Two things: first, apologies for the recent blogging hiatus! It was one of those unintentional no-I-don't-feel-like-writing-today-let's-see-what's-on-TV weeks. Second: I am absolutely in love with two new-to-me lipsticks and need to explain why they are awesome and deserve a place on your "to purchase" list.
First is Bobbi Brown's Treatment Lip Shine in Moonlight Rose. This is a moisturizing product (containing, among other things, cocoa and shea butter) that also delivers a beautiful my-lips-but-better effect. It comes in a surprisingly small, thin tube, which I love since it's easy to slip into a pocket or small purse.
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Initially I wasn't a huge fan of this lipstick. There was a strange, faint smell after application I didn't care for, but I kept using it because the color was so, so gorgeous. I later determined that the smell was probably from the shea butter (a scent I've never cared for) and after 10 or so uses it appears to have faded considerably.
So what made me a convert? Well, the color helped. Midnight Rose is a soft, dusky, rosy brown that perfectly compliments a neutral look. I most often wear it with Tarte's Exposed blush and an eye from the Naked 1 palette. Rather than being a boring neutral, though, Moonlight Rose has just a touch of shimmer, making it a more interesting and deeper shade than one would think on first glance. It also does EXACTLY what it claims in the moisturizing department, and I absolutely love how soft and supple it makes my lips feel. It does fade unevenly (not a huge problem since it's such a muted shade) after 3-4 hours of wear, which takes points away from its overall awesomeness, but the moisturizing effects last much longer than the color.
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The second lipstick I'm loving is Buxom's Big and Healthy Lip Tarnish in Scandal. This is one of my rare in-store Sephora purchases, and was a total impulse buy. I was actually planning to get a Benefit lipstick that day, but since the spring line hadn't arrived yet, I started to peruse the Buxom display. This gloss/stain/plumper pencil caught my eye, and a swatch of the lovely color on my hand compelled me to plunk down my $18. It was a good decision.
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Lip Tarnish is a sharpenable pencil (and includes a sharpener in the cap, which is a huge plus in my book since I never carry lone sharpeners in my travel makeup bag) that, like the Lip Shine above, does what it says it will. It glides on fairly easily (there's not a lot of slip in the product, so expect a bit of tugging) and then stays there until the cows come home. The "gloss" shine lasts at least 2-3 hours without feeling overly tacky. Like all other Buxom lip products I've tried, this one plumps with a gentle tingling sensation that isn't uncomfortable in the way so many lip plumpers can be, and it leaves behind a very pleasant minty scent. As a color, Scandal is a warm mauve that pairs well with my pinkier blushes (Buxom's Hervanna in particular).
Showing posts with label Bobbi Brown. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bobbi Brown. Show all posts
Monday, January 16, 2012
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Bobbi Brown's 20th Anniversary Palette--Twee is Putting it Lightly
I had been warned that the Bobbi Brown lip palette was disappointingly tiny, so I wasn't shocked when this box:
turned into this box;
before finally revealing the palette itself:
That said, WOW, it is tiny. Each pan is roughly the size of a pencil eraser, and the brush that comes with the palette is toothpick-sized. It's like an American Girl Doll accessory or something.
That said, as a sampler pack this isn't bad at all. I really like Bobbi Brown lipsticks, and a set like this is an opportunity to try a crapton of them. For $60 I'd have preferred more product, but since it was a gift I'm willing to overlook the gross pricing issues and focus on the lip colors themselves.
You'll forgive me if I don't swatch everything--I'm guessing there's fewer than 10 wears for each pan based on the amount of product in them.
The top pan is composed of mostly brown-based reds, pinks, and neutrals from Bobbi Brown's original launch line. The bottom pan contains a much brighter and bolder selection of links and corals that are current or new shades. A mirror separates the two pans when the palette is snapped shut.
So far I'm a fan of the colors in the palette with the caveat that it is an absolute ripoff given how tiny it is. I know a lot of fans and customers have been giving this set incredibly bad feedback based on size alone, and they're not wrong. We're used to getting a lot more bang for our buck when we buy a palette than Bobbi has offered here.
turned into this box;
before finally revealing the palette itself:
That said, WOW, it is tiny. Each pan is roughly the size of a pencil eraser, and the brush that comes with the palette is toothpick-sized. It's like an American Girl Doll accessory or something.
That said, as a sampler pack this isn't bad at all. I really like Bobbi Brown lipsticks, and a set like this is an opportunity to try a crapton of them. For $60 I'd have preferred more product, but since it was a gift I'm willing to overlook the gross pricing issues and focus on the lip colors themselves.
You'll forgive me if I don't swatch everything--I'm guessing there's fewer than 10 wears for each pan based on the amount of product in them.
The top pan is composed of mostly brown-based reds, pinks, and neutrals from Bobbi Brown's original launch line. The bottom pan contains a much brighter and bolder selection of links and corals that are current or new shades. A mirror separates the two pans when the palette is snapped shut.
So far I'm a fan of the colors in the palette with the caveat that it is an absolute ripoff given how tiny it is. I know a lot of fans and customers have been giving this set incredibly bad feedback based on size alone, and they're not wrong. We're used to getting a lot more bang for our buck when we buy a palette than Bobbi has offered here.
Saturday, December 24, 2011
A word on packaging, and why it matters
Dear Makeup Companies of the World,
Hi there, how's it going? Not much new with me, save that I've been doing a lot of experimenting with your products over the last year, and have come to some conclusions about packaging that I feel compelled to share with you.
Packaging matters. Not only does an attractive compact or case attract a busy shopper's eye in a crowded display, but it affects the way we as consumers use your products. Case in point, Benefit blush:
Benefit's packaging definitely stands out from the crowd on a store shelf--I don't think I've seen another brand using anything similar--but the way one has to hold the box and brush in order to use the product is less than lovely. When one uses Sugarbomb, or one of your other multi-colored shades, it requires a not-insignificant amount of physical dexterity to sweep the brush evenly around the face of the pan in order to pick up an even amount of each shade. It's awkward, and while I like the product enough to keep it in spite of this flaw, it will make me think twice about purchasing another blush from your line.
Moving on to a design that works, let's examine the Naked Palette, and Naked 2
*sigh* Urban Decay, you rock so hard. As much as I love Naked 1, Naked 2 has stolen my heart, at least in part due to the really solid packaging upgrade. From a luxe (but easily dirtied) velvet box closed with hidden magnets to a solidly constructed metal casing that snaps closed tightly but isn't difficult to re-open, you've managed to make an already appealing shadow collection even more desirable. What's more, you upgraded the mirror to run the full length of the palette, which is incredibly helpful on-the-go or while traveling.
There's no awkwardness about the Naked Palettes, and that's really saying something given how difficult-to-use certain other palettes are. Say, for example,
the Tarte for True Blood palette. It's lovely, sexy, and visually stunning. Everything that compelled me to buy this palette in the first place still screams at me from my vanity every morning, but actually using the shadows is a lot less fun than it should be.
For one thing, they're all crammed together to the point that cross-contamination happens even when a shadow has barely been touched. Plus, due to the way the shadows are organized, you're not just contaminating one or two adjoining shades--there are 4+ other shadows touching each pan here! Doubleplus, the organization of this palette makes it difficult to figure out which shades should pair up together. Some connections are obvious, but others...not so much.
And then there's the product that is priced high, but whose packaging feels like something out of Rite Aid. Not to knock drugstore cosmetics at all--there are wonderful drugstore products out there--but in terms of a compact's feel, there's typically a big difference between a Sephora-level product and a drugstore one. Tarte's Amazonian Clay blushes don't seem to know this, though, because in spite of their steep $25 pricetag and amazing quality, the compact feels $3.99 in my hand. It's cheap, flimsy plastic that I seriously doubt would do much to protect the pan if it was dropped (please correct me if I'm wrong here--I have no desire to test this theory on one of my own blushes) and is difficult to open to boot. No $25 compact should require me to sacrifice intact nail polish just to open it up.
And yes, Bobbi Brown, I'm also looking at you here. Your Party Palettes are ridiculously difficult to open. I use them plenty, so it's not a matter of breaking in the closure--there's a design flaw here that needs examined.
My point being, packaging matters. I know you know this, and I know that you probably run zillions of focus groups just to figure out what kind of packaging will appeal most to consumers. The emphasis on curb appeal to new buyers has to be balanced with usability for those of us who've already purchased the product, though. Because when push comes to shove, I'm not going to spend another $40+ on a Bobbi Brown shadow palette next season, especially when I don't use the ones I have as often as I might due to packaging issues.
In conclusion, PACKAGING.
Hi there, how's it going? Not much new with me, save that I've been doing a lot of experimenting with your products over the last year, and have come to some conclusions about packaging that I feel compelled to share with you.
Packaging matters. Not only does an attractive compact or case attract a busy shopper's eye in a crowded display, but it affects the way we as consumers use your products. Case in point, Benefit blush:
Benefit's packaging definitely stands out from the crowd on a store shelf--I don't think I've seen another brand using anything similar--but the way one has to hold the box and brush in order to use the product is less than lovely. When one uses Sugarbomb, or one of your other multi-colored shades, it requires a not-insignificant amount of physical dexterity to sweep the brush evenly around the face of the pan in order to pick up an even amount of each shade. It's awkward, and while I like the product enough to keep it in spite of this flaw, it will make me think twice about purchasing another blush from your line.
Moving on to a design that works, let's examine the Naked Palette, and Naked 2
*sigh* Urban Decay, you rock so hard. As much as I love Naked 1, Naked 2 has stolen my heart, at least in part due to the really solid packaging upgrade. From a luxe (but easily dirtied) velvet box closed with hidden magnets to a solidly constructed metal casing that snaps closed tightly but isn't difficult to re-open, you've managed to make an already appealing shadow collection even more desirable. What's more, you upgraded the mirror to run the full length of the palette, which is incredibly helpful on-the-go or while traveling.
There's no awkwardness about the Naked Palettes, and that's really saying something given how difficult-to-use certain other palettes are. Say, for example,
the Tarte for True Blood palette. It's lovely, sexy, and visually stunning. Everything that compelled me to buy this palette in the first place still screams at me from my vanity every morning, but actually using the shadows is a lot less fun than it should be.
For one thing, they're all crammed together to the point that cross-contamination happens even when a shadow has barely been touched. Plus, due to the way the shadows are organized, you're not just contaminating one or two adjoining shades--there are 4+ other shadows touching each pan here! Doubleplus, the organization of this palette makes it difficult to figure out which shades should pair up together. Some connections are obvious, but others...not so much.
And then there's the product that is priced high, but whose packaging feels like something out of Rite Aid. Not to knock drugstore cosmetics at all--there are wonderful drugstore products out there--but in terms of a compact's feel, there's typically a big difference between a Sephora-level product and a drugstore one. Tarte's Amazonian Clay blushes don't seem to know this, though, because in spite of their steep $25 pricetag and amazing quality, the compact feels $3.99 in my hand. It's cheap, flimsy plastic that I seriously doubt would do much to protect the pan if it was dropped (please correct me if I'm wrong here--I have no desire to test this theory on one of my own blushes) and is difficult to open to boot. No $25 compact should require me to sacrifice intact nail polish just to open it up.
And yes, Bobbi Brown, I'm also looking at you here. Your Party Palettes are ridiculously difficult to open. I use them plenty, so it's not a matter of breaking in the closure--there's a design flaw here that needs examined.
My point being, packaging matters. I know you know this, and I know that you probably run zillions of focus groups just to figure out what kind of packaging will appeal most to consumers. The emphasis on curb appeal to new buyers has to be balanced with usability for those of us who've already purchased the product, though. Because when push comes to shove, I'm not going to spend another $40+ on a Bobbi Brown shadow palette next season, especially when I don't use the ones I have as often as I might due to packaging issues.
In conclusion, PACKAGING.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner--Or, How I Stabbed Myself in the Eye With an Angled Brush
I resisted gel eyeliner for a long time. And by "long" I mean "for the last year since I started paying attention to makeup again." Eyeliner was one of the first beauty products I ever used, though, and the tried-and-true pencil liner was one of my few makeup essentials back in middle school when I was first allowed to wear makeup. I distinctly remember my mom showing me how to stretch out my lid to apply it smoothly (I wince inwardly every time I think about it now) and many failed attempts resulting in a distinctive line of skin between my lash line and the liner before I learned how to use the pencil correctly.
Therefore, it shouldn't be surprising that I've stuck mostly to pencil liners (primarily Urban Decay's 24/7 line, though I've also tried Pixi and one terrible, TERRIBLE Sephora-brand pencil) for the last year. I love the way liner looks when paired with mascara and eyeshadow, and have finally branched out beyond brown and black into purples, greens, and blues. There are a LOT of pencil liners in my collection these days.
I kept hearing about Bobbi Brown's gel liner, though, and given that I already had several good angled liner brushes that had come with various brush sets I'd purchased (the Sigma angled brush is my favorite for gel liner, by the way) I decided to take the plunge. I stuck with basic black--the Caviar Ink shade--for my first gel liner, and held my breath as I dipped the brush into the little pot for the first time.
First, the gel liner is very, very dense. It's the perfect consistency for someone who really doesn't know how hard to press the brush into the pot, since it's neither too hard nor too soft to know that you've got a good amount of product on the bristles. Without a fairly stiff brush this might not be the case, which is why I'm a fan of the Sigma.
Now to the stabbing part. See, I'm not terribly coordinated. My mother actually confessed during a recent visit that she probably should have put me in occupational therapy as a child because I was clumsy and uncoordinated to the point of NEEDING therapy. No joke. So it's not like I wasn't halfway expecting to skewer my eyeball with the brush, but I was still surprised when I did it. Let it be known that as great a product as Bobbi Brown's Long Wear Gel Eyeliner is, it is NOT fun to get it in your eye.
Once I'd removed the gel from my eye, however, I found that I loved using it. It's far easier to get a really precise line from the gel liner plus brush than it is when using a pencil, and there's no stopping to sharpen a pencil (thereby losing a fair amount of product in the process) mid-application, which I appreciate.
Ultimately I'm very happy with this purchase, and will likely be trying out several other colors of gel liner once I use up some of my pencil stash.
Therefore, it shouldn't be surprising that I've stuck mostly to pencil liners (primarily Urban Decay's 24/7 line, though I've also tried Pixi and one terrible, TERRIBLE Sephora-brand pencil) for the last year. I love the way liner looks when paired with mascara and eyeshadow, and have finally branched out beyond brown and black into purples, greens, and blues. There are a LOT of pencil liners in my collection these days.
I kept hearing about Bobbi Brown's gel liner, though, and given that I already had several good angled liner brushes that had come with various brush sets I'd purchased (the Sigma angled brush is my favorite for gel liner, by the way) I decided to take the plunge. I stuck with basic black--the Caviar Ink shade--for my first gel liner, and held my breath as I dipped the brush into the little pot for the first time.
First, the gel liner is very, very dense. It's the perfect consistency for someone who really doesn't know how hard to press the brush into the pot, since it's neither too hard nor too soft to know that you've got a good amount of product on the bristles. Without a fairly stiff brush this might not be the case, which is why I'm a fan of the Sigma.
Now to the stabbing part. See, I'm not terribly coordinated. My mother actually confessed during a recent visit that she probably should have put me in occupational therapy as a child because I was clumsy and uncoordinated to the point of NEEDING therapy. No joke. So it's not like I wasn't halfway expecting to skewer my eyeball with the brush, but I was still surprised when I did it. Let it be known that as great a product as Bobbi Brown's Long Wear Gel Eyeliner is, it is NOT fun to get it in your eye.
Once I'd removed the gel from my eye, however, I found that I loved using it. It's far easier to get a really precise line from the gel liner plus brush than it is when using a pencil, and there's no stopping to sharpen a pencil (thereby losing a fair amount of product in the process) mid-application, which I appreciate.
Ultimately I'm very happy with this purchase, and will likely be trying out several other colors of gel liner once I use up some of my pencil stash.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Bobbi Brown Cool Party Palette
Oh my. Oh. MY. Forget all of the good things I said about the Bobbi Brown Party Palette earlier this week--the Cool Party Palette is a million times better. I'd go on at length, but the swatches really speak for themselves:
As you can clearly see, pigmentation isn't a problem with the Cool Party Palette. I wish that the warm palette looked like this because damn. Seriously. That's some great pigmentation.
As you may recall, I've had trouble getting the black shades in my Urban Decay Naked Palette and Tarte for True Blood palette to blend well. I was beginning to think that the problem was either with me or with my crease brushes, which work very well for pretty much every other shadow I've tried. The blacks (a velvety cool matte grey-tinged black and a chalky sparkle midnight black) in the Cool Party Palette, however, blend easily. Color me both surprised and pleased.
The white shade included in the palette is maybe the only disappointing one in terms of pigmentation. Again, I can't help but compare it to Urban Decay's Virgin color (which is a warm ivory, and wouldn't compliment the rest of the palette at all), which is so richly pigmented that it really puts this white to shame. Pity.
The pale ice blue of this palette is actually what convinced me to purchase it, and I'm happy to say that I wasn't disappointed. While it is a very, very subtle blue, the color shows up quickly on the lids and doesn't turn muddy even when applied over the light grey shade.
Both of the greys are solid performers as well, and the gunmetal shimmer color packs a real punch--this is definitely a lid or crease color, not a highlighter!
My only complaint about the Cool Party Palette is that it doesn't work great with my warm skin tone. I definitely see myself using it at least once a week until it's gone, but these shades are far less flattering on me than they would be on someone with a cool skin tone. Still, all in all it's a gem of a palette, and I'm beyond pleased with my decision to add it to my collection.
As you can clearly see, pigmentation isn't a problem with the Cool Party Palette. I wish that the warm palette looked like this because damn. Seriously. That's some great pigmentation.
As you may recall, I've had trouble getting the black shades in my Urban Decay Naked Palette and Tarte for True Blood palette to blend well. I was beginning to think that the problem was either with me or with my crease brushes, which work very well for pretty much every other shadow I've tried. The blacks (a velvety cool matte grey-tinged black and a chalky sparkle midnight black) in the Cool Party Palette, however, blend easily. Color me both surprised and pleased.
The white shade included in the palette is maybe the only disappointing one in terms of pigmentation. Again, I can't help but compare it to Urban Decay's Virgin color (which is a warm ivory, and wouldn't compliment the rest of the palette at all), which is so richly pigmented that it really puts this white to shame. Pity.
The pale ice blue of this palette is actually what convinced me to purchase it, and I'm happy to say that I wasn't disappointed. While it is a very, very subtle blue, the color shows up quickly on the lids and doesn't turn muddy even when applied over the light grey shade.
Both of the greys are solid performers as well, and the gunmetal shimmer color packs a real punch--this is definitely a lid or crease color, not a highlighter!
My only complaint about the Cool Party Palette is that it doesn't work great with my warm skin tone. I definitely see myself using it at least once a week until it's gone, but these shades are far less flattering on me than they would be on someone with a cool skin tone. Still, all in all it's a gem of a palette, and I'm beyond pleased with my decision to add it to my collection.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Bobbi Brown's Party Palette
The first time I saw swatches of the Party Palette on the Makeup and Beauty Blog I knew it had to be mine. The champagne-toned colors screamed "WEAR US!" and who was I to argue? In spite of the steep $45 price tag (more on that later) I decided to bite the bullet and purchase the set.
So how do I like it? Well...it's good. Not great. It's a warm neutrals palette, so it's hard for me to avoid comparing it to the ubiquitous Naked Palette. At almost the same price point, Bobbi Brown doesn't hold a candle to Urban Decay in terms of quantity or pigmentation of shadows. Still, I don't regret buying the Party Palette for even a minute.
Swatches:
Left to right: Black Chocolate, Copper Sand, Pink Blaze, Pebble, Champagne Quartz, and Bone,
Cons:
So how do I like it? Well...it's good. Not great. It's a warm neutrals palette, so it's hard for me to avoid comparing it to the ubiquitous Naked Palette. At almost the same price point, Bobbi Brown doesn't hold a candle to Urban Decay in terms of quantity or pigmentation of shadows. Still, I don't regret buying the Party Palette for even a minute.
Swatches:
Left to right: Black Chocolate, Copper Sand, Pink Blaze, Pebble, Champagne Quartz, and Bone,
Cons:
- With the exception of Black Chocolate these are incredibly light, sheer shadows. Great for a very subtle daytime look, but they wash out to nothing at all very easily.
- Bone and Pebble in particular are quite chalky and poorly pigmented. The swatch of Bone that you see took no less than seven swipes across the pan to achieve. I get similar coverage from Urban Decay's Virgin (from the Naked Palette, and my go-to highlighter) with just two pats of the brush onto the pan. No swiping needed.
- Black Chocolate is the best dark brown shadow I currently own. It's velvety, richly pigmented, and blends like a dream.
- Champagne Quartz and Pink Blaze, while slightly chalky, are truly lovely subtle pinks that are ideal for my laying-around-the-house weekend look. Pink Blaze contains some glitter, but fallout is minimal and the overall effect is subtle enough to be work-appropriate.
- At $45, the Party Palette works out to $7.50 per pan. As a rule I'm really hesitant to shell out more than $8 per pan for a palette (products like MAC's pro palette where I can choose all of the colors myself aside) because I know that there's bound to be one or two duds among the rest that I won't use. What makes the Party Palette a good buy in my estimation is that even though pigmentation is an issue and it's on the high end of my buy-able price point, there isn't a pan in the bunch that I don't see myself using on a regular basis until it's finished. I'm most comfortable in neutral shadows, and while I'd rather not have to pack them on, the Party Palette delivers what I want without giving me anything that will go to waste.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Toss the Gloss! Part Two
In yesterday's post I started looking culling my makeup drawer to clear room for my recent Sephora Friends and Family sale haul. With only one tossed lipgloss and four saved ones, I'm not sure I did much in the way of making room, though I did rediscover a couple of products I'd misjudged/forgotten about. On to Part II!
A reminder of the products I'm reviewing:
From the top going down:
This is such a pretty purpley pink gloss that I can't imagine anyone wouldn't like it. It has just enough color to warm up my otherwise listless lips, and is perfect for really casual days. Plus, like all of the Party to Go glosses, it's highly moisturizing.
Verdict: KEEP!
Bobbi Brown Pretty Pink Metallic Lip Color from the Party to Go Palette
This one is such a light, sheer pink that it's almost nude. It adds just a hint of color, and like its plum counterpart is perfect for really casual weekends. I can't say that I'd pay full price for a whole tube of this color, but it's an excellent addition to the otherwise dark Party to Go Palette.
Verdict: KEEP!
Bobbi Brown High Shimmer Lip Gloss in Midnight Violet from the Party to Go Palette
Ugh. I'm really not sure what happened with this one, but it was a hot mess to apply. No matter how I worked it, this color wouldn't go on evenly, which resulted in the weirdness you see at the bottom right and top left corners of my lips. If it wasn't part of such a cute set I'd toss this one immediately, but since I love the rest of the Party to Go Palette my verdict is:
Verdict: Keep--albeit reluctantly
Smashbox Lip Enhancing Gloss--Sheer Color in Lust
This is a gorgeous pinky color with a slight shimmer that came close to being tossed by virtue of its painful, horrible applicator. I finally used a lipgloss brush instead of the plastic brush applicator that screws into the lid because it was so stiff and unyielding.
Verdict: Keep for the color, not for the packagaing
Josie Maran Argan Natural Volume Lip Gloss in Voluptuous
I'll say this for Josie Maran--her products aren't sticky, but WOW do they have added scent. I almost gagged at the overpowering cupcake/vanilla smell of this gloss. Neither scent is a favorite of mine, and I really have a problem with adding smells to every beauty product. If I want to smell like something other than soap I'll wear perfume, thankyouverymuch. This vibrant hot magenta pink really doesn't do anything for my skin tone anyway, so unsurprisingly...
Verdict: TOSS!
Josie Maran Argan Natural Volume Lip Gloss in Optimism
To say that "optimism" was on my mind when I tried yet another Josie Maran gloss would be an understatement. This shade unsurprisingly has the same scent issues as "Voluptuous" but I quite liked the sheer champagne-colored shimmer of "Optimism." I just wish it didn't smell!
Verdict: Keep...for now
Overall I looked at 11 different lipsticks/glosses, and wound up tossing only two. Four more are on the fence for either scent or application issues. I was hoping to cull more from my lip collection, but am satisfied for now that at least I've refreshed my memory about a few gems in my collection.
Later this week: a look at Sephora's Give Me Some Lip set. Any gloss colors you're loving lately?
A reminder of the products I'm reviewing:
From the top going down:
- Bobbi Brown Plum Metallic Lip Color (Party to Go Palette)
- Bobbi Brown Pretty Pink Metallic Lip Color (Party to Go Palette)
- Bobbi Brown High Shimmer Lip Gloss in Midnight Violet (Party to Go Palette)
- Smashbox Lip Enhancing Gloss--Sheer Color in Lust
- Josie Maran Argan Natural Volume Lip Gloss in Voluptuous
- Josie Maran Argan Natural Volume Lip Gloss in Optimism
This is such a pretty purpley pink gloss that I can't imagine anyone wouldn't like it. It has just enough color to warm up my otherwise listless lips, and is perfect for really casual days. Plus, like all of the Party to Go glosses, it's highly moisturizing.
Verdict: KEEP!
Bobbi Brown Pretty Pink Metallic Lip Color from the Party to Go Palette
This one is such a light, sheer pink that it's almost nude. It adds just a hint of color, and like its plum counterpart is perfect for really casual weekends. I can't say that I'd pay full price for a whole tube of this color, but it's an excellent addition to the otherwise dark Party to Go Palette.
Verdict: KEEP!
Bobbi Brown High Shimmer Lip Gloss in Midnight Violet from the Party to Go Palette
Ugh. I'm really not sure what happened with this one, but it was a hot mess to apply. No matter how I worked it, this color wouldn't go on evenly, which resulted in the weirdness you see at the bottom right and top left corners of my lips. If it wasn't part of such a cute set I'd toss this one immediately, but since I love the rest of the Party to Go Palette my verdict is:
Verdict: Keep--albeit reluctantly
Smashbox Lip Enhancing Gloss--Sheer Color in Lust
This is a gorgeous pinky color with a slight shimmer that came close to being tossed by virtue of its painful, horrible applicator. I finally used a lipgloss brush instead of the plastic brush applicator that screws into the lid because it was so stiff and unyielding.
Verdict: Keep for the color, not for the packagaing
Josie Maran Argan Natural Volume Lip Gloss in Voluptuous
I'll say this for Josie Maran--her products aren't sticky, but WOW do they have added scent. I almost gagged at the overpowering cupcake/vanilla smell of this gloss. Neither scent is a favorite of mine, and I really have a problem with adding smells to every beauty product. If I want to smell like something other than soap I'll wear perfume, thankyouverymuch. This vibrant hot magenta pink really doesn't do anything for my skin tone anyway, so unsurprisingly...
Verdict: TOSS!
Josie Maran Argan Natural Volume Lip Gloss in Optimism
To say that "optimism" was on my mind when I tried yet another Josie Maran gloss would be an understatement. This shade unsurprisingly has the same scent issues as "Voluptuous" but I quite liked the sheer champagne-colored shimmer of "Optimism." I just wish it didn't smell!
Verdict: Keep...for now
Overall I looked at 11 different lipsticks/glosses, and wound up tossing only two. Four more are on the fence for either scent or application issues. I was hoping to cull more from my lip collection, but am satisfied for now that at least I've refreshed my memory about a few gems in my collection.
Later this week: a look at Sephora's Give Me Some Lip set. Any gloss colors you're loving lately?
Friday, October 21, 2011
Sephora Friends and Family--Protect Me From Myself!
I'll say it: I need a Sephora intervention.
The annual friends and family sale started today, and I've been like a kid in a candy store. A kid with a credit card in a candy store, at that. I'm really excited about my haul (and will be doing swatches here, especially of the newer products that have just debuted) but it's a bit...large. And expensive. And large.
Perhaps I can pass some of these things off as early Christmas presents to myself.
In any case, here's a rundown of my final haul:
NARS blush in Orgasm: Like the Naked Palette, what more does one need to say about NARS Orgasm blush that hasn't already been said? I have yet to try this supposedly universally flattering shade, so I'm giving it a whirl, and don't expect to be disappointed. If I am, there's always the fabulous Sephora return policy!
Bobbi Brown Cool Party Palette and Party Palette: I fell in love with early swatches of these palettes, and actually had them both in my shopping bag on bobbibrown.com as of October 19th because they weren't coming up on Sephora's website. Thankfully I checked for them one more time before I placed my F&F order because sometime overnight they'd been added to Sephora's stock! After much rejoicing in the streets (actually a happy dance in my bathroom, where I was huddled with my iPad at 6:00 am on the first morning of the F&F sale) I was able to save $20 off the original price of both palettes. Hooray!
Sephora Standing Brush Set: I don't actually have a good blush brush anymore (cheekstain has been my friend lo these many months since I started wearing makeup again) and had heard reasonably good reviews of Sephora's eyeshadow brushes. Even if they're not wonderful, this will make a good travel set.
So what did you haul?
The annual friends and family sale started today, and I've been like a kid in a candy store. A kid with a credit card in a candy store, at that. I'm really excited about my haul (and will be doing swatches here, especially of the newer products that have just debuted) but it's a bit...large. And expensive. And large.
Perhaps I can pass some of these things off as early Christmas presents to myself.
In any case, here's a rundown of my final haul:
Givenchy Phenomen'Eyes Gold Mascara: This was a total impulse buy, and there's at least a 50/50 chance I'll be returning it, but OMG look at how pretty it is! I've always loved the look of Givenchy's mascara brushes (though I'm slightly concerned that I'll stab myself in the eye with one) and my hope is that the gold sparkle will be subdued enough that I can wear it over black mascara without looking overly glittery.
Sephora Favorites--Give Me Some Lip: Another impulse buy, and another product with a high return probability. I love the Tarte LipSurgance in Moody already (it's one of my daily-wear favorites), and I have a Smashbox lipgloss that I love and adore in Endless, but I've never tried their Fame shade. The others look...okay. I don't see myself wearing either the super nude Kat Von D lipstick or the peachy Lancome gloss, but we all know how different something looks in the tube compared to how it looks on the lips.
Bobbi Brown Cool Party Palette and Party Palette: I fell in love with early swatches of these palettes, and actually had them both in my shopping bag on bobbibrown.com as of October 19th because they weren't coming up on Sephora's website. Thankfully I checked for them one more time before I placed my F&F order because sometime overnight they'd been added to Sephora's stock! After much rejoicing in the streets (actually a happy dance in my bathroom, where I was huddled with my iPad at 6:00 am on the first morning of the F&F sale) I was able to save $20 off the original price of both palettes. Hooray!
Sephora Standing Brush Set: I don't actually have a good blush brush anymore (cheekstain has been my friend lo these many months since I started wearing makeup again) and had heard reasonably good reviews of Sephora's eyeshadow brushes. Even if they're not wonderful, this will make a good travel set.
So what did you haul?
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Bobbi Brown's Party to Go Palette
I first saw pictures of the Party to Go palette on the Makeup and Beauty Blog, and was in instant lust. I've been in an ongoing search for the perfect purple eyeshadow for months now, and had high hopes for the eggplant shade Bobbi Brown was offering in this holiday set.
Plus, who doesn't love twee cosmetics?
Very twee.
Shadow Trio Rundown:
I really do love this set, but the dark cool tones of the eggplant shadow and gloss make this an evenings-only item in my makeup drawer. Which, frankly, is exactly what it says on the box--PARTY to go. Now I just need to find some fun parties to attend!
Plus, who doesn't love twee cosmetics?
Very twee.
Shadow Trio Rundown:
- The eggplant is indeed lovely, if a bit too dark for daily wear. The formula is smooth, highly pigmented, and applies beautifully.
- The silver is very, very light. Pigmentation is a bit lacking on this one, though I really wasn't looking for a bold or glittery silver, so this is a pretty satisfying shadow in my book.
- The black is a soft sable, and pigmentation is similar to that of the purple. I still had some trouble blending it--I'm beginning to wonder if my problem with blending blacks (if you recall I had similar issues with Creep in the Naked Palette) has more to do with my application/brushes than with the shadows. Please weigh in if you have suggestions.
- Swatches:
- The gloss looks much redder in the tube than it is on my skin. In fact, my first thought when I put it on was that I looked cold because it was such a cool purple. The eyeshadow I wore on the day it arrived (because of course I had to play with it immediately) was warm brown, and I have to wonder if my initial reaction to the gloss had more to do with the way it clashed with my eyes than how it really looked by itself.
- The two lipsticks are gorgeous. The first is a very, very pale pink, and the second is a much darker purpley red. Both are fairly sheer, and have decent staying power without needing to be retouched more than every 4-5 hours. Not bad!
- Swatches:
I really do love this set, but the dark cool tones of the eggplant shadow and gloss make this an evenings-only item in my makeup drawer. Which, frankly, is exactly what it says on the box--PARTY to go. Now I just need to find some fun parties to attend!
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