8 Best Estée Lauder Products We Keep Coming Back To (and Some New Favorites)

16.10.2026, 16:24 allure.com

Some beauty brands make temporary hits. Estée Lauder makes icons. The best Estée Lauder products have been earning permanent spots on bathroom shelves for decades, with repeat Allure Best of Beauty Award wins to back up their staying power. (Take the Advanced Night Repair serum, which remains one of the most recognizable bottles in skin care more than 40 years after its debut.)

But the brand isn't just coasting on nostalgia. Its newer skin-care launches are getting increasingly sophisticated, with ingredients and technologies aimed at everything from fine lines and loss of firmness to dryness and a weakened skin barrier. On the makeup front, even longtime favorites like the Double Wear foundation are getting major upgrades, proving there's still room for improvement after decades on the market. And then there's fragrance, including a fresh take on gourmands that might win over even those who usually find them too sweet. Ahead, our editors share the go-tos they can't imagine their routines without.

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Allure senior staff writer Elizabeth Gulino applying the Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Multi-Recovery Complex Serum

Why it’s worth it: Can a serum help your skin defy gravity? (Fun fact: Estée Lauder took the idea to new heights in 2020, sending 10 bottles of its Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex Serum to the International Space Station for an out-of-this-world marketing campaign.) Back on Earth, the serum is designed to work with the skin's natural overnight repair processes, thanks in part to the brand's proprietary tripeptide-32, also known as its Night Peptide. “We know that the skin undergoes circadian rhythms,” Joshua Zeichner, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City, previously told Allure. “Skin repairs itself while you sleep, undoing the damage that occurred during the day.” The brand says the peptide works with the skin's circadian rhythm to recover from daily stressors and look smoother and firmer over time. (That said, there's nothing in the formula, like retinoids, that makes it strictly nighttime-only.) Fermented ingredients like Bifida ferment lysate, yeast extract, and Lactobacillus ferment support the skin barrier, while glycerin and hyaluronic acid draw in moisture, and squalane and jojoba esters lock it in.

Tester feedback from senior staff writer Elizabeth Gulino

“I was introduced to this serum earlier this year, and I'm now on my second bottle. I seriously don't think I could live without it—I mostly use it at night, but will apply it in the morning if my skin is feeling dehydrated. Ever since I started putting it on my face, I've seen an improvement in my skin texture and radiance. Consider me a fan for life.” —Elizabeth Gulino, senior staff writer

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Allure beauty director Sarah Kinonen applying the Estée Lauder Futurist HydraPlump Tinted Lip Balm

Why it’s worth it: If you loved mood rings as a kid, Estée Lauder's Futurist HydraPlump Tinted Lip Balm has a similar color-changing trick up its sleeve, only it's your lips' chemistry doing the work. Take the shade Sheer Oasis, for example, which looks green in the tube but glides on clear before developing into a pretty, sheer tint as its pH-adaptive pigments react to your lips. Castor, apricot kernel, sweet cherry seed, and papaya seed oils deliver the hydration and softness you'd expect from a balm, while hyaluronic acid helps lips look plumper and fine lines less noticeable. Antioxidant vitamin E also protects lips from environmental stressors like pollution while adding further conditioning.

Kinonen before applying the Futurist HydraPlump Tinted Lip Balm

Kinonen after applying the Futurist HydraPlump Tinted Lip Balm

Tester feedback from beauty director Sarah Kinonen

“I'm not big on bold lips these days (much prefer a rosy neutral), but when the Estée Lauder Futurist HydraPlump Tinted Lip Balm in the cheery Cherry Glow came across my desk, I was immediately drawn to it. Maybe that's because in balm formats, vibrant colors don't seem so intimidating, or that the Cherry Glow shade reads more pinky mauve than bright red on my lips. Whatever the case may be, the sheer but buildable formula is super hydrating (made with apricot kernel and papaya seed oil), swipes onto lips with ease, and lasts a surprisingly long time—through daily commutes, midday Diet Cokes, and the team meetings.” —Sarah Kinonen, beauty director

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Allure content director Sophie Panych applying the Estée Lauder Glimmer Eau de Parfum Spray

Why it’s worth it: If you've written off gourmand fragrances as too sweet, Estée Lauder's Glimmer Eau de Parfum might change your mind. As the brand's first major foray into gourmand territory, this amber floral takes a more nuanced approach, opening with juicy raspberry and bright mandarin, softened by orange blossom. As it settles, a macaron rose accord brings in a sugary spin, but warm amber and earthy patchouli keep it from veering too dessert-like. Over time, classic woody notes (sandalwood and cedarwood) add depth while tonka bean lends a creamy warmth, making this gourmand just as fitting for a day at the office (where our tester wears it) as it is for a night out.

Tester feedback from content director Sophia Panych

“The name of this perfume captures how it smells exactly: bright, sparkly, optimistic... joyous even. It's the perfect balance of floral (orange blossom) and gourmand (vanilla bean, as well as accords of raspberry mousse and rose macaron), woody (sandalwood and cedarwood) and warm (amber), a combination that makes it one of those fragrances that's easy to wear, day or night, work or play, in the height of summer or the depths of winter.” —Sophia Panych, content director

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Allure contributing writer Christa Joanna Lee applying the Estée Lauder Glimmer Perfumed Body Lotion

Why it’s worth it: If you always forget to spritz on perfume before heading out the door, Estée Lauder's Glimmer Perfumed Body Lotion lets you check two things off your list at once: moisturizing your skin and smelling really good. It has the same warm blend of florals, amber, and sweetness as the matching eau de parfum, while glycerin and hyaluronic acid draw in hydration and sunflower seed oil and dimethicone soften dry skin. The lightweight formula absorbs without a heavy, greasy feel, so you can slather it from head to toe. Wear it solo for a softer take on Glimmer, or, if you can't get enough of that gourmand goodness, layer this body lotion under the perfume to have the scent linger longer.

Tester feedback from contributing commerce writer Christa Joanna Lee

“A great scent isn't exactly the first thing I look for in a body lotion, but Estée Lauder's Glimmer Perfumed Body Lotion made me realize it might be the motivation I needed to actually remember to moisturize after every shower. The formula absorbs with minimal fuss, leaves my skin feeling soft and nourished, and has a fragrance that lingers throughout the day without being overpowering.” —Christa Joanna Lee, contributing commerce writer

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Allure editor in chief Jessica Cruel applying the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Cream

Why it’s worth it: Still convinced your eye cream is just your night cream moonlighting in a smaller bottle? Editor in chief Jessica Cruel was in the same boat until she met Estée Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair Eye Lift + Sculpt, a “souped-up” version of the brand’s iconic Advanced Night Repair serum customized for eyes. It borrows the brand’s proprietary Night Peptide, but adds a 2HA Volume Filler—two forms of hyaluronic acid that plump the look of fine lines and crepey skin. Caffeine temporarily reduces puffiness, while Bifida ferment and other soothing ferments support the delicate skin barrier around the eyes. The silky cream isn't just for your undereyes either—it's ophthalmologist-tested for use all around your eye (lids, crow's feet, and inner corners), for a smoother, firmer, and more well-rested look.

Tester feedback from editor in chief Jessica Cruel

“I used to think eye cream was a scam. Isn't it just moisturizer by another name? Then I turned 35. It was then that I decided my dark circles needed special care. I was attracted to this line because I know the power of the best-selling Advanced Night Repair serum. This is a souped-up version customized for eyes. It has a similar lightweight texture but has two types of hyaluronic acid to help plump the area instantly. That minimizes the look of lines, which I appreciate before applying any type of concealer.” —Jessica Cruel, editor in chief

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Cruel applying the Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup

Why it’s worth it: Estée Lauder's Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup already had three Allure Best of Beauty Awards under its belt, so why mess with a good thing? Well, the brand did just that in 2026, giving its nearly 30-year-old foundation a major makeover—and earning a fourth Best of Beauty Award this year. The new formula comes in a whopping 70 shades, promises up to 36 hours of wear (up from 24), and feels lighter and more fluid than its predecessor.

The secret is the brand's proprietary Polymer Mesh Matrix Technology, which encourages the foundation to flex with your skin rather than settle into fine lines or uneven texture, while specially treated pigments prevent your shade from changing as oil builds up throughout the day. Glycerin and hyaluronic acid add hydration, while a blend of niacinamide and brown algae extract keeps excess oil in check. “Double Wear has earned its reputation because it gives you tremendous control and dependable wear,” says New Jersey-based makeup artist Lauren D’Amelio Ventre, who recommends applying a thin layer and building coverage only where needed.

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