More Glitter Fun with Bobbi Brown!

Bobbi Brown Black Sparkle Eyeshadow ($24.00 for 0.13 oz.) is a gray-black color base with layers of teal shimmer, lilac and silver glitter, and wet finish. I think the coolest characteristic about Bobbi Brown’s Sparkle Eyeshadows (or this breed of glitter eyeshadows in general) is how they look slick and wet.

The glitter eyeshadows of yesteryear were just powder eyeshadows with glittery bits in them (think MAC Lustres), but this newer breed has a creamier consistency–everything clings together and then smooths out when applied. There is significantly less fall out with these creamier glitter shades (but they are not cream eyeshadows!)–there is a bit, but nothing undue given how dark the shade is.

Upon first swatching, I thought it was exactly like Black Velvet, but swatched side-by-side, the differences are easily seen! (I actually went back and double-checked the shade name, and I thought maybe mine was mislabeled–that’s how close they seemed at first glance!) Black has a soft black color base with multi-colored glitter that flashes blue, teal, purple, and silver. It looks very blue when swatched next to Black Velvet.

It’s richer and multi-faceted compared to Stila’s Black Diamond, which is just a gray black base with silver glitter. Similarly, Urban Decay’s Void is grayer and sheerer than Stila’s Black Diamond, so that doesn’t really compare either.

Do you rock the glitter eyeshadow or is it too much bling for you?

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• Product: 27/30
• Value: 9/10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 4/5

RECOMMENDATION: Bobbi Brown’s Sparkle Eyeshadows are some of the better glitter eyeshadows on the market–they’re pigmented, smooth, and hold together really well.

AVAILABILITY: Bobbi Brown

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Bobbi Brown Black Sparkle Eyeshadow

Bobbi Brown Black Sparkle Eyeshadow

Bobbi Brown Black Sparkle Eyeshadow

Bobbi Brown Black Sparkle Eyeshadow

Bobbi Brown Black Sparkle Eyeshadow

Bobbi Brown Black / Black Velvet Sparkle Eyeshadow

Try a Little Warm Cocoa for Fall

Bobbi Brown Black Cocoa Metallic Eyeshadow ($20.00 for 0.10 oz.) is a rich, chocolate brown with flecks of pale gold, gold, and copper shimmer. It has such a smooth texture with incredible color pay off that really just looks luxurious when worn. This shade would work well for a brown smoky eye as well as smudged on the lower lash line to add warmth to the eyes. I love this on warmer beauties, though it has that blackened cocoa laced with the warmer brown, so it could also be worn by those on the cooler side, too.

I also love that $20 will get you 0.10 oz. of eyeshadow–double the amount of most single shadows! This particular shade launched with Bobbi Brown’s Black Velvet Collection, but it is permanent to the line.

What are your favorite Bobbi Brown eyeshadows?

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• Product: 29/30
• Value: 9/10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 4/5

RECOMMENDATION: If you’re a fan of warmer, chocolate browns and enjoy yours with shimmer, Black Cocoa makes an excellent choice!

AVAILABILITY: Bobbi Brown

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Bobbi Brown Black Cocoa Metallic Eyeshadow

Bobbi Brown Black Cocoa Metallic Eyeshadow

Bobbi Brown Black Cocoa Metallic Eyeshadow

Bobbi Brown Black Cocoa Metallic Eyeshadow

Bobbi Brown Black Cocoa Metallic Eyeshadow

I’ll Show You Sheer!

Last but not least, we have Bobbi Brown Black Chocolate Sheer Lipgloss ($20.00 for .14 fl. oz.) from Bobbi’s Black Velvet Collection. It seems like it’s different from Bobbi Brown’s typical lipgloss, as it’s specifically designed to be sheer. It’s also limited edition. I saw some reviews from 2009 left by customers, so the formula seems reserved for seasonal color collections (but don’t quote me on that).

In all honesty, this is about as sheer as it gets without being absolutely, positively colorless. On my lips, it gives my lips a glossy look and darkens them just a tad. There’s no shimmer, so it’s really just adding that wet shine to your lips–which is fine–but I don’t know if I’d run out and buy a limited edition shade just for that purpose! It looks so sexy in the tube, but the color gets lost on my lips.

It’s a slightly tacky formula with some thickness, but it’s not gluey. I detected a slightly sweetened scent to it, but it was subtle and I couldn’t really place it specifically–other than it was sweet. Even though there’s not much color, the gloss wears well, as other Bobbi Brown glosses have for me in the past; I get around three hours of wear all by itself. So this just might be a review where I bring your attention to her other lip glosses, which don’t tend to be overly opaque, but do impart more color than this particular shade.

If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!

• Product: 26/30
• Value: 8/10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 4/5

RECOMMENDATION: The formula is comfortable on lips without drying them out and seems to last longer than your average gloss. If colorless is your thing, you might consider this shade.

AVAILABILITY: Bobbi Brown

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Bobbi Brown Black Chocolate Lipgloss

Bobbi Brown Black Chocolate Lipgloss

Bobbi Brown Black Chocolate Lipgloss

Bobbi Brown Black Chocolate Lipgloss

Bobbi Brown Black Velvet Collection: Eyeshadows

Bobbi Brown’s Black Velvet Collection includes three new Metallic Eyeshadows ($20 for 0.10 oz.), two new Eyeshadows ($20.00 for 0.08 oz.), and two new (and limited edition!) shades of Sparkle Eye Shadow ($24.00 for 0.13 oz.). I have four of the seven to review for you!

• Black Velvet is a blackened purple base with darkened lavender glitte and multi-colored shimmer. It has an almost wet, slightly tacky/sticky texture and feel, but it’s surprisingly blendable. It’s something you’d pat on rather than sweep on. There was some fall out when I used it, but it wasn’t much at all–definitely a lot less than you’d think for a glitter shadow.
• Black Berry is a deep brown-burgundy with flecks of red-burgundy shimmer. It doesn’t quite feel or read like a real metallic finish to me, but it’s a pretty shade nonetheless. It reminded me of a shimmery version of MAC Sketch.
• Black Charcoal is a dark black with soft gray tones and a matte finish. It’s opaque, smooth, and doesn’t look chalky.
• Black Chocolate is a blackened brown with cool undertones. It’s also smooth with a soft texture that doesn’t look chalky.

P.S. — I also realized something I hadn’t before, which was that Bobbi Brown’s eyeshadows are not all the same weight! They just look the same size, so it never occurred to me that they may not actually be that way.

RECOMMENDATION: Black Velvet is my favorite out of the bunch–it’s the one that feels the most original to me as well. If you love the way glitter looks but hate the mess it often makes, Bobbi Brown’s Sparkle Eyeshadows do a good job of giving you that fun, sparkly effect with minimal fall out.

AVAILABILITY: Bobbi Brown

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Bobbi Brown Black Velvet Eyeshadows: Black Velvet, Black Berry, Black Charcoal, Black Chocolate

Bobbi Brown Black Velvet Eyeshadow

Bobbi Brown Black Velvet Eyeshadow

Bobbi Brown Black Velvet Eyeshadow

Bobbi Brown Black Berry Eyeshadow

Bobbi Brown Black Berry Eyeshadow

Bobbi Brown Black Berry Eyeshadow

Bobbi Brown Black Charcoal Eyeshadow

Bobbi Brown Black Charcoal Eyeshadow

Bobbi Brown Black Chocolate Eyeshadow

Bobbi Brown Black Chocolate Eyeshadow

Bobbi Brown Eyeshadow: Black Velvet, Black Berry, Black Charcoal, Black Chocolate

Bobbi Brown Eyeshadow: Black Velvet, Black Berry

Bobbi Brown Eyeshadow: Black Charcoal, Black Chocolate

Bobbi Brown Black Velvet Kohl Eyeliners: Black Plum, Black Chocolate, Black

When the River Runs Black Velvet

Bobbi Brown Kohl Eye Liners ($22.00 for 0.04 oz.) are a new and limited edition eyeliner from the fall Black Velvet Collection.  It comes in three shades: Black Plum, Black Chocolate, Black.  Bobbi Brown describes them as a “silky-smooth formula [that] delivers dense, even and blendable pigment.”

• Black Plum is a rich, earthy plum with subtle red undertones.  I love that it’s really quite plum and doesn’t lean burgundy.
  
• Black Chocolate is a deep dark chocolate brown.
• Black is a blue-based rich black.

At first application, I loved the smoothness of the formula, softness of the pencil, and rich color achieved without a lot of a layering.  Unfortunately, that rich color doesn’t last past lunch for me.  If lunch was 20 minutes away.  I tried wearing these in several ways – on the waterline, on the lower lash line, both.  I thought perhaps they weren’t cut out for the waterline and by putting it there was causing the rest of it to migrate, too, so I tried just the lower lash line, staying away from the waterline entirely.

The results were the same–barely there color within an hour or two, but it was already noticeably migrating and disappearing within fifteen minutes.  What seems to happen is the liner fades away except right at the base of the lashes, so it’s a very thin line of color that lasts.

I was so particularly frustrated, because the liner looked so amazing as part of the look I did for the day, but by the time I finished my foundation and slicked my lip color on… I could already tell there was something wrong.  It’s like when you do laundry and there’s always a sock that’s gone missing–you don’t know where it went but yet it’s gone.  I know I put a nice line of kohl on my lower lash line, but by the time I take photos to show you all, it’s half gone!

I’m so frustrated by the lack of staying power, because these have such a lovely texture/finish.  They’re so rich and opaque and don’t require a lot of building to get there.  They have a harder edge than many other pencil eyeliners, but it doesn’t feel harsh on the lash line; it almost melts against the skin as you apply the color.  And I so, so dig the color of Black Plum.

Like any product that has a tendency to crease on its own, setting with a powder (like an eyeshadow) will help greatly, but it can also alter the color.  You could also try a sealing product like Benefit’s She-Laq.  Not that you should have to do that with the right eye liner, but nevertheless, sometimes we can’t let a color go and insist on discovering ways to Make. It. Work.

These are a brand new product, and I haven’t seen any other reviews for these yet, so I am incredibly curious to see what others experience.  Maybe I’m just the unfortunate minority here that yearns to love these but can’t!

They’re not as bad as NARS’ Eye Pencils were on me, which didn’t just fade away, but took on a new life by smudging and migrating everywhere (and somehow, even getting on my lid from my lower lash line!).   I’m torn on rating these, because on one hand, they feel and look amazing, but then they don’t last well on me at all.  At least these just disappear and don’t give me raccoon eyes!

Have you tried these yet?

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• Product: 19/30
• Value: 7/10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 4/5

RECOMMENDATION: Is it bad that I really just hope it’s me that can’t get these to stay put?  I want these to work for someone!  I can’t personally recommend the new kohl eyeliners based on my experience.  If you purchase from a store with a health return policy and don’t mind being a guinea pig, I did really enjoy the texture and consistency of the kohl.

AVAILABILITY: Bobbi Brown

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Bobbi Brown Black Velvet Kohl Eyeliners: Black Plum, Black Chocolate, Black

Bobbi Brown Black Velvet Kohl Eyeliners: Black Plum, Black Chocolate, Black

Bobbi Brown Black Chocolate Kohl Eyeliner

Bobbi Brown Black Plum Kohl Eyeliner

Color May Not Appear as in the Tube

Bobbi Brown Lip Color ($22.00 for 0.12 oz.) now includes two new shades for fall from the Black Velvet Collection: Black Maple (black red plum) and Black Raspberry (black burgundy).

• Black Maple is a rich burgundy brown. On my lips, it looks nearly opaque with a slight sheen.
• Black Raspberry is a semi-sheer browned red. It’s a different way to wear the red lip–it’s not an in-your-face kind of red, and it’s not incredibly dark either. It has a rather glaze-like finish, where there’s some sheerness up close, but it looks more cohesive and opaque from afar.

There’s a funny thing about these lipsticks/swatches; they don’t look like they line up. Black Maple looks burgundy in the tube, while Black Raspberry looks nearly black–and yet it’s actually much, much lighter. I actually had to swatch them both again as I started to write out the review to make sure I didn’t have it written wrong in my notes!  They both seem to be a little on the cooler side.

Bobbi Brown’s Lipsticks are scent- and taste-free, which is something that can difficult to find high-end lipsticks. With these deeper, darker shades, I find myself getting between four and five hours of wear.   They apply without difficulty, though I do find myself needing to check the application to ensure smooth, even color.  I don’t find them drying, but I think if you have really dry lips, you may not find they’re very moisturizing either.

If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!

• Product: 26/30
• Value: 8/10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 4/5

RECOMMENDATION: I like these shades, though I’m not in love with them.  They could apply a smidgen more evenly!  Black Maple is surprisingly more wearable than the name would lead you to believe.

AVAILABILITY: Bobbi Brown

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Bobbi Brown Lip Color: Black Maple, Black Raspberry

Bobbi Brown Black Maple Lipstick

Bobbi Brown Black Maple Lipstick

Bobbi Brown Black Raspberry Lipstick

Bobbi Brown Lip Color: Black Raspberry