smashbox

Smashbox Limitless Liner Won’t Leave You in the Lurch

June 17th, 2010 by Karen 58 Comments

smashbox limitless eye liner

When eyeliner disappears, where exactly does it go? Do mischievous makeup angels charm it away with magic erasers while I’m drooling over pics of Jake Gyllenhaal’s muscled bod and manscaping?

Seriously, I can’t be the only person plauged by the plight of the disappearing eyeliner.

Thank ye gods for long-wearing liner formulas like the new Smashbox Limitless Eyeliner ($19). Released for summer, these creamy, long-wearing liners apply with intense color and come with the promise of eight-hour wear time, which makes the hours I’ve whittled away watching people dancing solo to Ginuwine’s Pony a little easier to bear. 🙂

Ready to rock you in shades of Black, Dark Brown, Teal, Deep Navy and Deep Purple, their creamy, easy-to-apply formula also resists water (more on that in a few) and helps protect the skin around those precious peepers with jojoba oil and vitamin E.
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Smashbox Eye Illusion in Action: Taking a Smokey Purple Eye to the Next Level

June 4th, 2010 by Karen 31 Comments

smashbox eye illusion review

Haaay, homeskillet. How goes it? I’m a little stunned that it’s actually Friday. This week flew by so fast, didn’t it? No complaints here, though. 🙂

I’m excited because I have a pre-birthday spa appointment scheduled for tomorrow in which I hope to take/have my very first mud bath. Yup, we’ll see how it goes…whether it turns out to be gross or cool (because there’s a fine line, right?). Wish me luck!

This morning I wanted to experiment a little more with Smashbox’s Eye Illusion.

What is Smashbox Eye Illusion?

It’s a compact with a trio of sheer, iridescent eyeshadows in blue, gold and pink. When layered on top of other eyeshadows and liners, the colors alter the original hues and impart a subtle sheen/shine. Price: $28.

Today I gave it a try with what would have been a plain jane daytime smokey purple eye, shooting for something a little more exciting and special.

I started by priming my lids with a base of Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden (a matte nude), following it up with Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Rockstar (a deep plummy purple) applied to the waterlines, lid and just barely into the crease.

Where’s the waterline?

The waterline is the small 2mm (or thereabouts) strip of skin that extends from where the eyelashes sprout from the eyelid toward the eye itself, and it exists on both the top and bottom eyelids.

Then, with the MAC 217 (or any other fluffy domed eyeshadow brush), I smudged out the edges, drawing the liner into the crease and feathering out in a gradient of color.

smashbox eye illusion review
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Smashbox Halo Hydrating Perfecting Bronzer: Orange You Glad You Found This Bronzer?

May 4th, 2010 by Karen 36 Comments

smashbox halo hydrating perfecting bronzer review

Once upon a time, a bronzer without orange undertones was about as hard to find as a straight dude into Lifetime movies (love the Tori Spelling ones). Oh, how the times have changed!

A scene from the Lifetime/T-Spell tour de force, “Co-ed Call Girl”

Homies, say buh-bye to the days of orange Oompa Loompa skin and hola to Smashbox Halo Hydrating Perfecting Bronzer ($39).

Part of the Naked Beauty collection for summer 2010, Smashbox created this golden brown bronzer with a matte finish to universally flatter all skin tones. Not only is the color supposed to work on everyone, Smashbox says Halo also hydrates skin and reduces the appearance of wrinkles.

I’ve been wearing it for the last few days and found Halo has a lot of good stuff to offer.
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Smashbox Hyperlash Mascara: The One-Hit Wonder

May 3rd, 2010 by Karen 36 Comments

smashbox hyperlash mascara review

Lovely lashes after just one coat? Like, when does that happen? Mascaras that only need one layer to work well are even rarer than hit movies starring J. Lo (still lovin’ ya, Jenny!).

Maybe that’s why I like Smashbox Hyperlash Mascara ($21, available in a single shade called Blackest Black). A single coat makes lashes look visibly thicker, darker, smoother and uber-glossy. The tips of my lashes fan out at the corners, too, for that doe-eyed lash look I really love.

Straight up, I can’t remember the last time I thought the first coat of a mascara looked this good.

smashbox hyperlash review one layer of mascara
One layer
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Like That Cameo Song, Smashbox’s New Heartbreaker Is Sweet Like Can-Daaaaaay!

January 26th, 2010 by Karen 31 Comments

Y’know, the candy necklaces with the beads? 🙂 I went through a phase where I wore ’em 24/7 (that was many moons ago).

The first time I tried Heartbreaker ($18), Smashbox’s first perfume, it hit me like a candy necklace in the face!

Luckily, it dries down quickly, (30 minutes or so) first into a dessert-worthy mix of vanilla wafers and warm caramel, and ending as a whisper-light gardenia and musk. For an eau de parfum, it really doesn’t last too long (about four hours total), but sweet is definitely the theme all the way.
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Smashbox Heartbreaker: Breaking Hearts at a Makeup Counter Near You

January 6th, 2010 by Karen 47 Comments

Smashbox Heartbreaker Collection

We’re in a booty-freezing cold snap right now, ladies! If you’re hunkered down in front of your computer screen wearing mittens, five layers of fleece and your puffy “Jenny from the block” jacket, then you’re ready to feel the heat of Smashbox’s new Heartbreaker collection for spring.

It might even be hotter than Paul Walker’s abs. 🙂

dear-paul-walker

The first time I spotted the limited edition, 10-piece collection’s shiny white packaging — check out the lil’ kiss, aww! — I felt my temperature rise!

Smashbox-Heartbreaker-Collection-packaging

All the artists were buzzing about it at Sephora today, about the packaging, bright colors and girly vibe. With its corals, hot pinks, teals, purples and easy-to-wear neutrals (for balance), I think it just feels right.

Smashbox Heartbreaker Collection Fusion Soft Lights in Baked Starlight
Heartbreaker Baked Fusion Soft Lights in Baked Starlight, $30

Smashbox Heartbreaker Collection Fusion Soft Lights in Baked Starlight

Oh, and if you’re a fan of MAC’s discontinued LipGelee in Lu-Be-Lu, then you’re in luck. Smashbox’s Berry Hot Lip Shine sure looks like a dupe to me.

Smashbox Heartbreaker Collection Fusion Soft Lights in Baked Starlight Smashbox Heartbreaker Collection Lip Shine Melon Drama Berry Hot
From left to right: Heartbreaker Lip Shines in Melon-Drama and Berry Hot, each$19
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Smashbox Limitless Long Wearing Lip Gloss SPF 15 Lasts As Long As Its Name

June 15th, 2009 by Karen 42 Comments

smashbox limitless long wear lip gloss spf 15 boundless endless nonstop

Like many makeup junkies, my lip gloss habit borders on “scary obsession.” It’s at the point where El Hub doesn’t even ~~notice~~ mention the tubes of stuff all over the house, in the car and sometimes in his jacket pockets, LOL!

Note: Ladies, when you find a dude who’ll carry lip gloss for you in his pockets without complaint, you should put a ring on that, fo’ reals!

smashbox limitless long wear lip gloss spf 15 boundless

But, I digress…

Lately I’ve been wearing a new lip gloss that just might be one of the coolest things since sliced queso — Smashbox Limitless Long Wear Lip Gloss SPF 15 ($21).

I swatched the six colors a while back but only recently took the new shades out for a spin.

So far I’ve worn…

Boundless: a shimmery golden coral with a hint of pink
Nonstop: a shimmery hot pink
Endless: a shimmery, sheer plum

I think they’re kinda awesome!

As far as durability, Limitless *almost* lives up to its name. Smashbox says they last six hours on the lips; I say that’s being a little generous, but still.

I was able to stretch wear time out to six hours when I sipped drinks through a straw, refrained from snacking (mmm… Oreo cookies and milk…) and avoided rubbing my lips together; otherwise, wear time was more like four hours.

No big deal, though. In my book the addition of SPF 15 makes up the difference.

smashbox limitless long wear lip gloss spf 15 nonstop
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Smashbox Limitless Long Wear Lip Gloss: Make Way for Sheer Shine

June 3rd, 2009 by Karen 29 Comments

smashbox limitless long wear lip gloss final

You gals gave some awesome recommendations the other day when I asked about your favorite pigmented lip glosses, and they’ll be preserved for blog eternity in the archives! 🙂

I think we all appreciate highly pigmented products, but what about sheer, shiny glosses?

A couple of sheer lip glosses I reach for a lot are the Chanel Aqualumieres and MAC Cremesheen Glass. They’ve become standby products for me, but they might have company on my dresser soon; a new lip gloss line from Smashbox looks intriguing.

They’re called Limitless Long Wear Lip Glosses, and they run $21 each.

Smashbox loaded ’em up with SPF 15 and says the new line of six, sheer glosses lasts for up to six hours on the lips.

They’re both taste- and fragrance-free and feel thick without feeling sticky, which means my hair won’t cling to my lips every time a strong wind blows.
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