-Bobbi Brown

Holiday 2008 Review – Bobbi Brown Copper Diamond Shimmer Brick Compact

by PJ on Wednesday, December 3, 2008

in -Bobbi Brown, 2008 Holiday, makeup, makeup - base makeup - powder, makeup - blusher, makeup - eyeshadow

Shimmer Brick is probably one of Bobbi Brown‘s most popular items. For holiday 2008, Bobbi Brown has released a limited-edition Copper Diamond Shimmer Brick Compact.

The five subtly different shades are packaged in a very glamorous gold case with a decent-sized mirror, although the case always seems slightly lighter than how I’d like it to be (especially when I compare it with Dior’s Night Diamond, which is smaller and thinner but a lot heavier).

The compact includes various shades of beige and light bronze. The combination of these shades is a warm beige with hints of gold that should suit most skin tones (unless you have a cool-toned fair skin tone, in which case a platinum-toned highlighter would be more complementary). When applied with a powder brush, the finish is shimmery with visible multi-colored shimmery particles. When used as eyeshadows, they can be built up to a metallic finish (with a low pigmentation level.)

I personally find this compact to be the most useful as a highlighter for cheek bones. (For me, it is almost too shimmery for the T-zone.) I use it over my powder foundation and under my (predominantly matte) loose powder. This way, the finish is more glowy than shimmery and suits me a lot better.

Apart from a face highlighter, it can be easily used as a body shimmer to add a bit of pizazz to your party looks.

For swatches and FOTDs, please check out this post by The Muse at Musings of a Muse.

Bobbi Brown Basics Eye Palette

Bobbi Brown Metallic Eye Shadows

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Makeup Review: Bobbi Brown Metallic Eye Shadows

by PJ on Tuesday, November 11, 2008

in -Bobbi Brown, makeup, makeup - eyeshadow

(Bobbi Brown Metallic Eyeshadows in (from left)
Gold Dust, Champagne Quartz, Lavender, and Gold Peach)

Bobbi Brown‘s Metallic Eye Shadows used to be limited editions for fall 2007, but they are now back as part of the permanent lineup. Today I am reviewing four from the seventeen shades in the range.

– Gold Dust

All the three neutrals here are quite light and have a very metallic finish. Gold Dust is marginally the lightest of the three, and it also has the most yellow-gold undertone and looks the least warm. (I think this is what was used on the Bobbi Brown model for the Metallics Collection. Please refer to this post on Makeup Bag.) It offers more intense metallic shimmer than color, and it should work for most complexions as a good highlighter for the brow bones and the inner corners of the eyes.

– Champagne Quartz (left) and Gold Peach

The two look very similar in the cases, and they have a similar peach undertone. (The both look warmer than Gold Dust). When applied, Champagne Quartz is the slightly darker one of the two and has slightly more pigment underneath the metallic finish.

Out of the four shades in this review, Champagne Quartz is the only one that can work as a shadowing shade (if you have a light complexion). The others are more for lighting up the eyes.

– Lavender

Even though Lavender is in the Metallic Eye Shadow range, it looks more softly shimmery than metallic. I presume the metallic finish is dialled down purposefully for this shade, and I do like it better this way for lilacs. (I personally think shimmery soft lilacs look better on me than intensely metallic ones.) It is moderately pigmented, and the shimmer looks understated. This can work on its own or as a base to enhance the look for your other (darker) lilac/purple eyeshadows.

All the shades here have a smooth texture, although Lavender appears to be slightly more powdery than the rest. They are all easy to apply and blend, and the shimmery/metallic finish holds well overtime.

I have mentioned before that I tend to prefer softly shimmery eyeshadows to metallic ones. But after trying out Gold Dust and Gold Peach, I do think that, when applied on the immediate eye area, light metallic shades can work very well in brighting up the eyes and waking up the face.

(For those that have crepes in the eyelids, do be light-handed with metallic shades (especially very light ones), as they can make the lines look more obvious.)

For another review of the range (including Champagne Quartz, Lavender, and Cognac) and some lovely FTODs , do check out The Muse’s post on Musings of a Muse. For (very accurate) swatches of the Metallic Eye Shadow range, please visit Karla Sugar’s blog.

Bobbi Brown Holiday 2008 Basics Eye Palette

Coffret D’Or 3D Lighting Eyes in Gold Variation

Lavshuca Summer Gradually Compact

Paul & Joe Eye Shadow in 05
(a soft (and slightly cooler) lilac)

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Bobbi Brown Pink Ribbon Collection

by PJ on Wednesday, October 15, 2008

in -Bobbi Brown, makeup

(image from Bobbi Brown)

Supporting the Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Bobbi Brown has released the Pink Ribbon Collection. The collection includes Lip Colour in Tulle and the exclusive Glitter Lip Gloss in Pink Quartz.

The collection is priced at £27. In the UK, the entire purchase price less VAT will be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation‘s research study at The Royal Marsden in London. In the Republic of Ireland, the same donation will go to the Cancer Clinical Research Trust at St. Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin.

The collection will be available throughout October 2008.

BBN_BCA

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Makeup Review: Bobbi Brown Holiday 2008 Basics Eye Palette

by PJ on Monday, September 15, 2008

in -Bobbi Brown, 2008 Holiday, makeup, makeup - eyeshadow

(Bobbi Brown Holiday 2008 Basics Eye Palette)
(all images from Bobbi Brown)

Bobbi Brown usually brings out a wide range of items for the holiday season. The shades are often slightly more glamorous but still wearable. Today I am reviewing one of Bobbi Brown’s holiday 2008 releases, Basics Eye Palette.

The palette features a base shade, two shadowing shades and a lining shade:

– Eye Shadow in Navajo (exclusive): sheer matte off-white cream
– Eye Shadow in Cement: moderately pigmented matte medium taupe
– Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow in Heather Mauve: well-pigmented medium taupe with a soft metallic finish
– Eye Shadow in Mahogany: densely-pigmented matte dark brown

(The shades are slightly darker and (pleasantly) warmer than how they appear in the photo above.)

Cement and Heather Mauve can be used interchangeably, depending on the overall finish you want for the day. The matte Cement really adds depth for the eyes, while the shimmery Heather Mauve can either be used alone or lightly on top of Cement where you want a bit of shimmer.

Navajo goes on very subtle and sheer. It can be a good base or a very subtle brow highlighter. Espresso glides well as an eyeliner. The effect can be as natural or intense as you want but the shade is very natural in itself.

All the shades, as expected of Bobbi Brown, have a nice texture. (Mauve Heather is particularly smooth and silky.)

Overall, the Basics Eye Palette should suit light and medium skin tones and can create both subtle and slightly more dramatic looks. If you want more intense shades, the new Velvet Plum Eye Palette (seen below), also from Bobbi Brown’s Christmas 2008 Collection, should be a good choice.

(Velvet Plum Eye Palette)

(from left to right)
– Eye Shadow in Bone
– Eye Shadow in Naked
– Metallic Eye Shadow in Velvet Plum
– Eye Shadow in Espresso

Bobbi Brown will also release a double-decker Lip & Eye Palette for the holiday season. It features four Creamy Lip Colors and four Metallic Eye Shadows:

(Lip & Eye Palette)

Creamy Lip Colors:

– Berry Mauve
– Pink Sequin
– Dusty Mauve (exclusive)
– Ruby (exclusive)

Metallic Eye Shadows:
– Champagne Quartz
– Gold Dust
– Golden Bronze (exclusive)
– Galaxy (exclusive)

All three palettes will be available in the UK in October.

Other holiday 2008 collections:

Dior

Lancôme

NARS

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Cosmetics Best-Sellers Across Japan: 2006

by PJ on Sunday, March 18, 2007

in -Anna Sui, -Biotherm, -Bobbi Brown, -Chanel, -Clarins, -Clé de Peau, -Clinique, -Dior, -Helena Rubinstein, -Lancôme, -Paul & Joe, -RMK, -Shiseido, -SK-II, -YSL, all about Japanese cosmetics, bodycare, makeup, makeup - base makeup, skincare

I came across an interesting feature on the January issue of Biteki magazine. It lists best-sellers in each major department store throughout Japan and compares what customers like in different parts of the country. Today I am listing some of them as a whole (non-areal-specific) for you to have a look and I am focusing on products from brands available internationally.

*Skincare/Bodycare*

Shiseido Cle de Peau: Lotion Tendre
Clinique: Turnaround Concentrate
Origins: Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Plantidote Mega-Mushroom Face Serum
Dior: Capture Totale Multi-Protection Correction Serum
RMK: Skin Smoother
RMK: Face Protector SPF 31
Biotherm: Celluli Peel
Clarins: Total Body Lift
SKII: Skin Treatment Essence

*Base Makeup*

RMK: Makeup Base
RMK: Creamy Makeup Base Mat
RMK: Liquid Foundation
YSL: Touche Eclat
Clinique: All About Eyes Concealer
Clinique: Perfectly Real Makeup

*Color Makeup*

Bobbi Brown: Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner
Helena Rubinstein: Lash Queen Water-Proof

Lancome: L’Extreme Water-Proof

Lancome: Juicy Tube 17
Chanel: Rouge Allure 04, 13, 30
Dior: Rouge Dior 434
RMK: Ingenious Cheeks 29
RMK: Water Color Eyes 04
Anna Sui: Nail Color 333
Paul & Joe: Nail Color 26

(from Biteki January 2007)

One thing I have noticed is that there is one lipstick that tops virtually all the department store top-selling lists: Dior Addict Ultra Shine 2 in 340 Shiniest Peach. Ultra Shine 2 is only available in Asia at the moment, but the very exclusive Harvey Nichols in London actually has it!

Coming up in my next post, I will be sharing my daily foundation routine.

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