No Makeup Makeup: Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick and Corrector Reviews, Photos, Swatches

May 1, 2013 | 12 Responses

I got a chance to test out two of Bobbi Brown’s best selling products, so I immediately jumped at the opportunity to review them here. I received Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick in 4.5 Warm Natural ($50 online, in Sephora, Murale and Holt Renfrew) and Corrector in Peach ($30) and have been using them for a week so it’s time for a closer look.

Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick 4.5 and Peach Corrector
Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick in 4.5 Warm Natural / Corrector in Peach

The Foundation Stick in Warm Natural has strong golden undertones, and so it warms up and brightens my complexion nicely. It’s a great match for my skin because I am on the yellow side of the spectrum. It’s been a while since I have used a cream foundation, and so I can certainly tell that this feels heavier than the lightweight liquid foundations I’ve tried of late. It is an incredibly versatile formula; it can be sheered out by using a wet sponge (I used a damp Beauty Blender) or can be applied as a creamy full-coverage concealer. It’s no wonder that Bobbi Brown recommends it for everyone’s purse. It lasts an exceptionally long time, easily wearing through a normal work day.

The Corrector in Peach is fantastic for cancelling out darkness under my eyes and around my mouth. This is a hard but creamy formula (say what?!), and needs to be set with a powder in order to stay in place. I think it is the perfect base for a concealer. I know my favourite under eye concealer, NARS Radiant Creamy, will look even more radiant on top of Peach Corrector.

Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick 4.5 and Peach Corrector Swatches
Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick in 4.5 Warm Natural / Corrector in Peach swatches

So the first thing I do is draw a warrior mask on my face with the Bobbi Foundation Stick. You can also pick up product from the tube on to your brush, but this is how I use it with a Beauty Blender sponge. I concentrate around the nose, mouth, and cheeks area where I need the most coverage.

Bobbi Brown Base Step 2
I’m a warrior. RAWR!

Once that’s blended, I dot the product on areas that need more coverage (blemishes and redness). I pat that in with my finger.

Bobbi Brown Base Step 3

I then apply the Corrector in Peach under and the corners of my eyes.

Bobbi Brown Base Step 5

Keep reading to see the before and after photos!

Click here to see the before and after photos!

Currently I Want…

October 8, 2012 | 11 Responses

… many things. Every year when October hits, I want to go shopping all the time. Perhaps because it’s a stressful time of year for me work-wise, but also the new releases this time of year — both in beauty and fashion — are highly covetable. Here are some things that caught my attention (translation: that I’ve been losing sleep over) lately.

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Giorgio Armani Maestro Fusion Makeup. This foundation! I received this as a press sample, but the shade I received (5.5) is too light for my skin tone. I am around MAC NC35-40, so I think shade 7 would be better suited for me. I wore it in this makeup look and am really enjoying it, but not without mixing with a darker foundation. I think I might just cave and get it. It’s available now at Holt Renfrew stores across Canada. Check out this great review by Le Beauty Girl, who wears shade 6.5.
Laura Mercier Crème Smooth Lip Colour in Dulce de Leche. Blame Jessica at Beautezine for this one. This is one colour that I haven’t seen before — a colour that is hard to describe. Rosy brown, or mid-tone peachy rose? I tried it on at Sephora and just love it. Soon, my love, you will be mine. Check out the enabler’s post for the swatch.
Guerlain Meteorites in Perles du Dragon. How pretty are these balls?! Every time Guerlain releases a new one I turn into a monster and just want. so. bad! but the price is holding me back. Why you so pretty, ballz? Please be mine. Check it out here on Temptalia.
Tarte Fantastic Foursome 4-Piece Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush Enthusiast Set. It’s currently not in stock on Sephora, but hopefully it’ll be back soon or is still at my store. Can you say, all the blush you’ll ever need? No?! I always prayed that Tarte would come out with a set of these wonderful blushes (check out my review here), and it is here, you guys! Must have!
Soïa & Kyo Belinda Red Wool Coat. Cute, right? Little Red Riding Hood? Is that you? I am due to replace my nice winter coat this year (I have a nice winter coat and a sensible one) and I have my eyes on this Soïa & Kyo beauty.
Rockport Anna Boot Lace Up (not an affliate link). Because Little Red’s lace up boots over there are so cute, but I am a rugged boot kinda girl. This one might even work on snowy days.

Do you have shopping fever right now? What’s on your list? Are you planning your holiday shopping (for loved ones and yourself!) yet?

A Brown Girl’s Guide to BB Creams, featuring Marcelle BB Cream and Maybelline Dream Fresh BB

July 20, 2012 | 32 Responses

I’m sure by now you’ve heard about the newest face base product that has hit the North American market: the BB cream. In a nutshell, these “blemish balms” or “beauty balms” that are widely popular in Asia promise to deliver a more even skin tone as well as a slew of skincare benefits.

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB / Marcelle BB Cream

If you have a tan or deeper skin like me (about MAC NC40 and deeper), BB creams might not have caught your attention yet because well, there aren’t many options for us out there. But there are options, and I must say they are pretty great!

Marcelle BB Cream in Dark to Darker and Medium to Dark

Marcelle BB Cream ($22.95 for 45 mL) was the first Canadian-made BB cream with two shades, Light to Medium and Medium to Dark back in January 2012. Recently, a third shade — Dark to Darker – was added to the lineup (available exclusively online at Marcelle.com). Marcelle BB Cream promises to:

Minimize the appearance of imperfections and pores
Even out skin tone
Provide an excellent make-up base and replaces primers
Mattify skin and controls shine
Offer immediate and long-term hydrating benefits
Soothe and calm skins
Protect from premature aging and environmental stresses
Promote skin regeneration

If you are really keen on streamlining your skincare and makeup regimen, then Marcelle BB Cream is a good bet. Depending on your skin type, this product may replace your moisturizer, primer and foundation. Dry-to-normal skin types will still need a moisturizer. This has the most coverage of all BB creams I’ve tried thus far; it is one I would liken to a tinted moisturizer with a medium coverage. The consistency is thick; it’s like 50% silicone primer and 50% liquid foundation formula. It is oil-free and paraben-free. Oh, and it dispenses product with airless-tube pump! It is heaven-sent for the germaphobes, am I right? It also makes it feel more luxurious.

I disagree with its claim of having a weightless feel on the skin, though. I find that with my fingers, I really have to work to spread this all over my skin. Besides that aspect, I really like Marcelle BB Cream. It dries to a semi-matte finish, provides shine control and evens out my skin tone nicely. A little goes a long way with this one. The Dark to Darker isn’t really a match for me yet.

Marcelle BB Cream in Dark to Darker and Medium to Dark — swatches

Wearing Marcelle BB Cream in Dark to Darker (before / after)

Bottom line: Marcelle BB Cream is a fantastic multi-tasker. It is truly a moisturizer, primer and foundation in one. If you’re a regular foundation wearer, you’ll probably like it. Good for all skin types, but oily skin types will especially appreciate its shine control properties.

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB 8-in-1 Beauty Balm SPF 30 in Medium/Deep and Deep

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB 8-in-1 Beauty Balm SPF 30 ($10.99 for 30 mL) launched in June 2012, with an impressive lineup of 5 shades (Light, Light/Medium, Medium, Medium/Deep and Deep). Maybelline Dream Fresh BB boasts the following benefits:

Helps prevent sunburn with SPF 30
Helps blur the look of imperfections
Creates a natural looking glow
Skin looks visibly smoother
Compliments skin tone
Hydrates all day
Feels fresh
Oil-free

While some of these benefits are repetitive and redundant (blurs imperfections = visibly smoother looking skin), I do appreciate the SPF 30 BB cream. Dude! An SPF 30 mineral sunscreen BB? That’s totally unheard of. I’m already a fan. This feels runny like a regular liquid foundation. This is considerably smaller than Marcelle’s, so don’t be fooled by the low price tag. I appreciate the light feel of this especially on very hot and humid days. I love that it doesn’t feel silicone-y! Recently I’ve become weary of heavily silicone-based products, as I more and more often get random zits popping up on my face. That said, I prefer the Maybelline Dream Fresh BB for my skin type (normal) and this weather (hot, humid and all-around gross).

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB 8-in-1 Beauty Balm SPF 30 in Medium/Deep and Deep — swatches

Wearing Maybelline Dream Fresh BB in Medium/Deep (before / after)

Bottom line: This BB cream is perfect for the sun-conscious, thanks to its titanium dioxide sunscreen. The coverage is surprisingly good (it covers minor redness). I am in love with the light dewy formula for summer, but it may look overly shiny on oily skin types (may I suggest Cover FX Matte FX?). Makeup newbies will appreciate the lightness of this BB cream. It really does feel like nothing!

For those who are interested, here are the two darkest shades from both brands to show you the difference in undertones. The Maybelline has a more golden tone, while the Marcelle is just brown.

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB in Deep / Marcelle BB Cream in Dark to Darker — swatches