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.

NYX News - relaunch under L'oreal in Singapore and new product range

The original cheap 'n' chic beauty brand NYX has relaunched this January 2016 under the L'oreal umbrella, and the great news is they have brought it a much bigger and also a more updated range. New products launch at the same time as they do in the US, so we're not stuck watching people talk about new things for 6 months before we can try them.

The bad news is it won't be all that easy to grab some of the more popular things right now - they don't seem to have put a ton of products on the shelf at this time, and the renewed interest from shoppers has caused a lot of things to be sold out very quickly. I say give it a bit of time for stock levels to even out.

Still, if you can't wait, I do suggest going down to see what's still available because the updated range at Sephora is really great. NYX has stepped up their game in the recent year or so, and a lot of the products are pretty much on point in terms of quality and composition. There are the Intense Butter Glosses, the Avant Pop palettes, and my personal fave - the Go To Palettes (SG$30). I have Wanderlust, which is an eye and cheek palette with 6 shadows, a highlighter, blush, and contour shade.

My reason for actually highlighting this palette is because in the past I've never been very impressed by eye and face kits from lower-end brands. A lot of times the concept is on point but you may get great shadows, an okay blush, and crap highlight and contour. But this palette is pretty impressive. I would say 95% of the products are things that I would consider buying if they were sold on their own for a good price.

I won't say it's a 100% hit but all the shades are definitely good. The shadows are GORGEOUS. You get 2 mattes, 1 satin and 3 metallics. The metallics are the most beautiful in terms of feel and texture, but the mattes and satin are still good. You also get the option of doing light soft looks, dramatic metallic looks, or smoky smoldering looks.

The blush is my one complaint; it is a tad sheer and dusty feeling (it will dust right off if you apply it on dry skin so I don't expect it to be long-wearing unless you use a setting spray or a cream blush as a base first) but in general everything else is very silky and blendable. The thing that sealed the deal for me was the highlight and contour actually. I usually expect the ones in a face-kit to be there just for the sake of it, and never that great quality.

Weekend Smoky Sparkle: Urban Decay Naked Smoky Look

There's a single glitter-infused shade in the Naked Smoky palette by Urban Decay, and the shade is gorgeous (Armor) but weekend is pretty much the only time I would wear it!

You have to be prepared for some fallout when you wear glitter smoky shades, so if you can, try to do your eye makeup first, and the rest after you clean up or you'll have tiny specks of glitter and black on your cheeks, your nose, etc.

The four shades I picked out today were:

• Main lid shade: Armor - metallic taupe with platinum glitter
• Socket and wings at outer corners: Smolder - deep prune
• Lash line: Black Mail - satin charcoal
• Inner Corners: High - pale champagne beige

I did also use a little of the 2 palest matte shades (Combust and Thirteen) on my browbone just to clean up and serve as contrast against the metallics on the lids.

Tip:

This is a smoky look, but I didn't smoke the color up too high above the socket. In fact I stopped right at the socket line. I wanted a more elongated catty effect, rather than a full-on rounded smoky eye, so when I was blending I concentrated on sweeping and diffusing the colors outwards from the outer corners instead of upwards.

I did try using the dual-ended blender/smudger brush included with the palette. I love the smudger tip for applying shadows along the upper and lower lash lines.  It's very precise but shaped just right for getting a soft smoky liner look.

The blender tip though, I'm not a huge fan of. Partly because UD's bristles are packed too stiff and not fluffy enough to really diffuse shadows. You CAN still use this to pack and buff on color but you will get tons of fall-out using this shape for that purpose. It's better used clean to blend out edges or to buff two colors together. Which means you might need a separate packer brush to apply shadows onto the lids, before going in with this to blend.

Other products used in this look:

• Urban Decay 24/7 Pencil in Perversion - applied along the waterline and lash line, but smudged out a little so there is no hard defined line.
• Eyeko Black Magic mascara
• Afterglow Blush in Score - peachy-pink blush
• Urban Decay Sheer Revolution Lipstick in Sheer Liar - rosy beige-brown my-lips-but-better color with a creamy semi-sheer texture

NARSissist 2015 Matte/Shimmer Eyeshadow Palette

The original NARSissist palette was an instant classic.

The 2015 edition is a sort of "NARSissist-lite" if you compare it to the previous, but the shades are still beautiful and pigmentation is actually more consistently smooth and easy-to-use across all the shades, compared to the original. I was especially impressed by the 4 matte shades, Nassau, Maya Bay, Ithaca, and Dogon. These were incredibly velvety and blendable.

The shimmery shades, oddly enough, felt a touch more chalky in comparison to the mattes, but the colors kinda make up for that. Mandchourie and Bonifacio are gorgeous, and the two dark, sparkly shades, Zagreb and Heraklion, surprised me by not having a ton of fallout. Unlike many of the old-school dark sparkly shadow formulas from several brands, the pretty sparkly glitter doesn't just "disappear" when the shadow is applied onto the skin.

The cherry on top of the cake is the sleek mirrored case. I've really liked the recent limited edition release cases. The signature rubbery matte NARS packaging is beautiful, but they don't always stay beautiful because the polymers start to react with air and break down after awhile, and everyone who's owned any number of NARS products is familiar with how they eventually become sticky and start to hang on to every particle of dirt and grime.

This case will not give you any of those problems. (The mirrored top is a fingerprint magnet in its own right, but at least you can wipe this down!)

If you're not really into all-neutral palettes, or just want something a tiny bit different, this one has a single muted khaki which is gorgeous. I actually consider this a palette for matte lovers, because with the exception of Bonifacio, the rest of the "shimmery" shades aren't really that shimmery at all.

Mandchourie has a very muted low sheen, and Zagreb and Heraklion are pretty much matte shades with sparkles. None of these are anywhere near metallic by any means, so I would treat those 2 as mattes. 

The NARSissist Matte/Shimmer Palette is available now at Sephora ION in Singapore. 

Dior Nude Tan Tie Dye Edition Blush Harmony

Dior's gorgeous Summer 2015 makeup collection is themed around beautiful tie-dye patterns and sunset/sunrise colors.

I'll talk about the other products in the line soon, but today I'm showcasing the two must-tries; the Nude Tan Tie Dye Edition Blush Harmony compacts.

Each comes with a white-haired kabuki brush and a velvet pouch, same as the other Nude Tan products.

The 2 shades available are:

• 001 Pink Sunrise
• 002 Coral Sunset

Both shades are quite soft, and probably better for those with light to medium skins. If you have dark skin, these might not show up that well, although the color can be built up a little.

I usually prefer pink blushes but I have to say I like 002 Coral Sunset more. It's just so pretty and tropical.

And both these blushes go perfectly with the eye palettes and cream shadows coming out in Summer. 

Dior Summer 2015 5 Couleurs palettes in 346 Pastel Breeze (left), and 556 Contraste Horizon

 There are 2 more colorful palettes; 346 Pastel Breeze and 556 Constraste Horizon. 346 Pastel Breeze is released in Singapore as a special edition ION Backdstage Boutique exclusive along with the 2 2015 My Lady blushes, and not "officially" part of the rest of the collection here.

556 Contraste Horizon however, is part of the Tie Dye collection, and one of the few color palettes that I really like.

There are also 2 neutral palettes. 

The 5 Couleurs palette 539 Variation Nude is gorgeous. If you have seen or own Cuir Cannage palette, this is a softer, less smoky version of that. It's also like an all-neutral version of the discontinued 754 Rosy Tan palette, with beiges in the place of pinks.

Eye Reviver 001 Illuminating Neutrals Eye Palette was just released as well, although it's not officially part of the Summer collection either. This 6-shade silver palette is contains 2 matte shades, 3 shimmer shades, and a liner for maximum convenience on the go. The colors are similar to 539 Variation Nude, so you probably don't need both. If you want a mix of mattes and shimmers go for the Eye Reviver palette. If you prefer Dior's ultra-silky shimmers, then pick up 539.

I'll feature all these separately, but if you're curious to see swatches I did in-store of the full range, including the very cute Tie Dye Lipsticks and Fluidsticks, hop on over to dayre here!

Hourglass Modernist Eyeshadow Palette Haul and Swatches: Atmosphere,Obscura, and Exposure

When I saw the Hourglass Modernist Eyeshadow Palettes on Net-a-porter.com, I knew I had to try them. These 5 color eyeshadow palettes look like solidified silt on a riverbed. (Or ribbons of thick fudge in multi-flavored ice-cream.)

These shadows come in a range of gorgeous neutral tones, and the formula is INCREDIBLY pigmented. Almost to the point where they are a bit tricky to use without making a mess. They don't feel like traditional pressed pigments, and they aren't baked. You barely need to touch them to get lots of pigmentation.

But the problem is also that they can go on patchy or give you tons of fall-out simply because so much of it comes up once touched. If you are using brushes to apply these, be careful to use a very light touch or you will use up the palette in no time. And these don't come cheap at USD$58 (around SGD$66) per compact.

I picked 3 of the 5 available palettes:

• Atmosphere - matte Neapolitan ice cream colors of vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, dark chocolate and one satin-textured chocolate fudge color
• Obscura - warm rich brown tones with 1 satin creme brulee shade, 2 metallic bronzes and 2 satin/matte dark cocoa shades
• Exposure - rosy-plum and wine browns in shimmer and satin textures

I've got the 3 palettes swatched for you here.

As you can see, the colors are beautiful. So are the textures. But you DO need to know how to work with them or you can make a mess. The best thing you can do is to treat these like loose pigments. The shimmery shades can be applied damp (although I suggest picking up the colors on your brush before misting the brush - not applying moisture to the palette directly), and can give you a molten look. But whether you decide to use them dry or wet, I would highly suggest putting on a primer or base first so the pigments have something to grab and cling on to. Otherwise, they can dust and blend right off your skin.

And try to pack on the colors using a firmer, flatter brush just so you don't whip up pigments all over the place. It is quite a waste when you dip a fluffy brush in and see the colors fly everywhere.

Do I recommend these?

If you're a real collector, an Hourglass fan, or you love the look of these palettes, and you don't mind the price or working with loose pigments, then go for it. 

If not, these are very expensive for what they are, and I will say the formula isn't as "sophisticated" as I expected them to be. They are pigmented if you touch them, but they are finicky and trickier to apply than other high-end shadows. Basically they aren't as easy for makeup newbies to use as - say - a Marc Jacobs, Chanel or Dior palette would be. I personally feel if you're paying so much, you should expect products to be MORE foolproof than usual.

I don't regret getting these but I won't repurchase. And if you're on a budget, I wouldn't suggest you get these, even though they're real pretty to look at in the pan. You can get far more bang for your buck with any of the Urban Decay palettes.

MAC Julia Petit Eye Shadow x 2 in Sagu

I was fooling around with some of the items from the Julia Petit collection, and decided to do a look with one of the eye duos.

The 2 colors in Sagu are Druzy (Luster) and Black Plum (Matte).

I'm not usually a fan of Luster shadows; in fact with the exception of Tempting, I think they're incredibly troublesome to work with. So I wasn't entirely sure if I would like any of the eye duos in this collection, or where this look would end up.

But it didn’t turn out so bad even though Druzy is so sheer and subtle that it just gives you a barely-there wash of gossamer sparkle that is "your lids but better". Black Plum is exactly as you would imagine. It's not the most pigmented matte shade MAC has, but it works pretty well as a definer shade in the socket line and along the lashes. 

MAC Julia Petit Eye Shadow x 2 in Sagu

If you want a subtle look, wear Druzy all over and just use Black Plum as a definer. 
What I did was more of a "middle ground", with Black Plum in the socket, then Druzy just on the lids.
If you want a smoky look, wear Black Plum all over and pop Druzy in the center of the lid or inner corners of the eyes for some dimension. 

The other 2 duos in the collection are - kinda “same same” actually. Very monochrome and sepia themed. Not extremely exciting in terms of color options, but good for vampy looks if you prefer a more femme fatale sort of color scheme.

Are these a must?

Probably not. You can do just as well (or better) ordering 2 shades from the permanent line. MAC has better matte browns and more pigmented shimmery taupes. But if you want JUST this effect you see in the look above, then it's not bad of course. 

The Tartelette Amazonian Clay Matte Palette

Tarte's new Tartelette Amazonian Clay Matte Eyeshadow Palette is a real beauty if you love matte neutrals. I haven't always loved their eye palettes because some previous ones had been rather chalky or unpigmented, but when I saw this on the display at Sephora, it was love at first swatch.

I'll just start out by saying that the textures in this palette are ultra smooth and silky. I swatched all of them below so I can point out the couple of shades that go on slightly patchier than the rest. There are less than I usually expect from an all-matte palette with so many deeper shades.

Tarte Tartelette Amazonian Clay Matte Palette

There are 12 x 1.5g of shadow in the palette. Which is fantastic value because that's 12 full-size MAC pans worth of shadow. And all of these are gorgeously coordinated.

Row 1 is a collection of 4 warmer neutrals. Nice chocolate browns, a latte, and a cream shade.

Row 2 is a collection of pink-hued plummy neutrals. Bombshell is probably the patchiest shade in the entire palette, but to be honest, it actually looks fine if you wear it sheer and don't try to build it up like I did.

I dunno though. What's with the slightly cheesy names that look like they belong on Mothers' Day Better Homes & Gardens wax tarts from Walmart? Those of you who are in the US and into budget home-fragrances might know what I mean.)

Seriously, "Caregiver"? "Super Mom"?

ANYWAY - I'll try to ignore that. The colors are great.

Row 3 is made up of 4 cooler-toned taupe-based neutrals. Power Player reminds me of classic MAC mattes like Omega. There are several MAC dupes right here in this palette.

I'll try to do a tutorial or two with the Tartelette soon, but I honestly think this is a great investment if you don't already own other matte neutral palettes like the Urban Decay Naked Basics. The quality of the shadows is similar, but you get a lot more for your buck. 

I actually seldom wear all-matte eye looks, so this palette is still perfect as a transition palette. No matter what I wear on the lids, I will be able to find a nice natural blending shade in the Tartelette for buffing into the socket line. It's a quick way to make any metallic or colorful shadow instantly sit better on the eyes. 

Bobbi Brown Hot Collection Lip Color Swatches and Makeup LookPictorial/Tutorial

Bobbi Brown's Spring 2015 Hot Collection features soft neutral eyes and lots of strong vibrant colors on the lips. My favorite kinda combination for most days. 

I've got a quick makeup look here for you using items from the collection!

The main star of the show is one of the amazing Art Sticks. Now I haven't tried any of these before now, and I'm quite blown-away, even though I usually find Bobbi Brown's lip products to be among some of the best on the market. 

Bobbi Brown Art Sticks in (from left) Hot Orange, Hot Berry, and Hot Pink

Bobbi Brown Art Stick swatches

The pigmentation is completely opaque, and you get very vibrant intense color once the product goes on. They aren't dry like liners, so I wouldn't recommend them for that purpose. They're more of a rich satin texture. Not quite matte.

For this particular look, I used Hot Berry, which is a gorgeous deep magenta.

If you're not sure about such an intense color, go with the Sheer Lip Colors.

These are cushy glossy bright colors in softer shades than the Art Sticks so you can have bright lips without all that intensity.

To complement the cool magenta lips, I went with a cool pink blush. These Cheek Palettes from the collection are just GORGEOUS. I was so excited to see them. You get 3 colors, one a soft shade to apply as a base color, one a stronger shade to apply as a pop in the center of your cheeks, then finally, you use the center highlight shade along your cheekbones.

But there is nothing stopping you from using these as 3 separate cheek products.

These blushes look soft but believe me they can build up quickly to very intense colors, so use a light hand - and a soft brush. 

Because my lips are the focus for the look, I kept the blush very soft and subtle, using only Pale Pink blush and then Pink highlighter for a bit of a glow. 

On the eyes, I used the amazing Hot Nudes palette, which I swatched yesterday. This palette has 8 shades, and I wanted a glowy lid, but nothing too dramatic so it wouldn't fight for attention with the lips.

So I picked 2 of the shimmer shades in the palette, Nude Glow, and Bronzed Beige, for the lids. Then I used Nude Petal in the socket to blend out any edges, and Smoke as a soft brown liner shade. 

The step by step look is below!

The finished eye, after applying mascara, should look dewy and defined, but not take too much attention away from the lips.

And here's the final look!
The Bobbi Brown Hot Collection launches 6 March in Singapore at Isetan Scotts, 13 March island-wide. 

P.S. To win an SGD200 hamper from Bobbi Brown Singapore, or 1 of 5 pairs of passes (worth 2 x $100) to their Look of The Season workshop in early March, hop on over to fb.com/bobbibrownsg, Like the page if you haven't, and comment and say which of the 3 products used in this look is your personal favorite. 

Winners will need to be in Singapore to receive the hamper and attend the course!

Hello Gorgeous: Bobbi Brown Hot Nudes Eye Palette Swatches and Review

Bobbi Brown's Spring 2015 Hot Collection looks like an entire collection of "MVPs". In the midst of so nany beautiful things, I am guessing a lot of people would gravitate towards the Hot Nudes Eye Palette first of all. 

This is a neat 8-shade collection of neutrals (plus a pink) and the colors range from matte to satin to shimmer to outright sparkle. There's also a dual-ended applicator with a nice (but rather small) packer brush on one end, and a flat, synthetic liner brush on the other, if you want to use the darker shades for lining with. 

Colors-wise, I'm very happy to say that this palette is a winner.

I remember from some past collections that the eyeshadow palette shades tended to be inconsistent in quality. Some would be smooth and pigmented, some would be patchy and chalky. In the Hot Nudes Eye Palette however, they're all pretty smooth and easy to work with.

The only shade that might be slightly trickier to work with is Blackest Brown, the darkest shade. But in my experience, these very dark black, blue or brown matte shades contain a lot of oxide pigment, which tends to be naturally very tricky to work with. All that considered, this shade does perform pretty adequately as a definer color around the lash line or socket, although I haven't tried it full on as a smoky lid shade.

I've got a full eye, cheek, and lip makeup look done with the collection coming up, so stay posted!