Edward Bess Baby Pink Lip Palette

This is going to be a hard feature to write. I adore Edward Bess and everything about him: his story, his makeup, his style. I consider myself an Edward Bess groupie and am totally bummed that our local Neiman Marcus stores don't have a single Edward Bess counter between them. I rejoiced when Sephora started carrying his line.

It's disappointing that I have to admit to myself (and be perfectly honest with you) that I am not wowed by the Baby Pink Lip Palette ($75).

A wardrobe of eight perfectly pink shades in Edward’s signature Ultra Slick Lipstick formula - plus a full-size lip brush. This sleek, mirrored palette is every girly girl’s dream. Baby soft shades drench your pout with Edward’s signature ultra-creamy formula. Pucker up - your lips are in for a treat.

Perhaps I should have been blinded by the bright pinks in the online photo. I imagined that they would adapt to my lips and belie their overwhelming pinkness in the palette. The best I can say is that women who wear bright pink lipstick - lots of it - are going to be over the moon. I imagine teens will love these shades. The Baby Pink Lip Palette would be the perfect holiday gift for a budding makeup addict.

The palette itself is large and luxurious. So well-made (and tight) that it was hard for be to pry it open. I nicked a nail or two trying to pry it open. The lip brush is a fabulous addition, and Edward's signature in the mirror adds a touch of class. The presentation is gorgeous.

Unfortunately, I think I may have grown out of bright pinks. Not that there isn't a place for them in my life and looks. I find the brightest baby pink shades a reminder of an era gone by. Take a look at the swatches and see what you think. I took them in full sun after applying them with a sponge-tipped applicator (not particularly heavily).

The top row in the palette, left to right, is shown on my arm top to bottom. The shades are Cloud, Tulle, Bouquet, and Paramour. Cloud is pretty, but a bit too light for my tastes. Tulle looks pasty on my lips. Bouquet is lovely - and bright. The blue pink Paramour is a just a little too blue. Perhaps I'll feel differently in the spring when the tulips bloom.

The bottom row, presented in the same order, includes Satin, Sunset, Dream, and Embrace. Most of these shades work better for me than those in the top row, with the exception of the blue pink Dream. Embrace is my favorite shade in the palette. I fear the rest of it will remain relatively unused.

Imagine how beautiful these shades would have been in Edward's Deep Shine Lip Gloss. Sheer, rather than richly pigmented, they would have dazzled me.

I don't know if these shades were developed for the palette or if they were resurrected from old collections. They are not available separately at this time.

I'm really curious to know what you think. Do these shades make your heart flutter? Did you purchase the Baby Pink Lip Palette? Do you like it? Am I the "odd man out"? I know that Edward Bess had an inspiration for this palette - even if I can't figure out what it might have been. I'm going off to sulk that I had to write a not-so-glowing review. I'm on bright pink overload.

You can purchase the Baby Pink Lip Palette at Sephora (and get 20% off if you are a V.I.B. and order before tomorrow's deadline) or at Bergdorf Goodman, the Edward Bess Web site, and very select Neiman Marcus stores.

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

Bobbi Brown 20th Anniversary Lip Palette

In 1991, discouraged by the lack of flattering lip colors that were available, Bobbi Brown decided to make her own palette. She created 10 lipstick shades that had a brown base, which, in her opinion, was the most natural complement to a woman's skin tone. After a small editorial mention in a magazine, Bobbi found herself taking phone orders from her home. It wasn't long before she caught the attention of Bergdorf Goodman, which ultimately launched her eponymous collection. Bobbi hoped that she would sell 100 lipsticks in her first month at the store and ended up meeting that goal in just one day.

Created in celebration of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics' 20th anniversary, the limited-edition 20th Anniversary Lip Palette ($60) features the original 10 lipsticks and 10 additional new, bright, modern, and wearable colors that showcase how the brand has evolved in the last 20 years. All the shades can be worn alone or mixed together to create your own unique looks - particularly with the shades that may not be your best. Don't care for Burnt Red? Mix it with Pink Martini, and you'll have a third shade. Beige is a flattering neutral shade by itself, but it can be mixed with a brighter color, like Watermelon, to create a more muted in-between shade.
"Lipstick is one of the simplest makeup steps and a great way to instantly change your look," Bobbi Brown remarked. What a great way to celebrate 20 Pretty Powerful years! What will Bobbi be doing 20 years from now? She hopes to be doing exactly what she's doing now. Helping women is her passion.

I ordered the palette online a few days ago from Bobbi's Web site. I can't wait for it to arrive. I know that Neiman Marcus received the anniversary palette, and all Bobbi Brown counters will have it for sale in October.

Photos courtesy of Bobbi Brown

First Look: Le Métier de Beauté Empress Kaleidoscope Lip Kit for Fall 2011

Le Métier de Beauté's Empress Kaleidoscope Lip Kit ($95) from the Silk Road Collection for Fall 2011 gave me a "love at first sight" moment today. I wanted to show you this kit so that you could be on the lookout for it and purchase it the minute it arrives at your favorite Le Métier de Beauté counter. I purchased mine today at Neiman Marcus Mazza Gallerie. That means your store should have it soon.

It's raining on and off, and the sun hasn't made a steady appearance since yesterday. The photo at left shows the tester. It was taken in the store. I took some swatch photos in between raindrops; the sun made a very brief appearance. I'll do a better job and a full feature on this gorgeous kit as soon as the sun graces us with a full-time appearance. In the meantime, take a look at my photos. I'll bet you will want this masterpiece.

Here are the exquisite shades. I hope I've got these names right (from memory).

• Imperial Silk - pale pink for a nude base (the top pull-out shade)
• Silk Road - shimmering, sheer red
  
• Empress Delicate - mauve mixed with soft champagne
  
• Plum Satin - creamy plum for rich contrast (the bottom shade)
  

From the transparent pink gloss in Imperial Silk to one of the prettiest reds I've ever seen, this palette offers you many possibilities for creating a look. I am totally smitten with it - the reason I rushed to show it to you today. I promise I'll come back with a full feature and better photos.

I applied each shade to my arm with a lip brush. The shade at the top of my arm is the Plum Satin shade at the bottom of the kit, and I swatched in order, bottom to top in the kit, with Imperial Silk at the bottom of my arm photo.

I haven't had time to do much layering, but I did layer the three lightest shades, starting with the plum at the bottom, adding the mauve, and finishing with the pink glossy color. The result is my kind of lip color, shown just above left. That photo was taken with a cloudy sky.

I may need two of these lip kits. You know how hard it is to find the older Kaleidoscopes!

Photo at top courtesy of Le Métier de Beauté; other photos by Best Things in Beauty

Bobbi Brown Cabana Corals Collection

Bobbi Brown's Cabana Corals Collection for Spring 2010 is a beautiful selection of coral shades perfect for eyes, lips, and cheeks. The shades range from fresh new pink corals to universal nude corals and on to true coral shades. Almost every woman will find one or more shades right for her.

This photo (shown at left) of the collection's colors enticed me, even though I'm not a "coral" natural. Many makeup artists try to lure me out of my comfort zone with peaches and corals, and they insist I look good in them.

I went to Nordstorm, Bloomingdale's, and Neiman Marcus looking for the collection. It seems that this is inventory time, and some stores have the collection sitting in the warehouse, waiting for inventories to be taken (even though they offer all of the colors online). That doesn't help a makeup addict at all, although I'm sure it helps retail's bottom line. I was able to get my hands on the palette at Neiman Marcus, and I'm sure that I'll be able to play with (and buy) the rest of the collection in stores later this week.

When I saw the Cabana Corals Lip & Eye Palette ($60), I knew I had to have it. I adore the frisky, neutral eye shadows (especially the metallics), and I'm having fun playing with the lip colors. The neutral eye colors work beautifully with the brighter, juicy lip shades. Every single one of these colors - lip and eye - works for me. The lip colors are a bit more "subdued" than they appear in this photo. The eye colors are dynamite! They will add some zip to the nude shadows in your collection.

Eye shades:
Ivory Eye Shadow, Bermuda Pink Metallic Eye Shadow, Seashell Metallic Eye Shadow, Bonfire Metallic Eye Shadow, Tan Eye Shadow, and Burnt Sugar Metallic Eye Shadow

Lip shades:
Cabo Coral Lip Color, Salmon Lip Color, Shell Lip Color, and Coral Reef Metallic Lip Color

Two cute little brushes fit into the palette - a nice lip brush with a cap and an eye shadow brush. Handy!

If you shy away from corals, try these. If I can wear these colors, you can too! As we have grown to expect, Bobbi Brown has hit another home run with the Cabana Corals palette. I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of the collection. Oh, and those makeup artists? They were right!

Look for the collection soon at Saks, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, and, of course, on the Bobbi Brown Web site.

Update 1/26: Looks like this palette is exclusive to Neiman Marcus!

Photos courtesy of Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom