Bobbi Brown Brightening Nudes Collection

Bobbi Brown's new Brightening Nudes Collection has arrived at the counters. With three new Brightening Lip Glosses, four Sparkle Eye Shadows, one subtly stunning Brightening Finishing Powder, and a new, limited-edition Crystal Glitter Lip Gloss, there will be no reason for you to experience the winter blahs.

I saw the collection at Neiman Marcus Mazza Gallerie during the fabulous Spring Beauty Preview Event. I took a few photos. I must go back to try again; I have a hard time taking in-store photos. When you want to show a brightening collection, you need bright pictures! Here's one photo below of the four Sparkle Eye Shadows and gorgeous Brightening Lip Glosses ($23).

I want all three of the lip glosses, but Rachel Lagman, Bobbi Brown product specialist extraordinaire, helped me narrow it down to two (I'm trying to control my buy-everything impulses). I'll show you my choices soon. They light up my lips with a pale pink or lilac shine that will look beautiful over any lip color I wear. My photo directly above shows, from top to bottom, Pink Opal, Lilac Pearl, and Pink Lilac.

The limited-edition Sparkle Eye Shadows ($28) are interesting. When I first tried them, my impression was, "All sparkle, no color." The testers had reeled me in, but my first short test left me disappointed. It was only after I had a chance to talk to Joanie Coffren (our Bobbi Brown Account Executive) and Rachel that I learned that the Sparkle Eye Shadows aren't intended to be worn alone. Instead, they provide a sparkling top coat to your eye color. Rachel demonstrated two of them for me, and I was stunned. They looked amazing on her. If you have any kind of night life, you will love them. All four colors are pretty, with a combination of shimmering pearls and fine glitter.

The Brightening Finishing Powder ($50) in Brightening Nudes will creep up on you, just like my cats do when play-stalking. Again, when I first tried it, I thought, "Meh." On my finger, it looked like a pastel nude-pink powder. Only after Joanie described its purpose and the gals applied it to my face, did I see the immediate brightening effect - not much color and no shimmer, but a brightening that is welcome in late-winter. This all-over powder instantly illuminates and gives the face a healthy-looking glow. It's infused with a skin-brightening blend of mulberry, grape and scutellaria extracts, as well as sodium hyaluronate (for moisture) to help keep skin fresh and smooth looking.

The limited-edition Crystal Glitter Lip Gloss ($18) should be added to the permanent collection, in my opinion. Infused with fine, light reflecting flecks, this gloss gives lips a glimmering shine that's perfect for day or evening. Stock up during Neiman Marcus' Beauty Event in case it goes away. It adds a stunning sparkle to any lip color you wear.

The bottom line with this collection? Try before you buy - if at all possible. Once you do, I'll bet you find at least one new favorite. I did. If you need help and don't have a Bobbi Brown counter nearby, call Rachel Lagman, one of my favorite Bobbi Brown team members, to get personal assistance. You can reach her at (202) 966-9700, extension 2265. She's a doll, and the Bobbi Brown gift with purchase is nice. If you'd like to order online, the collection is available at BobbiBrownCosmetics.com, where shipping is free now with the code BRIGHT12.

Photos courtesy of Bobbi Brown; in-store photo by Best Things in Beauty