Bobbi Brown Maui Illuminating Bronzing Powder Review, Photos, Swatches
Maui
Bobbi Brown Maui Illuminating Bronzing Powder ($42.00 for 0.28 oz.) is a bright pop of medium pink with subtle, warm undertones and fine, golden shimmer. It had opaque pigmentation that was easily diffused (or used with a lighter hand) for sheerer coverage. The consistency was smooth, firm but not stiff, and easy to pick up with a brush and blend out on the skin. There was a noticeable sheen that did not emphasize my skin’s natural texture. It wore well for eight and a half hours on me before fading.
The Illuminating Bronzing Powder is part of the brand’s permanent line-up but for summer, they re-released three shades with embossing but the actual product and shades can be purchased year-round (the range has six shades, and the other three shades appear browner, like you might expect in a bronzer). The formula is described as an “ultra soft and smooth pressed powder that delivers a shimmering, sun-kissed glow.” All three of the re-released shades had a smooth consistency–firmer in the pan but not dry or stiff to work with–that was incredibly blendable on the skin. They were very pigmented with moderate to strong luminosity.
You can view photos of the packaging and ingredients here, along with swatches of the full range here.
Top Dupes
- Becca Camellia (DC, $34.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Pat McGrath Nymphette (P, $38.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- NARS 413 BLKR (Blush) (P, $30.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- MAC Dipped in Stars (LE, $31.00) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Black Opal Nectar (P, $8.95) is darker, more muted (90% similar).
- Stellar Beauty Beam (P, $25.00) is less shimmery, darker, more muted (90% similar).
- Too Faced Lollipop (LE, ) is lighter (90% similar).
- Too Faced Raindrops on Roses (LE, ) is lighter, more muted, warmer (90% similar).
- MAC Divine Desire (LE, $24.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Laura Geller Rosewater (P, $26.00) is more shimmery, more muted, warmer (90% similar).
Ingredients
Uncharacteristically preferring the warmer Santa Barbara, but I’m holding out for swatches of Antigua.
Antigua is an interesting one – it doesn’t look quite as it does in the pan on!
I see that pulling up the swatches.
Quick question because both are on the pinky side of coral: MAC cheeky bits or BB Santa Barbara? If you had to choose. ?
Cheeky Bits – I still prefer the ED formula more than this one myself!
I love Cheeky Bits!
done then 🙂 Thanks Christine and Deborah
I was looking up user reviews for these on MUA and at Sephora’s own site and Antigua gets some amazing favourable reviews from lots of fair skinned types who’d always worn pink toned blushes (sorta like moi) so now I’m interested in getting both of them! Just what I need after my recent MAC blush overdoses!
Oy, I didn’t come out of that MAC release unscathed either. I haven’t purchased blush in so long and now all of a sudden it’s back on my radar screen. It’s these blush/highlight/bronzer hybrids that are drawing me in.
I just ran a comp with Antigua and the Hourglass Strobe Lighting blush in Eurphoric Fusion which was another recent hybrid purchase and while not exact dupes, they are certainly similar enough.
http://www.temptalia.com/side-by-side/?sbs_1_search=Hourglass+Euphoric+Fusion&sbs_1=265665&sbs_2_search=Bobbi+Brown+Antigua&sbs_2=298072
There’s a blush on S – Ciate glow to illuminating ‘In Too Deep’.. out of stock, perhaps thankfully, as I’m betting also very similar.
Aloha!
Although that product looks tropical, fresh & sunkissed I don’t know why it’s called a bronzer?
On deeper skin tones, it may be more bronzing than a gold since it has more red/pink in it.
This is absolutely gorgeous but I don’t understand why they label it a “bronzer”. I mean, come ON????
Reader Scout mentioned on the Santa Barbara post that the bronzing line can also accentuate tan/bronzed skin – and that makes sense. I also think that someone who has a darker skin tone may find that brown/tan can get lost, whereas adding a little pink/red may add more warmth and color (less golden, more “burnt” in a way).
The color and packaging are so pretty!
It is!
Your review are so helpful, and the dupes with even showing the price differential, really rocks! This looks very pretty. I have to say most of her line is a pass for me, especially her shadows which I find very dry and lacking pigment, but these and her highlighters, like scotch on the rocks and sunset glow, are pretty amazing.
She has some great products but some that feel in need of a revamp, though I know some really love her eyeshadows (I think the mattes are better than some of the other finishes).
I just now saw my type-o after I submitted it 🙁 Of course, I typed your reviews are so helpful.
<3
Maui sure is a delightfully cheery shade! I know that for my coloring, Santa Barbara is probably a better fit, however, I have too many similar shades to it. These cooler shades like Maui are very tempting!
Cute!