Bobbi Brown 20% Sale Starts Today!

Don't forget the Bobbi Brown Friends and Family 20% off sale starts today and runs thru December 2.  My picks? The Earth Metal palette, the Chrome Palette, and the single chrome eyeshadows, especially pewter! All are Limited Edition so don't wait! As an added bonus, your purchase will help Bobbi to support the Dress for Success Program.

Bobbi Brown Chrome Collection - Holiday 2009

Ugg, is she not gorgeous? Bobbi Brown's Chrome collection is full of shiny metallics just in time for the holidays.

Here's the lineup:

Limited Edition Chrome Palette - $75

Bobbi's cool, contemporary take on holiday beauty. Icy, shimmering accents on eyes and lips cast an iridescent glow on the face. Inside this chrome-accented fold-out palette, you'll find everything you need to deck yourself out for the season: 10 eye shadow shades, 4 lip shades, a Mini Eye Shadow Brush, and Mini Lip Brush.

Eye Shades: White Eye Shadow, Polar Ice Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow, Storm Cloud Sparkle Eye Shadow, Iron Eye Shadow, Thunder Metallic Eye Shadow, Moonlight Sparkle Eye Shadow, Cyber Grey Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow, Foil Metallic Eye Shadow, Chrome Metallic Eye Shadow, Charcoal Haze Eye Shadow

Lip Shades: Pink Mist Shimmer Lip Gloss, Winter Bronze Glitter Lip Gloss,
Berry Glitter Lip Gloss, Chrome Pink Shimmer Lip Gloss

New Limited Edition Chrome Lips - $22

Port Lip Color, Chrome Metallic Lip Color and  Plum Pearl Metallic Lip Color

Chrome Mini Brush Set - $55

Mini Face Blender, our new Mini Angle Eye Shadow, and Mini Eye Liner - in palm-of-your-hand sizes. A chrome faux-leather zip-around case protects brushes for years of use.

Makeup Tip: Metallic Eyes

This fall eyes shine with shades of silver, gold, copper and bronze. I couldn't be happier. Bronze is my very very favorite eye shadow color and I have-- oh I don't know, like, 4,987,204,630 of them. Does that stop me from buying more? Hell-to-the no! Everyone can wear metallics, the trick is to find a hue that suits your skintone. Silver works with cool undertones, copper and bronze with warmer undertones and gold is universally flattering. Here are some tips for sparkling metallic eyes:

• Brush shadow under the eyes as well on the lid
• Apply the lightest shade on the inner corner of the eye
• Downplay lips and cheeks by staying neutral, but don't forget a bit of bronzer
• Use metallics in pairs--silver and pewter, copper and gold, bronze and dark grey
• Use a light hand, a sheer wash lets your eyes shine without looking like a disco ball
• Use a neutral matte shade for the brow bone to avoid too much shine
• Avoid colored liners, opting instead for black, charcoal or deep brown

Shades to try:

Laura Mercier Metallic Cream Eye Colour

Bobbi Brown new Chrome Eyeshadows, available in gold, bronze and pewter
Stila eye shadow trio in Gold Glow (gold, bronze, ivory)
Dior Beige 1-Colour Ultra-Smoothing High Impact Eyeshadow in
Argentic-gunmetal gray shimmer, Gold Touch-golden bronze shimmer


Less expensive alternatives:

Revlon ColorStay 12 Hour Eye Shadow in Copper Spice and Priceless Metals (see my Frugal Friday post here)
L'oreal HiP Metallic Duo in Platinum and Gilded

Try some sparkle and shine this Holiday season!!

Bobbi Brown Chrome Collection

Limited Edition Chrome Eyeshadow - $22

Developed with highly reflective pearls, this opulent formula looks like liquid metal on lids and reflects light beautifully. Featured in our signature eye shadow compact, customized for the season with a luxe chrome finish.

Gold, Pewter and Silver

Limited Edition Chrome Beauty Kit - $115

Tje Chrome Beauty Kit is perfect for travel or home organizing. Faux leather chrome has beautiful metallized look. Structured, multi-tiered case is sized to hold full-sized make up brushes, makeup and skincare essentials.

My two cents:
I think the Chrome palette is really really pretty but the eye shadows are very small--true you would probably not ever use them all up but still for $75? My personal preference is to not buy lip palettes--I just don't think they're portable or practical. If I have to dig out a palette and a lip brush and liner, etc.--well I'm just too lazy! Give me an old fashioned lipstick tube and I'm good to go. However, if you use lip palettes and are in need of some shimmery neutral eye shadows, go for it!

I purchased the brush set for $22 on Macy.s com, apparently there was a mistake in pricing. For $22 it's a great set, for $55 not so much. The Face Blender brush is amazing; I really do love it for blush application, but the two other brushes are teeny tiny! I mean smaller than mini!

I haven't had a chance to try the chrome shadows yet, but with Bobbi Brown products I can rely on excellent quality. I'd like to try the gold and pewter, which by the way looks more taupe to me. Whadda you think?

Check out Karla's blog for swatches here...

New Bobbi Brown Fall Palettes

Earth Metal Lip & Eye Palette
Limited Edition. Natural, shimmering elements come together in this beautiful new palette. Inside the chrome-accented, sleek compact you'll find a flip-top mirror with exclusive Eye Shadows and Creamy Lip Colors, and mini Eye Shadow and Lip Brushes $60  Although these are very beautiful eye shadow shades, I think the palette is deceptively small so I a bit on the fence about this one.

                                        Limited Edition Glitter Lip Balm Palette  
Pretty and pampering. This sleek, chrome-accented palette is filled with four beautiful shades of glitter balm.  Unique balm formula is infused with a mix of pearls and glitter so it moisturizes, comforts, and gives lips a glowy sheen. Includes a Lip Brush  $40 Again, this palette is on the small side, in my opinion.



Limited Edition Goldstone Long-Wear Eye Palette

Made to last from dusk til dawn. Bobbi's new palette has everything you need to create a complete and long-lasting glamorous eye look: two shades of Long-Wear Cream Shadow, one shade of Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner, and a dual-ended Mini Cream Shadow/ Ultra Fine Eyeliner Brush. Perfect for travel, measures 3.23"L x 1.58"W closed $40. I'm waiting for this in mail, I purchased it when it was marked $22 on Macys.com they caught on though and it is no longer available for that price. I will review it when I receive it.

Bobbi's Greatest Hits Velvet Plum Eye Palette

Back by popular demand. The perfect day-to-night eye palette includes an allover base shade, a lower lid shade, a crease shade, liner and a dual-ended Mini Eye Shadow/Eye Liner Brush $40 I bought this palette last year when it was a limited edition and ended up returning it because I just didn't think it worked for me, I may have to look at it again.

Added Bonus: With any $65 purchase receive a free full size Metallic Eye Shadow in shade Penny ($20 value). Enter code PENNY at checkout. Expires December 15.

Bobbi Brown's Rich Color Gloss

New Rich Color Lip Gloss from Bobbi Brown offers triple benefits: the full color coverage of a lipstick, the soft shine of a gloss, and the luxurious feel of a balm. Moisturizes, conditions, and lasts throughout the day without feathering. Doe foot applicator applies color smoothly and evenly. Available in 8 shades including pale, neutral, deep, and bright options. $20

These glosses are already getting rave reviews and should be available at your local Bobbi Brown counter this month. Oh and another BIG plus, Bobbi is listening to her customers and got rid of the brush that always splayed and changed to a doe foot applicator. YAY!

A word & then...Pink Beauty - Breast Cancer Awareness Month

This blog is my hobby. I love talking about makeup, skincare, haircare and all that stuff. But let's face it, that's superficial stuff, I'm deeper than that and so are you. So I'd like to take a few minutes to remind everyone that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Did you know that The National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM) organization is 25 years old this year? Proceeds from the sales of eveything from coffee pots to makeup to yogurt are donated by hundreds of companies big and small. But it's the stories of real people that truly bring home the message. Please indulge me while I tell you about some women I know and a woman I knew.

Karen was like us; she worked, was a busy mom, drove her kids to all their sports practices and attended every game. In addition, she volunteered at her church and she and I had a Camp Fire Girls troop. Karen was the one you called on to get something done and when no one else would volunteer, she would. She left behind 3 children, the youngest 8 years old. Karen lived for 2 years after her diagnosis but went through hell. A mastectomy, radiation, chemotherapy, stem cell replacement, she did anything it took to stay with her family as long as she could. To say it was hard on her is a colossal understatement-- it was horrid and debilitating and humiliating and every other horrible adjective you can think of.  I miss her.

I have two co-workers currently struggling with breast cancer. They both have been through surgery and chemo, infusions and have completed their treatment.  D is the most amazing person you will ever meet. She is smart, beautiful and witty, but perhaps the most striking thing about D is her positive attitude--you cannot help but be happy in her presence. She is grateful for the experience of having cancer, not that she would have asked for it or wanted it, but she's learned about herself and others and as usual she has tried to make the best of of a bad situation. When I was going through my divorce, D would send me cards with notes of encouragement--the woman has cancer and she's concerned about me? That's who she is, like I said---amazing.

I can only think of one word to describe V and that is GOOD. She is just a good, good, kind person. I will never reach that level of goodness. She never has a bad word to say about anyone, is always willing to help and is sympathic and understanding. I swear there are days when I catch a glimpse of something shiny hanging just above her head.

Both women are blessed with wonderful husbands, friends and supporters from their churches. Both women are of great faith which I'm sure helps to sustain them through these difficult times.

I'm only telling you this in the hope that you will make your health a priority. Karen's doctor told her to slow down and take care of herself, he said that chronic illness and disease is more common in women who have busy schedules and are givers. Hey doc, that describes all women! Did you know that one in every 8 women in the United States will develop breast cancer? Now that's scary! We 'mature' women have taken care of our spouses, children, friends, parents, grandchildren, etc. and put everyone before ourselves. Now it's time to take care of yourself. Your family needs you to stay healthy and active! We mature women also know that the world is a sweeter, calmer, more compassionate place because of US.

On a lighter note, let's take a look at some of the beauty products that have offerings for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. You can help just by buying products that donate in some way and thanks for indugling me.

Smooth the way to finding a cure for breast cancer. Buy this limited-edition Dramatically Different™ Moisturizing Lotion and help the Breast Cancer Research Foundation with its mission to prevent and cure this disease. Comes with a Clinique bracelet with dangling charms: a Clinique “C” and Breast Cancer Awareness Pink Ribbon.  $10.00 from your purchase helps support The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. $35

Limited-edition trio of Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 minis on a keychain. Comes with 2 charms: a Breast Cancer Awareness Pink Ribbon and a Clinique 'C." In Air Kiss, Kissyfit &Whisper. $10 from your purchase helps support the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. $18.50

Bonus: For every Clinique.com order placed in October, receive 3 gifts, no code necessary. Pink ribbon pin, pink ribbon charm and a bookmark featuring "7 tips for a healthier lifestyle".

Imagine a world without breast cancer. Your purchase of any product from the Pink Ribbon Collection will help Estée Lauder donate $500,000 to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®. BCRF is dedicated to preventing breast cancer and finding a cure in our lifetime by funding clinical and translational research worldwide. To learn more about BCRF, call toll-free 1-866-FIND.A.CURE or visit www.bcrfcure.org

Estee Lauder Pink Ribbon Collection: 

This twinkling collectible pin is a simple, elegant way to show your support of Breast Cancer Awareness. $12.50

Golden Ribbons Mirror Compact. This elegant mirror compact is a gleaming way to show your support of Breast Cancer Awareness. On the cover, a subtle golden ribbon design catches the eye. Open the compact to reveal a dual mirror (one side has 5X magnification). Compact is approximately 3' in diameter. $55

Give your lips a world of pinks and show your support of Breast Cancer Awareness with the Elizabeth Hurley Lip Design Collection. $22

Elizabeth Hurley hand-picked the shades for this exclusive set:


Pure Color Lipstick in Elizabeth Pink


High Gloss in Pink Lady


Artist's Lip Pencil in Pink Writer


Pink Case with Mirror

Give your lips a world of pinks and show your support of Breast Cancer Awareness with the Evelyn Lauder Lip Design Collection. $22

Evelyn H. Lauder hand-picked the shades for this exclusive set:

Pure Color Lipstick in Bois de Rose


High Gloss in Blush


Artist's Lip Pencil in Spice Writer


Pink Case with Mirror

Bobbi Brown's Limited Edition Pink Ribbon collection features a limited edition pink glitter lip balm and an exclusive new shade, Creamy Pink lipcolor.  $40

During the month of October, Tarte will donate 20% of the proceeds of the Think Pink natural collection to the Young Survival Coalition, a support network for women under 40 living with breast cancer. See the Think Pink natural collection here  Get a free pink clutch with a $40 purchase from the Think Pink natural collection, use code PinkOct9.

More Pink Beauty products will be featured throughout the week so make sure to check back . Be healthy and God Bless!

To Shimmah or Not to Shimmah?

Women have been told over and over to give up shimmery eye shadow after 35. Who says? I say rules were meant to be broken—with limitations. Even Bobbi Brown who was so against anything shimmery a few years ago has relented. Hence, her Shimmerbrick blushes and Shimmerwash eye shadows.

The trick as always is subtlety. Yes, give up the glitter. I lived through the age of disco, with my spandex leotard and matching wrap skirt, doing The Hustle and I don't want really want to go there---again. I just can't get behind MAC pigments or the loose glitter shadows many brands carry. Not only will glittery eye shadows date you, but they settle into fine lines and wrinkles. I know I have crow’s feet but I don’t have to advertise it for goodness sake.

Now in my opinion,  a little shimmer never hurt anyone. I’m not talking bling bling, but a slight sheen is attractive and makes your eyes pop. In fact, if people are concentrating on your eyes, they won't notice those crow's feet as much. A few brands I’ve tried and like are Lorac, Benefit Velvet eye shadows and Becca. Chantecaille, and Shu Uemura’s pearl finish are also great choices.

This is what I'm talkin' about!

Another option is a combination of matte and shimmer. I always like a bit of shimmer under the brow bone while a matte shadow on the lid looks polished and work appropriate.

Make sure you are using a good eye shadow base, it will smooth out any crepeiness (is that a word?), help your eye shadow adhere and last all day without creasing. A good eye cream morning and night is essential for those of us over 40 to keep eyes hydrated.

Bright colors are trendy and fun, but keep the colors to a minimum if you are worried about defining lines and wrinkles. In the words of Helena Rubenstein: Whether you are sixteen or over sixty, remember, understatement is the rule of a fine makeup artist. And after all, you are your own makeup artist!

10 Ways to Look Younger

1. Primers are your new best friends. A good face primer will fill in wrinkles, fine lines, and pores. Read my article on primers here.

2.  Lipstick shades can age you. Makeup artist Bobbi Brown suggests only going one or two shades darker than your natural lip color. Avoid matte lipsticks as they tend to settle into your lip lines. Instead, try creamier lipsticks or glosses. Glosses are especially youthful and can make your lips appear fuller.

3.  Stick to cream blushes.  Older skin usually means dry skin so creamy blushes won't settle into your fine lines and wrinkles like powders might on dry skin. Creamier products tend to 'plump' up your skin. Most cosmetics brands carry cream blushes, Bobbi Brown has an especially good selection called Pot Rouges.

4.  Eyeliner helps to define the eyes and make them 'pop.' Lining the eyes can make them appear larger. Smudging your eyeliner into the upper lash line helps to make your lashes look fuller. A thin line on the lower lash line helps to define. Don't forget to curl your lashes, it will make them look longer.

5.  Don't overpluck.  Once you hit your 30's, you'll want to be careful not to overpluck your eyebrows since brows are less apt to grow back if you excessively pluck. Brow powder applied with a stiff slant brush looks more natural than pencil. There's nothing worse than drawn on brows.

6.  Whiten your teeth. Over time, teeth may yellow from coffee, tea or red wine stains. I use Crest Whitestrips Advanced. This is a miracle product, it really does whiten and the strips stay put, you can even drink with them and it's much less expensive than a treatment at the dentist.

7.  Stand up straight. Think about all the sexy women you know, they stand up straight and confidently. Not only will this make you look ten pounds thinner in seconds, it will make you look five years younger as well.

8.  Get a good night's sleep.  Few things age you overnight more than a poor night's sleep. Your eyes are puffy, your skin sallow and dull and your face sags.

9. Use bronzer to contour your face. A quick swipe with a big fluffy brush on the jawline, a stripe down the center of your neck and a stripe under each cheekbone will take 10 years off. Make sure to blend well with a cosmetic sponge.
 
10. Brighten your eyes.  A little pink highlighter under the eye and on the inside corner will make you look rested and bright eyed even if you're not. Benefit's Eye Bright comes in a creamy pencil and does a great job.

Bobbi Brown Limited Edition Nude Eye Palette

Bobbi Brown is the Queen of "Me but Better" makeup; a natural look to enhance your best features without looking too harsh and madeup.  I love that! Her Limited Edition Nude Eye Palette personifies her philosophy beautifully. The shadows are a combination of 3 different textures: soft matte, lightly pearlized, and metallic high-shimmer.

Included Exclusive Shades: Navajo Eye Shadow, Pebble Metallic Eye Shadow, Chino Eye Shadow, Beige Linen Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow, Maple Sugar Metallic Eye Shadow, and Caviar Eye Shadow (which makes a great eyeliner).

The palette is housed in a customizable 3 Pan Palette, so you can interchange them with other Bobbi Brown eyeshadow, lip and blush pans. See the Fall 2009 Nudes Collection at BobbiBrown.com

Bobbi Brown Q & A

I love Bobbi Brown's philosophy: "Rather than zeroing in on what's "wrong" and using makeup to cover it up, I believe in honing in on what's right and using makeup to enhance it. I can't tell you how many times women come to my makeup counter so fixated on their "bad" feature that they overlook everything else. To those of you who are reading this and nodding your head in recognition, I say: Ease off and stop being so hard on yourself. Pick your best feature (we all have at least one) and make the most of it. Here's Rather than zeroing in on what's "wrong" and using makeup to cover it up, I believe in honing in on what's right and using makeup to enhance it. I can't tell you how many times women come to my makeup counter so fixated on their "bad" feature that they overlook everything else. To those of you who are reading this and nodding your head in recognition, I say: Ease off and stop being so hard on yourself. Pick your best feature (we all have at least one) and make the most of it".

Now on to the Q & A's:

Question: What's the best way to cover fine lines?

Answer: Don't think of your lines as a negative. I think they're beautiful and we get them from living, laughing, expressing ourselves. You can't really cover lines, so focus on making your skin look smooth and even. The best way to do this is with a rich face moisturizer, which will help plump up skin and make lines look less obvious. Use cream formulas of concealer, foundation, and blush; they'll glide over your skin instead of settling and collecting in the lines. If you've got fine lines around your eyes, draw attention away from them by lining your eyes to make your eyes stand out. A touch of blush on cheeks makes you look fresh and pretty. Use a rich lip balm (or even your eye cream) to hydrate lines around the lips. To keep lipstick from feathering, line your lips with after applying your lipstick.

Question: How do you diffuse wrinkles?

Answer: Ultra-rich moisturizers and creamy makeup formulas are the key to getting smooth-looking skin. Be sure to exfoliate on a regular basis with a gentle scrub or an AHA cream. This helps stimulate cell turnover and sloughs off dead skin cells, which can make skin look dull and prevent your foundation from going on smoothly. Make sure your skin is well hydrated. A great moisturizer literally plumps up your skin. Stick to creamy formulas of concealer, foundations and blush. Powder can settle into wrinkles, making them more visible. No one has wrinkles on their cheeks, so play them up with a little extra blush. If you have lines around your lips, keep the area moist. Try using a lip balm on and around the lip area and don't try to conceal the wrinkles with foundation. Instead, pick a creamy lipstick and matching lip pencil to prevent feathering.

Question: How do you cover up dark circles?

Answer: Apply a light eye cream underneath the eye area. It should absorb quickly and leave your skin feeling smooth. If you're using a corrector, use a concealer brush or your fingertip to apply it at the inner corner of the eye. Continue placing the corrector underneath the eye, staying close to the lashes and patting the corrector wherever your see darkness. Gently blend the corrector by pressing it with your fingers. You're now ready to apply your concealer. Use a concealer brush or your index finger to apply the concealer in thin layers. Be sure to blend well. Apply the concealer all the way up to your lash line and - this part is critical - onto the dark areas by the inner corners of your eyes. Use more concealer than you think you need, and blend it into the skin, using your fingers in a soft, patting motion. If you still see dark circles, go ahead and apply a second layer of concealer. To the lock the concealer into place, apply pale yellow powder over the concealer and on the eyelids with a powder puff.