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