Bobbi Brown Instant Full Cover Concealer Swatches and First Impressions

It's the middle of the work week, and many of us are probably feeling a little sleep-deprived. Cue Bobbi Brown's new Instant Full Cover Concealer (S$52), which they describe as "8 hours of sleep in a swipe". 

For night owls like me who can never bear to go to bed early, this sounds like a god-send.

When I saw the tubes my first thought was - this is Bobbi Brown's answer to the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. But the textures are pretty different. Radiant Creamy Concealer is a bit more mousse-y and has a demi-matte finish. Instant Full Cover Concealer has a certain tackiness to it (not in a bad way) which reminds me more of It Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye Concealer or Tarte's Maracuja Creaseless Concealer. It has a lot of coverage but sort of melts into the skin, leaving a film of pigment on the surface as you blend; not much texture on the surface.

Wayne Goss mentioned recently on Youtube that this requires no setting powder, and I think this texture is the reason why. In my limited experience (I've worn it off and on about 4 times in the past week) this will still crease a little and settle into expression lines still, but that's quite minimal.

The coverage goes on full but sheers out as you blend. I personally prefer using my fingers as the heat allows the product to better meld into skin. The thicker texture also means you may need a bit more time to pat it in with a brush or sponge, although you obviously still can. Try Bobbi Brown's Full Coverage Touch Up Brush. 

Bobbi Brown 25th Anniversary Nude Library Celebration Kit

Bobbi Brown was the brand that introduced yellow-based foundations and neutral makeup to the masses, for which we will be forever grateful. This year, they turn 25 and celebrate with one of the most mind-blowing kits ever for neutral addicts.

The Nude Library is housed in a gorgeous box styled to look like Bergdorf Goodman in NYC, where Bobbi opened her first makeup counter selling 10 shades of lipstick. (They sold a month's supply within a single day, and the rest is history.)

Inside there are a handful of their most iconic products - a Skin Foundation Stick, lipstick (but of course), gel liner,  Shimmer Brick, and that most covetable of all things; a 40-shade Nude Library palette that pulls together eight of Bobbi Brown's best selling 5-shade nude eye palettes over the years.

The palette reminds me of the University foundation palettes, where you have a divider separating two sections of shadows which are grouped exactly as they were in their original palettes. Nude on Nude, Navy on Nude, Desert Twilight, etc. If you ever fell in love with one of these in the past and ran out, or would just love to own all of them, this is where you can have them all in one place.

Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Cushion Compact, Nude Finish Illuminating Powder and Malibu Nudes Collection

Bobbi Brown's launching the new Skin Foundation Cushion Compact SPF50 PA+++ first on 24th March (Takashimaya), then everywhere else on 1 April 2016. 

Available at SGD$21 for the case and $54 for the refill and puff, this is an Asia-exclusive launch, so the bad news is it will not be available in the Western markets. (The good news is there may be something similar coming out for the other markets at a later time, but I don't have any more information on that at this time!)

From 24-30 March 2016, you can purchase 2 refills + case for $108 at Takashimaya.

Skin Foundation Cushion Compact is meant to:

• recharge and rejuvenate - it contains lychee and caffeine, which I am excited about because that can help tone and perk up skin, and also help with puffiness. There is also Pink Silk Tree Extract to calm and soothe skin irritations.
• protect - moisturizers protect the skin barrier and retain moisture, while high SPF protects skin from sun exposure
• create a glowing, flawless finish - the formula is lightweight and gives a glow, but also promises to control oil and brighten the skin without smearing, fading or caking

That certainly sets up very high expectations - moisturizing plus oil-control would be a tough order to fulfill for most formulas. To be honest, I'd just be happy with any cushion that actually sets and does not smear or fade easily. I also really like the idea of a caffeine-containing foundation formula. (The reason they come packed like espresso pods!) Caffeine is what makes Clarins' Shaping Facial Lift work at de-puffing and tightening facial contours, and this makes a great perk-up in the morning if you're slightly puffy.

Another interesting thing is the cushion itself is NOT soaked with foundation. The cream to liquid formula is under the sponge itself, and is "dispensed" in small doses only when you press down each time. It isn't exposed to air so much right from the start.

The coverage is light-medium - it does even out the skin tone a bit, but I find it doesn't build up a whole lot with the puff. I find it easier to use a finger to dab and pat on more coverage where I need. It does brighten and cover circles and sallowness - I have darkness around my chin, eyes and cheeks and this evens everything out while looking quite radiant and natural.

The best part is probably the fact that it does set.
It takes a few minutes, and having some powder will help, but it does eventually set on the skin and become less shiny. It also surprisingly managed to make my pores look less obvious. The finish is more dewy than YSL Le Cushion Encre de Peau, somewhat similar to what you'd get with LANEIGE's Pore Control cushion.

It did stay relatively fresh for me through a day's wear - it didn't fade, smear or get shiny quickly; then again I have rather dry areas and only a slightly oily T-zone. I can say it's fine for combination skins, but I am not able to say based on personal experience if it can stay intact on the very oily. This also didn't noticeably oxidize for me, so that was a good thing.

One thing I did notice is it can sometimes crease under the eyes for me. That's not really a fault of the product because most non-matte foundations tend to do this anyway. If that is a concern for you, you should probably avoid creamy products there.

Another item which has just launched, which I do want to highlight as well - is the new Nude Finish Illuminating Powder.  There are 6 shades available in Singapore (Porcelain is shown here), each priced at SG$83, and each contains a blend of 6 different skin-tone powders with a  beautiful variation of of finishes and undertones. It can be used as an illuminating face powder for all over, or you can pick a lighter or darker shade to highlight or bronze up your face.

I personally feel there is a bit of a sheen and sparkle which makes it not quite so suitable for use as a contour powder. But for highlighting and bronzing it is beautiful. I swept Porcelain around my brow bone and cheekbones below. It's ultra-subtle, soft-focus highlighting, for times when you don't want an obvious dewy or pearly shimmer. Highly recommend checking this powder out.

Then of course, there are the Spring Malibu Nudes collection, which launches 27 March at all Robinsons department stores and island-wide from 7 April. This collection features three blush duos, 6 Art Sticks, and the key piece, the 5-shade Nude on Nude eyeshadow palette ($89). 

Shades from left: Nude (new), Cement, Wheat, Espresso, Malted (new)

The textures of the shadows in this all-matte palette are super smooth - although I kinda wish there was one paler shade and one more slightly deeper transition shade, rather than 3 soft medium tones which are interchangeable for each other and not all that far apart.

I did the super simple warm look below using:

• Nude - all over lids up to socket line
• Wheat - soft cool-toned beige right in center of lid
• Espresso - in outer corners
• Ink Liner in black - along roots of lashes
• Gel Liner in Caviar Ink - right above the black liquid liner, extended out into a wing
• Eye Opening Mascara in black - on lashes

On the cheeks I used theTawny/Peony blush duo ($70; which is also an Asia exclusive, but you can pick any warm pink blush and bronzer), and on the lips I applied the ever-popular Brown Berry Art Stick ($38), which is surprisingly not as deep and rosy as I had initially expected, considering the name.

This isn't the whole collection of course - there are a lot of stronger lip colors, which are beautiful, but Brown Berry is a great every-day warmer-than-nude shade and this lasts for hours and hours.

Bobbi Brown Luxe Lip Color Swatches and First Impressions

I love opaque lipsticks.

I love the color pay-off, and the rich texture. They're a great way to dress up the lips instantly, and they last better than glossy lipsticks without feeling as dry as matte lipsticks.

But intense lipsticks aren't usually known for being comfortable to wear. Most have to sacrifice moisture for color. So I was curious to check out Bobbi Brown's new Luxe Lipstick range (SGD$44), launching 15 October 2015 in Singapore, because they promised to combine great color intensity with a nourishing, comfortable semi-matte texture that can reduce fine lines and relieve flaking. Sounded like exactly what I need.

The lipsticks have a much flatter and wider bullet tip for quicker application, and a point shaped for a precise edge without having to use a brush.

What do I think of these?

They are still new to me but so far these are buttery-smooth and almost every single shade is opaque in one stroke. I expected these to feel a lot drier, but they go on like silk. I would classify these as classic creme formulas - too soft and creamy to be classed as satin/semi-matte. They also stay relatively creamy for the next few hours and don't go matte-looking quickly like pigment-rich lip products usually do.

There were a couple (like Brocade) which needed to be built up a bit more for opacity, but that's not to say it was patchy and sheer by any means. It was just slightly less intense than the other shades in the range, which go on opaque instantly.

As for the colors, there are 30 and they run the gamut from nude to brown to pink to coral to red to dark. And because it's Bobbi Brown, you can expect a good variety of classic nudes and naturals in different undertones. In fact, there may be a few TOO many Nudes/Beiges/Browns in my opinion, but then I prefer to mix it up from day to day.  The natural tones here make up over 1/3 of the entire range, which might be overwhelming for Nude lip novices. Several of them are quite close in tone, although I know nude lovers will definitely appreciate the tiny differences in tone because a hint more pink or orange can entirely change how a shade looks.

Wear-time varies depending on color. Many of the brighter and deeper colors stain the lips and will seem to last slightly longer than the softer shades. But I don't find this range to be especially long-wearing as far as intense lipsticks go. I still recommend a liner if you're wearing one of the stronger shades, to prevent smearing and bleeding. 

I have 27 of the 30 shades to swatch for you at this time, so here they are below.

What's good are also the deeper neutrals, which are very on point and super-trendy right now. You have Neutral Rose, which is a nice soft "MLBB" shade, Pink Buff which is a brown-based beige, and Soft Berry which is a great warm rosy brown which looks great with a tan.

I always love pinks and berries, and there are quite a number of good shades in the line. I especially love the warm salmon-y Bright Coral and the intense raspberry (Raspberry Pink) and fuchsia (Hot Rose) shades.

Even the pale peachy-nude, Baby Peach, surprised me by going on smooth and even. And all the orange and coral shades are fun.

But try the reds. You have a blue-red (Russian Doll), a cherry red (Retro Red), a classic red (Parisian Red), and a vampy red (Your Majesty).

All in all, I'm pretty darned impressed in terms of color and texture. I would classify these as full-on creme lipsticks, not satins. They have the intensity of MAC Amplified Lipsticks but actually glide on much smoother and silkier. These feel like lipbalms.

The one con to this would be that they won't stay on as long as slightly thicker, drier textures, so as mentioned above, wear a liner if you are applying one of the deeper or brighter shades, just so that the edges don't smudge and feather.

Bobbi Brown Shimmering Sands Palette Swatches, Review, and Demos (Day/Smoky Looks)

Bobbi Brown's launched their Summer collection, which includes the limited edition Shimmering Sands palette which a lot of people were very interested in when I posted images of it on Instagram. This palette is actually smaller than it might seem in pictures. My palette is a press sample, so the weight of each pan isn't printed on the bottom, but they are much smaller than a typical circular shadow so my guess is they're about 0.7g each or so, as compared to the typical 1.5g.

The good news is this is a very portable palette if you want something quite subtle and good quality, but not overloaded with too many full-size shades that you can't finish.

As you can see from the swatches above and below, there are a mix of textures, from sparkly to metallic, to satin, and matte. That said, there is only 1 truly matte shade and 2 satins that look mostly matte but contain tiny sparkles in them. A usual for Bobbi Brown shadows, I personally find the shimmers/metallics to be the smoothest and easiest to work with. The matte and satins are smooth but extremely subtle.

All the shades are pretty smooth, and pigmentation level is sheer to medium intensity. If you like Urban Decay and Make Up For Ever type intensity, you might find these quite subtle. But if you're more accustomed to MAC and Bobbi Brown shadows, then most of these are pretty good.

Both of the dark browns on the bottom right of the palette are actually those sparkly translucent creamy shadows that work better patted on over other shades. They also work alright on their own as a wash over the entire lid, but they won't work well as definer shades without eyeliner or a dark cream base, as they are too translucent and not nearly dark enough to shade and define.

Compared to the Spring Hot Nudes palette from earlier this year, I actually prefer Hot Nudes. I feel I get a bit more variety; cool, warm, matte, shimmer. While the shades in the Shimmering Sands palette are beautiful, there isn't a huge variety. You will find a single transition shade, and none of the colors are really deep enough or matte enough to make great liner/definer shades along the lash line.

But it's still versatile enough as a daily palette, and can give you some options for transitioning between day and night.

Below are 2 quick tutorials to demonstrate the possibilities to you. Do take note that the Smoky Look was done with a brown liner smudged lightly onto lids as a base. The metallic brown in the palette is nice but not as intense as this without a base.

DAY LOOK

 SMOKY LOOK

Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Foundation demo and review

Bobbi Brown's new Intensive Skin Serum comes in a black glass dropper bottle that might remind you of a volatile oil foundation.

But it's not.

Unlike those silicone-y, fast-drying, lightweight liquids, this is a thick luxurious feeling skincare cream foundation more similar to those that come in jars than in dropper bottles. 

Created based on Bobbi Brown's Intensive Skin Serum, this foundation amalgamates skincare and coverage, and contains Cordyceps Mushroom extract, Bamboo Grass, and Lychee extracts for antioxidant, soothing, hydrating, and anti-aging skin benefits. What it aims to do is to provide a plumping and smoothing effect to the skin.

I think the first thing you will notice most about this formula is how hydrating it is compared to typical foundations. The dropper bottle dispenses a single pea-sized amount in a squeeze, which should be sufficient for spreading over most of your face if you want lighter coverage. 

This foundation is buildable, but you need to let the first layer set a bit first. Otherwise the creaminess might end up dissolving and sheering out the first layer. Spread out with fingers or a brush, it acts almost like a tinted moisturizer with higher coverage. The sheen and hydrating texture only adds to that effect.

To build up more coverage, take a bit more product on your hands after letting the first layer set a bit, then dab a bit more where you need coverage and pat - don't rub - the product until it evens out and blends in.

This foundation gives the effect of clean, moisturized skin. It looks so real that I almost look like I have no makeup on in the "After" image. But you can see the little mole on my inner cheek is almost not visible. The little veins around my lower cheeks are also hidden. 

But you WILL need to set this foundation with powder because even if you have dry skin, it can still crease a bit around laugh lines and under the eyes. As mentioned earlier, this feels quite like a traditional cream foundation for normal to dry skins and doesn't set completely, even though it's not oily. The dewy sheen can also emphasize pores around the inner cheek area, so it's always a good idea to powder around those areas.

Otherwise, if you have oily skin or live in a humid climate, it can start to feel a tiny bit rich on the skin. 

Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Foundation after powdered

Though Bobbi Brown states this foundation is suited for all skin types, I still believe every foundation works better on some skins than others. And this is not one that I think oilier skins would enjoy. It might not be oily or comedogenic in formula, but it can still feel a bit heavier compared to other options on the market.

My recommendation is that if you have normal to dry or more mature skin that needs the plumping and smoothing effect, and you like fluffy cream foundations like Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation or Clinique's Dermawhite, this would be a nice option to consider.

Base makeup notes:

• Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Foundation 3.5
• Marc Jacobs Re(marc)able Concealers in 3 and 4
• Clear Last Face Powder (medicated)
• The Balm Bahama Mama powder for subtle sculpting
• MAC Mineralize Skin Finish powder in Lightscapade on cheekbones

This is pretty much what I do daily for my base routine even though I switch the products in and out. And sometimes I'll keep it simple and just keep the focus on my lips.

Super-nude makeup look with just an intense lacquered red lip

• Givenchy Ombre Couture 1 Blanc Satin on lids - nothing but tiny diamond sparkles
• Physicians Formula Organic Wear mascara - don't like this mascara in the original formula; I'm just using it up!
• L'oreal Color Riche Lipstick in RW512 Bloody Mary - a deep dark cherry-toned red
• Shu Uemura Laque Supreme in RD 02 - cherry-toned cool scarlet gloss stain