Bobbi Brown Moisturizing Cream Compact Foundation - Review

Sometime last year, I had the opportunity to have a national makeup artist for Bobbi Brown's line give me a makeover, through one o f my local counters. Of course, this means they wanted me to buy huge, and I didn't (I should've declined the invitation, but c'mon... a makeover? For a line that I wanted to use more of at that time? I couldn't say no!)

I bought two things that day, and this was one of them. I never consider foundations labelled as "moisturizing," because that usually correlates to a glowy, dewy or not matte. As I prefer a matte finish, because my skin produces it's own glow (and lots of it), I was surprised when the makeup artist recommended it. She stated (keep in mind, she's supposed to sell me on it) that this foundation was formulated for all skin types, and would help camouflage my pores. She said the moisturizing aspect would be helpful for my "dehydrated" forehead (huh? It's oily. Never heard anyone say that oily skin is also dehydrated before, but I suppose....). She was pushing Bobbi's skincare line pretty hard, but I took it all with a grain of salt.  

Interestingly, this product is not listed on Bobbi's or Sephora's website. It's available at Macy's and Nordstrom (at least, on their websites). Nordstrom appears to have the all shades available, while Macy's has a limited, mostly deeper, shades listed. A cursory look around the internet doesn't tell me if this is discontinued, and I didn't see it at my CCO a few weeks ago. Anyway, here's what Macy's and Nordstrom have to say:

This unique emollient compact formula provides all-day wear and all-day moisturization, as it instantly softens the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and delivers a soft, radiant finish. Formulated for normal to dry skin, this foundation is blended with ingredients that prevent dehydration such as Jojoba Oil and Avocado Oil, both moisturize and condition skin. This creamy product provides medium to full coverage, and is a portable alternative to your liquid foundation and a more moisturizing alternative to traditional compact foundations.

The packaging is typical for Bobbi Brown - black, shiny, sleek, etc. This is a fairly thin compact, considering that it's a foundation. The product sits in a pan that can be lifted to reveal a home for a sponge applicator (my toddler seemed to have love it, when he saw it in my makeup room and took it with him). Vents are around the base of the compact, so the sponge can dry after use. A mirror lives in the lid of the compact. The base has a sticker with the shade name, number, and name of the product.

I was matched to Porcelain, which is the second lightest shade. One thing I admire about Bobbi's line is how accommodating she seems to be for us pale people. It's rare for me to be the second lightest in a line, and I know I'm not the palest person out there. Porcelain is a great match for me, possibly one of the best I've had.

I've tried this foundation over several primers, and all seem to play nicely with it. It doesn't oxidize, meltdown, or slide around on my face. It does collect a little on the parts of my glasses that rest on my nose, but so does everything else. I would agree this foundation provides medium coverage, and I suppose you could build it up, but I'd be concerned with the foundation appearing cakey. It evens the appearance of my skin tone nicely with one "coat." When first applied in a specific manner, it does help reduce the appearance of my pores.

The way I apply this is similar to how the makeup artist did on me. She used the sponge it came with, wrapped around her finger "like a taco," (her words, not mine), creating a round sponge-surface. She used the sponge dry, and rolled it across my skin. The coverage was impressive, and my pores disappeared in front of me when she did. I've used that technique (and of course, it didn't work nearly as well, but, c'est la vie, non?) and I've used the Sonia Kashuk Beautyblender dupe, with about the same success. I also wet the sponge a touch with Fix+ or Clinique's Moisture Surge Face Spray. I prefer a lightly damp sponge, because it seems to use less product. 

This leads me to my only real issue with this product: you get so little for a lot of money. This foundation costs $42, which is fairly average for a higher end foundation. But, you get 8 grams of foundation. MAC gives you 10 grams of their Studio Tech cream foundation for $30. Now, I'm willing to pay a slightly higher price for a great match, but really? I've hit pan on this foundation, as you can see above, and used it about 15 - 20 times. A bottle of foundation from Chanel or anyone else usually lasts me about a year, maybe a touch less. This compact won't last me 6 months of continuous use.

It also turns a bit sticky if you put a spray (makeup setting or otherwise) over it, like Fix+ or the aforementioned Clinique. And it stays sticky, which is kind of weird. Just an odd thing I noted with this foundation. I've never experienced that before, either.

I really like this foundation. I do. I don't like the price. I wonder if it is being discontinued, as it's availability is limited. If you find it at your CCO, I would recommend picking it up. I'm oily and it lasts all day looking relatively fresh, which is a rare thing. I don't know if it's worth full price, however, considering how much you get.

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Blush Pink Coral - Review

I admit it - I love blush. Mostly corally pink, shimmery blushes. At one point, a MAC makeup artist told me that would be the best color for my skin tone and coloring, and I apparently took that to heart. I'd estimate 70% of my blushes are in the coral/pink/peach vein, and every time a new one comes out, I feel the urge to bring my wallet from my purse.

About a year ago, I hit a Bobbi Brown phase, and dumped a lot of money in a short period of time on Bobbi's products. While everything I tried was nice, I never felt like I just had to use it. I'd get something new, and wouldn't feel that urge to take off the makeup I was wearing to apply the new whatever. I've swapped away quite a bit of it, and kept only a few things that I really like. This blush is one of those pieces.

Bobbi's blushes are $24 each. You get 0.13 oz of blush in a black, square pan that fits into any of Bobbi's  customizable palettes.To compare, MAC blushes are $19.50 for 0.21 ounces for the potted variety, and $16.50 for the propan.

Pink Coral is described as a "a bright warm pink." While I see the pink, I think the description is missing the yellow tone that brings this color into the coral family, which is reflected in the name. The pan would indicate loads of glitter, but I don't really see that when it's applied. While pink isn't a color I can wear easily, I like this color on me, despite the strong pink tone. It definitely is a warm toned color, and lasts all day on me, unlike other higher end blushes (*cough* NARS*cough*).

I also really appreciate Bobbi's palette system. Everything can be removed from it's original case and put into her palettes. She even sells palette-ready foundation, concealers, lipglosses and lipsticks, perfect for putting together your own face-case (remember that Urban Decay product from back in the day? I wanted all of them!) for a trip, and then rearranging once you return home.

Overall, I like this blush. I'm not convinced it's terribly unique (I have a Sonia Kashuk blush that looks suspiciously similar, which I need to swatch and review and stuff). The last power makes it a winner in my book, though.

Bobbi Brown Corrector - Review

For a long time, I was on a search for the best under eye concealer. I had given up on drug store brands, most likely because my first encounter at the tender age of 13 had soured me to them. It took several months of scouring recommendations on Makeupalley before I decided to bite the bullet and try Bobbi Brown's Corrector.

While in the strictest sense, this is not a concealer, it can boost the abilities of any true concealer (and, of course, Bobbi recommends using her own Creamy Concealer over this) for correcting discoloration. The only place I use this product is under my eyes. If I stay up too late, or don't use an eye cream, or don't sleep well, I have purpley-blue circles under my eyes. When I bought this, I was using MAC's Select Moisturecover concealer (shade NC15) to try to cover up these circles, and it wasn't working (I purchased this concealer on the advisement of an excellent MAC sales person at my local Nordstrom). When Bobbi Brown had a Friends and Family sale, I jumped online and picked up her corrector in Porcelain Bisque, the lightest shade available, without really know if the color would be right for me.

For $22.00, you get 0.05 oz of very creamy, fairly thick-feeling (really, very close to a paste-like consistency) corrector. The pot has a itty-bitty mirror in the lid, and is about the same diameter as a MAC eyeshadow. I was extremely unimpressed by the amount of product when I first opened the box. It's extremely pigmented, though, and you don't need to use much. I believe I've had this pot for over 2 years now, and yet, I haven't finished it.

I usually apply this with my MAC 242 brush, and then buff with my MAC 224 (which makes an awesome application brush for liquid concealers!). On it's own, it's not flesh-toned on me at all. It looks almost white under my eyes, and while I am on the fair side of skin tones, I'm not that pale. I'd wager fairer skin tones could use this as a concealer, if they wished.

It blends in beautifully, however, and doesn't settle into the lines under my eyes. It wears extremely well (although, my under-eye skin is the only "normal" skin I have on my face, so that's not saying much). It doesn't really crease or fail if a liquid or powder concealer is used over it. I've used the Creamy Concealer Bobbi offers as a complementary product to this, and they work well together, but they do not require one another. I find this is superfluous, however, if I'm use the Maybelline FitMe concealer (I love that stuff!), and would imagine if you are using a full-coverage concealer, you may not find any benefit to owning or using this product.

If, however, you are using a light-coverage concealer, or have discoloration on your skin that your foundation cannot manage, I'd recommend this product.

Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base - Review

I'm an oily-skinned girl who loves a matte yet slightly luminous look. No matter what I try (with one exception), if a foundation as the word "luminous" on the bottle or tube, I'm screwed. Apparently, to most makeup formulators, oily gals don't want luminous - they want a greasy face! And, "natural" finishes translate to... OILY! (although, that's sort of poetic justice - I mean, my face is naturally oily, so a "natural" finish for my face... yeah).

So, I've given up on finding a foundation that can stand up to oily skin. Instead, I've turned my focus away from foundations and towards primers. I've tried several, and the one that I'm working with now I love (except the price kinda stinks). A couple of weeks ago, I went to a Bobbi Brown event at one of my local Nordstrom's. The artist who did my makeup had several skincare recommendations for me (of course, they were all Bobbi Brown and uber pricey), and didn't really talk up this little gem. I asked for a sample (since it's $50 for a jar, more on that later). She gave me a generous sample in a 5 gram jar. I've been using that sample daily, under the Maybelline Fit Me and Tarte Amazonian Full Coverage Balancing Foundation, as well as a to-be-reviewed Estee Lauder Doublewear Light. I've never been more impressed with a primer!

It doesn't claim to be oil-controlling, or mattifying, which are typically the two terms I seek on a primer's label. Instead, it claims:

"Rich in feel, but never greasy, this advanced oil-free, face formula, with Shea Butter, instantly hydrates, softens, and cushions skin. Carrot Extract and Vitamin A Complex help minimize the look of fine lines and wrinkles. Vitamins C and E help protect against environmental damage. Grapefruit and Geranium fragrances leave a light, uplifting scent on skin. With daily use, skin looks and feels its best."

Usually, I'd call a foul and say "Really? You want me to believe all of this? C'mon!" And I can't speak to the wrinkle/fine line claims. I can say, however, I love the way my skin feels after applying this product. It feels soft, smooth, and happy. I don't use a daily moisturizer under this product, for the most part (some mornings, I've used Bobbi's EXTRA Face Oil, another thing I'd like to review), because I don't really feel it necessary.

I really believe Face Base has made a difference in the way my makeup wears. Every foundation I've applied on top of it has lasted all day. I still get oily, but the fact that there's still foundation on my forehead at the end of the day is almost unprecedented. Setting with a good powder (still looking for a holy grail powder, though) helps the look last, but previous primers, like Murad's Oil Control lotion (which doesn't live up to it's name), or MAC's P+P with SPF, can't hold a candle to this primer.

This is fragranced. I mean, it does contain a lot of essential oils. Carrot is, apparently, very... uhh... overpowering. This smells delish, a soft citrus with maybe a hint of floral. Even my husband thought it smelled nice, and that's truly saying something. The fragrance isn't apparent on the skin, but if you're someone who is sensitive to scents, you are forewarned!

This product costs $50. That's a bit much, especially since I balked at paying $30 for MAC's Prep + Prime with SPF primer (the first two tubes I had were ah-maz-ing, the third... not so much). I was able to purchase this during Bobbi's last Friends and Family sale for $45, which I felt was still a bit much, until I realized how much product is in the jar. 1.7 fluid ounces. Most primers (and foundations, for that matter) are sold in 1 fluid ounce jars/tubes/whatevers. Additionally, I don't use very much of this. The amount shown above? Enough for my face. Seriously. As I mentioned, I've been using a 5 gram jar that was fairly well filled for 3+ weeks, and I'm not done with it yet! I didn't feel so cheated, after looking at it this way.

Overall, I love this product. I really, truly do. It's expensive, so, I'd recommend a sample first (to make sure you like it), and then start scouring your CCO! Regrettably, I haven't found anything similar.