Musings of a Muse

Another day, another giveaway!

Have you entered my Vera Wang giveaway yet? Sure hope you have! If you win you’ll receive a bottle of Vera Wang Look signed by Vera Wang! Ahhhh! Coolness right?

Clickie to enter!

Today you’ll be entering for your chance to win the Bobbi Brown Manual that the Muse recently reviewed! Enter your name in the comment field for your chance to snag this great read! The contest is open to US and International readers!

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Ahh the Muse has gone so natural and neutral lately hasn’t she? But she can’t help herself when Bobbi Brown keeps introducing awesome palettes! The new Limited Edition Bobbi Brown Lip and Eye Palette contains an array of naturally beautiful shades for creating that perfect party look with a tiny bit of pop and a whole lot of elegance.

The palette contains four Bobbi Brown Creamy Lip Colors and four Bobbi Brown Metallic Eyes Shadows in a slick, black compact. I loved the design of the palette as it has the lip colors on top with a pull out draw housing the shadows so everything is kept nice and tidy. The draw designed to hold the shadows pulls out easily and houses the shadows nice and tight.

The shadows are all gorgeous colors with a nice metallic almost shimmery like finish. The shades are all very use friendly and aren’t in the least bit bold or scary so you’ll be getting a soft, natural look from each shade. I wouldn’t say the shadows are necessarily the same in color but I do feel like you can’t combine them to create different looks. The shadows each have an individual color and combining them does nothing but create muddy shades so I would suggest using each shade individually. The $60 USD price tag may be a bit discouraging when faced with only four looks that can be arranged from the four included colors however I took all this into consideration and still felt like it was well worth the price since the looks you can create are truly lovely.

I was a bit put off by the lip colors as I was expecting the same soft, buttery formula that I was recently treated to when I purchased the Bobbi Brown Pink Satin Collection. However, the formula on these was a bit hard and the colors weren’t too pigmented. They weren’t particularly easy to apply and didn’t feel as soft as the ones I originally tried. I was a bit let down by this but after applying and playing around a bit I was happy with how they looked on so I decided to disregard the crummy formula.

The palette contains a lip brush and a shadow brush. Both of which are mini size and fabulous in my opinion. Be it large or small I’m always very impressed with Bobbi Brown Makeup Brushes. I’m particularly a big fan of her lip brushes! Both brushes make applying everything a snap and it doesn’t take a ton of skill or drama to achieve a soft, flattering, work friendly look using the brushes, shadows, and lip colors!

The shadows included in the palette are:

• Champagne Quartz (Shimmering beige with touches of pink)
• Gold Dust (Shimmering Gold)
• Golden Bronze (Shimmering fleshy peach)
• Galaxy (Shimmering gray with a touch of a black)

The lip colors included in the palette are:

• Berry Mauve (Berry Pink)
• Pink Sequin (Sheer Peach)
• Dusty Mauve (Mauve with a heavy dose of brown)
• Ruby (Off Red almost maroon)

I’ve reviewed the Metallic Eye Shadows prior to this and it deserves to be mentioned again how great the formula is. For one of my looks below I actually decided to apply wet and I have to say I love how it intensifies the color and gives a foil finish when the shadow is applied this way.

I honestly can’t begin to tell you about my lips. All my looks below are created using everything in the palette but I mixed, combined, and cocktailed all the colors together to create the shades hehe so I’m unsure what I’m wearing! I think that mixing them all together kinda creates some rather nice shades rather than wearing them alone.

Gold Dust applied wet

Galaxy

Golden Bronze

All in all I absolutely loved this palette! It’s not loud or bold or vibrant but it does create some very soft, flattering looks that are ideal for work or a Holiday party! If you’re scared of bolder shades this will be a perfect pick for creating natural, elegant looks for the season! This one gets a big Muse Approval for purchase! Very worth it and a truly great palette, possibly my favorite of all the Bobbi Brown palettes I’ve tried as of late!

Bobbi Brown Long Wear Eye Palette Review

Free Bobbi Brown Holiday Makeup Lessons

Bobbi Brown Glitter Lip Gloss Review

Bobbi Brown Party Collection

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Bobbi Brown counters all over the country are offering free holiday makeup lessons! Sweet! Click and Print the image below and bring it with you to your local counter to let Bobbi Brown add a bit of sparkle, shine, and shimmer to your holiday looks!

No need for an appointment just stop by your local counter anytime! Click here to find your nearest Bobbi Brown counter!

Don’t forget to take pics! The Muse wants to see you all pretty like thanks to a Bobbi Brown Makeup Artist!

Bobbi Brown Glitter Gloss Review

Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual Review

Bobbi Brown Corrector Concealer Review

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You know Bobbi Brown Glitter Balm failed to excite this Muse but she has absolutely no such feelings about Bobbi Brown Glitter Lip Gloss!

Likey!!!!!

This morning I whipped out my brand new Bobbi Brown Glitter Lip Gloss in Disco Pink and started to boogie down baby!

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Whoa…life is good….

Nab yourself 20% Off during the Bobbi Brown (first ever?) Friends and Family Event and free shipping starting today and ending tomorrow by using coupon code BFF08A

Get Haulin’!!!!!!!!

And come back later to tell the Muse about your haul! Pretty please? She’s being good and not buying anything so she wants to live vicariously through your purchases!

Bobbi Brown Mauve Face Palette Review

Bobbi Brown Makeup Manuel Review

Bobbi Brown Copper Diamond Shimmer Brick Review & Swatches

Bobbi Brown Shimmering Nudes Palette Review

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The Muse remembers the first time she purchased a cosmetic book. It had to be 10 years or so ago and it was entitled Your Makeover: Simple Ways for Any Woman to Look Her Best by Morgen Schick. The Muse is a big supporter of Morgen Schick and her amazing array of awesome cosmetics and her book was quite great at creating a flawless, natural look.

Recently the Muse was introduced to another makeup book which is the Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual. The Muse finished this book in a day! I took it to bed with me one night and didn’t stop reading until it was completely done. Although much of what was discussed I already know I still felt like the book was an awesome manual for those who are just starting out in the cosmetic world.

The book covers many topics such as picking a moisturizer and foundation for your skin tone and type, how a good diet influences your skin and body, application of concealer, foundation, eye makeup, and more! The book has a solid index of just about everything you want or need to know about makeup and application. Granted, the book does contain the most basic (no complex application methods here just straight to the point) of information but this is actually what makes it so appealing as the simplicity of the techniques are easy to follow and understand! The book covers virtually all aspects of makeup but it also covers details such as photographer and becoming a makeup artist.

All in all it’s a rather interesting compilation of great tips and tricks! I think it’s well worth picking up if you’re a beginner to makeup application or you’re just seeking to brush up on your current skills!

I enjoyed it and I’m quite happy to have it on my bookshelf as I definately learned a thing or two after reading it!

You can nab yours from Amazon.com

Anyone read it or own it?

Tell the Muse!

Bobbi Brown Pink Satin Collection Review

Bobbi Brown Glitter Lip Balm in Copper Diamond Review, Swatches, and FOTD

Bobbi Brown Long Wear Eye Palette Review, Swatches, and FOTD

Bobbi Brown Party Collection

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Bobbi Brown Copper Diamond Collection really caught the Muse’s eye this season with the introduction of the beautiful Bobbi Brown Copper Diamond Shimmer Brick. Also released with this collection are brand new, limited edition Bobbi Brown Glitter Lip Balms.

Of course the Muse is all about glitter so she must have some glittery lip balms for her lips! Sadly, after trying out these balms I’m somewhat on the fence if I actually like them! I tried the shade Copper Diamond which is a rich brown shade with gold shimmer. I did expect a gritty formula as per the name “glitter lip balm” but thankfully the formula is quite smooth and applies easily. Actually the formula is my main problem with the product, considering it’s a balm it applies as such so it has that slightly waxy feel to it and feels a bit heavy on the lips! In defense of the product you have to take into consideration the fact that it is a balm so it does have the texture of one. I guess I was feeling like it might be a bit more emollient and moisturizing on but that’s not the case. Some tugging and pulling is involved to get it to glide on smoothing but the good news is it is pigmented so one layer of product is plenty! I also wasn’t particularly thrilled with the color as it’s a chocolate brown that wasn’t too flattering on me and the other two shades released don’t look too much better to me so I honestly have no interest in purchasing another shade considering the formula is fab and the shades aren’t either.

All in all if you like the general texture of regular balms you might find this is a product you’ll absolutely love but the Muse wasn’t particularly excited about it after trying it on for size. I’ve had some great experiences with Bobbi Brown lately but the Bobbi Brown Glitter Lip Balm gets a thumbs down for me this time around!

Have you tried these?

Love ‘em?

Not so much?

Tell the Muse!

Bobbi Brown Copper Diamond Shimmer Brick Review, Swatches, & FOTD

Bobbi Brown Moisturizing Cream Compact Foundation Review

Bobbi Brown Pink Raspberry Collection Review & FOTD

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I got countless e-mails asking after the new Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Copper Diamond and honestly I can’t blame many of you for asking, “Muse, Muse, do I need it? How similiar is it to the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Gold? Are you getting it?”

So here you go a reply and answer to all your many e-mails!

Yay! Trust your dear old Muse to answer all your questions about the Bobbi Brown Copper Diamond Shimmer Brick!

Good news my dears, Bobbi Brown Copper Diamond is vastly different when compared to Gold! Excited? I am as I was prepared to be disappointed when I seen Copper Diamond up close and personal but disappointed I was not!

The name is slightly misleading..Copper Diamond…mmmm I wouldn’t necessarily fit the shades in to the copper or the diamond category! For the most part the palette is a super beautiful combination of beiges, browns, and creams. The finish does have a slight copper sheen to it but very slight in my opinion and leans more towards a golden bronze. It’s difficult to explain but it’s beautiful is all you really need to know.

I took swatches of each shade:

I’ve never been a true fan of Bobbi Brown Shimmer Bricks but somehow, someway I have collected my fair share of them over the course of a year or so. Along the way I also ended up from really not liking them that much to actually enjoying them quite alot, so much so that some shades have even replaced my beloved MAC Mineralized Skinfinish!

The evolution of the Bobbi Brown Holiday Shimmer Brick has been a rather nice ride for the Muse. Her first purchase was the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Gold which was quickly followed up by the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Pink Quartz from Holiday 2007 and finally I’m ringing in the start of Holiday 2008 with the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Copper Diamond. I’ve actually hauled out all three palettes and did close up shots and comparisons of all of them so you can see the differences for yourself. One of the major differences would be packaging of course. The packaging has evolved from the classic black Bobbi Brown compact featuring a beautiful gold border inside to a pink border the next year. Always after the compact remains black and modest even though each was a limited edition piece there was nothing super special about the packaging aside from that pretty border inside. Last year Bobbi ditched the simple black pox and replaced it with a shiny bronze pink metallic package that caught and held the Muse’s eye. Finally this year the packaging undergoes a major revamp and comes out shining like a brand new penny! The compact has gone from the simplicity of black to a stunning copper gold palette with a beautiful metallic face place displaying the Bobbi Brown brand name on top. When I originally seen the compact in photos it kind of resembled a cardboard compact but that’s not the case at all. The compact is actually a tiny bit bigger then a normal shimmer brick plus with it’s new clothes it’s quite the little stunner! I like that even during pressing economic times that Bobbi Brown took the initiative to create beautiful new packaging for a beautiful new limited edition product and kept the price at $40 USD!

Evolution of Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Packaging

Do you need Copper Diamond? The Muse likes to think so. If you collect Bobbi Brown Shimmer Bricks you’re honestly going to want to purchase this one to add to your stash. If you’re thinking of purchasing one for the first time this is absolutely a great piece to start with. I really can’t help but Muse Approve it for purchase! If you were worried whether it was very like Gold rest assured it’s vastly different and just as beautiful.

It’s available now on Bobbi Brown’s website or your local counter.

The Muse loves it and thinks you will too!

What I used to create my Bobbi Brown Copper Diamond Look:

Face:
Bourjois Paris 10 Hour Sleep Effect
Hard Candy Liquid Sweet Cheeks Liquid Blush in Girlie
Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Copper Diamond

Lips
Bobbi Brown Glitter Lip Balm in Copper Diamond (Review Coming Soon…)

Eyes
Urban Decay Potion Primer
Benefit Lemon Aid
Dior Radiance Booster Pen
Milani Wet/Dry Sparkling Eyeshadow in Beach Sand

Apologies in advance for looking so rough! I was out till 3:30am last night singing my little heart at karaoke and the night got away from me so the Muse ended up scoring a mere 2-3 hours worth of sleep and she’s looking like it in these photos EEP!

Bobbi Brown Mauve Collection Review featuring the Bobbi Brown Mauve Face Palette

Bobbi Brown Party Collection

Bobbi Brown Party Collection: Updated Color Information

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Eye Palette in Night Sky Review & Swatches

Bobbi Brown Glitter Lip Balm

Bobbi Brown Copper Diamond Shimmer Brick

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A bit more Bobbi Brown Holiday with her new collection that’s launched on Nordstrom this week entitled Party Collection!

The collection is re-pimping Bobbi Brown Metallic Eyeshadow out and from what I could see none of the shades are new however if you haven’t already indulged I highly suggest you do as I have a few shades and absolutely love ‘em!

The item that really caught my eye is the new, limited edition Bobbi Brown Glitter Gloss.

Behold:

Is that pretty or what? Nice right? Each gloss is $19 USD each and available in six shades which include:

• Disco Pink
• Rave (Shown Above)
• Ball
• Martini
• Soiree Pink
• Velvet Rope

Considering how many metallic shadows I’ve collected so far I should really start indulging in one of the empty four pan palettes for $10 USD!

If you’re wanting a bit of a sparkling look for the Holidays you may want to check some of these items out! I know I have my eye on the Bobbi Brown Glitter Lip Gloss in Rave and Velvet Rope!

Bobbi Brown Pink Bronze Collection Review Featuring Bobbi Brown Metallic Eyeshadows

Bobbi Brown Long Wear Eye Palette Review and Swatches

Bobbi Brown Metallics Collection and Metallic Lip Color Review and Swatches

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Bobbi Brown Long Wear Eye Palettes started off as an exclusive item from our friends at Nordstrom however Bobbi was feeling generous so she’s included them in with her Winter and Holiday Collection which means you can get ‘em from your local Bobbi Brown counter or directly from Bobbi Brown’s website now! No Nordstoms required!

I thought for sure that I’d want to indulge in both versions of this palette but turns out it has some minor flaws that made me feel a little less in love with it. Up till now I’ve been having awesome Bobbi Brown experiences but sadly I wasn’t feeling the love for the Long Wear Eye Palette.

The palette comes in two color variations, Moon Rock and Night Sky. I tested out Night Sky for myself and the palette overall is rather wonderful with a few minor rants here and there from your dear old Muse.

The palette contains two Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadows in Ocean Storm and Rockstar and two Bobbi Brown Gel Eye Liners in Black Ink and Thunder Storm. Ocean Storm has an off cast of gray to it but it appears more like a shimmering white once applied and Rockstar is a deep navy blue that has a slightly shimmery finish. Black Ink is obviously a true black liner shade while Thunder Storm has an off cast of brown but appears very black once applied even though in the photo I took it looks like a true brown.

Ocean Storm and Rock Star

Black Ink and Thunder Storm

Rockstar, Ocean Storm, Blank Ink, and Thunder Storm

RockStar and Ocean Storm

Black Ink and Thunder Storm

You can probably get a total of four looks from the palette but I just choose to do one complete look by using the two cream shadows and one liner. To do my look I used Ocean Storm as an eye prep from lid to crease and followed up with Rockstar all over my lid. To complete my look I used the Bobbi Brown Gel Eye Liner in Black in on my lower lash line and upper lash line. There is absolutely no denying that the completed look has a nice sophisticated edge. I thought it opened my eyes up and created a soft, pretty look however this does not change my mind about some of the problems that arose while using the palette.

One major problem with the palette is the packaging. Although the packaging looked ideal to me it needs a tiny bit of work to be perfect. The palette contains a lid for each of the liners and shadows. This is a wonderful idea as it protects the contents of the palette and keeps the liners and shadows from hardening. Each lid snaps open and closed to protect the content of each “well” however I find it very difficult unsnapping each lid. Each time I used the palette I had to get a nail file and wriggle it under the lid to get them to pop up and open. Maybe after a few uses the lids will loosen enough to open easy but at this point I struggle with them every time I use the palette. Although I completely appreciate the idea behind the lids I do get a major case of irritation that it takes so long to get each lid open prior to use.

Closed

Opened

Now the liners are pure perfection! You probably know what a joyous day it was the day I discovered how much I love Bobbi Brown Gel Liner! Angels sung in heaven, the sun shined bright, all was right with the world when I got my first pot of Bobbi Gel Liner however the long-wear cream eyeshadow left a little bit of a bad taste in my mouth.

As I mentioned I simply adored the finished look the palette gave my eyes however the cream shadows have a crummy formula in my humblest. They blend very streaky and even after a few layers color payoff isn’t too fabulous. I won’t rant too much on pigmentation considering I think the idea is to give a very light finish and not bold and loud however after five layers of Rockstar I finally decided that this was the best I was going to get in the color department and I wasn’t going to stretch it out any further. The shadows do have a great formula for the simple fact that they don’t dry right away so you have plenty of time to layer, blend, and just generally work with the shadow before it completely dries down. Cream shadow formulas that remain moist for a while are really user friendly in my opinion and Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Eye Cream gets a rave in that department. However, this doesn’t take away from the fact that they seriously apply in a major streaky messy. As I move my finger across my eye to blend I end up completely removing the shadow so I take my brush add more color and reblend with my fingertip and again and again and over and over I proceed to repeat the process a million times. After a while, if I’m lucky, I’ll finally have a good layer of product and my bare lid won’t show through but this does take a good 20 minutes to perfect since for some odd reason the shadow just streaks every which way from Friday!

I almost failed to mention the palette also includes a dual sides brush which is very nice. One end has a shadow brush applicator and the other side has a thin liner brush with cap! I totally appreciated the fact that they included a cap for the liner brush as after using liner it’s always messy to put the brush back into the palette.

Overall, the palette is actually really nice with a few minor imperfections however it’s these imperfections that will probably prevent me from purchasing the second color available. I loved the look I created using the palette but I think the packaging needs a tiny bit of work and the formula on the cream shadows could be slightly better!

I do recommend heading to your counter and trying it out for yourself as you might very well fall into the love/hate relationship I’m currently having with it! Not all bad but not completely good either!

The Muse’s opinion remains open on this one and she hopes as time passes she’ll grow to love it!

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Eye Palettes are available now at the Bobbi Brown Website or your local counter! They are limited edition and $55 USD each!

Bobbi Brown Holiday 2008

Bobbi Brown Pink Satin Collection Review

Bobbi Brown Copper Diamond Shimmer Brick

Bobbi Brown Moisturizing Cream Compact Foundation Review

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