Rouge is one of the first types of makeup ever. From as far back as ancient Egypt when men, women, and children painted their lips and cheeks red to the roaring 20s when color on the face symbolized women's emancipation, rouge has been a staple in every makeup kit. Fortunately, we live in the 21st century so we don't have to worry about lead and mercury poisoning from our pots/tubes of rouge. :P

That said, one product has found a permanent space in my bag: the Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Pale Pink (P1,500)!

I love this because it's extremely easy to use. Fingers and one minute is all you need with this to get perfect lips and cheeks! I have tried other cream blushes before but this one is probably the prettiest and most convenient of them all. Here's why!

What I love about the product

• It's easy to apply - with your clean fingers, dab it on the lips then pat it on the apples of your cheeks. It doesn't dry up too quickly or leave streaks so you have time to blend it properly.
• Doesn't feel greasy or thick on the lips/cheeks. It does settle as a normal stain would. 

Do you know how the Bobbi Brown empire started? No? Ten lipsticks. That's how. Bobbi Brown is famous for her foundations, gel eyeliner, and blushes, but it was with lipsticks that the cosmetics company started off in the 1990s. You should read her lipstick diaries, an account of the inspirations and descriptions of her first ten lipsticks to understand the love that went into making them.

I got my first Bobbi Brown lipstick around two years ago when I got acquainted with the brand. It was called Brownie Pink and became my constant companion to, well, everywhere. It was a wearable color that was my perfect MLBB! For Bobbi, lipsticks are considered as foundations. That is, the most flattering lipstick is the one that's the exact shade of your lips. That's what Brownie Pink was to me: my lip foundation.

Of course, you should also have fun with your lip color by trying out bright and sultry shades. I recently got a Bobbi Brown lipstick simply called Pink, and oh, what a gorgeous pink it is!

I am a foundation monster. I love foundations. By now you should know that I have far from perfect skin, so I try to enhance it as best as I can.  

I already have a few favorites, but right now I am really loving the Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Mineral Makeup SPF15 (P2,200). It's the most natural-looking foundation that I have ever had the pleasure to try! It really looks like skin - silky, luminous skin - an effect that some foundations can fake but never truly mimic. With other foundations, I still add a luminizing finishing powder to get that effect, but I don't need to do that with Bobbi's mineral foundation.

What I LOVE about the product 

• Natural, beautifying finish that looks like skin. Check out my photos!
• Pretty good lasting powder. It stays put for 5-6 hours without primer. Longer with primer, of course.

Did you know that Bobbi Brown began with just ten lipsticks in 1991? What actually made those lipsticks special is Bobbi's intense desire to make them wearable by women of all ages and colors. The ten original lipsticks were brown-based, as was the trend that time. Twenty years later these lipsticks are still relevant and of-the-moment. Classic!

To celebrate the 20-year milestone, Bobbi Brown Philippines threw a party for the press at The Establishment, The Fort. They showed off the gorgeous 20th Anniversary Lip Palette which contains the ten original Bobbi Brown lipsticks plus ten new trendy shades. Kai Vinson, the Bobbi Brown Asia-Pacific Regional Director for Artistry and Education, also flew in to demonstrate two holidays looks on top model Jessica Yang.

Kai showed us two looks we could wear for the holidays - classic glam with red lips and sexy smoky eyes.

I just got the Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Mineral Makeup SPF15 (P2,200) last Saturday so I can't give a full review right now. Still, I want to share an FYI on the product because I find it super intriguing!

Bobbi Brown says that this foundation is lightweight, shine-free, and long-wearing. I've worn it only twice so far, and only on short trips out, so I can't say how long-lasting it actually is. But by golly this is the lightest and most natural foundation I've ever tried so far. 

Agree? I didn't edit this photo at all.

Foundations even out the skin and soften blemishes, but they don't always give the illumination that our face needs. They usually have a matte or satiny finish so you may need another product to sort of finish off your face in a literal halo of light. Illuminators do this for you by having light-reflecting ingredients that create this subtle haze of light around your skin.

Sounds too complicated? It's actually easy to get illuminated! It's only difficult when you're using the wrong product - by wrong I mean too shimmery, too pigmented, too obvious. I love the Guerlain Meteorites for that instant ethereal glow but for a warmer finish, I prefer to use the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Compact in Bronze (P2,300).

Shimmer bomb? As the name suggests, the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick is shimmery in the pan. However, when it goes on your face, the fine shimmer diffuses and isn't really detectable unless you look closely. It's more shimmery than the Guerlain Meteories (which is more on the pearly side) but less pigmented than the NARS Laguna Bronzer.

Pigmentation and finish. At first, I was trying to get it to work like a bronzer by contouring my cheeks and the sides of my face with it.

The Bobbi Brown Tortoise Shell Palette in Sand (P3,000) was designed specifically for women who wear glasses, but if you ask me it's still a great all-around palette even if you don't don frames. It has a well-selected mix of eight shades that provide a soft focus effect, as if there is just a natural haze of color around the eyes.

I've been using it this past week and girls, I think I've found another permanent mainstay in my kit! The eyeshadows are well-milled and pigmented.

I went to the office yesterday so, again, I wore a neutral look. Actually I just really wanted to play with my new toy, the Bobbi Brown Tortoise Shell Palette in Sand. Will write a full review on it soon! Off the bat though, I find the palette gorgeous when it comes to the unique packaging and the timeless shade selection. Bobbi makes the best neutral eyeshadows; they never look like makeup, instead melting and blending into the skin as if they've always been there.

I also wore my new favorite foundation, the Clinique Superbalanced Powder Makeup SPF15/PA+++. Other than concealer, I didn't use any other face product - no silicon base, illuminators, or finishing powders yet the finish is absolutely fantastic! I didn't edit my photo here except for a retouch of the eye bags (my eyes are SUPER puffy lately due to late nights), so you wouldn't believe that I have several dark, big acne scars underneath.

Ahh, the power of opaque concealer and a glowy foundation.

Face: Makeup Forever Full Cover Concealer, MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer, Clinique Superbalanced Powder Makeup in Medium

When I first saw the Bobbi Brown Tortoise Shell Collection in Temptalia a couple of months back, I was floored. I like the theme and the fact that this collection is targeted towards women who wear glasses (me)! You see, it's a more difficult to use makeup when you wear glasses since they bring focus to the eyes. You don't want to be caught dead with droopy or tired-looking eyes, right? The Tortoise Shell Eyeshadow Palette is specifically designed to highlight our peepers without them looking overdone or trying hard. 

Aside from the palette, a set of mini-brushes with tortoise shell handles will be making a debut. If you've ever wanted to try Bobbi Brown brushes but can't afford them, this set is your best bet since you won't have to pay full price for them to get the same quality. It's P3,000 for the set but that's considerably less expensive than the normal size brushes which can go up to P2,000 a piece.  

Click after the jump to get more tips from Bobbi Brown on how to wear makeup with glasses on!

Dark eye circles can not always be cured - well, short of surgery that is. They may simply be a genetic predisposition, or stress and sleepless nights are just part and parcel of your daily life. I do love Eyliplex-2 for lessening dark circles, but undereye creams can only do so much if you're stubbornly prone to darkening in that area.

The next best thing is to use a great undereye concealer. Mind you, not all concealers are good for the undereyes. That area requires something that can both stand sweat and watery eyes without being too opaque and hard. A good eyebag concealer is creamy, moisturizing, natural yet with good coverage, and wears well throughout the day.

The new Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit (P1,900) fits all those qualifications. It contains a pan of concealer and a pressed powder that goes really well together. I believe that this is the improved, reformulated version of the old kit (double-deck compact with loose powder at the bottom), which I think is too emollient and messy to use because of the loose powder.

What I love about the product

• Opaque, yet looks like skin when applied. It only takes a few dabs to completely cover up my dark circles! It melts on skin, looking natural and invisible (you'll know what I mean when you see the before and after photos).
• I've worn this during long work days outside the house, and this has withstood the humidity and sweat during the whole day. It doesn't become patchy nor does it fade considerably. 

I visited Rustan's Makati yesterday for my regular "what's up" checkup. Guess who I ran into! Why, Carrot of Bobbi Brown! She was doing her usual counter visits at La Mer and Bobbi, looking all fresh and pretty even though I know she's probably already mega stressed by that time (as all the Estee Lauder girls are!). I asked her if there's anything new, so she told me about Bobbi's latest product: the Bobbi Brown BB Cream with SPF35 PA++.

Developed by Bobbi Brown for customers who want a product with serious skincare and makeup benefits, this all-in-one cream perfects and smoothes skin’s appearance—instantly and over time. Its easily buildable formula evens out and gives skin a lit-from-within glow. Skin is filled with moisture as oil and shine are kept at bay. Plus SPF helps protect skin against UVA/UVB damage.

In a short while, fine lines and wrinkles appear less noticeable, visible redness is reduced and pores appear more refined.

This new BB cream is so popular that it's already sold out within the month! According to Carrot, they will restock by the end of June or early July so BB cream fans, you have to wait 'till then. In the meantime, I have swatches and first impressions for you.

Today I hung out with Ina Casas, Bobbi Brown's newly promoted Marketing Executive (congrats!). This girl is so fierce! I love all her outfits, plus she's a serious makeup enthusiast. This is a photo of her during last year's Preview Ball:

Panalo! Anyway, while we were chatting today, I told her that I was really impressed with the Black Swan look she posted on Facebook. It was done by Owen Sarmiento, one of MAC's resident makeup artists, for Estee Lauder's Christmas costume party. The look was exclusively designed by MAC for Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis's movie.

Natalie Portman

Ina Casas! Minus the white, mask-like skin and gray pallor of the original

I love! But I'll tell you what the real clincher is: the whole look was created only with Bobbi Brown products. Hard to believe eh?

Hola! How's your long weekend? Me I didn't do much except shop, eat, read and watch fantasy movies. It's cool. I spent it with my family. 

At the Bobbi Brown Beauty Rules classroom!

So! I'd like to tell you what's new at Bobbi Brown. They recently launched the Bobbi Brown Beauty Rules Book and a Face Palette to go with the theme. The book is about makeup for teens and young twenty-somethings, so that's something you should own if you want to learn new techniques on the best possible makeup for your age and features. Of course, it also features Bobbi Brown's philosophy not only on beauty, but motherhood as well. 

pictures from Temptalia.com

The Beauty Rules Face Palette ($45, around P3,000 locally) is created for girls who are just starting to use makeup. It has the colors you would need for a natural day to an evening party look, and the makeup is formulated in such a way that you don't need to use a lot of tools. In fact, the makeup artists recommend using your fingers! Bobbi Brown Singapore makeup artist Cecilia Tay demonstrated how to pull it off to the press:

I haven't been wearing colorful makeup for months now. Well, okay, there were a few times during evening events but most of the time I have neutrals on. So what happened? Just two things, really. When I go to meetings of course I have to look polished and professional. When I go to events, I sometimes meet people I want to work with in the future, so I don't want to pile on the color. In between meetings and events I run errands, and even though I love makeup, I don't love it enough to wear eyeshadows all the time!

BUT. If there's one thing that will bring back my love affair with colorful eyeshadow, it will be the Mini Bobbi Brights Palette by Bobbi Brown!

I saw this in an event for Bobbi Brown's new book and palette called Beauty Rules. Anyway, I swatched some of the eyeshadows and was wowed by the pigmentation and how buttery smooth the texture is! Love.

I'm feeling a little glum today because I'm in the office and suffering from pre-period irritability and general sadness. I'm off to Boracay tomorrow and I won't bring my laptop so I hope to finish all my work today - extra stress. What's a great way to feel better? Why, ogle at makeup of course!

One of the reasons I like makeup is because of the bright colors. There are so many things you can do with them! Just like a scent, bright makeup can change a mood and make a day.

the display is not complete, btw!

Anyway, when I visited Bobbi Brown Makati the other day, they introduced me to one of their 2010 Spring collections: Cabana Corals. Ever since then I can't stop thinking about two things! The Pink Quartz Shimmer Brick and Calypso Coral Pot Rouge. 

The colors are sooo pretty! The price not so much at P2,245, but hey, quality usually comes at a (steep) price. The powder is very finely milled and you won't see a speck of glitter at all. The texture reminds me of Ellana's Super Sparkle finishing powder, but less powdery.

Ooooh

Bobbi Brown is a brand that is usually related to mature, polished women. However, she is now trying to update this image by coming out with trendy, more adventurous collections this season! She started with the Cabana Corals Collection released last February. Check out what's still up her sleeve: the Color Strips Collection, to be launched in the Philippines this April.

The lovely folks at Bobbi Brown just got this preview palette and I'm happy to share it with you guys! I think I'm the first one who got to try it in the Philippines, lol.

A complete spring eye, lip and cheek wardrobe—designed by Bobbi. Each of these three palettes has five Eye Shadows and three shades of Pot Rouge designed to work together beautifully. Imagine the possibilities.

There are five available eyeshadow strips: Petal (pink and taupes), Aquamarine (teal and grays), Bonfire (bronzes) and Orchid (featured above). There are two pot rogue strips called Fresh Coral (above) and Fresh Pink.

What I love about this palette is how compact and travel-friendly it is. The palette is double-decked and has its own double-ended brush. You can mix and match the six strips according to your mood and needs; they just snap right off! You don't have to worry about the strips getting dirty since they come with a clear plastic cover that is attached with a hinge.

More closeups and a look featuring the palette up next!