Bobbi Brown Miami Collection for Spring 2012 - Fresh from the Beach

Imagine the glow you get after a day at the beach - that’s the inspiration behind the Miami Collection. It’s about sun-kissed skin and beautiful coral and nectar colors infused with gold. And to really get you into a summer state of mind, there’s nothing like a spritz of Beach Fragrance (now in a modern, new bottle) and Shimmering Fragrance Oil.

This collection recreates the fresh, glowing look you get at the beach. - Bobbi Brown

The Collection has arrived at Bobbi Brown counters. This weekend, I saw it and made a conservative purchase of four items. Later today, or tomorrow at the latest, I'm headed back for more!

What grabbed my eye (and wallet)? The new, limited-edition Shimmer Cheek Glow ($39). Available in two shades, Miami and Gold, Bobbi’s new Shimmer Cheek Glow
is a sheer, very creamy powder formula that glides on smoothly and blends easily for a weightless feel and imparts a glow with soft shimmer or sparkle. If you can’t make it to Miami, you can still look like you were partying at the trendy night spots.

Miami looks pink to me, not the coral or nectar that characterizes the collection. The gold is definitely gold. I was surprised by these Shimmer Cheek Glows. I expected more color and less sparkle. I also expected more traditional powders.  When I applied them, I found creamy, sheer, suggestions of color and shine that's jazzy.

Look at how sheer they are! I applied both with a sponge-tipped applicator, and I applied them very heavily, trying to get good swatch photos. I kept building the color, but these photos are as good as I could get. Miami is shown at the top of my arm, with Gold below.

The effect of these Cheek Glows is transparent and sparkling, with just a suggestion of color. If you like to light up your face with a pink highlighter, you'll prefer Miami. If you want more warmth, try Gold. You can see that the sun's rays brought out the shine on my arm. You'll glow at the beach too with these new helpers. The powder is so fine and so creamy, I'll bet you could apply these highlighters with your fingertips.

I purchased my Shimmer Cheek Glows at Saks Fifth Avenue. Neiman Marcus has also received the Miami Collection, so I suspect it's available at all Bobbi Brown counters. It has not gone up at Bobbi Brown's Web site yet, but should soon. I'll show you my other Miami collection purchases as soon as I can get photos.

Photo at top courtesy of Bobbi Brown; other photos by Best Things in Beauty