She loves me, she loves me not: Bobbi Brown's Lip Gloss in Petal

Bobbi Brown's Petal

Have you ever scanned the faces in the tram during your morning commute and wondered why the girl standing across from you took the time to put on makeup, but failed to complete the look by skipping her lips? I just don't get that -- even tinted chapstick would do. Alas.

For the mornings I don't feel like putting in a lot of effort, but still want to look somewhat alive I reach for soft pinks to enhance my pout.

Swatch of Bobbi Brown's Petal

Bobbi Brown's Petal (a brown based pink) goes on like honey to a piece of toast; it's a slick-y, sticky treat for the lips, at first. Avocado, Chamomile oils, Jojoba and Aloe extract with the subtlest hint of vanilla nourish the lips during the first few hours of wear. By hour four, call it lunchtime, Petal has all but disappeared and what remains is a nasty white line just on the inside of my lips. Ick. 

Here comes the less glamorous side of beauty. To combat things, I grab a super scratchy paper towel from the ladies room and scrape off the remnants of Petal and reapply my chapstick to keep my lips moisturised. 

Can I look beyond this odd phenomenon in exchange for a universally flattering pink hue that's easy enough to apply without a mirror in sight?

Wearing Petal on my lips and Clinique's Peach Pop on my cheeks

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Bobbi Brown's Lip Gloss in Petal:

• $44.00 AUS / $25.00 USD

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

• 5 out of 10 bags — lip gloss, why can't we be friends?

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

• Not at the moment.

Caught in a stick-y situation with Bobbi Brown's Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick

And I fluttered my eyes in order to get out of it.

Bobbi Brown's Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick begs for you to push aside the eyeshadow pan and to drop the brush at your feet. Fourteen buttery colours sing their siren call -- metallurgy, smoke, flora and fauna.

T'was love at first sight.

Swatch of Golden Pink

Wearing Bobbi Brown's Golden Pink and Burberry's Rosewood

Despite my loving By Terry's Ombré Blackstar Sticks, there is still room for improvement for the way it dries down, just wish it appeared smoother. Bobbi's version is just as good, if not better and much cheaper. Plus, the availability of Bobbi Brown is high up there.

The rounded tip of the eyeshadow stick is probably the best feature to me -- it's petite enough to snuggle in against my smallish eyelids and firm enough to apply product without crumbling with added pressure.

A couple of Saturdays ago I test drove Golden Pink (worn over primer) for approximately eight hours, which consisted of freshening my waves, packing and drinks followed by dinner.  While the rosy champagne colour lasted, the finish separated like oil being spilled onto water. But then again, that could be due to my super oily lids.

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Bobbi Brown's Long-wear Cream Shadow Stick:

• $44.00 AUS / $28.00 USD

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

• 8 out of 10 bags — I tucked Golden Pink in my makeup bag in case I wanted to go for a low maintenance look during our holiday. Let's see if it survived the insanely humid Singapore.

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

• Vanilla could prove to be a standout base.

*PR sample provided –  Thoughts and ramblings written here are completely my own.

A little book about Bobbi & Katie

I love books, I fell first for Amelia Bedelia's unwitting hijinks and Angelina Ballerina's delicate moves. Almost 25 years later I've replaced paperbacks with my iPad and I know I don't read as much literary fiction as I should. 

Whether it be pictures, touch, your mother's voice or even makeup -- books help our imaginations to thrive, they also offer a few moments of pure bliss and escapism. Ultimately, it's up to you and the feverish pace you've chosen to gobble all of the words told from front to back.

I too want to know where the sidewalk ends and see all the places Harold was able to visit because of his purple crayon.

Bobbi & Katie might not be your traditional story, but its contents inside are certainly telling. 

Eyeshadows, Lip Pots and Eye Pencils, oh my!

If this book had a jacket, this is what it would say..

Created by Bobbi Brown and curated by Katie Holmes, Bobbi and Katie features possibilities, new opportunities, a chance to fall in love, a way to colour your world and eventually, you'll be intoxicated by the presence of such subtlety.

A must read! 

Bobbi & Katie swatches

A little bit closer now (from left to right): Pretty Powerful Pot Rouge, Raspberry Pot Rouge, Cream, Antique Rose, Stone & Black Cocoa; the last four are powder eyeshadows

eyeshadow swatches continued (from left to right): Pink Chiffon, Brown Sugar, Pink Quartz, Ballet Pink & Chocolate (eye pencil)

If you're a makeup newbie, a Bobbi-phile or appreciate softer colours, then I suggest you pick up your very own copy of Bobbi & Katie.

The pot rouges are multi-taskers -- perfect for painting your pout or for cheering up your cheeks. Flip back to the index and search for eyeshadows, you'll find three metallics, a shimmer, a sparkle and three basics listed there. Finally, neatly tucked in the spine is a sickly sweet Chocolate Eye Pencil.

Doing my best Joey Potter sideways smile

In the look above I'm wearing six of the eight eyeshadows (Pink Chiffon and Cream didn't make the final cut),  on my lips I'm wearing Pretty Powerful and last but not least, I applied Chocolate to my upper waterline (this technique is known as tightlining).

As for the rest of the look I'm wearing Benefit's Gimme Brow and Bobbi Brown's French Pink on my cheeks.

The colours are easy to use, last and will suit light and medium complexions.

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for the Bobbi Brown's Bobbi & Katie Palette:

• $115.00 AUS / $68.00 USD

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

• 9 out of 10 bags — Despite having to dig a bit deeper in my pockets, I'm glad I picked up Bobbi & Katie.

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

• Jenny of My Funny Valentine may've convinced me to pick up Bobbi's Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner. Gotta go and brush up on my cat eye skills now.

Pretty in pink with Bobbi Brown's French Pink Blush Set

French Pink Set (Mini Face Blender brush not pictured)

I've always been a pink girl. Ballet slippers, lips, cheeks, nails, bedroom walls -- I'm pink through and through. And I don't think I've ever come across a shade of pink I didn't like.

Bobbi Brown's offering for Breast Cancer Awareness month is a cotton candy sweet blush and guess what, a portion of the money spent on this set will be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Swatch of French Pink

Wearing French Pink

French Pink gives you a rosy, healthy flush. For a soft touch of pink, tread lightly, because French Pink can come on strong.  The delicacy of the texture allows for ease of use. 

I am smitten. 

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for the Bobbi Brown's French Pink Blush Set:

• $85.00 AUS / $45.00 USD

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

• 10 out of 10 bags — the blush alone retails for $26.00 USD and the full-size brush costs $48.00 USD. This set is a steal.

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

• I splurged earlier this month and bought a shimmer brick. Whee!