Bobbi Brown

Sweet! It’s the Bobbi Brown Raw Sugar Collection for Summer 2014

May 21st, 2014 by Karen 8 Comments

Raw Sugar.

I like the sound of that. 🙂 Sweet but tough. Plus, hello, sugar.

It’s the name of Bobbi Brown’s summer collection, which reminds me, I just finished a huge Rice Krispie treat for dessert, and it was hella good, but I digress…

It’s summer makeup for Bobbi Brown minimalists, with bronzers, lip tints, nail polishes, a Beach perfume and body oil, and a shimmer brick of neutral eyeshadows.

I’m most excited about the perfume, truth be told. Bobbi Brown Beach symbolizes summer to me, and I never get tired of it.

As for the rest of the collection, well… The colors in the eyeshadow shimmer brick are so similar that I’m pretty sure they’ll look more or less the same on me, and the bronzers and lip balms don’t particularly excite me, either.

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With CC Cream SPF 35, When It Comes to Healthy-Looking Skin, Bobbi Brown Says You Can Have It All

March 13th, 2014 by Karen 14 Comments

OoooOOOOooh!

Bobbi Brown’s new CC Creams with SPF 35 ($44 per tube) are supposed to perform a number of beauty feats, from color correcting to protecting your skin from sun damage to evening out your skin tone over time.

That last claim is the most interesting one to me…

“A dream cream for healthy-looking skin — this concentrated yet lightweight formula color corrects, illuminates and protects for brighter, more even-toned skin (instantly and over time).”

— bobbibrown.com

I haven’t had a chance to try it yet because when I spotted it at a counter last weekend I was already wearing a full face of makeup (#makeupaddictproblems), but I did swatch them on the back of my hand.

First observation: they seemed pretty sheer and felt like MAC’s CC Colour Correct cream products.

I’m guessing they’ll be good for someone who wants to wear a color-correcting base/illuminator beneath foundation, or someone with great skin who doesn’t really wear a lot of face products and just wants a little boost.

You can find it now at Bobbi Brown counters and bobbibrowncosmetics.com, available in three different shades.

Mantra of the Day, According to Bobbi Brown’s Pink Peony Illuminating Bronzing Powder

February 18th, 2014 by Karen 11 Comments

Be bold!

Alright then, Bobbi. If you say so.

I will be the boldest cat lady I can! 🙂

This sheer rosy pink ALL-CAPS compact, which Bobbi calls a bronzer, is from the new Uber Pink collection.

Just dust it on your face wherever the sun naturally falls, like your forehead, cheeks, nose and chin, for a natural-looking glow, thanks to its pearly finish.

I don’t really use this for heavy-duty contouring, obvs, because it’s pink, but I do use it for all-over warmth. I’ll swipe a little across my cheeks (by itself or atop a rosy pink blush) and across my forehead with a fluffy brush.

The pink is super subtle, so unless you build it up on purpose, you won’t end up walking around with a pink forehead, LOL!

Oh, and sometimes I also wear this as a basic blush.

It’s available now at Bobbi Brown counters and bobbibrowncosmetics.com for $38.

Bobbi Brown Pink Peony Swatch — Pink Peony built up on the left and sheered out on the right

The Bobbi Brown Nectar & Nude Collection Intoxicates Makeup Lovers With an Ambrosia of Beige, Brown, Peach and Coral

February 17th, 2014 by Karen 23 Comments

The new Bobbi Brown Nectar & Nude Collection

Truth be told, I was not expecting to run into this ray of sunshine when I swung by the Bobbi Brown counter at the mall today.

I was just stopping by to spritz a little Beach on my wrist (seriously, on a cold day, that stuff is better than an electric blanket), but then I spotted this limited edition collection…

Bobbi Brown Nectar & Nude Collection — Clockwise from the round pan in the lower left: the limited edition Pot Rouge for Lips & Cheeks in Hibiscus ($26); limited edition Nectar & Nude Eye Palette ($48); limited edition Glitter Nail Polish in Bare Peach ($15); and the limited edition Lip Glosses in Nectar, Nude Pink and Bare Peach ($25 each). Not pictured from the collection: limited edition Nail Polish in Nectar ($15) and the permanent Nectar Shimmer Brick ($42)

It reminds me of 2012’s Neons & Nudes collection (remember that one?), but with peach and coral instead of purple and hot pink.

I do wish the eyeshadows weren’t so…well, nude. I would’ve loved to see some darker, richer browns, but that’s probably just my tan talking (“Please, Bobbi! Don’t make me have to apply so many layers!”). Lighter lasses should be able to pull off these shades (and do great things with them) more easily.

Bobbi Brown Nectar & Nude Eye Palette — The Nectar & Nude Eye Palette ($48)

Bobbi Brown Nectar & Nude Lip Glosses — Nectar & Nude Lip Glosses ($25 each)

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“Be Pretty!” Said Bobbi Brown’s Pinkish Bronze Antigua Illuminating Bronzing Powder

February 12th, 2014 by Karen 22 Comments

Bobbi Brown Antigua Illuminating Bronzing Powder

BIG smile. 🙂

I get one every time I open Bobbi Brown’s Antigua Illuminating Bronzing Powder.

This particular pinkish bronze issues its orders (“Be pretty!”) from the Uber Pink collection.

I’m partial to wearing it as a blush on my cheeks.

It’s available now for $38 at Bobbi Brown counters and bobbibrowncosmetics.com.

Bobbi Brown Antigua Illuminating Bronzing Powder swatch — Antigua on my NC42 skin

What’s That Eye See? New Sunglasses By Bobbi Brown

February 3rd, 2014 by Karen 10 Comments

Look what I spotted at the mall last week, new sunglasses by Bobbi Brown.

Seems kind of random, but Bobbi is sometimes pictured wearing a pair o’ black specs, so I guess it makes sense.

Some of them are pretty darned cute. Lots of chunky, hip frames that should go with just about everything. Prices are from $139-179, so they’re not inexpensive.

What do you think? I’d totally rock the Stella.

Glow On With Yo’ Bad Self! Bobbi Brown Heralds 2014 With the Nude Glow Collection

December 17th, 2013 by Karen 18 Comments

Six of the 10 pieces in the new Bobbi Brown Nude Glow Collection, coming January 2014

So, last night El Hub and I were having dinner at this Puerto Rican place we like called Sol Food in San Rafael (YUM! Any Bay Area girls been there?) when he asked what I wanted to do for New Year’s.

“Hmm…” I said. To be honest, I hadn’t given it any thought. I forgot that we’re barely two weeks from the end of the year.

Can you believe it? 2014 already?

So, I have no clue what to do for NYE, but even if we end up staying home and just watching the ball drop on TV, there will be sparkly makeup up in the mix. Of that, you can be sure. 🙂

Bobbi Brown may be able to help, too. She says that her new Nude Glow makeup collection is like sparkly jewelry for your everyday wardrobe.

Yeah…I can get behind that.

The release hits counters in January with 10 pieces, including eyeshadow quads, sheer lipsticks, nail polishes and new shimmer bricks (aka, Brightening Finishing Powders) — all limited edition.

The theme, like we’ve been seeing a lot lately, is look brightening. The pieces are designed to instantly, easily enhance your skin tone and brighten your look, and get you gorgeously glowing for early 2014.

The Bobbi Brown Nude Glow collection includes…

Limited Edition Eye Palette in Nude (Shades: Dove Grey Eye Shadow, Ballet Pink Sparkle Eye Shadow, Nude Eye Shadow and Cement Sparkle Eye Shadow), $44

Limited Edition Eye Palette in Crystal (Shades: Porcelain Eye Shadow, Opal Sparkle Eye Shadow, Mica Sparkle Eye Shadow and Angel Pink Eye Shadow), $44

Limited Edition Eye Palette in Bronze (Shades: Gold Bar Sparkle Eye Shadow, Amber Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow, Toast Eye Shadow and Rich Bronze Eye Shadow), $44

Limited Edition Sheer Lip Colors in Pink Rose, Pink Flush and Pink Gold, $28 each

Limited Edition Nail Polishes in Pale, Ballet Pink Glitter and Bronze Shimmer, $15 each

Limited Edition Brightening Finishing Powder (Shades: Brightening Nudes, Porcelain Pearl and Bronze Glow), $50

Let’s see… “Luminous” is the best word I can think of to describe these pieces. The eyeshadow quads and sheer lipsticks all have that radiant, glowing quality that Bobbi does so well. Sparkle features prominently, but it’s not, like, club glitter, if ya know what I mean. Everything here, even the silver packaging (LOVE IT, but it’s a paint to keep clean), looks luxe and expensive to me.

Here’s a quick peek at six of the 10 pieces. Let me know if something here catches your eye…

Bobbi Brown Nude Glow Collection Sheer Lip Color — Sheer Lip Colors from the left: Pink Flush, Pink Gold and Pink Rose, $28 each

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For a Fussy-Free Date Night Look, Try the New $30 Bobbi Brown Date Night Lip & Eye Palette

November 12th, 2013 by Karen 11 Comments

Maybe I’ve passed the point of no makeup return, but when I think of date night, my first thoughts are usually something like, “Oooh, let’s pop two different colors in the crease,” or “I wanna layer these three liners for a smokey cat eye gradient, yeah!”

Then again, I do have a tendency to over-complicate things (says the woman who just mixed three different concealers to customize a color for her cheeks).

Bobbi Brown’s new $30 Date Night Lip & Eye Palette tries to keep things easy and streamlined, and even though I don’t usually equate paring down my makeup with date nights, I appreciate its simplicity, because sometimes those holiday palettes with, like, 25 different eyeshadows and 10 different lipsticks are just straight-up overwhelming.

Sometimes it’s easier to make a decision when you limit your options, ya know? And I think that’s one of this palette’s strengths. It comes with just enough to put together a pretty date night look, and you can always incorporate other products if you feel like it.

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