Bobbi Brown To The Rescue!

I was lucky enough to be asked to Bobbi Brown in Nottingham about six weeks ago, where I met the lovely Amy Conwell, makeup artist for Bobbi Brown, and the lovely staff at the Notts store.

I’ve used a few Bobbi Brown products over the years, mostly makeup, but never facial products.  The cleanser / toner / moisturiser brand I’ve sworn by for many years is Dermalogica, my old faithful if you will.  Can’t honestly say I’m very adventurous with facial products, once I find something I like I tend to just stick with it and as for makeup application goes, it gets worse.  I’m rubbish at it!  The amount of lipstick I’ve bought and got home, excitedly daubing it on, only to end up looking like Geisha Gone Wrong.  My girls say I have “lizard lips” because they’re “so thin” (bloody lovely having girls for the old ego), and my blusher application apparently makes me look a bit like Aunt Sally (got to be a certain age to know who she is).  Ok, well I must admit I am partial to a bit of blusher.  If I had to leave the house with just two products it would be mascara and blusher, or maybe bronzer.

I’ve been using Bobbi Brown products now for about five weeks.  I bought quite a few from Nottingham on the day and they very generously gifted me some when I came out of hospital, which was really rather nice of them :)

Now, the burning question, how have I got on with them?  First of all let me start with my two favourite products, which I will keep on using for sure:

1. Vitamin Enriched Face Base
2. Hydrating Eye Cream

The Vitamin Enriched Face Base is a primer plus a moisturer for a smooth makeup application.  Rich in feel, but not greasy it definitely makes your foundation go on more easily and lends your face a glow.  Love it.  The second one is Hydrating Eye Cream.  I was given a sample of this which was a bit of luck since at the time I’d noticed my eyes were very puffy in the morning.  I only used it twice which reduced the puffiness no end, which impressed me.  It’s very lightweight, not greasy at all and did a really good job of hydrating my eyes, so that was a no-brainer for the basket.

I haven’t gotten around to using the cleanser and toner yet, watch this space!

On to makeup.  Amy did my makeup at Nottingham, and I loved it.  My preference is for as natural a look as possible and I don’t get on with foundation, in my opinion too thick a foundation can make someone look older.  I don’t need that in my life!  It can sit in the lines of the face and emphasise them.  I usually wear a CC cream then a corrector.

The CC cream I use is Estée Lauder which I love, I applied that over the top of the vitamin Enriched Face Base. Then I used the Bobbi Brown corrector (Light to Medium Bisque) in  and around my nose area, cheeks and chin.  Then I used a bronzer all over my face, and again I usually use Estée Lauder bronzer.

I also bought the Confidence Stick which is clear so completely neutral and goes under or over your foundation / corrector.  It’s an ultra-lightweight formulation which instantly blurs the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles (yipppeeee), mattifying whilst controlling excess oil and unwanted shine.  It works for me I have to say - give me something that not only makes wrinkles ‘less’ but even more importantly helps me control my hot-flushed menopausal skin - and I’m a happy girl!  Well, happier anyway.

Next up the Instant Full Cover Concealer.  I find I need so little of this just under the eye area, it’s great but for me maybe a little too thick.  I’ve been using the Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector as well which is a much lighter product.

Now, let’s get on to the makeup, and tackle the eyebrow pencil.  Quite frankly these little blighters scare the hell out of me.  I notice too many eyebrows nowadays, they’re often so, let’s say, prominent, that it’s all you can see on some people!  So it was with some trepidation that I braved the Perfectly Defined long-wear brow pencil in Mahogany believe it or not!  Turns out it’s great, easy to apply and actually doesn’t appear mahogany at all.  Which may disappoint someone looking for, well, mahogany I guess.  Not me.

The blusher Amy used was a cream (Pot Rouge for cheeks and lips in Uber Beige), again not what I’d usually wear, I’ve always plumped for powder.  But I love it, it’s more brown in colour than what I would have usually chosen, I always go for pink!  It’s much more natural and the cream is a breeze to apply.  I do use a highlighter as well (anything that’s around).

Next the eye shadow, which is yet another product I have always struggled with.  I don’t like anything that’s too glittery, usually putting it on only to take it off again five minutes before I leave the house.  Not the best use of time it has to be said!  This though is a long-wear cream shadow stick in Sand Dune which just seems to glide on and last a long time to boot.  A do-it-all eye shadow that's a stroke of genius (see what I did there) - swipe and go - just what I love.

The Nude Finish Illuminating Powder goes on as a translucent powder would but definitely with more of a glow, probably more along the lines of a light-reflective powder.  Just brush lightly over the whole face, et voila!

Now the mascara, which has gone down a treat in this household, a household which goes through mascara like it’s going out of fashion.  Three girls who do like to talk makeup, mascara probably being one of the main protagonists.  I don’t reckon there’s one we haven’t all tried.  There was a rumour (no idea where it came from) that Meghan Markle wore Maybelline Lash Sensational on her wedding day.  We had it within twenty-four hours.  Let’s just say it was a disappointment, whilst in contrast the Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Mascara has enjoyed a unanimous thumbs-up.  The sample was lost pretty quickly to one of the girls, and the one I bought finds itself in everyone’s room (I know we shouldn’t share mascara but I’m not buying three😬) so that’s a dead cert for an ongoing repurchase.

Last but by no means least is the Extra Lip Tint, in Bare Pink.  Very much a go-to balm, plus a pink stain that brings out the best in your lip natural colour so that it's instantly your perfect shade.  I think I’m right in saying as well that you can put it over your favourite lipstick to enhance the colour.  Amy is that right?

Oh, and I was given a sample of the Skin Nourish Masque which I love as well.  You can sleep in it!

I’m really, really impressed.  Will do a Live next week and show you all how I apply it.

Thanks for visiting :)

Best

Kat. X

PS. This post is not part of a paid partnership.