Bobbi Brown Nude Eye and Lip Palette

Hot on the heels of MAC's N Collection, Bobbi Brown has launched a collection of Nude shades for the eyes and lips - in palette form, of course, so that everything you need is in one place.
I haven't seen this in person, of course, since it was just released, but I am anticipating its arrival to counters. Since it's a palette, there's a good chance that the colours will work on everyone, and I know that the quality of all the makeup will be stellar. More than any other palette, I think this is one that will truly be timeless. One that you can take on vacation because you know all the shades are going to look good with anything, and one that you might consider giving as a present. Love it!

Bobbi Brown Oil-Free Even Finish Foundation

I now use Bobbi Brown Oil-Free Even Finish Foundation and my love of this foundation has a story behind it.
We all have those Mondays. Mine included parking too far away in the middle of the city and having to run for blocks and blocks in high heels and in the rain. It was silly of me and let me tell you the looks of people passing by informed me of the fact.

When I finally arrived at my destination, I was perspiring and wet from the rain. I ducked into a restroom. I knew my hair wouldn't look good but what I really dreaded seeing was that makeup that had melted. I had been wiping my skin so I didn't know what would be there and what wouldn't.

You already know how this story ends.

I still looked flawless. Everything was just as I had applied it a few hours before, and after blotting my skin with some paper towel, I was ready to go. I didn't need powder, I didn't need more blush, everything was as it should be.

This foundation already has SPF 15 - is there anything it can't do?

It is oil-free and sets matte without powder. They recommend it for oily skin, but if you have dry skin but moisturize every day, then I think that you can use this too. You can't really layer it and it doesn't come with a pump (not a good move, Bobbi Brown) but it's still worth having. Some people buy expensive foundation and then don't use it. I don't save this for a special occasion. Why should I? This stuff can tackle every day!

Bobbi Brown Raspberry Collection

Bobbi Brown's Raspberry Collection is now on counters everywhere. The highlights (for me, at least) are the Pot Rouges and Lip Crayons. Lets start with the former:

The Pot Rouge is not a new product, but the new colours are fab - they are more vibrant than most of the other ones. The formulation rivals that of my favourite cream blush, MAC Blushcreme, but these seem to set to a more matte finish. They are very highly pigmented, which is a must for cream blushes. This means that they look good on even dark skin tones and you are not piling product on your skin.

The Bobbi Brown Lip Crayons are similarly fabulous. They are creamy glossy lipsticks.

My only concern is that when you sharpen them you inadvertently waste some of the product as the pencil is shaped into a point. Still - if you need something that can double as a liner, then this is an excellent way to go. I did not find the crayon to be drying at all and thank goodness, it comes with a sharpener.

Bobbi Brown Cream Blush Stick

If you're looking for a cream blush that's not that pigmented, and comes in natural colours, try the Bobbi Brown Cream Blush Stick. It's not as pigmented as the MAC cream blush but that means that it's a lot harder to make a mistake too. Available wherever Bobbi Brown products are sold.

Learn more about Bobbi Brown

Excellent article on Bobbi Brown and how she made it in the cosmetics industry.

Article from Inc.com.

How I Did It: Bobbi Brown, Founder and CEO, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics

In New York in the excessive 1980s, Bobbi Brown made it big by pushing moderation. She became makeup artist to the stars by introducing a palette of natural hues--and along the way became a star herself, with her name on a global brand.

From: Inc. Magazine, November 2007 | By: Bobbi Brown

---

As told to Athena Schindelheim

Bobbi Brown became a name in the cosmetics business by pushing moderation. In the 1980s, when look-at-me colors, stark contours, and shiny red lips were in fashion, Brown designed cosmetics to highlight a woman's natural look. She had moved to New York City in 1980 with a degree in theatrical makeup and a beginner's portfolio. Before the decade was done, she'd hustled her way from freelance makeup artist at magazine shoots to product designer with her name behind a global brand. In 1995, Estée Lauder (NYSE:EL) bought Bobbi Brown Cosmetics (the sale price wasn't disclosed, but Lauder reported that the $74.5 million it invested that year was principally on the acquisition), and Brown stayed in an active role. After some setbacks, the brand is thriving again. Now 50, Brown recently opened the first freestanding Bobbi Brown retail store, with a makeup artistry school in the back, and is at work on her fifth book.

Being five feet tall, the teeniest of all my friends, made me a little more self-conscious and insecure about the way I look. Makeup was something I could do to make myself look prettier. Like any little girl, my makeup style is the opposite of my mother's. Her's was very '60s, sexy, Twiggy, mod. Mine was very Ali MacGraw in Love Story.

I was never directed in school. Nothing really got my attention. After six months at the University of Wisconsin and a year at the University of Arizona, I came back and I told my mom I wanted to drop out. She said, "Pretend today is your birthday and you could do anything you want." I thought, and I said, "I would love to go to Marshall Field's and play with makeup." She said, "I'm sure somewhere there's a college where you could study theatrical makeup." A friend of my dad's told me about Emerson College in Boston. I always say that when I found Emerson, I found myself.

I moved to New York in 1980, a year after I graduated. One of the best things I had going for me was that I was so naive. I never even thought of not being able to do it. Once I unpacked, I looked up makeup in the phone book. Photographers. Modeling agencies. I had a pretty amateurish portfolio of my makeup work from college--which I can't believe I had the guts to show people. Half of the models were myself.

Makeup was really extreme in the '80s--white skin and red lips and contouring. I loved more of the healthy, natural, simple skin. I really think I helped the natural revolution.

Around 1988, I was doing a shoot for Mademoiselle. We went to all of these hip downtown places, and one of them was Kiehl's pharmacy, where I met a chemist. I told him I just hated most of the lipsticks on the market. I wanted it to be creamy and not dry, to stay on a long time, to not have any odor at all, and to be colors that look like lips. He said, "I'll make it for you." I mixed a taupe eye pencil, a blush--there was not a lipstick in there--and I sent the swatch to him. "Brown" is currently in my line and my No. 1 selling lipstick. And that's how we started.

Research didn't interest me. I wanted the texture, the color, and the smell. I thought, "Wow. If I could make a collection of 10 colors, I can't imagine a woman needing any other color." No fuchsia or acid orange, but wearable colors that don't look like they scream when a woman walks into a room.

The beauty editor of Glamour magazine wrote maybe three lines about this thing I was doing, with my phone number. We got bombarded with orders. I guess that's when I needed to get serious and get a partner. Rosalind Landis had hired me a year before, at her PR firm, to talk about how you could use eye shadows. We went out to dinner one night--Roz, her husband, Ken, who was in the cosmetics industry, and my husband, who is a business attorney. It turns out Ken's family had moved to Florida and bought this house. The weirdest thing: They bought it from my mother. We started the company together with $10,000.

I was at a dinner party and I said to this woman, "What do you do?" She said, "I'm the cosmetics buyer at Bergdorf Goodman." I told her about my lipsticks and she said, "We have to take them." Later they said they couldn't take us. They had too much going on that season. I remember my stomach dropping when I got the message. I was at a photo shoot for Saks and telling the creative directors and art directors about this new line, and they said, "Oh, my God. We want it." I called Bergdorf back and said, "That's too bad, but don't worry, because Saks wants it." Bergdorf called me back 10 minutes later and said, "Uh-uh. We're going to take it." I never even went to the right people at Saks. Now I know, that's called bluffing.

Customers started coming. People said, "You have to do lip pencils. You have to do blush." Magazines were asking me to do shoots where I was actually photographed. I was even being quoted about other things. They started treating makeup artists as celebrities.

Before Lauder came knocking we had two big offers we turned down. When Lauder bought M.A.C. in 1994, I was bummed. Then Frederic Fekkai said Leonard Lauder wanted to meet me. We sat on Leonard's deck overlooking Central Park. He said, "We want to buy you because you are beating us in all the stores, and what you've done is amazing, and you remind me of my mother when she started." He loves an entrepreneur.

I sold the company because Leonard said, "I want you to keep doing what you're doing." He has never moved from that position. At the same time, Roz and I were always 50-50, and it was a struggle. It was a successful relationship, but we butted heads regularly. Lauder brought her in corporately to help work on new acquisitions. And then eventually she left the company.

At Estée Lauder, our business was flat for a while. Things we were doing were being knocked off. They would call knockoffs "Essentially Brown" instead of "Bobbi Brown Essentials." I had lunch with the CEO, Fred Langhammer, who basically said, "There's a problem because you are not setting yourself apart. Blah, blah, blah." I said, "You want to know what I would do? First of all, move out of the GM Building. Move downtown into a cool loft. Put in my head of marketing, Maureen Case, as president. And completely open, change the culture." So we moved to SoHo.

Our products became a little more fun and fresh. Our advertising photographs were more editorial, like we were working for a magazine. A regular brand would never do an advertisement with smashed lipsticks. Now you see it all the time. We were one of the first brands to regularly use black models and show them as brides.

Once we moved downtown, the numbers started vastly improving. We hit half a billion at the end of 2006. For a kid that never got better than a D in math! How did this happen?

My favorite aunt thinks it's really funny that I've become a hero to women, and all I do is tell them to take blush and smear it on their cheeks. She says, "I could have told people that."

Newest Bobbi Brown Foundation

Bobbi Brown has a brand new foundation out called the Moisturizing Compact Foundation - it's a creme in a compact and the formulation is moisturizing but sublimely grease-free!

I don't suffer from dry skin, so I don't think I can accurately judge how moisturizing this foundation really is, but on my face it absorbed quickly and made my skin look flawless. I love BB foundations and if you're looking for a new cream foundation, check this one out. It's now on Bobbi Brown counters and on the website.

Palettes at Bobbi Brown

Bobbi Brown has come out with a new palette system. There will be a set of lipglosses, a set of lipsticks, a set of eyeshadows, and a pair of blushes. All the palettes can fit into the pouch you see above that also comes with a set of portable blushes. You can already purchase the sets at BobbiBrown.com but if, like me, you want to see the colours in person, know that the set will be on counters towards the beginning of November, in time for the holiday season. Alternately, you may wish to try on the colours that are already available and decide whether it's worth it to take a chance on ordering the colours that are exclusives to the palettes.

Canadian Beauty news: August 31, 2007

My apologies for this later version of Canadian Beauty News. Today I have tons of new products to talk about - products that are already on the market and products that are going to be released soon!

Before we go on, however, many thanks to everyone who entered the Mary Kate and Ashley Perfume giveaway! I love holding contests and there's going to be a great new one soon, so be on the lookout for that.

Bobbi Brown Metallics Review



The hype was built up for a while, and the collection is finally out. The Bobbi Brown Metallics collection is now on counters everywhere and the collection's main feature is 4 palettes of eyeshadows. In person, the shadows are just as velvety as they look in the pictures. The colours are super highly pigmented and go on so softly. The colours are beautiful too, but I love the texture of the shadows. It feels a lot different than any of the others that are a part of the Bobbi Brown collection and for that reason, they're worth having a good look at.

Cargo Eyelighter

The Cargo Eyelighter has been around for a while, but the greatest thing is that now it's available in GOLD!

The gold isn't a bright jewelry kind of gold, it's more of a pale gold.
If you're unfamiliar with this product, and are looking for a natural looking highlighter, you should check this out. One side has a sheer matte powder while the other side has a sheer shimmery powder. Use the matte powder for daytime and the shimmer for night!

New Colours - Laura Mercier Eyebrow Pencil

Laura Mercier has also introduced new colours - in her eyebrow pencil! Now the pencil also comes in fair blonde, soft brunette, and warm brunette. The colours are sheer enough that they don't look obvious.

New York Fashion Week

I'm going to have to write more about this later, but I just wanted to mention that every season Lancome pairs up with a designer and creates a special lipstick colour just for them and their runway. The colour then appears on Lancome counters in limited numbers and usually sells out quicker than people even know about the colour. There's been a Behnaz Red for Behnaz Sarafpour and Proenza Pink (from Proenza Schouler) was the last colour that everyone was going gaga over. This year's designer is Peter Som. No word yet about what the colour will be but I know that that's the show that I'll be waiting to see pictures of.

Upcoming Perfume Releases

Phew fragrance month is over. It was much more of a challenge than I thought it would be, and I know that I didn't get to cover even half of what I had planned. That means that I'll be writing more perfume posts when I get a chance.

There are some new perfumes that will be out on counters soon, so keep an eye out for them.

The first is Badgley Mischka's Fleurs de Nuit which will be on counters very soon. Barring everything else, the bottle is absolutely beautiful.

The fragrance will have floral top notes and amber and wood base notes. In Canada, this fragrance will be available at Holt Renfrew.

Also being released soon is Mariah Carey's new scent. This scent will be a floral with a dark base. Mariah Carey's "M" will be on counters in October.

Believe it or not, Britney Spears is also releasing a new scent. It's going to be called Believe. Top notes will be of guava and tangerine, middle notes of linden blossom and honeysuckle, and base notes will be of patchouli, amber, and pink praline.

Expect to see this one on counters in November of this year. Apparently, this will be Britney's last fragrance release.

This fall is also going to see the release of another addition to the Estee Lauder family of fragrances. Estee Lauder Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia will be on counters soon. Besides the regular sprays and creams, the collection will also include a scented powder and a solid perfume that I will be dying to get my hands on.
Gardenia and Tuberose are my two favourite flower scents so I cannot wait to smell this. Can't wait. In Canada, this will only be available at Holt Renfrew, so look for it there.

Also being released is a new scent from Diesel!

There's going to be a version for men, which will be a "powdery fougere" while the version for women will be a "floral chypre". I actually can't wait to have a sniff of this one either, since floral chypres are my favourite. Notes will include Jasmine, pepper, and patchouli. Can't wait part two.

Anyway, that's it for this week. Hope everyone's having a great weekend!

Canadian Beauty News: July 13, 2007

Happy Friday! Today's edition of Canadian Beauty News is all about new colour collections and I'll talk about a new mascara. If you haven't already, please take a moment to answer the poll on the left. Thanks!

New MAC Collection

So, MAC is keeping us on our toes by introducing a new colour collection next week. This one will be launched on the 19th and it's going to be going quick. Why? Because it features a new series of pigments and those are always snatched up by MAC fans quickly.

The collection is called Rushmetal and features a series of pigments. The full colours are listed below but check out the image from MAC.

Pretty, right? You know that the gold pigments are going to appear more metallic than anything else you've ever tried before, so if you've been waiting for MAC's own take on the whole metallic trend, here you go! Here's what's part of the collection:

Lipstick

Thrills Rosy copper with gold pearl (frost)
Frenzy Soft muted pinky-peach beige with golden shimmer (frost)
Soft Lust Tan with white pearl (lustre)
Fast Lane Mauve with silver pearl (lustre)

Pigment

Rushmetal Rich copper sparkle
Revved-up Icy rose with reflects
Gold Mode Tan gold
Mauvement Cool taupe with gold pearl
Off The Radar Warm orange with gold sparkle
Copperized Olive green with gold pearl
Quick frost Creamy white with soft green pearl
Cocomotion Dirty gold with olive undertone and gold sparkle

Brush

#239 Eye Shader
#249 Large Shader

Also: if you're wondering about the Novel Twist collection that's introduced by MAC for Nordstroms, you should know that Canada won't be getting that collection. I was looking forward to the Paint Pots that are a part of that collections and luckily those will be in Canada some time in the fall, so stay tuned!

Bobbi Brown's Sandwashed Nudes

The Bobbi Brown Sandwashed Nudes palette is now in stores. This palette is pretty much the talk of the town and many people have said that they bought it on the spot. I've checked it out, and I found that many of the shades were cool-toned so if that's not your thing for eye makeup, you might want to skip out on the palette. Still, Holt Renfrew, the only vendor of this line in Canada, is hosting an event next weekend so that customers can try the new makeup out for themselves before buying. Why not let an actual makeup artist do the look on you before you make up your mind? Call your local Holt's and book an appointment for yourself!

Cover Girl Eyeliner and Mascara

How do you make a great mascara better? You make it waterproof! That's right, the folks at Cover Girl have introduced a waterproof version of their VolumeExact mascara! Does it work as well as the original? I think that it might work better. Because the waterproof version goes on drier than the original, there's no wait time in between coats and you can really build those lashes up. I love it, and if you've been waiting for a good waterproof mascara, then you have got to check this one out.

They now also have an eyeliner called LineExact! According to Cover Girl, the thicker base of the pen eyeliner makes it easier to hold than most, and you can draw a straight thick or thin line quickly and easily. I don't usually wear eyeliner so I thought that I was a good candidate for trying this out. Well guess what? I got a straight line on my very first try and found that I could replicate it again and again.

The one and only problem you might run into with this eyeliner is that it goes on very wet and you need to give it a moment to dry or it will go all over your eyelid. My suggestion? Read a paragraph after doing one eye and then do the other. Your eyes have to look down to read, so that distracts you and gives the eyeliner enough time to dry. Just a suggestion...

Reader Question

I got the following skincare-related question from C:

Have you come across a nice light moisturizer for the summer that still tends to the needs of dry skin and won't break the bank? What about a night cream for a 20-something year-old that helps slow the skin's ageing process? I've got fine lines but don't want to go for the traditional wrinkle creams targeted at more mature women - if I start now, what will I use when I'm 40?!

I have to say that my favourite light moisturizer is the Aqua Fusion by Lancome. As for something that reduces lines - I know that two things work to reduce wrinkling long-term - a good chemical (as opposed to physical) exfoliator and something that has lots of antioxidants in it. I love Clinique Clarifying Lotion in Mild and I also like Neutrogena Healthy Skin Lotion for Night when it comes to good skin exfoliants. As for a lotion with tons of antioxidants and still is light, you could use Clinique Antioxidant Lotion or Lancome Primordiale Cell Defense Serum is pretty amazing too (I'm going to be reviewing this one soon)!

Do you have a beauty question to ask? Email me! henna@canadianbeauty.com.

Great Beauty Reads

A look back in time at Beauty and Fashion Tech's review of the Zeno acne device.

The Makeup Girl talks about Billy B. Paintbrushes.

The Indie Perfume Blog tells us about vintage perfumes.

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Eyeshadow

If you've been looking for a long-wearing eyeshadow in matte colours, then you must check out the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Eyeshadow. My favourite colour is Suede (pictured above) because it matches the colour of my skin, but there are similar offerings in peach and bone shades. The eyeshadow does stay on and does not crease. The finish isn't quite powdery but that's of no matter if you're using it alone anyway. The colour selection grows every season so keep your eye on the Bobbi Brown counter for her latest offerings. This summer she offered a selection of nude/neutral shades that work well with a summer look.

Bobbi Brown Foundation

I now have Bobbi Brown's Oil-Free Even Finish Compact Foundation and I love it. I had gotten a makeover with it once before but at that time didn't need a new base so wasn't willing to purchase it but now that I have it, I'm kicking myself for not getting it earlier!

The foundation is a cream in the compact but goes on like a powder without being at all cakey or dry. If you do have dry skin you can definitly put this on after your moisturizer like the Bobbi brown makeup artist did on me when I tried it on in store, but at home I don't use anything before putting this on.

The best thing about this foundation is that you can layer it. What that means for me is that I don't use a concealer with this. I put on the foundation with the sponge, and then take my fingers, dip into the compact just a bit, and smooth on extra foundation under my eyes where I''d like to conceal some darkness. The technique works very well and you can't tell that there's been some layering going on.

Another great thing is that you don't need to set with a powder - not that the finish is completely matte but it's matte enough that you won't be showing any shine for a while. I do dust on a bit of transluscent powder under my eyes so that the foundation doesn't crease, but that's about it. I can even put on a powder blush without it going on streaky or blotchy.

This is one of the best foundations I've ever tried.

The Bobbi Brown Makeup Facelift

I recently stopped by the Bobbi Brown counter and checked out her Makeup Facelift. Let me tell you, the key to the facelift is the bright bright blush. Sure, it goes on a little strong and it takes some time to get used to but it instantly wakes up your face and makes you look alive and well. The key to pulling it off, as told to me by the makeup artist, is to dust a tiny bit on the bridge of your nose too - this makes the blush look more natural rather than if you only put it on the apples of your cheeks. I tried the rest of the line as well but to me, it was the blush that made the most difference.

Using the blush really does give you a full Bobbi Brown makeover. All the makeup artists were wearing a nice bright colour and it's the signature Bobbi Brown look for this season. Check it out for yourself and you'll see what the difference is.

Also, I'd like to say that the experience that I have at that counter is always amazing. The makeup artists are so friendly, they know what they're doing, and they never ever pressure you into buying a product. If you go in there for just one thing, then they'll help you find it instead of distracting you with the newest extras that you may not need. The Bobbi Brown counter is the one I'd recommend to anyone who wants a makeover or a makeup lesson. Keep that in mind if you're going back-to-school or looking to refresh your makeup bag.

Canadian Beauty News: April 20, 2007

Well the weather here in Toronto has warmed up a little, and summer cosmetic collections are on their way, but unfortunately not much has hit the counters yet on this side of the border. Here's a rundown of what's new in stores and fresh on the shelves:

New Nail Polish:

OPI's new summer collection has been spotted! Hard to find in spas and nail shops, the best place to get the newest colours is Trade Secrets! Featuring a mix of dark and light colours the collection has everything you could want for spring and summer. My favourite colour is "I Only Drink Champagne" which is a light gold shade that shows up as almost white on the nail. I also love the shimmery silvery "Happy Anniversary" shade from their 25th Anniversary collection. It has multi-coloured shimmer in it but when you put on two coats, it shows up as silver. A pretty fun shade for the summer. To the right is a picture of it, but the shade is much nicer in real life.

Benefit's New Collection

New products from Benefit have also hit shelves or will later this week for some stores. The problem I found was that testers were still unavailable so I was unable to really get a glimpse of any of the colours or try any of their new products so I'll have to post an update later.

Look Fab Studio

Last week I talked about the Look Fab Studio that opened on the 13th in downtown Toronto. Has anyone had a chance to check it out for themselves? Thoughts? Experiences? Share them in the comment section below. You all know that I was blown away by the studio but I'm interested in knowing what other people might think.

Reader Questions:

A couple of weeks ago, M asked me the following question:

One quick question, do you know if i can buy Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque here in Toronto.

After a bit of searching, I came upon the mask in a health food store. My suggestion would be to check out the health food store in your neighborhood and see if they carry it. Because many of these stores are quite small and sometimes family run, they might be able to bring in the mask if you request it.

I also received this question last week from H:

I have dark undereye circles and after reading a number of reviews, decided to purchase the Bobbi Brown corrector and concealer kit (as well as the undereye moisturiser). I even e-mailed a Bobbi Brown makeup artist. I am following the application instructions religiously, but still end up with the product drying into a powdery finish and settling into fine lines. I never thought I had a lot of lines around my eye area, but when I laugh or smile, the product now highlights these lines. (I even e-mailed a Bobbi Brown makeup artist and I have had no joy following her instructions.)

The product seems to work for many people and I would love to know the secret.

I too have heard so many things about the Bobbi Brown corrector and concealer. It's hard not to buy into the hype. Bobbi Brown is great at what she does for the most part, the products are flawless. That said, the one thing that bothers me about the Bobbi Brown makeup counter is that they don't offer any samples. You can try the stuff on but there's no telling whether you will be able to duplicate the same look at home, and whether the foundation or concealer you tried on will look good in the lights you have at home.

I think that the concealer and corrector combo is nothing out of the ordinary. Why do I need two products to do the job of one? Theoretically, the corrector is just going to mix into my concealer when I put it on, right? So why can't I just have a concealer that fixes what the corrector would have?

As for the product settling into lines - I feel that the problem is that the concealer is just too creamy. The concealer is so creamy that it needs to be used with a powder which could just make it into a paste which then settles into fine lines. My advice is to try skipping the under-eye cream which may be adding to the creaminess of the concealer. Save the cream for night time and hopefully it will make a difference. Without the cream, you may not need to add powder on top of your concealer so see if you can go without it. If it still creases, then try it with the powder. If you still see creasing, try a different powder such as MAC Blot Powder which is specifically meant to reduce oil and shine. I use it to set my makeup and find that it lasts a long time.

Finally, if that doesn't work - ditch the Bobbi Brown products. I know it's hard because they're so expensive, but there are plenty of cheaper concealers out there on the market, so you might not feel bad doing it, if you can find a stellar replacement. I swear by MAC Select Cover Concealer and have never had a creasing problem with it. I hope that helped, but keep me posted on your results!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Pink Cheeks

Everywhere I go, I keep hearing that pink cheeks are in for spring. It makes me wonder: when are pink cheeks not in? When was the last time we saw a brand promoting brown cheeks or a vibrant orange for your face? Never. And I'm sorry, but regardless of how much the people over at Bobbi Brown cosmetics photoshop the image, the blush in her Violet Palette is more of a bright blue-toned pink that almost verges of fuchsia. It goes on sheer and looks natural, but it's really not a violet colour. It's pink.

It's the same every single spring. We're back from vacation and have forgotten how hard working was. We pull some late nights to catch up and it starts showing on our face. Makeup people know this of course, and so promote pink blush.

The fact of the matter is that no matter what shade of blush you wear every other day, everyone should own a pretty pink blush. Wear it on those days that you're really tired. Wear it on those days when you have an appointment or are making a first impression. Wear it on the days when nothing you're wearing seems to fit or look good. A pink blush instantly wakes up your complexion and makes you look much better.

A rosy tone looks good on everyone and with any colour of eyeshadow. It's the makeup product that you'll find yourself reaching for on those mornings when you wish you could have had an extra hour of sleep. On those days wake yourself up with pink.