Bobbi Brown Just Launched a New Makeup Brand, and We've Tried It All

First things first, The Face Pencil is a game changer. (FYI: I'm in shade 9.) As someone who doesn't like to wear foundation and has next to no application skills whatsoever, this easy-peasy pencil does a lot with very little effort: It helped various marks from a recent spot outbreak fade into the background, softened some of the redness around my nose and chin, and was a lightweight under-eye concelear, which is perfect for someone who has naturally dark circles and looks strange when they're completely removed.

The chalky-finish Brow Pencil fills in gaps with ease and doesn't look OTT as a final result.

The Miracle Balms are a lovely texture. On my yellow-tone skin, the Dusty Rose was incredibly subtle (perhaps too subtle to bother with), but Sunkissed provided some understated contouring under my cheekbones, and it doubled up nicely as a sweep of colour over my eyes and lips.

I particularly loved The Face Pencil in shade 20, as it has such a creamy formula and applies smoothly. It looks great on its own, and because of this, I often wear it on days when I don’t want to wear any foundation and concealer. However, on days when I incorporate it into a full face of makeup, it blends like a dream. 

Another product I’ve really enjoyed using is the Sparkle Wash in Cool Pink. It’s so pigmented, and the glitter really pops for the perfect day-to-night look! It works wonders on its own and when applied over the top of a matte or cream eye shadow. 

The only product I wasn’t particularly keen on was the Cool Gloss in shade Pink Gold Shimmer. It wasn’t as glossy as I’d hoped and dried down pretty quickly, leaving just small specks of glitter behind.

The first product I want to shout about is The Face Pencil. Considering I have a toddler and dark circles are quite a regular occurrence, I was pleasantly surprised with it. I also used it around my nose where I tend to get a bit of redness, and I liked how the colour, shade 4 (with yellow undertones), was a subtle match to my skin. I will say this, however: This is best applied immediately after your moisturiser, or it can drag across your under-eye, but this will be great for those with oilier skin.

The other products I tried included The Brow Pencil, which I was very surprised to like. I usually need something a little more precise to fill in my scrappy brows, but this was perfectly matched with my hair colour in a brilliantly muted brown/black. However, a small brow brush wouldn’t go amiss when styling them. 

Finally, I can’t talk about Jones Road without mentioning the hero product, the Miracle Balm. I’m always a little sceptical about these types of multipurpose products. I think this is a brilliant lip balm, however, and does leave the subtlest of pinky glows. I also added a tiny bit to my brow and cheekbones, which was ideal for giving a dewy look and something I will be using again, for sure. I think some of the darker hues might be worth a shot if you’re looking for something more pigmented, but if that’s not your thing, then I would avoid it, as it can seem a little sticky. Overall, however, the brand doesn’t disappoint, and it definitely sticks to Brown’s trademark of giving you a pared-back, natural glow.

However, my skin is really oily, and I kind of wish I’d read the description of the Miracle Cream before I tried it, as it does explicitly state it's for very dry skin. I can see how on drier skin types, it would provide the ultimate hydrating base, but it just sat on my super-oily skin like a layer of grease.

Having said that, I went straight in with The Face Pencil in shade 6 (which melted into my face beautifully) and was stunned at how easily it disguised discolouration and blemishes while still keeping a real skin finish.

I then used the (also very oily, FYI) Miracle Balm in Au Naturel on my cheeks and Sunkissed across my forehead and down my nose to mimic an impressively natural-looking sun kiss. Once I was done, I mostly just felt slicked. But I clearly felt greasier than I looked because the overall finish was seamless and arguably one of the most beautiful everyday makeup looks I’ve ever created on my own face. 

The Brow Pencil was also one of the creamiest and easiest I’ve ever used. However, I just can’t ignore the fact that my oily face was tacky and greasy all day. My long hair kept sticking to my cheeks, much like it would to a lip gloss. Overall, I'm conflicted. I can see the beauty in every single product I tried, but maybe it needs a more expert hand to apply them. The Face Pencil, though? *Chef's kiss.​* It's got a permanent spot in my makeup bag.

I'm not normally a fan of applying makeup with my fingers, which a lot of this line lends itself too. However, I am obsessed with The Face Pencil. The shade 21 is a perfect match for me—I used it to conceal hyperpigmentation, and it was honestly like using an eraser.

I'm still finding my footing with the Miracle Balm, which seems to be the hero product in the range. I've tried the shades Tawny (which I'm wearing above) and Bronze, and while it does give a healthy dew and feels comfortable on the lips, it’s not a staple for me. 

First up, The Face Pencil (I'm in shade 4). Described as an "everything stick," this concealer left me pleasantly surprised at how much pigment it had. I've been dealing with a particularly hideous chin breakout this week, and it covered it with ease. However, I personally found the formula a little dry for under my eyes, where I tend to use sheer, creamy formulations like Glossier Stretch Concealer. For my combination skin, it worked brilliantly on my face to cover pigmentation and blemishes, but I'm not sure how you'd fare if your skin is dry. 

An unexpected hit for me came in the form of the Cool Gloss in Pastel Pink—a non-sticky, modern gloss in a poppy pink that instantly elevated an ultra-natural makeup look. 

I also adored the Just a Sec eye shadow in Linen—a shimmering, cream-powder shadow that somehow managed to make my tired eyes look so much brighter. 

The Mascara is also worth a mention. As someone who isn't that fussed about mascaras in general, I appreciated how this one delivered the fundamentals without any wild claims: It's jet-black, lifts and separates lashes and doesn't smudge. Honestly, what else could you want?

Finally, the Jones Road product with the most hype—the Miracle Balm. I'm wearing the shade Dusty Rose above, pressed onto my cheekbones and down my nose with my fingertips, and I really love how it looks. However, this is an oil-based product, and it is seriously shiny. This photo was taken after I applied a light dusting of Laura Mercier Loose Powder to my T-zone and the apples of my cheeks, and there is still a major amount of radiance. Personally, I live for the dew, but if you're really oily or don't like too much glow, then this might not be the product for you. Overall though, Jones Road, I'm a big fan.
Up next, the classic makeup products that over-50 French women swear by.