An unintended buy (as many makeup purchases are!), I could not pass on this lipgloss because of its complex shade. I would also consider this my inaugural fall off the lipgloss wagon because I haven’t bought a lipgloss in months; possibly a year!
A shimmery cool-toned brown mauve laced with slate tones, Black Pearl is edgy and modern, pairing beautifully with either a smoky or simple eye. Its pearliness and very nearly-laminated sheen give it a reflective appearance that is suitable for stronger eye looks, while more layers impart depth to complement neutral eye makeup.
As it veers on the cool, blacks, smoky plums, taupes, purples, blues, purples and even greens and teals go well with it. I have yet to try it with warm tones but I have a feeling it’d work with a light layer or two which would play down its coolness (the stronger the layers, the deeper the tone and the cooler it goes).
It fails in other aspects though. Firstly, I dislike the brush. Rough, small and prone to splaying, Bobbi Brown definitely needs to step up her game. Bobbi Brown could take a leaf from MAC and MJ’s makeup books – MAC’s brushes spread and apply beautifully, while Majolica Majorca’s angled doe-foot applicator is near perfection! Secondly, the scent is deplorable – a cross between synthetic caramel and Playdoh. Fortunately, the scent fades after some time but it certainly will not endear itself to fragrance-sensitive people.
These two factors, together with its exorbitant price (S$33 for 4.2 ml), should have stayed me from purchasing it but my penchant for this unique shade overrode everything (an indubitable mark of a makeup addict). I’m just glad the scent/odour does not linger much and that the special colour and lovely semi-metallic glossiness make up for its shortcomings!
