Makeup Review: Bobbi Brown Metallic Eye Shadows

(Bobbi Brown Metallic Eyeshadows in (from left)
Gold Dust, Champagne Quartz, Lavender, and Gold Peach)

Bobbi Brown‘s Metallic Eye Shadows used to be limited editions for fall 2007, but they are now back as part of the permanent lineup. Today I am reviewing four from the seventeen shades in the range.

– Gold Dust

All the three neutrals here are quite light and have a very metallic finish. Gold Dust is marginally the lightest of the three, and it also has the most yellow-gold undertone and looks the least warm. (I think this is what was used on the Bobbi Brown model for the Metallics Collection. Please refer to this post on Makeup Bag.) It offers more intense metallic shimmer than color, and it should work for most complexions as a good highlighter for the brow bones and the inner corners of the eyes.

– Champagne Quartz (left) and Gold Peach

The two look very similar in the cases, and they have a similar peach undertone. (The both look warmer than Gold Dust). When applied, Champagne Quartz is the slightly darker one of the two and has slightly more pigment underneath the metallic finish.

Out of the four shades in this review, Champagne Quartz is the only one that can work as a shadowing shade (if you have a light complexion). The others are more for lighting up the eyes.

– Lavender

Even though Lavender is in the Metallic Eye Shadow range, it looks more softly shimmery than metallic. I presume the metallic finish is dialled down purposefully for this shade, and I do like it better this way for lilacs. (I personally think shimmery soft lilacs look better on me than intensely metallic ones.) It is moderately pigmented, and the shimmer looks understated. This can work on its own or as a base to enhance the look for your other (darker) lilac/purple eyeshadows.

All the shades here have a smooth texture, although Lavender appears to be slightly more powdery than the rest. They are all easy to apply and blend, and the shimmery/metallic finish holds well overtime.

I have mentioned before that I tend to prefer softly shimmery eyeshadows to metallic ones. But after trying out Gold Dust and Gold Peach, I do think that, when applied on the immediate eye area, light metallic shades can work very well in brighting up the eyes and waking up the face.

(For those that have crepes in the eyelids, do be light-handed with metallic shades (especially very light ones), as they can make the lines look more obvious.)

For another review of the range (including Champagne Quartz, Lavender, and Cognac) and some lovely FTODs , do check out The Muse’s post on Musings of a Muse. For (very accurate) swatches of the Metallic Eye Shadow range, please visit Karla Sugar’s blog.

Bobbi Brown Holiday 2008 Basics Eye Palette

Coffret D’Or 3D Lighting Eyes in Gold Variation

Lavshuca Summer Gradually Compact

Paul & Joe Eye Shadow in 05
(a soft (and slightly cooler) lilac)