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The Experience...
(Please feel free to skip ahead to take a look at the products used and my review of these products.)
The Experience...
(Please feel free to skip ahead to take a look at the products used and my review of these products.)
Over a week ago, I attended an event organized by Bobbi Brown. The event took place at the Bobbi Brown counter in a Belk store. Bobbi Brown's national makeup artist was the guest of honor. I was really excited to meet the national makeup artist. A team of Bobbi Brown makeup artists were present at this event as well, assisting the national makeup artist. I was asked to refrain from sharing the names of the national makeup artist. I guess if anyone cares to know the name, just Google it.
First, I was asked to complete a form, providing some personal information and reasons for my attendance of the event. Next, I was assigned to a makeup artist. She applied base makeup on me - BB cream and brightening concealer for the under-eye area. Finally, the man, whose name shall not be taken here, made suggestions of colored products suitable for my skin tone.
Before I begin to share my experience in more detail, I would like to say that whatever I mention hereafter is my personal opinion, which I am entitled to freely express here on my personal blog. My intention is not to offend any person or entity. In order to maintain a high standard of integrity for my blog, I favor honesty over diplomacy in my posts, especially my product review posts.
Now, let me begin. Initially, I was reluctant to attend the event because the ladies who typically work at this particular Bobbi Brown counter do not seem enthusiastic at all when asked about the products. While I appreciate that these ladies, unlike some others in retail, do not overwhelm or literally force you to buy something, I would like them to act somewhat interested or involved with their client/customer. Nevertheless, while making a purchase, I signed up for the event and decided to attend.
Moving forward to the day of the event, I was assigned to a makeup artist as I already mentioned above. We shook hands and introduced ourselves. Before we began, she told me that I was absolutely gorgeous and she was going to have fun putting makeup on me. Okay, so we were off to a smooth start. She inquired about my skin-type. I told her combination. I also mentioned to her that I do not like wearing base / face makeup. She opted to apply a BB cream instead on a foundation. Next, she told me that although I do not have dark circles, many Indian women have that issue, so she wanted to apply a brightening concealer under my eyes. After she had prepared the canvas, the national makeup artist came about and introduced himself. He asked me a few questions as well. I told him I am a fan of lip and cheek colors, but like to limit eye makeup to simply winged liner. He recommended Bobbi Brown Blush in Flame, Creamy Matte Lip Color in Razzberry, Smokey Eye Mascara, Smokey Eye Kajal Liner, and Long Wear Cream Shadow Stick.
Read below my review of the products that were used on me. I have also uploaded two pictures that I took on my phone after leaving the counter. I forgot to take my camera along, but these images are decent quality. I could have taken pictures once I reached home, but I shed a few tears on my way home. Why? I attended the event because I was eager to talk about my "beauty blog" with a Bobbi Brown makeup artist. I was hoping to receive advice, feedback, or at least a little bit of interest. Perhaps learn something about makeup to share with my readers. However, I was asked about the number of followers I have and then told that not everyone can be Pixiwoo on Youtube. I acknowledge that I do not have a lot of followers, but perhaps it is because I don't have the outspoken politician's skill to "campaign" for my blog, meaning I don't just follow people only for a follow-back or leave comments asking people to follow me. I follow those beauty bloggers, whose writing I find informative, entertaining, and geared to my personal taste in beauty and fashion. Of course, I gladly support those beauty bloggers who support me.
I do not blog for the sake of numbers. I blog to inform people. I am a part of the beauty blogging community to create friendships with individuals who love beauty and fashion "stuff" as much as me. I agree that there are a lot of popular blogs out there, but I take pride in the amount of effort, time, and money I invest in my posts. I take time to write extensive reviews and take several picture to capture the essence of the products reviewed. I believe my product reviews and swatches may be especially helpful to certain individuals who share my skin-tone, skin-type, and likings. For example, when I look for swatches, I try to search for a blogger who shares some characteristics with me. I appreciate each and every reader who supports my blog. I look forward to comments and feedback. It means the world to me when I save someone from purchasing something that may not work for them or encourage someone who has never felt comfortable to wear nail polish to learn about nail polish brands and find the ideal color that she may feel comfortable wearing. It keeps me going when my friends, sending me pictures via text messaging of their manicure of the day. I definitely do my research as well. I take time to read about new/upcoming releases and visit stores on release dates to get my hands on the goods to review on my blog. Sometimes I know or post about these hot goodies before any of the popular blogger, those with a million followers, find out about these amazing products. Sadly, it is easier to notice something missing than to see the good.
The Products Used and My Reviews...
Bobbi Brown BB Cream SPF 35 ($44)
I have never felt comfortable wearing face/base makeup. I cannot seem to get rid of the feeling that something foreign is on my face. Unlike products I like to wear, such as lip or cheek color, I can actually feel like something is on my face. My skin-type is normal and sensitive. Sometimes my t-zone can become unusually dry or, the other extreme, slightly oily. Foundation, tinted moisturizers, and BB creams also make my face appear sort of plump, which obviously no one wants.
Out of all of the BB creams I have experimented with, such as Dior, Clinique, Smashbox, Tarte, and Cargo, Bobbi Brown's BB cream is the only one I have liked. Although not generally a fan of base makeup, I would invest in this BB cream to wear on special occasions. If anyone resides near a Sephora, I would suggest asking for a sample container of a few brands of BB creams. The samples I got from a Sephora MUA lasted me more almost an entire month. I was able to test out several brands before making a final purchase.
This BB cream was released in Asia and other parts of the world before coming to the U.S. market. I am not sure how accurate my inference is, but perhaps this BB cream might be more comparable to the authentic BB creams of Asian origin. I have heard a lot about Asian BB creams. I have never tried an Asian BB cream myself. I have acquired my knowledge of Asian BB creams from other beauty bloggers. Asian BB creams are said to be more like foundations than a tinted moisturizers, providing full coverage. Asian BB creams have a significant level of broad spectrum sun protection along with other skin care properties. In a nutshell, the Bobbi Brown BB creams feels on my face as other beauty bloggers describe the feel of Asian BB creams.
I once got my color match done at MAC and I'm "NC 35" for you all who find a MAC reference helpful. I was color matched with the Medium to Dark Bobbi Brown BB cream, so I am not really sure what someone darker than me can use.
Overall, this BB creams applies more like a foundation than a tinted moisturizer because of the medium to full coverage it provides. Furthermore, this BB cream does not feel as heavy as some of the other BB creams I have tried. This BB cream contains SPF. It photographs well. Lastly, it does not make my face feel greasy or appear oily.
Bobbi Brown Tinted Eye Brightener ($30)
Concealers are not my cut of tea. My knowledge of concealers is limited. While this product did brighten my under eye area, I think the effect was an illusion and superficial. I don't think I have dark circles. I have a little bit of puffiness under my eyes due to long nights of studying or laying awake thinking about studying. This concealer had shimmer in it. It seemed like a highlighter to me, which is another makeup product I don't know much about. This product exaggerated the texture of my skin under my eyes. It made the area appear dry and prominent. I felt like it looked really artificial and unnatural.
Bobbi Brown Blush in Flame
Flame is a beautiful light reddish orange shade. Bobbi Brown blush collection offers a wide variety of beautiful colors suited for a range of skin-tones. I recently purchased a different shade and am in love with the color. I will be posting a review and swatches soon. However, I think that the pigmentation and staying power of these blushes is workable/decent, but not great or reflective of the price point.
Creamy Matte Lip Color in Razzberry (pictured below - Plum Crush) ($25)
I cannot wear "matte" lipsticks. My naturally "puckered" lips - my subtle way of saying lip-lines - are not meant to rock a matte or retro matte lip. So, Bobbi Brown, amongst other brands, created the "creamy-matte" formula for gals like me. I must say I love the formula because it is not overly emollient, thick, and slippery like creme lipsticks, but it also does not suck up the moisture and exaggerate my lip lines like a true matte lipstick. I did not like the Razzberry shade on me, which the national makeup artist recommended for me. I requested the makeup artist to apply Plum Crush instead. Plum Crush is on my wish-list. I will definitely purchase it. However, I'm resisting the urge to purchase any more lipsticks for now. I would definitely recommend giving this creamy-matte collection a try.
Smokey Eye Mascara ($28)
I did not like this mascara. It was too wet and creamy. It smudged easily and clumped my lashes. It was unmanageable to remove in my opinion. I had raccoon eyes after wiping it off with eye-makeup remover wipes. I had to wash my eye area with some rigor to get rid of its residue.
Smokey Eye Kajal Liner ($24)
I am not a fan of pencil or liquid liners. My holy grail eye liner is MAC's gel liner. This kajal liner looked and felt creamy, but did not apply smoothly. It also smudged easily. I would not recommend this for someone who has oily lids or hooded lids or does not like a smudged look or wants a clean and manageable look. This product did not stay put for me. It transfers easily onto other areas of the eyelid.
Long Wear Cream Shadow Stick (shade - unknown) ($28)
The national makeup artist told me that he would recommend this for an effortless and neutral look. This shadow stick is supposed to take away your need for a base or primer or brushes. Apparently, you may use the shadow stick itself as a base. The shadow stick colors available are beautiful. I would want every one of them. Unfortunately, I did not like the quality of the product. It applied patchy and creased on me within minutes of the application. Take a close look at the picture below where I have lowered my gaze and note the creasing. I would not recommend this for people with combination or oily lids. I would also not recommend this as a base or primer. I am not sure how this would look on someone with dry lids. It does apply patchy on my normal lids. I would suggest applying a primer to hold this shadow stick in place.
Bobbi Brown BB Cream SPF 35 ($44)
I have never felt comfortable wearing face/base makeup. I cannot seem to get rid of the feeling that something foreign is on my face. Unlike products I like to wear, such as lip or cheek color, I can actually feel like something is on my face. My skin-type is normal and sensitive. Sometimes my t-zone can become unusually dry or, the other extreme, slightly oily. Foundation, tinted moisturizers, and BB creams also make my face appear sort of plump, which obviously no one wants.
Out of all of the BB creams I have experimented with, such as Dior, Clinique, Smashbox, Tarte, and Cargo, Bobbi Brown's BB cream is the only one I have liked. Although not generally a fan of base makeup, I would invest in this BB cream to wear on special occasions. If anyone resides near a Sephora, I would suggest asking for a sample container of a few brands of BB creams. The samples I got from a Sephora MUA lasted me more almost an entire month. I was able to test out several brands before making a final purchase.
This BB cream was released in Asia and other parts of the world before coming to the U.S. market. I am not sure how accurate my inference is, but perhaps this BB cream might be more comparable to the authentic BB creams of Asian origin. I have heard a lot about Asian BB creams. I have never tried an Asian BB cream myself. I have acquired my knowledge of Asian BB creams from other beauty bloggers. Asian BB creams are said to be more like foundations than a tinted moisturizers, providing full coverage. Asian BB creams have a significant level of broad spectrum sun protection along with other skin care properties. In a nutshell, the Bobbi Brown BB creams feels on my face as other beauty bloggers describe the feel of Asian BB creams.
I once got my color match done at MAC and I'm "NC 35" for you all who find a MAC reference helpful. I was color matched with the Medium to Dark Bobbi Brown BB cream, so I am not really sure what someone darker than me can use.
Overall, this BB creams applies more like a foundation than a tinted moisturizer because of the medium to full coverage it provides. Furthermore, this BB cream does not feel as heavy as some of the other BB creams I have tried. This BB cream contains SPF. It photographs well. Lastly, it does not make my face feel greasy or appear oily.
Bobbi Brown Tinted Eye Brightener ($30)
Concealers are not my cut of tea. My knowledge of concealers is limited. While this product did brighten my under eye area, I think the effect was an illusion and superficial. I don't think I have dark circles. I have a little bit of puffiness under my eyes due to long nights of studying or laying awake thinking about studying. This concealer had shimmer in it. It seemed like a highlighter to me, which is another makeup product I don't know much about. This product exaggerated the texture of my skin under my eyes. It made the area appear dry and prominent. I felt like it looked really artificial and unnatural.
Bobbi Brown Blush in Flame
Flame is a beautiful light reddish orange shade. Bobbi Brown blush collection offers a wide variety of beautiful colors suited for a range of skin-tones. I recently purchased a different shade and am in love with the color. I will be posting a review and swatches soon. However, I think that the pigmentation and staying power of these blushes is workable/decent, but not great or reflective of the price point.
Creamy Matte Lip Color in Razzberry (pictured below - Plum Crush) ($25)
I cannot wear "matte" lipsticks. My naturally "puckered" lips - my subtle way of saying lip-lines - are not meant to rock a matte or retro matte lip. So, Bobbi Brown, amongst other brands, created the "creamy-matte" formula for gals like me. I must say I love the formula because it is not overly emollient, thick, and slippery like creme lipsticks, but it also does not suck up the moisture and exaggerate my lip lines like a true matte lipstick. I did not like the Razzberry shade on me, which the national makeup artist recommended for me. I requested the makeup artist to apply Plum Crush instead. Plum Crush is on my wish-list. I will definitely purchase it. However, I'm resisting the urge to purchase any more lipsticks for now. I would definitely recommend giving this creamy-matte collection a try.
Smokey Eye Mascara ($28)
I did not like this mascara. It was too wet and creamy. It smudged easily and clumped my lashes. It was unmanageable to remove in my opinion. I had raccoon eyes after wiping it off with eye-makeup remover wipes. I had to wash my eye area with some rigor to get rid of its residue.
Smokey Eye Kajal Liner ($24)
I am not a fan of pencil or liquid liners. My holy grail eye liner is MAC's gel liner. This kajal liner looked and felt creamy, but did not apply smoothly. It also smudged easily. I would not recommend this for someone who has oily lids or hooded lids or does not like a smudged look or wants a clean and manageable look. This product did not stay put for me. It transfers easily onto other areas of the eyelid.
Long Wear Cream Shadow Stick (shade - unknown) ($28)
The national makeup artist told me that he would recommend this for an effortless and neutral look. This shadow stick is supposed to take away your need for a base or primer or brushes. Apparently, you may use the shadow stick itself as a base. The shadow stick colors available are beautiful. I would want every one of them. Unfortunately, I did not like the quality of the product. It applied patchy and creased on me within minutes of the application. Take a close look at the picture below where I have lowered my gaze and note the creasing. I would not recommend this for people with combination or oily lids. I would also not recommend this as a base or primer. I am not sure how this would look on someone with dry lids. It does apply patchy on my normal lids. I would suggest applying a primer to hold this shadow stick in place.
The Final Look...
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