Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick in 4.5 Warm Natural Review

Bobbi Brown is rather unknown territory for me, my knowledge base on their products is quite minimal and I can only name 6 or 7 of their products from the top of my head. Compared to MAC that is. I may as well train to be a MAC makeup artist/assistant since I'm practically half way there. I can tell you finishes, shades and quality for majority of their products. Coming back to Bobbi Brown, I have only bought and owned one item from them and it is this Skin Foundation Stick in the shade 4.5 Warm Natural.

I had first heard of this from our favourite youtube guru Wayne Goss, this was apparently newly formulated, he spoke about how impressed he was with the quality, how skin like it was and that Bobbi Brown makeup was very yellow based as she preferred more yellow undertones to use on complexions. To tell you the truth, what enticed me the most was the fact that it was a gigantic cream stick of colour that I could simply swipe/paint/draw on my face and magically cover my imperfections :D :D :D. All that aside I done my fair share of research and read only good things about it and desperately wanted to try a cream foundation, as a part of me felt like I would like the feel and texture of a cream base on my skin.

I went into Bobbi Brown a few times to browse their product range and perhaps try some out, they recommended the Moisture Rich Foundation when I told them I had dehydrated combo skin, (at that time I wasn't sure if I wanted the stick version). I did like the Moisture Rich, it was very emollient and dewy, even though I really like/need emollient and dewy, I knew on my combination skin it would be way too much and wouldn't last at all. They matched me up to the shade 4.5 Warm Natural. I felt the shade was a tad too orange on me. I also ran a few searches online and checked shade matches and swatches and Warm Natural came up as the most common possible shade for me. I was very hopeful because of the fact that Bobbi Brown products were mainly yellow under toned, and you know me and yellow...

The next time I went to Bobbi Brown I had the intention to check out the Stick Foundation, I scanned the shades and funnily enough picked up 4.5 Warm Natural not knowing it was actually 4.5 Warm Natural (it looked the yellowest and closest to my skin tone, I've become quite savvy at picking shades that come close to my skin tone just by scanning). I tried it on and blended it in with my fingers, I liked the creamy feel and it blended easily into my skin and was quite skin like. My friend commented that it was a really good match but I didn't buy it that day as I wanted to see how it looked in normal lighting, I would never choose and buy something in store lighting, it's so inaccurate and deceiving! When I got home I inspected whatever was left on my face and actually liked it, it was a decent match. So I decided to buy it!

The product comes in a black plastic tube (I'm pretty sure it's plastic, it might be metal :/) and you have to twist the product up just like a lipstick. The packaging is sleek, neat and compact, so easy to pop into your handbag and travel with for touchups. You get 9g / 0.31oz of product for 29 GBP, which isn't cheap. I would say Bobbi Brown prices are much more higher than MAC (I would place MAC at the more cheaper end of high end). But I think the quality of Bobbi Brown is that extra bit better too.

This is what Bobbi Brown say:

The ultimate nude foundation—Bobbi’s iconic Foundation Stick gets an update with a unique transparent base plus skin tone correct pigments for an incredibly natural look. Its creamy yet weightless texture applies effortlessly and blends seamlessly so all you see is fresh, smooth, even skin. In 24 skin tone correct shades (our broadest shade range). All skin types—this stick formula is our most versatile foundation yet. An innovative blend of emollients—like olive extracts and shea butter—help to moisturise skin (and lock it in), so skin stays looking soft and smooth all day. Light diffusing powders and oil-controlling minerals help perfect the appearance of skin while reducing shine (even in sweat, water and humidity).After moisturising skin, lightly apply across forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin. Blend with fingertips, sponge, or the Foundation Brush (sold separately). Build coverage as desired.

I've used this a good few times, and I must admit, I'm very very impressed with this product. Bobbi Brown are bang on with their product description. I can't also help but notice that whenever Wayne Goss speaks his opinion about a certain product, it almost always happens to be my judgement too (once I've tried it myself). Which is incredibly helpful for when I want an honest and accurate opinion of something. This happened with Nars Sheer Glow, Maybelline Fit me, some other products and just his general stance and technique with makeup is very much like mine. Also the shades are most definitely yellow based, this makes me a very very happy girl :D ! Olive, yellow, Indian, tanned girls will love BB's skin makeup range! 

It bought me MUCH joy when I got to paint tiger stripes all over my face with the stick the first time. It felt so right and so good haha! I used my fingers to blend it in, and I just noticed how easily it blended in and exactly how skin like it was yet providing me with exceptionally good coverage at the same time. I could tell this was quality. The second time I used it I decided to use my Beauty Blender and it worked even better!!!!!! I painted my stripes on and bounced away.....Pores were reduced, acne marks camouflaged, skin was impeccably even toned and smooth, not a single cake or flake in sight whilst still emitting an uber natural finish! It was like a massive magic marker! I was thoroughly impressed.

I could tell my skin texture was slightly visible on my problem areas, such as my forehead, under eyes, around my mouth but I won't argue with that since I was being very generous with the amount I was using. It can feel an itty bitty bit thick since it is a cream foundation, but with the natural satin finish and ample amount of coverage, you really can't complain. I have also noticed that my moderately sized pores tend to gape open after a little while (that sounded weird, but I'm sure you know what I mean), but powder fixes that and I use a little powder to set anyway. Coverage is definitely buildable. Going heavy with this will give you full coverage and can look slightly obvious but still very very good. But if you need light to medium coverage this can pass as undetectable, it will look like you have very healthy even skin and I say this from experience of trying both ways.

I noticed I need to be well exfoliated and moisturised or else it will cling on dry patches and look a bit dry. Though it's actually creamy enough to let me set it with a light dusting of powder on my oily parts (and I avoid powder when I can-just doesn't look right on me). It can last very long on me once set, a good 5-6 hours. Sometimes I also use my Avon Makeup Setting Spray (review coming) before application, (I use it like the Smashbox Primer Water) and I feel like it acts almost like an adhesive making my foundation stay put and last longer. The Stick Foundation is a good in between formula since I'm a bit of everything, so I feel it's suitable for normal to dry skin types. Oily skinned people might find this too emollient and oils may seep out after wearing for a couple of hours if worn on it's own. But I think this can be versatile if you take appropriate steps. You can use extra moisturiser or MAC Fix+ underneath for more lubrication and emollience if you have dry skin or just want a dewy finish. Equally use a mattifying primer before and mattifying powder after if you have oily skin. Both methods will still keep the natural finish intact.

Bobbi Brown Skin Stick Foundation Warm Natural 4.5

Bobbi Brown Skin Stick Foundation Warm Natural 4.5 (Flash)

The shade Warm Natural 4.5 is very very very close to my skin tone, if it was half a shade lighter it would have been PERFECT. I do look a little tanned and orange when I have this on but I'm not going to complain since the formula works so well with my difficult and fussy skin. It is a slight put off for me as it's a shade too dark for my cheeks but it's a good halfway shade for the lightest parts of my face and my hyperpigmentation, just like my Bare Minerals Matte Foundation in Golden Medium. Speaking of hyperpigmentation, my mouth area does turn a bit grey with this on it's own, so I do have to do my colour correcting step beforehand. They actually have a new shade called Golden Natural 4.75, which I'm wondering if it's less orange? Maybe 4.5 Warm Natural is actually light for me? Maybe I'm a shade lower at 4 Natural? I dunno, I'm a tiny tiny bit confused, I'll have to swatch and see. Though I absolutely adore the yellow undertones! 

Bobbi Brown Skin Stick Foundation Natural 4.5 

Bobbi Brown Skin Stick Foundation Natural 4.5 (Flash) 

Overall I am uber impressed with the Skin Foundation Stick, it is most accurately named "Skin Foundation" and can easily be labelled as "Second Skin". I also read Onika Khatun's review on the Bobbi Brown Liquid Skin Foundation, which I want to try, she also shares my love for the YSL Touche Eclat Foundation and equally shares my disappointment at how the French brand hasn't provided a shade for us South Asian yellow golden girls and she named the Bobbi Brown Liquid Skin Foundation as the Touche Eclat dupe for golden girls! I am interested in trying more Bobbi Brown products, specifically their yellow powders, peach correctors and eye cream. I definitely recommend this foundation to anyone, it's excellent. Peace out!

Note: What works for me necessarily won't work for everyone else, since everyone's skin is different, do test and trial as high end products can be steep. I have dehydrated combination skin, with hyperpigmentation and uneven skin texture. My skin and skin tone is incredibly fussy and this happened to work very well for me.

Extra Note: I know I ramble, I just need to get all my opinions and information out there. Sorry for those who get bored. xxx

Extra Extra Note: I forgot to mention a few of my foundation shades for comparison, I am Stromboli in Nars, between NC35 - NC40 -NC42 in MAC (but I'm starting to believe I don't have an EXACT match in MAC anymore) and Golden Medium in Bare Minerals.

Toodles!