Get Naked! With Bobbi Brown's Nude Collection (Sheesh, Ya Pervs)

Natural-looking makeup is the beauty equivalent of blue jeans--a look that can totally be dressed up or dressed down. Even better, it's pretty and polished and absolutely goof proof at o'dark-thirty in the morning.

Spackling and blending and excessive primping is just beyond my cosmetic capabilities when my brain is foggy from lack of sleep. I'm lucky if I don't poke my eye out with the eyeliner!

I probably already have more complexion-enhancing shades than most beauty editors, but I can't help being on the lookout for new ones to try. It's in my beauty DNA or something.

So naturally (ha!), I was immediately drawn to the gorgeously understated range in Bobbi Brown's new Nude Collection.

Love! Want! Must-have!

The Nude Eye Palette ($60) includes three eye shadow duos in day-to-night shades in three different textures: soft matte, lightly pearlized, and metallic high-shimmer. What’s great is that you can simply dust a mocha shade on your lids and blend it into your browbone for an effortlessly pretty daytime look. From there, you can put a hint of a darker hue in your creases for some extra depth, but if you’re in a hurry, just brush on the champagne shimmer to make your eyes really pop—add a little black liner on the top and some mascara and you’re good to go. And it has the perfect pairing to give you a sultry smoky eye for cocktails to celebrate not telling your boss where to stick it or your cube-mate that not everyone is interested in the intimate details of her latest trip to Loserville.

I've never in my life even considered spending that kind of cash for eye shadow but when you think about how much you've spent in the past on eye shadow disasters, and the fact that these are colors you'll wear practically every day, it's a totally economically feasible splurge. See, I am the bestie you want to go beauty shopping with because I can justify just about anything. It's a gift.

But it's the Nude Shimmer Brick ($38) that got the gimme! gasp. It's sooooo pretty. It features five pigments-pink, gold, bronze, beige, and caramel that can be used on the eyes, cheeks, anywhere really, for that extra bit of polish and "maybe she's born with it" glow. And who doesn't want that!?


The creamy lip color ($22) gives me pause even though there are lots of pout tempting shades. As a diehard lipgloss fan, it’s been years since I’ve used a lipstick. I can’t help it—gloss just wins my heart. I love the first time you twirl the lipstick up to reveal that perfectly shaped tip but the thrill is gone once it molds itself to your lips. Plus, I'm a slap-it-on and go kind of girl and applying lipstick on your lips and not your teeth requires a bit more time and effort. But the come-hither temptation of the raisin berry shade might be enough for me to go over to the lipstick side, at least for a visit.

Dropping $120 (not including S/H if you order online) on Bobbi's Nude Collection to achieve a natural look might be a bit much, but luckily there are plenty of products at your local drugstore to mimic the barely-there look for less.



Color-matching foundation, lipgloss, mascara AND eyeshadow from Revlon's Beyond Natural collection will run you less than $40.

Here's a sampling of other products that will help get that "you, but better" look:




Do you go barely-there with your makeup or is it just too blah?