An Interview with Bobbi Brown and a Summer Makeup Lesson

Happy Friday! Is it me or do weekends seem even nicer now that it’s summer? This time of year, I love to keep things simple and create a sun-kissed look that doesn’t look overdone. Bobbi Brown makes that really easy with her latest launches. There’s a gorgeous collection of sheer colors, stunning, unique bronzers for face and body, and a brilliant mascara that doesn’t budge and makes my lashes look amazing. The colors and textures are heavenly. Today I have a peek at the new collections, an interview with Bobbi, and a makeup lesson I shot with Bobbi’s wonderful education exec Katrina.

The New Collections

In keeping with Bobbi’s signature style, the new collections are very wearable and well thought out. There’s a shade to flatter everyone.

Sheerly Gorgeous

Bobbi says the sheer shades of the Nautical Collection were “inspired by a bike trip I took in Brittany and Normandy. When we were riding around I saw all of these locals wearing these blue and white striped shirts with the most incredible, beautiful lips and cheeks. I tried to recreate their sun-stained cheeks and lips with my new Sheer Color Cheek Tint and Sheer Color Lip Gloss, which leave cheeks and lips with a pretty healthy glow.”

I love to pop on one of the new, limited-edition Sheer Color Cheek Tints ($22) at the start of the day and then keep it in my purse to wake up my complexion during the late-afternoon slump. My favorite is Sheer Coral, which is a peachy-coral with a golden sparkle. These tints come in six shades.

The new Sheer Color Lip Glosses ($20) provide a beautiful sheer wash of color. The formulas have a lighter, less sticky texture than Bobbi’s other glosses. I know a lot of ladies run for the hills when they come across a sticky gloss so this will be especially good news to them. These glosses look bright in the tube; but they’re super sheer on while still giving a nice dose of color. My favorite is Marina Pink, which looks like a deep burgundy in the tube but wears more like a warm, sheer berry. There are four shades of this gloss.

This collection also includes the awesome new Perfectly Defined Mascara ($22). This glides on so nicely and coats nearly every lash with its cool, multi-comb brush. It truly lives up to its promises. It does an excellent job lengthening, separating, and curling. It stays on all day without flaking or smudging but, amazingly, comes off with warm water. It’s a wonderful alternative to harsh, waterproof mascaras. Even though it comes off with warm water, I noticed it didn’t budge with cool water. It’s also more glossy looking than most mascaras, which I LOVE.

Sun-Kissed Face and Body

The Nautical Collection is perfectly complemented with the stunning Illuminating Bronze Collection, which includes one of the Bobbi’s fantastic Shimmer Bricks – but in a super-deluxe size for body. The new, limited-edition, splendidly silky Shimmer Brick for Body ($75) features three bars of color for arms, legs, décolleté – anywhere you want to add a sultry, sexy, shimmery glow. Katrina said this was a big hit at fashion week, because of how amazing it makes skin look. This is flattering on just about any complexion.

To perfectly apply the powder, Bobbi has introduced a new, limited-edition All Over Body Brush ($85) that is soooo luxuriously soft and cruelty-free, like all of Bobbi’s brushes. The size assures a sheer, even application.

For face, Bobbi offers an unusual collection of Illuminating Bronzing Powders ($33). There are six shades – not the usual three shades of light, medium, and dark – to give a warm, natural, sun-kissed look to any complexion – from the fairest to the deepest. These include two shades with coral and pink in them, as well as bronze, to mimic the natural cheek color that arises after we get a bit tan. I love Maui, which has the most pink, and Aruba, which has lots of gold.

Bobbi has also introduced a new Bronzer Brush ($50) with a more rounded head to get a very smooth, even application. Last but not least, the collection includes the new All-Over Bronzing Gel SPF 15 ($28). It’s a longwear, gel-based formula for the face with the added benefit of sun protection.

Everything is available at Bobbi Brown counters and at bobbibrown.com. Bobbi has also just opened two new, free-standing stores in Paris and Tokyo. Would love to play at one of them!

Summer Beauty Tips from Bobbi Brown

Bobbi was kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions to help us look good and travel well this summer.

Keep It Simple for Summer
• I love to play with makeup but often find myself getting carried away and putting on too much for casual summer days. What do you suggest for keeping things fresh and fun without looking overdone?
Bobbi: Summer makeup should be easy and quick. Keep your routine simple with a Tinted Moisturizer with SPF, concealer, lip gloss, blush, eyeliner and mascara.

Makeup That Won’t Melt Off in Warm Weather
• I hate when my makeup melts off in warm weather. What tips do you have for avoiding that?
Bobbi: Some makeup is more likely to melt in warmer weather because of the emollients they contain. Avoid overly creamy products, which have a tendency to become streaky or uneven and consider switching to a lightweight moisturizer and foundation like Skin Foundation SPF 15 or tinted moisturizer. Powder blushes and eye shadows are also less likely to run when it’s warm outside.

Travel Tips
• So many people are traveling right now. What suggestions do you have for beauty products when traveling, especially with all the travel restrictions for carry-on bags?
Bobbi: Stick to double-duty products like pot rouge or a tinted moisturizer when it comes to travel. They’ll keep your makeup bag light and clutter-free. I also like to be able to take all of my favorite products with me on the road, so I created a set of travel empties that are airline approved and can be filled with just enough for a few days.

A Video Tutorial

To see the new products in action, check out this video I shot with the lovely Katrina Rau, Bobbi Brown Education Executive, at the Nordstrom in downtown San Francisco. She shares great tips, shows off the latest collections, and creates an easy, warm, healthy look for summer. To see what Katrina used, click on the face chart (below the video) – one of the nice treats you get when you get a makeover at a Bobbi Brown counter. (Sorry the video looks so yellow. Katrina got us a nice, private room to shoot in but the light was a little challenging.)

(click face chart to
see details on the
products Katrina used)

Fall Preview

More great beauty treats are on the way from Bobbi Brown. For fall, she is introducing the Nude Collection. I’m especially excited about this, because I adore wearing nude makeup. The collection is like a dream come true for me. It includes a Nude Palette of six shadows in a refillable, customizable 3-Pan Palette, a Nude Shimmer Brick, a new rich, deep-brown shade of Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner, and four new shades of Creamy Lip Color. Absolutely lovely!

Do Tell

What do you think of the new collections? Do you tend to wear less makeup in warmer months? Do you like to warm up your skin with a bronzer? Are you a fan of the shimmer bricks? Do tell.

P.S. Check out our regularly updated Beauty Resources page for some amazing beauty deals at amazon.com, beauty.com, Sephora, and more.