Bobbi Brown Brightening Brick in Pink

Have you ever acquired something so pretty that you didn't want to use it at all? Some products look precious enough to just be started at, not disturbed in any way. That's how I felt about the Bobbi Brown Brightening Brick in Pink (P3,250) when it arrived on my doorstep!

This beauty is part of the Bobbi Brown Navy & Nude Collection which just came out recently. Navy & Nude is an interesting mix of sheer nude shades in pink, apricot, and beige, accentuated by rich navy and taupe hues. Elegant is one word that comes to mind, but of course that's always the best word to describe Bobbi's eponymous makeup line!

The Look: Navy smoky eyes, glowy pink cheeks, bronzed skin, and an opaque nude gloss

Lovely. Anyhoo, here's my review and swatches of the Bobbi Brown Brightening Brick in Pink. 

It looks like a blush, but it's really more of an overall illuminator than anything else. I suppose this can be used as blush if you're fair, but for morenas like us, this is better as a highlighter or face brightener. 

The texture is quite silky although there are some large shimmer in some of the sections. The shimmer is invisible on my face though!

Heavy swatch. This powder is almost translucent! Look at that soft glow.

The effect of this Brightening Brick on skin is barely perceptible, since it is quite sheer. The swatches show a gold-pink hue but that's only because I really rubbed my finger on the surface. (Sorry palette!) Nonetheless, it just adds that can't-put-your-finger-on-it glow to my face.

So what's the difference between the Brightening Brick and the Shimmer Brick? The Shimmer Brick is definitely, well, more shimmery. It's also more pigmented and contains about 10 grams of product. The Brightening Brick feels more like a finishing powder with a silkier, translucent finish, and contains only 6.6 grams.

The Brightening Brick is the smaller palette but it's heavier and more luxurious than the Shimmer Brick

The Brightening Brick is perfect for getting that fresh pink, warmed-up glow, while the Shimmer Brick (in Lilac Rose) offers a cooler pink as a highlighter or blush. 

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Lilac Rose vs Brightening Brick in Pink

Swatch of Lilac Rose, for reference

They are two completely different products, IMHO. Just pick what you need! I recommend the Bobbi Brown Brightening Brick in Pink if you're looking for a finishing powder that can give you that pinkish glow. It's that little extra something that can immediately brighten your complexion. You can use this as blush if you're fair or if you layer it several times, but I think it's just fine as an illuminator. ^_^

This is a rather expensive product, up there in the range of Guerlain Meteorites. The Meteorites are practically invisible, but the Brightening Brick is similar because it offers the same translucent hard-to-pin-down glow. It is more pigmented and shimmery - I think you'll like this if you've always wanted the Meteorites to be a wee bit more obvious!

I love them both. :) Don't make me choose or you'll short circuit my system! Haha. Anyway, do let me know how your Thursday has been!