Backdrop Cooling Tint ($28.00)
This foundation gives a sheer to light coverage (a bit more than Prescriptive's Traceless) and contains a SPF of 15. Some experience a cooling sensation up to 30 minutes; I haven't thus far. It is shine-free, contains aloe for moisture and it's safe for acne prone skin. It is very fluid in consistency and looks natural and luminous on my face. My favorite tint was Traceless and now it's this. Available in three shades.

Develop Compact Cream Bronzer ($32.00)
This is a cream to powder bronzer that gives me a very natural look. I usually use powders but I like the feel of this cream. The compact has a mirror and sponge applicator, which makes it great for traveling. It contains a SPF of 15, and gives a matte finish. Your choice is Light or Medium. I have the Light and it works for fair to light skin, but any skin darker I would suggest the Medium. It gives a very light look to start out but it is buildable.

Emulsion Lip Exfoliant ($18.00)
This sugar-based, peppermint scented, poppy seed scrub gently removes dry, flaky skin off my lips. It also contains shea butter, jojoba and antioxidants to condition the lips. It states to remove with a tissue, but I prefer a damp washcloth. It leaves my lips feeling very smooth and ready for the next step.

Lip Treatment ($16.00)
This is the companion to the Emulsion product. It contains a SPF of 15 for protection, Vitamin E and shea butter to nourish lips, honey for a sweet flavor and scent to soften and moisturize your lips. You can wear this alone or under lipstick or gloss.

I own Mary Kay lip exfoliant and lip treatment and I like Smashbox's better because I found they worked a bit better and I like the lip treatment in the lipstick form versus Mary Kay's balm in a pot which I can't get to with my finger very easily. What I do like about Mary Kay's was that you get two products for $18.00, which makes it more cost effective.

Smashbox Digital color collection for Fall 2003
Now previewing: Smashbox's new line-up for fall. The packaging is so cute - tins that look like film reels and most of the names have something to do with computers! A Great mixture of vibrant, funky, lively colors mixed with some natural, earthy and subtle tones.

The Fall 2003 line includes:
White Eye Pencil $14.00 (for lining the inside of the eyes to appear brighter)

Three New lipstick colors ($16.00): Output (shimmery bronze), Curve (plummy wine), and Resolution (brownish wine). These appear darker than they look on and all of them have a creamy texture that feels great on my lips. Great colors for fall.

Blush ($24.00) in Layer, pink/peach shimmer - almost looks like there is a touch of gold shimmer. It has a soft satin, silky texture to it, almost creamy in texture. I personally love blushes that feel this way. The texture reminds me of MAC's sheertones.

Eyeshadow Trio ($28.00) - in Smashbox.com, which contains a light gold/yellow shimmer, a frosted pink shimmer, and a smoky dark brown matte with grey undertones.

Eyeshadow Singles ($16.00): Digital (turquoise), Jpeg (yellow/lime green), and Scan (fuchsia). All the shadows have that Smashbox soft, silky texture to them. They are gorgeous colors but I admit at 41 and with auburn hair I will need to play quite a lot to find what combinations suit me. (I actually ended up buying Smashbox Butter eyeshadow to mix with these.) They first appear very bright but go on a bit softer and you can build the color up.

Cream Eye Liner ($22.00) in Image which is a smokey green shade. Although this is one of the products that people love the most about Smashbox, it just doesn't wear well on my eyes. I didn't like it when I first tried it as a QVC try me kit and it still doesn't work for me, but this is one of the highlights in the line for most people and this a great color for liner.

The Digital fall collection will be available on August 15th at a counter near you!

review: 6/03

I must admit that I can not believe what a "Smashboxette" I have become! Especially considering that when I first tried Smashbox (their starter kit from QVC), I wasn't impressed. I am picky about mascaras and eyeliners and didn't care for the ones that I tried, so I hadn't planned on trying anymore of this line. Then one day I discovered that our Sephora had gotten Smashbox, and I tried the Lip Brilliance trio and loved it so much I ventured further and found quite a lot of products I like (and now own) from this line. I haven't owned so much from one line since I first discovered MAC.

I was fortunate recently to have one of the national artists do a makeover for me and probably for the first time ever, it was quite difficult not to buy everything she used, but Visa does have it limits you know.

Studio Seamless Foundation ($28)
This is a sheer to light covering foundation. It evens out the skintone with a very natural, soft, dewy look. It states oil-free but does contain sesame oil. This is a very nice foundation.

Lip Brilliance ($26)
A wonderful trio of super creamy lipglosses that are long lasting, much to my surprise. I have Lightbox which is a warm palette and I adore it! It made me look at the Smashbox line again. There are two other palettes also.

Eyeshadow Duo ($24)
I now own a couple of the duos (and quite a few trios). These eyeshadows have good blendability, in a soft, velvety textured formula. I find that some of the trios have a lighter pigment than they appear in the container.

Luminizing Lotion ($28)
I own Smashing Glare and Diffuse. I use Glare on my cheeks and Diffuse for around my eyes or all over, before foundation, for a dewy look. These are oil-free, contain vitamins, ginkgo biboba, and Japanese green tea and come in four shades. They make nice highlighters.

Lip and Eye Primer ($22)
I am a little disappointed in the amount of product they give you for the price. The lip primer does help to hold your lipsticks on longer as does the eye primer for eyeshadows, but for the price, they could have been a bit more generous.

Softlights Powder ($26)
I got Glow, a pink powder that I use as a blush. This product is wonderfully soft in texture and imparts a soft glow to the face. It comes in four shades and one of them, Hue, can be used as a bronzer. Tread lightly as the brush picks this product up easily and you might get too much.

Lip Pencil ($14)
I really like my Media (brown/hint of wine color) pencil, which is a warm shade, but I use it with my Brandy on Ice lipstick, a cool shade. I love the contrast which really ends up looking neutral on me. I also got Roxy (wine/mauve) in my Sephora Portfolio. They are just the right texture to glide onto the lips and you can easily fill in the lips with color, as this pencil is not drying.

Lip Gloss ($14)
I wear my Mystery gloss on top of my Brandy on Ice lipstick. I found this gloss smooth and moisturizing, not tacky or dry.

Lipstick ($16)
Now that I have mentioned my Brandy on Ice, a muted light pink/brown/peach lipstick a couple of times I will say this is a cool shade that does look quite nice with a warm touch of color. This is noted as containing Vitamin E and being moisturizing, but I didn't find this lipstick as moisturizing as others I have owned, maybe it is due to the frost and a cream would have more moisture.

Skintint ($28)
For cheeks, lips and eyes this water-based stain contains echinacea and vitamins and leaves a soft glow wherever you deposit it. It lasts all day and there are four colors available.

Brow Tech ($22)
This product is a brow powder on one side and a colorless pomade on the other. I bought Auburn, which is a perfect match with my hair color. I apply with my brow brush and application is really quite easy. I do clean my brush after each use due to the wax. Brow Tech comes in four shades.

Limitless Lip Stain ($22)
This is a dual-ended lip stain that has the color at one end and the gloss at the other. I tried #24, which is a red-brown shade. I really didn't care for this product. I didn't find the stain that easy to use; I had to spread it with my finger. Then once you apply the clear gloss on top, it does seem to stay all day, but this product is not moisturizing and I personally liked this the least of everything I have tried.

All in all I really like this line. It doesn't surprise me that there are a few products I don't like, as I haven't found anyone who likes every product in one line, on the other hand I am quite surprised that I like as many products in one line as I do.

review: 12/02