Bobbi Brown Bonfire Palette Review, Photos, Swatches
Bobbi Brown Color Strips: Bonfire Palette
Bobbi Brown Bonfire Palette ($60.00) is an eye, cheek, and lip palette from Bobbi Brown’s Color Strips Collection, which [again] includes three palette variations. Bonfire is more my style than the other two variations. By the by, Aquamarine is the third variation, which I won’t be reviewing at this time! It does, however, have the same Pot Rouges as Orchid Sparkle, which I reviewed earlier, so it’s like… half reviewed 🙂
Pot Rouge
- Tawny is a brownish-red–it’s not a brick red, and it certainly doesn’t scream “RED!” but it’s in there. Creamy, opaque, and smooth.
- Fresh Melon is a brightened coral-peach with a creamy and opaque look. This can be worn as a very subtle blush or lip.
- Calypso Coral is a bold, tropical orange-coral with the same creaminess of the other shades of Pot Rouge. This is definitely a more fearless coral, though, because it is fairly bright. You can pat less on to get a less intense look, though, which is nice.
Eyeshadow
- Bone is a softened white-beige with a matte finish. Kind of a classic shade–easier for me to wear with my warmer skin tone than whites.
- Cafe Cream (Sparkle) is a shimmered medium coffee brown with an almost taupe-gray tone to it. It looks almost wet when used, and the fall out isn’t too bad.
- Bonfire is a rich copper with a metallic finish. Think MAC Amber Lights with a smoother finish. This is the “bright” shade in the palette, while the other shades are designed to coordinate with this one.
- Cognac is an intense shade of coppered chocolate brown with an almost burgundy sheen. This shade is truly lovely–I fell completely in love at first swatch. It’s one of those shades that I could see myself buying the palette for.
- Caviar is a dark black-brown with a matte finish. I like this more with the Bonfire palette than the Orchid palette, but I also wish they varied it, so there wouldn’t be any repeats between the three palettes!
It has the same sleek packaging as Orchid, so my thoughts remain the same on that: well-done, practical, and keeps everything as clean as can be in a palette.
I think these eyeshadows work better together than the ones chosen for the Orchid palette as well. I can definitely see many different combinations with these five shades. I also like the shades swatched smoother and more pigmented–there was only one iffy shade (Cafe Cream), but it was still decent and not so troublesome (unlike Orchid Sparkle).
I know that I’m personally more drawn to Bonfire (hey, I like me some warm shades!), so I’m definitely going to try to do a look with this palette later this week or next!
If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ! 🙂
- Product: 28/30
- Value: 8/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
Recommendation: If you’ve wanted to try Pot Rouges, this is one way to try three at once… and get some eyeshadows as a bonus!
Availability: BobbiBrown.com, Nordstrom
cognac looks like beauty check! from MAC’s starflash. in other news, this palette looks fab.
I think You meant Glamour check!, I love that shade. 🙂
eek, yeah.. can we tell how long it’s been since i’ve worn makeup? Lol
Glamour Check?
This palette is gorgeous, and I really love the pot rouge products so I am happy to see them in here instead of lipsticks. I think this is a great palette to take away on a trip when you want something versatile without having to pack a million products. I just wish the price point was a bit lower, $50 would be alot easier to swallow for my taste.
This is extremely gorgeous. Love the colors.
Thank you for the swatches!
It is a great value for bobbi brown products but I’m still on the fense about it. I can’t wait to see you do a look!
Looks fabulous! I love me some warm colors and BB’s pot rouges are awesome multi-taskers! Thank you so much for the swatches Christine – so helpful!
If I had to choose a Bobbie Brown product to invest in – it would be this item.
hey! How do these eyeshadows compare to MAC and Smashbox. I feel like MAC has the best pigmentation but are not my favorite texture, while my experience with Bobbi Brown is that they have great texture but NEVER show up on me. My favorite is Smashbox because they have good pigmentation AND feel but now that I see those swatches I wonder if they are finally gonna show up or if you had to use a heavy hand and make them show up to swatch?! My aunt bought this in the aquamarine and i practically had to scrape the color and sh-lack it on to even see it on her procelain (yes VERY fair) skin, which she liked at her age but for me WAY TOO SHEER! ok sorry for my ramble…just loved these colors and wanted to see if maybe they were better than the aqua one because I wasnt gonna buy it based on that unless you recommended it! If not, I’ll just have to wait for a good smashbox palette!
Hi Alex,
I like Bobbi’s more shimmery/metallic shades, as they tend to show best on me. I really liked these shades — they were smooth, soft, and went on nicely on my skin. My arm is probably NC20ish (not quite as dark as my face, since it’s the inside portoin), for reference. I haven’t seen the Aquamarine one yet, so I can’t compare! I would say that the shimmery shades are comparable to either MAC or Smashbox. The two matte shades are softer, subtler, though Caviar will darken any look you use it in, so I think that’s just fine. Bone is a little more muted, and it being a matte, may not show up that well, depending on how you use it, you know? The metallic-y/shimmery one is pretty but semi-sheer.
Thanks so much!!! I think you just convinced me!!!
Those are all pretty colors. I have most of those colors but this would be a great travel palette for me.
Christine, how do these colors compare to the MAC Quad 4 from the Spring Color Forecast collection? Some look pretty similar.
The coppery shade and the deep brown shade are similar — the copper one is definitely very close, the brown one has more burgundy/redness to it than the MAC one. If you already have the quad, though, you could skip this.
Thank you Christine. I really appreciate the time you take to answer our questions!
cafe cream looks beautiful, similar to my favorite duo tone shade ever from the KVD gypsy palette
I am so lemming this palette. It looks like the perfect portable neutrals!
I believe there is one more eyeshadow combo sold in Hong Kong Bobbi Brown counters, which is a pink one. We also get to mix and match the shadows and the pot rouge (instead of getting custom ones here)!
That’s awesome! 🙂
I saw that one in previews all over the place and was so sad to see that it wasnt sold in the us 🙁
Wow that is good to know! I’ll definitely check out the counters soon. That’s totally makes up the fact that we get most beauty releases late!
I wish BB would break the palettes in two and stop trying to be a one-stop shop. I don’t care for the pot rouges or the lip products, but I have been a huge fan of the eye palettes. Twice now she’s had a great eye palette moored to a lip or cheek palette. While I recognize this as a boon for some people, it isn’t for others and it stops my purchasing it.
Addendum: I would love to have that Cafe Cream Sparkle available separately. But does BB even have the Sparkle shadows in the regular line-up now? It looks to be a last-chance item on the Web site (in one color), so why add one to a new palette?
I actually like these very much! Typical Bobbi Brown, but very classy. Love it.
Hmm I have enough eyeshadow to power a small country, but those pot rouges (fresh melon must be exclusive to the palette?) making it such a tempting splurge! Love that she put the pot rouges in separated by the mirror. Keeps ’em from getting gunked up.
People complain about the pigmentation with BB shadows, but if you’re super pale (nw15) and like look do the naturally beautiful makeup look, they’re perfect. You’ll never get complimented on your “eyeshadow”–just how great YOU look. 😉
Thank for the beautiful swatches, Christine! You have such a professional setup here. Congrats on your success!
LOL! You & me both, Karla.
I feel like BB is all about that – natural, soft, elegant, timeless. It’s not MAC, and I don’t think BB tries to be MAC or MUFE or UD, you know?
Thank you!
Bonfire and Cognac looks very nice! That palette is really expensive though!!
I know I’m the minority, but her color palettes don’t excite me anymore.
Someone please please tell me any possible dupes for the Cafe Cream Sparkle color!!!!
yeah i second that request! someone find a dupe!
I knew I wasn’t the only one that totally drooled when I saw that one. I’d love to know a dupe for that too!
Could you suggest an eye makeup? I bought this palette, but I don´t know how to create a cute look.
Thank you!
Try the lightest gold on the lid, the bronzy shade in the crease!
Yes i am very interested to try Pot Rouges , and these palette is a great deal for me , thank you Christine ^_^ ..
If you Can tell me the weight of this palette? I’d be very grateful.
Mine doesn’t list the weight, sorry 🙁