A Review: Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder & Swatches

That sun-kissed look is always in, especially during the summer. However having a naturally tan face from those UV rays has it's drawbacks- premature wrinkles, hyper-pigmentation, dark spots, sunburns, and a higher chance of skin cancer.  The obvious solution? Bronzer! With just a quick dust around your face, you'll go from pasty pale to a bronzed goddess in no time. Here to help us in acheiving that is the Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder. 

This product claims to be a, "soft matte, silky-smooth bronzer that instantly gives the skin the look of a natural tan." To acheive that it comes with .28oz or 8g of bronzer coming in 6 shades, but ringing in at $38 US. (Yikes!!) 

First off let's take a moment to admire the packaging. Shiny, black, and sleek. It's very sturdy and easy to clean. It has a very nice closure that makes it very easy to open and close the packaging and the clasp ensures that it won't open unbenounced. The best part? A big and full mirror makes it the perfect on-the-go product. 

Clasp

The colour that I was recommended was 1 Golden Light. It is indeed a matte shade (perfect for contouring) and has yellow tones opposed to red. It is extremely natural on the skin, it as no shimmer or sparkle so it will look beautiful all over the face or just to contour your cheeks and nose. I love this shade, it works in the summer, and isn't too harsh in the winter. For a pale girl like myself, this is definitely my go-to product to gently warm up my face.

The consistency is very smooth, not chalky or excessively powdery. It's one of those miracle products that has a light pigmentation (perfect for a natural bronzed look), but can be built up to a strong colour without looking like a cake fell on your face. The bronzer can grab to dry-er patches of skin, so be sure to moisturize before applying!

I rarely choose to contour my face, I have yet to attempt to master that technique. However, when applying I choose a big, fluffy brush. I find this works the better than a big, dense brush because it lightly dispenses the product evenly over the skin (don't forget your neck!). Another thing that I often use this bronzer for is as a crease colour. I take a fluffy crease brush and run the colour through the crease, it adds more definition to your eyes and looks extremely natural.

Before

After 

After

Before

Another thing that I often use this bronzer for is as a crease colour. I take a fluffy crease brush and run the colour through the crease, it adds more definition to your eyes and looks extremely natural. This bronzer is also long wearing on both the eyes and the face!

Before ( Eyes: Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Barely Branded )

Pro's:

- Light pigmentation (it's a good thing!)
- Easy to build up
- A+ for packaging
- Natural colour
- Used  for contouring and bronzing
- Not powdery, no fall out
- Smooth and easy to apply
- Can be used as eyeshadow



Con's:

- Very expensive
- Can grab to dry skin

After (Mascara: L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black, Lips: Revlon Lip Butter in Peach Parfait)

Having a bronzed glow is always nice sometimes, unfortunately to do it the safe way does require more $$$ than the sun does- but investing in healthy skin is something you'll never regret! Admitidly I doubt that I'll repurchase this bronzer (even though I highly recommend it!) solely due to the price, it's a little more than I'm willing to spend. As much as I'd love to repurchase, for next time I'll be searching the drugstores for my next 'tan in a pan.'

-Madi

A Review: Bobbi Brown Corrector + Creamy Concealer Duo

We all strive for those bright, well rested, flawless under eye area- and who can blame us? We can't all sleep as well as Sleeping Beauty, and summer nights call for late bonfires that no one can resist- the solution? Concealer. And not just any concealer- a brightening one that screams that you've been asleep a hundred years.

I purchased the Bobbi Brown Corrector and Creamy Concealer Duo in hopes of achieving just that. The corrector claims in tandem with the concealer to, "brighten dark circles with just the right coverage" and to, "blend easy to instantly cover and brighten dark circles." The corrector comes with .05 oz/1.4g of product, and the concealer .05oz/1.4g with the powder having .06oz/1.7g.

The consistency of these products are extremely creamy and extremely thick. A little dab of product holds a lot of pigmentation and covers circles very well. However, these are very easy to layer too much and we all know what that means, creasing. I don't particularly find the powder necessary, I rarely use it and prefer the more natural look the concealer has without the powder. 

Creamy Concealer Duo in Ivory ($35 US)

Correcter in Porcelain Peach ($23) 

I like to apply these products first with a touch of the corrector focusing it into my inner corner and blending the rest out to the middle and outer half of my eye. The corrector is 'correcting' because of the peachy shade that cancels out any darkness.  Then I take a bit of the concealer and put it over the corrector avoiding the inner quarter of my under eyelid. Most days I opt out the powder as I find it creates access creasing, but in the summer- a little setting powder can't hurt. 

Before

Corrector only in Porcelain Peach

Both with Creamy Concealer in Ivory, Right eye with Concealer + Powder

 All in all, I love both products, but I don't think both are absolutely necessary. The stand out product for me is definitely the corrector, in fact this is my second one! The concealer I could make do without, many drug store concealers layer very well with the corrector and personally I don't think the corrector needs it (also a great way to save $$!)

Mascara: Physicians Formula Organics

Pro's:
- Works very well to brighten under eyes
- Pigmentation is more than average
- Thick and creamy consistency that blends well
- Corrector has a peachy tones


Con's:
- Expensive
- Creases occasionally
- Packaging gets dirty

These products definitely help you achieve a brighter and better rested under eyes. Of course they aren't going to give you more hours of rest- but they can help mimick that. The peachy-ness of the corrector works wonderfully to neutralize darkness and the concealer aids in more coverage. I will continue to re-purchase the corrector- but I'll have to leave the concealer for next time. 

Hopefully we'll all be getting some more rest this summer, maybe not quite as much as Sleeping Beauty- but a little more. 

-Madi 

A Review: MAC Blush in Fleur Power & Swatches

A little flush to your cheeks can change your complexion from being dull and drab to healthy and alive. Having a lasting 'flush' to your cheeks can be hard to keep around, the after glow of a run will only last so long. The solution to keeping that 'flush'?- just a touch of blush!

This MAC  powder blush in Fleur Power has a satin finish coming with 6g/0.21oz of product and is a deeper burnt coral shade. The colour is very natural and pairs perfectly with nearly every eye look. The pigmentation is incredible, the finish is natural and the consistency is smooth and easy to blend.

I have nothing bad to say about this blush- it's easy and carefree, it rarely needs to be built up and blended for hours and  looks beautiful on all skin tones. Just be careful when applying to not get too much product on your brush. The one down side- it ranges from $21-24 dollars (US & CAN) - a little more than I'd like to pay for a blush, but the price is just a number... right? 

Pro's:

- Pigmented

Mascara: L'Oreal Voluminous Original Mascara, Lips: Burts Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Tiger Lilly

- Natural looking

- Blend able

- Good consistency
- Long wearing 

Con's:

- Pricey

- Easy to use too much product

Blush can add that extra glow to your cheeks- whether that be from makeup or butterflies making their way from your stomach to your cheeks. MAC's Fleur Power is the perfect blush to give a natural flush to your face- and a personal favourite!