Monthly Marvels: May 2014

I've been a little behind in posting on my blog and I've especially neglected the my monthly favorites. Monthly favorites is a great way for sharing my thoughts on a few specific products that I've been loving recently. The products are usually still available for purchase and suit the current weather (Australia) which I think is important for any beauty loving girlfriend. Here are a few of the things I've been loving and simply can't put down in the past month.

Bobbi Brown Bronze Eye Palette

This palette came out in Australia along with two other palettes around beginning of February. I remember receiving an email featuring these palettes as valentine's gift ideas. I didn't think much of it as it just looked like any other ol' neutral palette. And let's be honest here, I'm really not in need of anymore eyeshadows. So have a guess what I did when I walked past a Bobbi Brown counter (still not interested at this point) and gave the shadows a little swatch. Yup, that's right. Told the SA to shut up and take my money. Well...I didn't tell her to shut up because that would just be rude but I did drop my credit card on the counter and uttered the shopaholic's default speech setting "I'll take it".

If you are familiar with Bobbi Brown, you'd either have heard of or know from experience the amazing spot-on quality of her products. He eyeshadow palettes don't differ from her permanent range in any way if not be even better. The packaging is a new metal magnetic enclosure which I love and believe is more sleek than the original black plastic packaging secured by a clip. It is highly reflective and looks a million bucks. Or 80. 

Monthly Marvels: February 2014

Yet another month has gone by. Time really does fly when you have a baby to look after. You get into a routine of feed, playtime, nap, feed, playtime and nap. February has also been a huge month of makeup shopping. There are so many products that I want to get through but I just have the one face and one application per day so there is no way that I could get through all my cosmetics. I still haven't touched a lot of the Chanel, Benefit and Dior products that I featured in a high end haul end of last month. 

Here are the products that I have been thoroughly enjoying throughout the entire month of February.

Bobbi Brown Old Hollywood Palette

Oh Bobbi, Bobbi, Bobbi...Thank you so much for bringing this dreamy 9 shadow creation to life. And what makes it even better is that they are now reduced to $87.50 (from $125) after Christmas on bobbibrown.com.au.

Again, I can't compliment enough about Bobbi's shipping and handling time. 2 days for domestic delivery is really something out of the norm in Australia as parcels usually take 4-6 days and that's not including the companies processing time. And this time, I treated myself to a complimentary gift wrapping. If you want to make someone special feel a million bucks, select gift-wrapping with your order because ohmygod it's lovely!

Here is how the parcel was packaged. It seems so extravagant for such a small eyeshadow palette! And I LOVE it!

Now, onto the actual eyeshadows. There are 3 matte shades, 2 metallic and 3 sparkle shades. 

The top row shadows are from left to right: Ivory (matte bone), Golden Pink (metallic rose gold), Gold (Gold sparkle). Ivory and Golden pink are very creamy, soft and pigmented shades which are a dream to apply and blend but the sparkle eyeshadow (just like all Bobbi's glitter eyeshadows) is quite hard/stiff and need a little more patience when applying it.

Swatch L-R: Ivory, Golden Pink, Gold

The second row is Opal (silver sparkle), Fog (matte grey-brown), Beige (matte tan). I don't care so much for Opal or Fog. I usually use Fog to shade in my eyebrows as this way I won't need to carry yet another beauty product in my bag. I love the shade Beige as it is the perfect colour for an all over lid colour or transitional colour for the crease as my skin tone is quite yellow and tanned. It is so pigmented and easy to pick up with a brush.

Swatch L-R: Opal, Fog, Beige

The third row is Chocolate Bronze (metallic brown), Candlelight Gold (metallic cream), Eclipse (matte black). I really don't like black eyeshadow and I believe it is a waste to have a matte black in all my eyeshadow palettes (I think this is probably the reason why I love Tom Ford eyeshadow quads so much. He hardly ever includes black!). Chocolate Bronze and Candlelight Gold are my 2 favorite shades from this palette and Chocolate Bronze was the only colour that I actually swatched in store and just went "yup, i'm buying this."

Swatch L-R: Chocolate Bronze, Candelight Gold, Eclipse

I can't really capture it on camera but chocolate bronze actually has purple and gold glitter pigments throughout the brown shadow. It is just amazing when seen up close. This is a great palette for me as it takes care of my eye makeup and brows. Easy!

Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronzing Powder (Blush) - Santa Barbara

Recently I strolled through David Jones (beauty section, of course!)  pushing my pram looking for Christmas specials. I walked past the Bobbi Brown counter and a new display caught my eye. I sidled over and swatched the new bronzer and blush. The bronzer is light, perfect for fair skinned ladies (and gents), but i already have ----loads that I couldn't imagine ever finishing. The blush is gorgeous peach-pink with finely milled gold shimmer flecks throughout. It instantly reminded me of Nars Orgasm, theBalm Hot mama and sleek's Rose Gold.

I was quite excited about this, as this was hailed as a "new" product by the Bobbi Brown counter that I visited, but to my disappointment, it had already come out in the U.S. (like...a year ago) when I tried to find reviews of it on google. Story of my life. 

This is a very true colour representation of the blush. I know sometimes the colour changes in pictures due to the lighting and angle. 

I apply the blush with my Real Techniques blush brush

front view

side view

When compared next to Orgasm, Santa Barbara is more peachy where as Orgasm has a pink base underneath the gold shimmer. Bobbi's blush is also more pigmented and the product seems to be more powdery making it easier to be picked up by a brush. Having said this, you will have to apply with a light hand in order to avoid a blush patch in the centre of your cheek.

Nars Orgasm

L-R: Nars Orgasm, BB Santa Barbara

L-R: Nars Orgasm, BB Santa Barbara

To take home one of these babies you will need to part with $60, which I know is quite steep for a blush. Bobbi Brown is infamous for doubling their prices once their products get imported into Australia. But you do get 8g of gorgeousness in this compact as opposed to $45 for 4.8g of product for a Nars blush. If you are looking for a summer blush and bronzer, I strongly suggest you try these from Bobbi Brown at a Myer or David Jones.