Just look at this logo on the Bobbi Brown Eye Couture Eye Shadow Palette! I think the gold on black is elegant. What's inside is even more exciting. Like jewel tones? Like Bobbi Brown makeup brushes? Bobbi Brown's Eye Couture Palette ($220), a Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman exclusive, arrived at the Neiman Marcus at Mazza Gallerie yesterday. They received six and are hoping for more. Lovely Rachel set mine aside for me and called me right away.
The eye shadows are stunning. When I got home yesterday with the palette, I was so excited. I wanted to share swatches with you immediately. I had a problem, though, as you read: no phone, no computer line. After hours of so-called diagnosis and negotiation of a repair date with Verizon, I was no closer to sharing my photos. This morning, I invoked the ultimate complaint mechanism, and within hours, I had my services back. A pro named Mark fixed my line in a heartbeat. It turns out that the outdoor jack in the junction box had corroded. Mark, I love you! You restored my faith in my old client.
Back to Bobbi and these groundbreaking eye shadows. All photos were taken in full sun, which is the reason you'll see clouds reflected in the logo if you look hard. Let's see if I can find enough superlatives to use as I describe the shadows.
I will start with the top row. My first photo shows the "bookends," the black (Onyx Sparkle Eye Shadow) and white (Star Sparkle Eye Shadow) shades at top left and top right in the palette. When I describe position, I am referencing my photo of the open palette above.
Between these shades are Diamond Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow and Peacock Metallic Eye Shadow. These are shown on my arm at left. The Diamond shade has more white pigment than Star, as you can see in my photos. Star is almost clear on my skin, with a lo
t of sparkle. Peacock is a very colorful turquoise green. What you see in the palette photo is what you get on the skin.The middle row has four gorgeous shades. Starting at the top of my photo at right are Amethyst Metallic Eye Shadow, Emerald Sparkle Eye Shadow, Bonfire Metallic Eye Shadow, and Topaz Metallic Eye Shadow. Emerald may be a bit misnamed, given the pastel nature of the shade, but it's beautiful, so that's a nit. Bonfire and Topaz made my heart flutter. I love nude and gold shadows, and these two
are stunning.With the exception of the Onyx (black shade), the bottom row of the compact holds the most intense shades. As you can see on my photo at left, the shades are bold and saturated. This isn't due to variability of application. I used sponge-tip applicators to apply all of the shades, and swiped twice with most of them. I'll explain the exception below.
Above left, top to bottom, are Bash Metallic Eye Shadow, Volcano Sparkle Eye Shadow, Lapis Sparkle Eye Shadow, and Garnet Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow. Again, stunning! It took only one quick swipe to apply Garnet with the intensity you see here. It's a bold shade. Bask is the one I would have named Emerald - if I wanted to make a comparison to the gem. I will probably wear Volcano down to the bottom of the pan. The greige shade is superb.
Did I mention the brushes? Not an afterthought, these brushes were selected to make it easy to use the palette, and they certainly contribute to the price. They will be with me for many years, though, so I'm a happy customer.
- Eye Sweep Brush
- Angle Eye Shadow Brush
- Eye Contour Brush
- Eye Liner Brush
Sometimes, Bobbi Brown collections that are exclusive to department stores eventually land on Bobbi's own Web site. I don't know what will happen with this one. I just know it's going to sell out in the stores. Instinct!
Update: I forgot to tell you that these shadows will be long-lasting. They don't wipe off easily with a tissue.
Photos by BTiB