UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 4
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
( ) Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16.
Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instructions 1(b).
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person
   Lauder, Ronald S.
   The Estee Lauder Companies Inc.
   767 Fifth Avenue
   New York, NY  10153
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
   The Estee Lauder Companies Inc.
   EL
3. IRS or Social Security Number of Reporting Person (Voluntary)

4. Statement for Month/Year
   07/31/1999
5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Year)

6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)
   (X) Director (X) 10% Owner (X) Officer (give title below) ( ) Other
   (specify below)
   Chairman of Clinique Laboratories, Inc. and Estee Lauder International, Inc.
7. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)
   (X) Form filed by One Reporting Person
   ( ) Form filed by More than One Reporting Person


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 Table I -- Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned                                                 |
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1. Title of Security       |2.    |3.    |4.Securities Acquired (A)         |5.Amount of        |6.Dir |7.Nature of Indirect       |
                           | Transaction |  or Disposed of (D)              |  Securities       |ect   |  Beneficial Ownership     |
                           |      |      |                                  |  Beneficially     |(D)or |                           |
                           |      |    | |                  | A/|           |  Owned at         |Indir |                           |
                           | Date |Code|V|    Amount        | D |    Price  |  End of Month     |ect(I)|                           |
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 Table II -- Derivative Securitites Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned                                                   |
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1.Title of Derivative |2.Con-  |3.   |4.    |5.Number of De |6.Date Exer|7.Title and Amount  |8.Price|9.Number    |10.|11.Nature of|
  Security            |version |Transaction | rivative Secu |cisable and|  of Underlying     |of Deri|of Deriva   |Dir|Indirect    |
                      |or Exer |     |      | rities Acqui  |Expiration |  Securities        |vative |tive        |ect|Beneficial  |
                      |cise    |     |      | red(A) or Dis |Date(Month/|                    |Secu   |Securities  |(D)|Ownership   |
                      |Price of|     |      | posed of(D)   |Day/Year)  |                    |rity   |Benefi      |or |            |
                      |Deriva- |     |      |               |Date |Expir|                    |       |ficially    |Ind|            |
                      |tive    |     |      |           | A/|Exer-|ation|   Title and Number |       |Owned at    |ire|            |
                      |Secu-   |     |    | |           | D |cisa-|Date |   of Shares        |       |End of      |ct |            |
                      |rity    |Date |Code|V|  Amount   |   |ble  |     |                    |       |Month       |(I)|            |
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Option (Right to Buy) |$49.75  |7/1/1|A   |V|250,000    |A  |(1)  |7/1/2|Class A Comm|250,000|       |250,000     |D  |            |
                      |        |999  |    | |           |   |     |009  |on Stock    |       |       |            |   |            |
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                      |        |     |    | |           |   |     |     |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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Explanation of Responses:
1. Options granted pursuant to Employment Agreement in respect of 83,334 shares
exercisable from and after
January 1, 2003; 83,334 shares exercisable from and after January 1, 2004;
83,332 shares exercisable from and
after January 1,
2005.
SIGNATURE OF REPORTING PERSON
Ronald S. Lauder
DATE
08/03/1999