this as my night treatment instead of using it during the day.

I have been suffering from breakouts since I was a teenager and I've tried everything (prescription and over the counter products) and this is the first time my skin has ever been so clear. I broke out a bit at first (about the 3rd week), but I think it was my skin's way of eliminating a lot of built up "gunk" in my pores (similar to the breakouts you get when you start using a Px like Retin-A). I'm happy I was patient and stuck with it!

My skin is softer, clearer and smoother. I used to have dry & oily skin that was also sensitive and it's now finally "normal".

However, I have one dark spot on my face (from the sun) that isn't going away very quickly. So while this product is meant to reduce dark spots, in my case it's been better at clearing up my skin overall than eliminating one dark spot.

I highly recommend this for anyone who is looking for a gentle way to clear up their skin.

The rest of my routine includes Cetaphil to wash, EL Time Zone eye cream and EL Daywear SPF15. And I am no longer using any acne treatments, only Idealist.

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GayLynn on 8/25/2012 8:52:00 AM more reviews by GayLynn

Age: 44-55   Skin: Normal, Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

I have to agree with some of the previous reviews. I've been using ths twice a day with no improvement as far as darks spots go. My skin does feel soft and smooth, but I purchased this to fade dark spots.from sun exposure. :(

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

cyberhd on 8/15/2012 4:52:00 PM more reviews by cyberhd

Age: 44-55   Skin: Acne-prone, Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I have been using this for 8 weeks now AM & PM and I have not seen any significant result with my hyper-pigmentation. My skin looks the same still uneven. So disappointed and it is not cheap! I would return this if I could.

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mindyk on 8/15/2012 10:28:00 AM more reviews by mindyk

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Have slight dark spots on my jawline thanks to hormones. I wanted this to work so badly. Wanted an over the counter product I could easily get without ordering online or going to specialty store even though the EL is pricey. I tried it solid for 3 months, going thru nearly 2 full size bottles and absolutely no improvements. Didn't even do anything to improve slight redness marks from some old pimple sites.
Not worth the money or trouble.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

klhoward on 8/5/2012 2:40:00 PM more reviews by klhoward

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

Came with a GWP and have been using for 10 days now and definitely noticed a difference in my skin tone. I have ‘English rose’ skin that is generally even with slight redness under my eyes and around my nose. It gets aggravated easily too. I have tried the EL Idealist Pore minimising serum and had terrible results with that (little pimples came up and flaky skin), but I do use the EL Adv night repair concentrate. I wasn’t however expecting much from this, but followed the instructions from the website that say to start using it twice a day. When just using in the morning, didn’t notice too much difference, however when I started using it at night as well – wow the next day! Literally NO redness around my nose. A little around my eyes, but with a bit of concealer I was confident enough ot head outside with no foundation on. Will be using up the rest of the trial size and ordering a full size – much to my annoyance as it is a little pricey. But the results were worth it for me.

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vs0000 on 7/30/2012 3:00:00 AM more reviews by vs0000

Age: 30-35   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I use very lightweight foundation and wanted a primer to make it look good. Went through everyone's primers and wasn't impressed. Haven't bought anything from EL for ages. Overpriced for the average quality the brand offers. Was browsing through their counter once and saw this new product. I tried Idealist Refinisher in the past: didn't get it... Sales rep gave me samples of Illuminator. I've been using it for a few weeks and think it's a really decent primer. A primer shouldn't cost this much, and the long list of ingredients doesn't make it too attractive. I'm not sure if it helps skin texture, but maybe rather makes it look smoother. I also tried their new primer, but still Illuminator wins. I used a very small amount, so really didn't notice any shimmer that others mention. Even though it's pricey, I'll be using it.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* csquared14 on 6/22/2012 1:01:00 PM more reviews by csquared14

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

What this product ended up being to me is very, very expensive shimmer for my face. And if I wanted that, I would have bought the cheap ELF stuff from Target, because their whipped illuminator product essentially does the same thing that this did for me.


I'm generally not someone who gets too angry when a product with claims like this does not work out--I mean, there's only so much a serum is going to do. I accept that. But to charge THIS price for it?! This is probably not a product I would have bought myself, but I received a bottle as a part of a gift. I used it consistently for three months, when I realized that it was just not doing anything. The claim by Lauder is that if used consistently for 12 straight weeks (three months, as I did), it will give you a more even, glowing skintone, reduce dark spots, etc. It did none of that--absolutely nothing. And, based on the reviews here, it would seem that I am not the only person who had that problem--you can make a valid argument about products working differently on different types of skin, but if this many people are having issues with it, then there is a serious problem. This is a product that, depending on the size that you get, can run you up to $158, not including tax/shipping. That is, quite simply, not acceptable, not to mention surprising for a brand with the history and reputation of Estee Lauder.


The product, essentially, gives you a shimmery golden golden glow from the sparkles that are in it. While this would be nice if it was, say, a bronzer, it's not--it's supposed to be making my skin glow on its own, with no products. I didn't have problems with breakouts or anything, which is not a given for me acne-prone skin. It isn't really moisturizing, but it's a serum, so it makes sense that it would just be one step in your routine. The packaging is, as with all Lauder products, absolutely lovely.


I guess that if you're one of the very few people who have had a positive experience with this product, that's great. But for the rest of us, it just seems like a colossal waste of money, not to mention a misleading ad campaign. You're better off with the Garnier dark spot fader, which worked significantly better for me. I'd love to see the research that went into this product, to see if they have the scientific justification for the pricetag.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

yilynn on 6/22/2012 10:27:00 AM more reviews by yilynn

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Pros:
- A great product that helped to even my skin tone - removing freckles, redness and whatnot!

- As an added bonus, it gives a shimmery finish on application! :)

Cons:
- A bit pricey

It does however, have to be used rigorously for quite a number of weeks before any observable effects can be seen.

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kavitabc on 6/19/2012 10:04:00 AM more reviews by kavitabc

Age: 30-35   Skin: Very Dry, Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

Complete waste of money on this product.
I'm asian with medium brown complexion, i have very dry skin esp. on my face so scars don't fade away quickly or completely. i also have uneven skin tone, sun spots. I paid $70 at belk's & i'm going to finish the bottle & then trash it.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

JCM123 on 6/19/2012 6:52:00 AM more reviews by JCM123

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

So I was given a few sachets of this stuff and then....ahem...'borrowed' my mum's bottle of this and I have to say I am very impressed. I am always hesitant about trying new products as I tend to get very congested on my jaw line and chin and have finally got a routine working for me that means I am spot free (woohoo!). I found that this has not exacerbated any of my skin 'issues' at all. I am not sure I have seen any kind of dramatic improvement in tone, but what I love is the glow effect this stuff gives me.

I apply this on my face in the morning, with a bit of translucent powder on my -t-zone to help keep oilies at bay and I am good to go. I also like to mix a drop or two of this with my Invisible Fluid foundation to give me an even more glowing complexion on a night out. Been getting positive comments on my skin from both my husband and friends so it must be doing something good :0)

I am about to go and purchase my very own bottle today...as I finished mum's off (shhhh)

UPDATE: 30/08/2012 - I am not 100% convinced that this stuff does much to even out my skintone at all... but it does leave such a nice radiance to my skin, whilst keeping it matte to the touch that I do still like to mix this in with foundations to make them dewier and I also like to use this on days where I go foundation free but just want to have a lovely 'lit from within' sort of skin. There are many other products out there than achieve the same result, but as I have quite an oily t-zone this is one of the very few that doesn't make me a huge grease-ball by 12 pm :)

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sohipithurts on 6/8/2012 1:06:00 PM more reviews by sohipithurts

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Black    

I used this product for about a year and it did not help to even out my skin tone or to reduce redness. It did give off a nice shimmery finish that made my skin look like it was glowing, but with continued use the glowing look disappeared. This product was way too expensive and did little to improve the look of my skin.

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Psychadelle on 6/6/2012 6:22:00 PM more reviews by Psychadelle

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Brunette, Wavy   Eyes: Brown    

I was given 5 sachets of EL's Idealist Skintone Illuminator and by sachet 3, I knew I had to get this. My skin is blotchy at best of times - red cheeks, old acne scars, pigmentation marks, you name it! By sachet 5, my skin had gone through an incredible turnaround. My face is smoother, softer and the redness which I have suffered with for years is gone and so has most of the pigmentation marks! My acne scars are still there but they have faded considerably. Even my husband who is normally so blasé actually commented, twice(!) that my skin was looking so much clearer and better. This has been a lifesaver. I feel more confident now knowing that underneath this veil of makeup, I have good skin!

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

suukyi on 6/6/2012 5:57:00 PM more reviews by suukyi

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I've used two jars of this product until I decided to go on to something else and never go back. I think it's great in lightening acne scars, but the effects are temporary. I was told by an Estee Lauder rep that for this serum to be effective I should always use a moisturizer over it, and I followed these instructions but still didn't get the results I wanted.
Also, this makes my face look shiny even when I don't use makeup. I'd like for my skin to look translucent and luminous, but not in the sense of having green/yellow shinny glitter on my face. If I had to go out of the house without makeup, I'd rather go out without this product on.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No