Bobbi Brown’s makeup doesn’t always do it for me. My homegirl once described the brand as “colors for people who are afraid of color,” and I think there’s some truth to that. A lot of Bobbi’s makeup has that jury duty feel to it, ya know? — the kind of makeup you’d wear to court.
But Bobbi threw me a curve ball with the lip colors in the Mauve Collection, her new fall makeup line.
I’d been searching high and low for edgy yet wearable lipsticks and glosses in shades of purple, and these colors are, dare I say, edgy yet wearable. They’re eye-catching without going over the top, and within the colors there’s enough variety to allow you to create lots of different looks. Go on with your bad self, Ms. Brown!
Lip Color
At first I thought Pale Mauve ($22) was going to be too light for my skin tone, but once I got it on I actually really liked this light blue-purple shade. It’s light with a 60’s feel. I plan to pair it with light cheeks and a cat eye with a thick black liquid liner on my upper lash line (and a mini-dress and go-go boots, ha!).
Bobbi’s Lip Color lipsticks have a semi-matte formula that goes on a little thick, but at least it doesn’t peel away after a few hours. I don’t mind the light licorice fragrance, but I’m glad it has no taste/flavor. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A
Heather Mauve ($22) is a dark red-mauve, making it a great candidate for my easy-to-wear work lipstick stash. I like the texture and the color itself, but it closely matches my natural lip color, which sort of defeats the purpose of wearing lipstick. I guess it’d be useful as a base color layered beneath one of the other shades listed below. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: B
Lip Color swatches: Heather Mauve (top), Pale Mauve (bottom)
Lip Glosses
Dig out your Cure mp3’s and your smudgy eyeliner! Bobbi’s Mauve Collection Lip Glosses ($19) look demure in their petite little tubes, but these colors are equal parts edgy and sophisticated — think goth chick in stunning black suit.
Black Pearl is a limited edition dark grey-purple with silver shimmer and appears light in both the tube and the swatch, but it applies dark and rich. I don’t have anything like it in my lipgloss collection (and I own quite a few colors!).
I plan to use it to create a day-friendly, wearable goth girl look with soft grey smokey eyes (OOH!). Chances are this is just me, but every time I look at this lipstick I am compelled to say the words Black Pearl with an Elmer J. Fudd accent — “bwack pewel.” Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A+
Iced Mauve, a limited edition red-purple with multi-colored shimmer, looks a bit less goth than Black Pearl does, but it’s just as gorgeous. I think it looks fabulous on top of Heather Mauve Lip Color. I’d totally wear it out to an evening party with a soft taupe and light purple eye. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A
Swatches from left to right: Iced Mauve, Black Pearl, Mauve
Mauve bears a striking resemblance to MAC lipglass in Spite (a muted plum brown). While it’s a pretty color and has its place in a girl’s makeup collection, it’s nothing we haven’t seen before. I think I’ll stick with Spite instead. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: C
If you’re aching for even more coverage of Bobbi’s Mauve collection, check out Kristen’s review over at Beauty Addict.
See the entire Mauve Collection in person this July at your favorite Bobbi Brown counter, or find it online at Neiman Marcus stores.
I can’t remember the last time I felt this fierce on a Monday! If you’re in need of some fighting spirit, then let me be your cheerleader today. I got yer back. 🙂
GO GET ‘EM, TIGER!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
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Oh, I’ve been lemming Bwack Peawl (Hee hee, come back hewe, you wascawwy Jack Spawwow!) and now I want it even more! I may have to grab it this week, before it disappeaws! 😉
I had a few BB lipsticks – but I just got rid of them because I really never loved the texture and felt they were a bit drying. What do you think?
LOL Glosslizard!
Isn’t talking like Elmer J. Fudd addictive? It’s like eating chips! Once you start, you can’t stop!
So Bwack Peawl is so hot! I just wish the tube was bigger. 🙁
Hi Tuprnut,
I like them for staying power and for the texture. I don’t wear them by themselves, though. I usually pop a gloss on top which seems to alleviate any drying issues.
Honestly, though, if you like Chanel then the Rouge Hydrabase lipsticks might suit ya better because they are more moisturizing!
I love plummy purples this fall… i cant wait to pick one of these babies up.
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I tried all of these lipsticks and lipglosses and didn’t like any of them!! They all look like my own lip color on me.
I agree about BB makeup and it being for people afraid of color. I never feel like there is anything interesting in her collections. I’d LOVE to find something I like someday though in terms of color, because her concealer is my HG concealer and I don’t want my love affair with BB to end there.
I’m so glad everything looked good on you!
Woa, Black Pearl is so goth! I don’t know if I can pull it off 😀 I’m more of a nude lips type of gal. I personally don’t dig BB that much since the line is choke full with neutrals and I’m a bit over the neutral rainbow these days.
Those are some nice colors! I’ll be interested in seeing them(especially the first lipstick) with a full face of makeup. It seems really cool! I wonder if the Black Pearl would be too dark for me, but it’s too pretty!!haha
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Oh I’m so getting it! 🙂
Yea, I totally loved the Cure back in the day…. I’m not a fan of most of these, but Black Pearl looks hot! That’s a sure winner.
I really like her products but I do get the :”jury duty” vibe from her.
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ooo…i want to try bwack peawl!!!
did you try the new plummy gel eyeliner?
i must see if they have it at holt renfrew (canada’s version of high end department store) tomorrow since i can slack off at work. hehe
Hi Iheartmakeup,
Yeah, girlfriend! These are plummy without being too scary. 🙂
Hi Shefali,
Thanks! I’ve heard *great* things about her concealer. I really should try that, as my MAC is about to run out very soon.
That’s too bad these didn’t work out for ya… oh well, that gives you some extra $ for the other pretty fall collections!
Hi Dao,
I know! It was kind of shocking, but I liked it.
LOL, you make me laugh with your “bit over the neutral rainbow” line. I feel the same way these days (orange eyeshadow?!).
Hi Bridget,
It gets toned down when you add it to a light lippie, like the Pale Mauve (I tried that out this afternoon just for kicks again, and it’s very pretty).
Hi Glosslizard,
Yay! I really hope it works for you. If you get it you need to wear it with all black and listen and then dance around the house to Joy Division! 🙂
Hi Melissa,
Me too. I can listen to the “Close to You” remix forever. 🙂
I hope Black Pearl works out for you… it’s very pretty!
Hi Marisol,
Ha! Some of her basics are handy, I guess… but the lip colors really did surprise me. Dark plum/grey from the queen of neutrals – who knew?
Hi Evo,
I haven’t tried it. I heard great things about it though on Kristen’s site. I am sort of lemming it, but I’m really trying to hold out my bucks for Chanel fall in a few weeks. Just gotta hold on until then!
Ha! I love days when you can slack at work. I need more of those in my life so I’ll vicariously live through you. 🙂
mmmm….not really feeling it.
I did use to wear Bobbi Brown back in the day – loved me some cranberry lipstick!
yes…it’ll be slacking for me since it’s a stat holiday here in canada. i’ll join you americans and have friday off! woohoo!
i do have one of her neutral palettes and one of her dark lipsticks. sadly they’re both collecting dust right now. i want to play with brighter colours! LOL. i do want to try the eyeliner and see how it compares to the MAC fluidlines.
Hi Lexi,
Aww, no love for the Black Pearl, even?
I remember Cranberry. I had a friend who wore it practically every day.
Hi Evo,
Nice! Do you have any plans for your day off?
I hear ya about wanting to play with brights. I’m really into blues right now. How about you?
BTW, what’s your fave Fluidline?
I work in a hospital so I really need to wear neutrals pretty much every day. My brighter color experiments are limited to weekends. So I really love BB. I think a lot of her colors look good on my skin tone as well.
I am really looking forward to this collection cuz it really IS a little bold for a BB collection. I am most excited about the eyeliner and the palette cuz I love the eyeshadow and the mauve blush on the model in the ads. She’s really close to my skin tone too, just a wee bit more tan, so I am hoping that stuff looks good on me 😀
Are you planning on reviewing the palette or the eye liner at all??
oh. my. gawd. i have to try black pearl. usually i don’t think i can pull off dark lips (mine are kinda full for a white girl lol) but i’m gonna have to make it work!
Karen – I will definately wear these colours the next time I have a court case!
Hmm I actually love the way Mauve gloss looks on you and I like Black Pearl though dark colours are not my thang.
When I saw your post of The Jouse Contraste Powder Blush in Rose Dust, it got me thinking of 60’s makeup too! and I kept thinking of the colors women wore back then, the light bluish colors like this lipstick right there.
Mmmmm. Black Pearl looks delicious! One more want that I can’t have (no Bobbi Brown here)… tss
Hi, there Beautiful Girl Karen,
I am on the same page with you about the Bobbi Brown line. I always considered her shades “very conservative”, even at my age of 50+. But I did like those colors that you showed us. I have very lipstick shade that you can imagine in pinks, corals, and reds. It’s about time that someone with some originality and imagination came forth with something different. Now you have me coveting something else. Shame on you!!! LOL
Louise
so i went to check it out today at holt renfrew…they didn’t even have the entire collection in yet.
i liked mauved lipgloss but it looks dupeable. they didn’t have black pearl in yet so i couldn’t try it out. 🙁 and now really lemming the eyeliner but it’s $25!
the lady at the counter thought i was nuts when i specifically asked for black pearl. LOL. shouldn’t they know their products?
i need to clean on my day off. we’re not suppse to have good weather here on friday. 🙁 and i finally fixed my blitz&glitz fluidine with some fix. hehe. and been sporting blues and dark purples lately.
do u have plans for the long weekend?
I am loving pale mauve and black pearl! They look great on – very different!
wow, I would not have thought that black pearl would look like that on! it’s stunning on you, and my favorite of the collection. It is very 90’s though, huh? but I guess in the 90’s it was all about the matte lip, so the sheer glossiness makes it “new”. 🙂 Looks like dark lips are going to be all the rage this fall!
Hi Nosh,
Yup — I was going to try and do a face of the day with it. I’ve only had the chance to use the Mauve blush and lemme tell you, it’s DARK! I was very surprised by it. I’ll let ya know how the eyeshadows turn out and if the lip shades are nice. Do you think you might get it?
What do you do at the hospital?
Hi Rachel,
You can totally do it! If it’s too dark then popping a light mauve underneath will make it look a bit lighter and more appropriate for day. 🙂
Hi Rowena,
Girl are you a lawyer? I learn something new about people every day on this blog, it’s so great. 🙂
Hi Emme,
Hmm, you just gave me an idea. I might try pairing the two just for fun to see what happens. 🙂 Now I just need some fierce go-go boots!
Hi Karen B.,
Oh, sorry hon! Sometimes it’s fun to just window shop though, yes?
Hi Louise Gray!
Your lipstick collection sounds hot. I hope that when I’m in my 50s I’ll still be rockin’ the reds and corals. 🙂
And I really hope you get to try the Black Pearl, girlfriend! Even if you don’t end up snagging it, it’s still a very interesting color that one can appreciate just for its aesthetic uniqueness.
Hi Evo,
Hmm, that’s weird. I think Canada gets the same releases as we do so they should have Black Pearl. Maybe she was having an off day or something. I do hope you get to see it soon! It’s really pretty.
I love Blitz & Glitz, btw!
This weekend I’m doing a couple of things… going to dinner with friends on Saturday (to Thai food! I’m finally getting my veggie pad Thai!). Then on Saturday I’m probably going into SF to meet my friend, Jen. She’s getting married in Nov. and we still have to find bridesmaid dresses (I’m the matron of honor). I just hope I can find a dress that makes her happy and doesn’t make my butt look too big!
How about you? What are your plans?
Hi Laurie,
That combo looks great together. 🙂 I tried it the other just for fun and it’s very pretty.
Hi Amanda,
I know! It totally takes me back to the mid-90s. I remember lining my lips with black eyeliner to make to make my deep red lipstick even darker. Ahhh, good times.
I hope you try it! I think it’s a really neat color.
Thanks for the shoutout, love! I’m loving that Black Pearl lippie too. I keep pulling the tube out of my bag and showing my boyfriend, just for the sheer weirdness factor. 🙂
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Hi Kristen,
You’re welcome, girlfriend! 🙂 I feel kinda like Black Pearl is my time machine to the mid-90s. Just put me in a plaid shirt and take me to a rave, already. Have a good day!
True, it gives a lot of inspiration 🙂
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