When news surfaced that Bobbi Brown was coming out with a new full color lipstick formulation in cream colors I wasn’t too interested. I thought the colors would be too opaque and boring but was proven wrong. One swipe of Bare Pink at the counter and I was in love with the smooth lightweight texture that gave full but not-too-thick coverage. I took advantage of the Neiman Marcus Beauty Event (still going on) and picked up some shades for myself and my mom.
These lipsticks are $22 each with a lightweight cream texture. They are full coverage like her regular lipsticks but glide on easier & smoother with a moisturizing feel. They’re described perfectly on BobbiBrownCosmetics.com, “Lightweight, yet intense, Bobbi’s latest formula combines pigments with a clear base to deliver pure, crisp color with just one swipe.” There’s a slight sunscreen scent when you first apply it on the lips but it fades. I tested Lilac this afternoon and it had excellent lasting power without any liner. The finish is semi-matte and the packaging is semi-matte with a glossy black middle. I love her packaging of individual items because they are great size for the price, conveniently packaged with sleek and simple classic designs. As much as I appreciate her palettes, I really love her individual items more.
The colors I ended up with for myself:
Bare Pink is a beige nude with slight pinkish tones
Heather Pink is a medium nude brown-pink
Lilac is a cool pink
Swatched on the arm:
Swatched on the lips, FYI on the skin is Chanel Teint Innocence in Shell (liquid):
The cute GWP from Neimans with a $150 purchase is two credit card sized palettes the brushes are really crummy in these, but the actual product is a good sample size.
Overall very impressed with the texture and coverage. I really love the way these feel on the lips. The smooth full coverage finish is superb without any feathering, streaking or unevenness. There are many other reviews on these lipsticks from other fabulous bloggers.
A few reviews I found very helpful:
Karlasugar has all the shades lined up swatched on paper
I’ve accumulated so many brushes over the years from dozens of different brands, I’m embarrassed to admit just how many I have. Finding the right tools are essential for good makeup application – I’ve played with each and every brush using them for practically every type of powder or cream, experimenting with different textured products, trying different application techniques, testing out different angles & applying different pressure. When I first started blogging I did a comprehensive post on all the brushes I own by type. I’ve linked it here Beauty Tools & Essentials: Eye Brushes for your reference.
The brushes listed below are my go-to brushes that I love so much I have multiples of these. Some have lasted me over 10 years now. I wash mine with Neutrogena’s Body Wash as needed. Probably about once every couple of weeks to once a month. Note I do not have a crease so I don’t typically use brushes specifically for the crease or outer V.
I personally prefer full sized brushes with longer handles because they are easier to hold in the hands while applying and they are easier to store. For short-handled travel brushes, I’ve accumulated a number from different sets but have never found the perfect travel brush set. I usually tend to avoid those brush sets simply because I find the quality to be poor. Laura Mercier seems to be the exception and has the best ones I’ve tried and I love her mini brushes that come with special sets or palettes.
1. Stila #4 Precision Eye Liner Brush $20 – this one has lasted me since my senior year in high school, soft but precise for layering dark shadows over a pencil or gel liner
2. Laura Mercier Smudge Brush $24 – small dense smudge brush with a fine point at the tip, good for getting into those corners or detail areas, extremely versatile for powders & creams, I like that it’s dense but soft and easy on my sensitive eyes, great for smudging liner for a soft blended look
3. Becca Brush #11 – now discontinued, similar in shape to MAC 242 – this is my perfect brush for cream eyeshadow
4. MAC 224 Tapered Blending Brush $29 – soft loose and fluffy, best for a super sheer wash of color and good for blending colors
5. MAC 219 Pencil Brush $24.50 – small pointy and dense, good for a smokey eye and getting to corners for detailing along bottom lashes
6. MAC 217 Blending Brush $22.50 – one of my most favorite brushes ever, super soft and versatile, great for blending and layering, love that it’s big enough to cover a big portion of the eye but small enough to control color where you want it, definitely a must have in every collection
7. MAC 239 Eye Shader Brush $24.50 – another favorite, this is the best brush to pack on color by patting or sweeping, picks up product well and allows control depending on how much product you have on your brush and the pressure you use to apply powders on the lids, if you use it sideways (versus flat) you can use it to get a smudgey line, another great versatile brush, blends colors well
8. MAC 242 Shader Brush $24.50 – I like this for cream shadows that I don’t want all over the lid, the small size allows thicker more pigmented application, I’ve used this for smudging gel liners, it also works for powders too, but I mostly use this for creams
9. Bobbi Brown Ultra Fine Eyeliner Brush $25 – no comparison for gel liners, this is the best one I’ve tried, the tiny tip allows for a precise application even for those with unsteady hands
10. Bobbi Brown Eye Liner Brush $25 – another great option for powder eye liners and precise application with one sweep, I don’t like angled liner brushes because I find the tips too wide and harsh for my eyes, this one from Bobbi Brown is stiff but gentle
11. Trish McEvoy #21 Large Laydown $53 – pricey and a total splurge but well worth the price, love this for both powders and creams
12. MAC 227 Large Fluff Brush $30 – a great all over fluff brush that is densely packed but allows for an even wash of color all over the eyes with one sweep
There are a few previews of the upcoming Bobbi Brown & Tibi collaboration for the Peony & Python collection floating around the web. We finally have our first glimpse from Neiman Marcus in an exclusive preview set which includes the following ($95):
Pink Peony Illuminating Bronzer (new) – a cool pink with gold flecks
Black Mauve Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner (repromote) – taupe purple bronze
Two Mini Brushes
I bought this mainly because of the new Pink Peony Bronzer & the cute zippered pouch it comes in. Pricey for just 2 things but I am nearly out of my Pink Lilac gloss and can easily re-gift the Black Mauve Shimmer Ink gel liner. To breakdown the cost by full-sized individual product, Illuminating Bronzers $33 + Gel Liner $21 + Brightening Gloss $22 = $76, which means you pay $19 for the pouch and two mini brushes. Unfortunately the two mini brushes are pretty crappy – the blender brush sheds like crazy and the gel liner brush is too small in the handle to get an easy grip with your hand. Pretty disappointing.
As disappointing as the brushes are, the colors are beautiful Pink Peony is a cooler and slightly deeper version of Maui & Antigua Illuminating Bronzers. I thought Antigua/Maui were pinkish, but Pink Peony is more of a true pink while the others are warmer. Pink Peony is also a more pigmented version of Pink Sugar Shimmer Blush (which goes on sheer on me). Here are the comparisons:
Black Mauve Shimmer Wash is a repromote. Bobbi Brown Gel Liners are among my favorite for gel liners. Here it is compared to a few other brownish & purple colors from Bobbi Brown. If you haven’t checked out Black Mauve Shimmer – definitely do!
The Brightening Glosses are sheer but luminous. I love these alone, over liner or over lipstick for a soft sheen. The texture is smooth and semi-thick, but not too sticky. They do have that annoying bristle brush which can get messy from inserting back into the tube. I love everything about Bobbi Brown’s glosses from the small simple packaging and texture and scent but I keep hoping one day she will change the brush tip.
All the comparisons swatched:
Overall lovely! If you don’t have the gloss or gel liner I think it’s a decent deal. As much as I hate the brushes in this set, I find they are usable and ok for touch ups – just far below the quality of her full-sized brushes. Brands need to take lessons from Laura Mercier who produces wonderful mini brushes in her sets & palettes which I find are of excellent quality (not identical to her full size, but still very very good).
I scanned these from Maquia’s February 2011 issue. A few sneak peeks of what’s to come. Note, I cannot translate this so I won’t be able to answer questions about the products, your guess is as good as mine is. However, there are number indicators on some of the products which help me try to figure out the coordinating product number to name. Also note Maquia is a Japanese publication so I don’t know if the US will get all the items featured, I know in years past we haven’t, but I’m not sure about this year.
For more previews, check out Rouge Deluxe for her preview scans/photos from Biteki’s February 2011 publication. She’s great at finding out new information and has a number of sneak peek and links to previews of stuff coming out this spring.
At the moment I have no information about what else is coming out or when items will be released except for Chanel, MAC and Bobbi Brown: I do know the Bobbi Brown Pretty Powerful palettes have been released, I saw them at Nordstrom this morning but passed since they combine creams and powders in the same level for the palette – a BIG NO-NO for me.
Please do not republish these on message boards, blogs, websites or anywhere else as it took me some time to scan each in and format them to fit this blog. Thank you.
Holiday palettes and kits are being released everywhere and it seems like there’s something new from Bobbi Brown every week. I can hardly keep track. Bloomingdale’s has a new exclusive holiday set this year called the Everything Eye Kit ($85). It comes with a 5-pan eyeshadow palette, full-sized Everything Mascara in Black and a new Thunderstorm Gel Eye Liner.
The palette contains a mix of regular, sparkle and shimmer wash colors. Inside it has (left to right) Navajo, Gold Bar Sparkle, Quarry Shimmer Wash, Pink Copper Sparkle and Caviar. Navajo/Caviar are repromotes. Gold Bar and Pink Copper are labeled as “sparkles” but they seem remarkably similar to those Diamond Dust shadows Bobbi Brown released around 2006. They don’t seem like her regular sparkle shadow formula in the sense that they aren’t chunky but they do have quite a bit of sparkle. Quarry is a gorgeous silvery smokey shimmer – I wish she would release this in a full sized individual color.
Thunderstorm Eyeliner is a new exclusive shade. It’s a dark neutral grey with tiny silver sparkles. It looks remarkably similar to the other darker blacks and greys in the container. I would say Thunderstorm is a less blue version of Graphite Shimmer Ink.
Here it is compared to Graphite Shimmer Ink, Black Ink, Caviar Ink and Gunmetal Shimmer Ink Gel Liners from Bobbi Brown. When you scroll down to the swatches you’ll see the difference between each color. In the pots they all look the same. On the skin it’s a bit different. (Note: A number of these were from various GWPs over past years but I’ve lost track of which ones I received as gifts.)
My thoughts: It’s a pretty set but not a must-have for long-time Bobbi Brown fans – this set will probably be a replica of what you already own. If it weren’t for the GWP for beauty benefits at Bloomies I probably wouldn’t have bought this kit. I do think it’s a great starter kit for those who are looking for a good set of wearable and highly versatile shades. If you don’t have a good dark eyeliner, Bobbi Brown’s Gel Liners are among my favorites. Thunderstorm is a lovely dark smokey shade that will define the eyes without looking too harsh. The sparkle shadows are beautiful and aren’t over the top when applied with a light-to-medium hand.
Do be aware the palette is fairly tiny – it seems to be a trend for many brands this year. If you want a more detailed breakdown of what this costs based on full-sized gel liner and mascara you get:
$21 = regular cost of gel liners
$22 = regular cost of everything mascara
$42 = what you pay for the palette, which is about $8 per shadow (times 5) + whatever you want to estimate for the cost of the dual-ended mini brush
I personally would rather pick out full-sized individual items and pay more for colors I really like. I’ve never been a fan of Bobbi’s mascaras so the one from this set will most likely be gifted away. As much as I love sets and palettes, I am DYING for Bobbi Brown to release individual eyeshadows like she used to – in shimmer wash and metallic formulas please! I am hoping all these companies will get out of the palette trend come spring.
A few holiday sets are trickling in stores and Bobbi Brown’s first round of holiday palettes are stunning. The one that caught my eye was her new Modern Classic Lip & Eye Palette ($75) which contains 10 different eyeshadows and 4 lip glosses. I found this at Nordstrom but don’t know if other counters have these yet. I assume very soon if you haven’t spotted them recently.
This comes in a similar size to her Chrome Palette from last year, but the colors in this palette are so much better. The shadows are to die for and come in matte, shimmer wash, metallic finishes. They are all soft and easy to blend with excellent pigment. I only wish she would release more singles instead of palettes. The lipglosses are very sheer but will look stunning over other lipsticks.
Regulars/Mattes: Ivory, Birch, Navy Charcoal (although this has slight sparkle), Espresso
Shimmer Washes: Antique Pink, Quarry, Heather Rose
Metallics: Oyster Grey, Taffeta, Gold Thread
The glosses (first three from the left are glitters):
Overall stunning and absolutely gorgeous. The shades were all swatched without any base or moisturizer so you can imagine how much better they will look when used over a proper base. The swatches simply cannot do these justice. Definitely a winner and a must have, even with the high price tag. It’s extremely versatile and you’ll get a lot of different looks using this palette.
The other eyeshadow and lip palettes were also to die for. I’m just waiting for another event/gwp which I believe will happen soon at Neimans.
I’ve never been happier that it’s finally Friday. I survived the first week at my new job and don’t want to think about anything work-related or work-appropriate for the next few days. I thought it fitting to feature the new Sparkle Eyeshadows ($24) from Bobbi Brown’s Black Velvet collection which are loaded with visible sparkle and glitters. Both of which I think are not exactly appropriate for the office but perfect for going out (just my opinion).
A small intro: When I saw Bobbi Brown’s Black Velvet Collection (see my previous review here) all the counters near me seemed to be missing the testers and product to sell for the new sparkle eyeshadow colors. Having dismissed her past sparkle shadows as too glitzy, I wasn’t too concerned that the counter was missing these in their inventory. However when I passed by the counter last weekend and saw these in person I changed my mind.
If you’ve tried her sparkle shadows you know that these are chock full of sparkle. These are Bobbi Brown’s “grown-up take on glitter” and while I’m rarely attracted to glitter for makeup, I am oddly in love with these. The texture itself in the compact seems chunky and testers that aren’t handled with care do tend to look broken or dented with gaping holes. But I think they will hold up better when handled with your own personal love and care. They feel slightly creamy – but this is probably because of the softness. They are very pigmented, easy to blend, easy to layer for a sheer to full coverage smokey eye. I have surprised even myself as I am IN LOVE!
Black Sparkle is a blue-based black while Black Velvet is a smokey metallic mauve-purple. Gorgeous and intense. There is nothing subtle about these, but not too over the top for date night or going out for drinks. I don’t think you need both – if I had to only pick one I would opt for Black Sparkle just because it’s deeper and more dramatic. If you remember MAC’s Style Black collection – these are more complex and deeper than the black or purple shades. They also apply better dry. I haven’t tried these wet, but I imagine they will apply with a foiled-like finish if applied with a damp brush. It will be interesting to see how the shades from MAC’s Villains collections will compare.
These come with a clear flip-top lid, much like the compacted glosses which is nice to keep the glitter from spreading to other shades in the event you put these shadows in palettes:
A few close ups:
Black Sparkle
Black Velvet Sparkle
Swatches:
Overall winners for me. I do recommend you start with a sheer application and layer it for a heavier eye. These are very intense so applying a lot in the beginning might result in a black-and-bruised looking eye. I have lids without a crease so I have applied these along the upper lash line and blended upwards for a smokey liner-type shadow. I have found that applying the metallic shadows from the Black Velvet Collection on top of the sparkle shadows intensifies the look. Do give yourself plenty of time to experiment. I think these need some practice to get used to – I wouldn’t recommend trying these out if you have a short amount of time to get ready unless you’re an expert with dark smoldery shadows.
