Bobbi Brown Caviar and Oyster Palette for Holiday 2012

Strong and smoky or soft and pretty? There's no need to choose with Bobbi's beautifully-edited selection for the limited-edition Caviar and Oyster Palette ($75) for the holidays. Featuring eight eye shadows and a luminescent, glittering skin enhancer, this mirrored palette makes it easy to create plenty of party looks. Taking a cue from the look of something pretty against something edgy, the set includes rich caviar and pearlescent black shades. The standout star of the season, Ballet Sparkle, a shimmer highlighter, is so sheer it can be worn on both eyes and cheeks to shine your face with party lights.

Here is a description of the shades, straight from Bobbi Brown's Web site. Just click on the photo to enlarge it.

The palette is jazzy. Some of the shades are very sparkly. Surprisingly, I like most of the shades - a lot. The palette has two pull out drawers that hide the Ballet Sparkle highlighter. Pull them out to the side, and you'll see the full offering.

I swatched the left side of the palette first. I used a sponge-tipped applicator and applied the shades heavily. I took my photos in full mid-day sun. For each of the eye shadow "drawers," I swatched clockwise starting with the top left. However, I didn't bother with the White Eye Shadow. I couldn't see it on my arm, and I knew that if I couldn't see it, you wouldn't either.

Sandy Pearl Metallic Shadow at the top of my arm is an interesting shade. It's almost fluid in its appearance. I love it. In a take it or leave it contest, it would be one of my top two eye shades in Caviar and Oyster. The dove Grey Sly is matte and blends beautifully with the other shades. The sparkly light pink-white Pink Opal is pretty, but I have other shades just like it. Nevertheless, it's useful for nighttime.

I think three of the shades on the right are gorgeous. The Shimmering black Plum Steel (shown at the top of my arm) isn't plum at all. It's a beautiful shimmering charcoal. Pearl Oyster is a sheer ivory. It's a nice topper for other shades. If used alone, it doesn't offer much color. Rich Caviar makes a great liner. It's too dark for me to wear as an eye shadow. Heather Grey at the bottom of my arm is matte and unexciting.

Pink Ballet in the center of the palette is a stunner. I applied it heavily at the top of my arm and then used a brush to show you how it looks when applied lightly. Valerie Fleming, Bobbi Brown Product Specialist, gave me an interesting tip for using Pink Ballet. She said to apply it with the fingertips, patting it on the area you want to glow. I haven't tried it yet, but I suspect that will give you the color shown at the top of my arm. If you want to reach Valerie for Bobbi Brown makeup tips (or to order), call her at Neiman Marcus at (703) 761-1600, extension 3301.

Overall, I think Caviar and Oyster is a gorgeous palette for night life. It's too sparkly to use in the daytime, but I think it provides a stunning festive look for special events. Make sure to layer the sparkly shades over any other eye shadow if you need more color than the sheer shades provide.

I purchased my palette at Neiman Marcus. Nordstrom has it too. If you wish to order at Bobbi Brown's Web site, you'll have to wait until November. Figure that out.

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