Beauty: Spring 2008 Bobbi Brown Pink Raspberry Collection

Bobbi Brown Pink Raspberry Collection

Bobbi Brown is celebrating Spring this year with a splash of Pink Raspberry! A couple years ago, most of my makeup used to be Bobbi Brown. Recently, I have ventured away, exploring the wide world of makeup out there... But Bobbi Brown has officially recaptured my attention with the Pink Raspberry collection.

The Pink Raspberry look is fresh and sweet: the eyes are kept simple while the lips and cheeks get highlighted with a fruity wash of color.

The face palette is really wonderful. It contains 1 pale pink blush, 2 raspberry colored lip sheers, and 2 basic eyeshadows. The blush looks lovely and natural, imparting that just-so flush of color (this coming from a girl who's very picky about her blush). As for the eyeshadows, the first is ivory, which is perfect for highlighting the browbone, and the second is a crisp medium gray that can be used to create a subtle smokey eye.

The collection includes a slew of other items. The brush set is to-die-for: the brushes are of impeccable quality (like all Bobbi Brown brushes) in a carrying case that is lined with a pop of raspberry pink. I'm also digging the new multi-tasking pot rouge colors, which can be applied to the lips and cheeks for a stain of color. The only item I'm not too crazy about is the glitter lip gloss, which is a bit too baby-pink (rather than raspberry) and cutesy for my taste...

Beauty: Spring 2008 Shu Uemura Rebirth Collection

Shu Uemura Rebirth Collection

Shu Uemura's Spring 2008 collection is full of freshness, brightness, and optimism.

The 5 eyeshadows shades are pastel, but with a certain vibrancy to them. Some of the colors, like "Yellow Elation", "Pristine Green", and "Spring Breeze" (lavender), may not work for everyone. But the "Sun Stream" (rose) and "Earth Brown" are universally flattering. All of these colors can be layered with other eyeshadows for a beautiful, multi-dimensional look.

The bronzers (not pictured) are also bright and glowing, with a flawless finish.

Out of the 3 lipshades, the one that struck my fancy is the bright pink one, called "Pink Bloom". The color is just bursting with flowery freshness.

It is at once ironic and appropriate that Shu Uemura's last collection is was called "Rebirth". Shu Uemura passed on recently at the age of 79. If rebirth truly does exist, we can only hope that his next life will be as full of creativity and success as this one was...

Beauty: Spring 2008 Smashbox Green Room Collection

Smashbox Green Room Collection

For Spring 2008, Smashbox will have you looking like a fresh-faced, effortlessly glowing Nature Girl. Their limited edition Green Room collection is both health- and environment-conscious: all the products are loaded with vitamins, formulated to be environmentally-friendly, and packaged in biodegradable or recyclable containers.

The collection features two unique "Hybrid 2 in 1" products. The 2 in 1 Luminizing Primer pairs Artificial Light, a tinted, oil-free, luminizing lotion, with Photo Finish, a colorless, complexion-smoothing primer that is really amazing. The 2 in 1 Lip Gloss pairs a luscious lip color with a clear, high-shine gloss. In both cases, a tube of colored product is completely encapsulated in a second tube that contains the clear product.

Although I do like the idea of 2-in-1 products that save you both time in the morning and space in your makeup stash, I'm not sure how these will hold up to use. The "tube within a tube" product packaging certainly looks cool, but I have yet to see whether or not it dispenses both products evenly and consistently.

The Eye Shadow Quad palettes, on the other hand, are a sure hit. The shades in each set are coordinated for a gorgeous, multi-tonal, eye "look". Honestly, I have never used a Smashbox eyeshadow palette that I didn't love! The Bronzers also look lovely, great for that just-so summer glow.

Here's the topper: for every Green Room product purchased, a Moringa tree will be planted in a developing country to serve as a self-renewing food source. Who can resist buying gorgeous makeup that will help build a more prosperous, greener future?

Beauty: Blue Satin and Midnight Poison

Dior Midnight Poison Fragrance
Chanel Blue Satin Polish

Much ado has been made about the new Chanel Blue Satin Polish, the limited edition edgy-yet-sophisticated nail color. Here's a thought on how to make it even more fabulous...

Rather than wearing the polish plain, I plan to show off my Blue Satin with a "dark French manicure", like Eva Green in the Midnight Poison ads. I know I'm mixing brands (Midnight Poison is by Dior, not Chanel), but I can't help it: the colors match too beautifully!

The Midnight Poison ad is so fabulous, it's almost unreal: it combines one of my favorite actresses (Eva Green) wearing a gown by one of my favorite designers (Galliano) with a great band (Muse) and a great director (Wong Kar Wai). And if you look carefully, you'll see that Eva is wearing a blue-black polish with white tips.

Blue Satin nails and a spritz of black rose scented Midnight Poison are enough to transform any girl into a sultry, dark temptress...