Delicate like flower petals, the tender spring tones blossoming right now at Smashbox headquarters are much quieter than last year’s technicolor Heartbreaker release, but I can still hear them whispering sweet nothings to my soul.
Goodies in the new eight-piece In Bloom collection for eyes, lips, cheeks and face (products $20-$48 each) are available now at Ulta, Sephora and smashbox.com.
If Heartbreaker was like cage dancing, then In Bloom is like a Moleskin notebook filled with poetry. 🙂 The release reminds me of the spring release from NARS, with its predilection toward neutrals. Here, too, there’s a lot of super wearable beige, brown, gold and gray going on, but in place of the bright blue, green and purple accents NARS injected into his spring release, Smashbox sprinkled subdued shades of mossy green, violet, pink, peach and coral onto theirs.
In Bloom Eye Shadow Palette, $48
Smashbox arranged the two rows of colors (five each) in this palette so that the each vertical pair makes a color coordinated duo. They’re only suggestions, of course, and the colors are also designed to mix and match. The palette — ballet pink, lavender grey, golden pink, warm taupe, bone, soft violet, marine blue, copper, moss green and nude — includes both shimmer and matte eyeshadows, too.
Cream Cheek Duo in Blushing/Peony, $26
The two cream blushes, one in soft pink and the other in coral pink, in this flexible duo have a matte finish and can be worn on both the cheeks and lips.
Soft Focus Powder Eye Liner in Heather Grey and Dark Brown, $22 each
These powder liners (which look a little like elongated bottles of nail polish, don’t they?) have a sponge tip that makes them a cinch to create soft matte looks in a flash. TIP: Shake the bottles before applying to load the sponge, and then tap off any excess powder from the tip before bringing it up to your lash lines.
Limitless Long Wear Lip Gloss SPF 15 in Timeless and Endless Kiss, $21 each
I’m REALLY excited about these and cannot wait to try shimmery soft pink Timeless and coral pink Endless Kiss. I just 
this gloss formula. Not only is it long lasting on the lips, but it feels so smooth!
Artificial Light Luminizing Powder, $20
Like a quad-core processor, this loose powder is supposed to multitask very well, able to be used as either a highlighter or to brighten skin on the face and body. For a radiant glow, Smashbox suggests wearing it at the inner corners of the eyes, down the bridge of the nose, above the brows and along the tops of cheekbones. TIP: For a subtle super-heroine shimmer, you can even mix it in with body lotion and apply to arms, legs and décolleté.
Photo Finish Lid Primer, $20
This repromoted primer hails from the permanent collection. It’s not listed on the Smashbox website as part of the collection, but it is grouped as part of the release in Sephora stores. It’s a nude matte primer that Smashbox says works on all skin tones, and it comes with a doe-foot applicator.
Photo Set Finishing Powder SPF 15, $28
Another repromoted item from Smashbox’s permanent collection, this translucent loose powder has a big appetite for oil, which it gobbles up while protecting skin from harmful UV rays.
Smashbox In Bloom Spring 2011: Swatches on NC35 Skin
Photo Finish Lid Primer (far left); first row In Bloom Eye Shadow Palette (five swatches in center and far right)
Artificial Light Luminizing Powder (far left); second row of In Bloom Eye Shadow Palette (five swatches in center); Soft Focus Powder Eye Liner in Heather Grey and Dark Brown (two shades far right)
Cream Cheek Duo in Blushing (left) and Peony (right)
Limitless Long Wear Lip Gloss with SPF 15 in Timeless (left) and Endless Kiss (right)
Photo Set Finishing Powder SPF 15
So tell me — does anything catch your eye? 🙂
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. TGIF! (You know it’s all I can think about, right? That and makeup, Tabs, Nutella, Ryan Reynolds’ abs, shoes, food…)
I’m really interested in those Soft Focus Eyeliners-really cool idea.
I thought it was gonna be gimmicky, but it’s actually kinda cool. Do you ever do smudgy liner? It’s really good for that.
I do! I will get both of these for sure!
That blush is screaming at me to BUY NOWNOWNOWWWW… and the liners. And the.. okay, everything. 🙂
It’s super pigmented and has a really nice texture! I hope it has a good wear time. 🙂
Must. Resist. That. Palette. The artificial light powder also looks interesting!
It looks like a good work palette, doesn’t it? I like most of the colors with the exception of the very light ones (too chalky on me, but prolly great on you!).
the blush duo’s, for sure! i really need to build on my cream blush stash considering i only have 1 at the moment :p
Really? Have you tried Urban Decay’s new ones? They’re pretty great!
no, i haven’t! they’re not available in canada yet, i don’t think. which shades do you recommend?
I keep looking at, walking away from, and then going back to that palette in Sephora (and Nordstrom’s). So far I’ve resisted, but I don’t know how long that will last.
I had that palette in my shopping cart at Sephora.com but just can’t pull the trigger. The colors are super pretty & everyday wearable but something’s holding me back!
You’re right about this being a great palette for work! Matched up with the eyeliners, I think it’ll create a great look for the office. 🙂
I would be interested to try the blush duo and the Timeless lip gloss is really pretty!
The Heather Grey eyeliner looks so good on that model (as well as the entire look) !!! I wanna buy that <3
I have an intense addiction to cream blushes right now… I am looking forward to seeing the cream cheek duo in person!
Timeless looks so pretty! I may buy it, despite not being a major lipgloss girl. Btw, Karen, I posted a pic of my sleepy cats on my blog. The black and white female is Rock n Roll and the black male is Jazz.
pretty on the models but I’m going to pass.
I tried the creamblush duo…… Fabulous pop of color, highly recommend for the spring!
i want that palette 🙂
but my little smashbox secret is — i collect their blushes LOL. its either the packaging or just how soft, pigmented and blendable they are… 🙂
So how do those powder eyeliners hold up, Karen? I swatched ’em both today and liked the way they went on, as well as their soft look…but the reviews on Makeup Alley are the WORST! The main complaint is that they migrate and cause major raccoon eyes in just an hour or two; what’s been your experience?
I like this color palette a lot. I have started becoming a bigger fan of Smashbox after trying their Halo powder. Have you tried that?
I find myself very drawn to the eye palette…. It is pricey but there are alot of colours in there and it’s very pretty.
Woo those promo photos look majorly 80s! I can practically hear power chords. Mind you, I’m glad to see a lot of curly hair around, for purely selfish and ease-of-finding-product reasons.
Eek! This makes me so excited for spring! 🙂
Saw the palette in person, ordered it from Nordstrom after swearing off buying more eyeshadows! Sooo pretty and I had this gift certificate…
Um, yeah, pretty much everything! It’s got a good variety of untried shades (for me) and I’m really loving that eye palette especially, that and the cream blushes. Plus like others have said it’s ideal for work.
Have a great rest of the weekend!
I have the new lip gloss and have not stopped using it. I told my BFF that MAC has some competition as far as I am concerned.
I really like this collection and am intrigued by the liners. I think I may have to try the Heather Grey. The shadows are up my alley too, but I really need to resist more neutrals. Well, honestly, I just get overwhelmed by palettes since one will probably last me a lifetime! 🙂
Since I missed my email from Sephora telling me the Naked Palette was in ( and immediately sold back out) Ima gonna hafta buy this shadow palette, the liners, the blush, and the glosses!!! LOL does that leave anything out? It’s not very often I love anyone’s entire collection :p. And how nice is it that’ll make a big dent towards this years VIB at Sephora! I just watched the tutorials Smashbox put up on YT (giovannismash). GORGEOUS! I just did a softer focus eye yesterday as I couldn’t be bothered to go all out. Who knew I was actually on trend? Love that!
I like the shades on the bottom row of the palettes!
Thanks for the beautiful swatches, Karen. What are your thoughts on the eyeshadow palette? Do you like the texture/pigmentation?