Smashbox On the Rocks Be Legendary Lipstick Trio Review and Swatches (Holiday 2014)

What This is About
This is a review on Smashbox’s set of three mini lipsticks for the 2014 Holiday On the Rocks Collection. All three colors (Fig, Primrose & Legendary) are from the permanent line unlike the lip gloss set which has two limited edition colors.

Before we begin let me be clear. I did not purchase this set to review and keep. I already have all 3 colors in full size (Legendary, Primrose and Fig) and I really like them all so I purchased this set to give a friend in return for a favor. The color swatches will be from my own, full-sized lipsticks. However, I sneakily dissected this set so that i could snap photos of the minis for the review. I’m sorry, friend! I’ll put it back together nicely! I even wiped off the fingerprints.
If she doesn’t chance across this site, she probably won’t even know about the intrusion. Hopefully.

Anyhow the reason I’m writing this review is because I think that it is a great starter-/ trial-/intro-kit to Smashbox’s Be Legendary line of lipsticks. The colors picked are also very well-coordinated and (in my opinion) wearable colors. These are lipsticks that will get a lot of mileage and love.

Plus they’re mini sized! They’re cute! They’re ultra-portable and toss-into-my-bag-to-go-able. What’s not to love? In a perfect world, all lipsticks would come in a mini size but alas they can only be obtained as samples or sets.
I have a slight collector’s craze of mini things. The weight of all my mini perfume bottles threatens to make the shelf they sit on cave in.

 First Look
This box doesn’t have a window cut out…

Front of the box. The colors are completely off.

Back: mass & ingredients

… probably because the packaging inside is boring and looks like this:

The rainbows~

The casing is a square with rounded edges and printed with the Smashbox name in the beautiful holographic lettering found on everything “On the Rocks” related. The case is made of dense black plastic that clacks like ceramic when knocked against a hard surface. They have a definite heft to them and seem pretty sturdy. I don’t know how good they are at preventing the product inside from melting on hot days though.

Names printed on the bottom.

First things first: You might be taken aback by the size. They are small. They are the size of deluxe sample lipsticks so the stick of product looks super fragile. I definitely would be careful with twisting these up and applying them on a warm day.

Size in context of my favorite pen.

You get 3 colors, as i already previously mentioned. In essence, you are getting a classic cool-red, a neutral dusky-pink, and a burgundy-purple that is both neutral and dramatic (depending on your skin tone). All of them are creamy without being too soft and glide on like lip balms, but without as much slip. They aren’t moisturizing but they do have shiny, almost glossy finishes.

Legendary, Primrose, Fig

Showing off the lustre finish.

 

Smashbox On The Rocks Be Legendary Lip Gloss Set Review and Swatches (Holiday 2014)

An Intro and Disclaimer:
This review aims to provide insight about Smashbox’s 2014 Holiday On the Rocks Be Legendary Lip Gloss Set via my opinions and photos.Two of the colors are limited edition and exclusive to this set while the other 3 are re-promotes from Smashbox’s permanent line.

I have never reviewed a lip gloss before. In fact, up until last week, I completely eschewed them. I had a bad experience with those tube lip glosses in elementary school and haven’t touched them for the last 10 years or so. The saccharine fruity scent and molasses-like stickyness would have appalled even a toddler. Happily in the decade since, lip gloss “technology” (Ha!) has improved quite a bit. No. Lip gloss technology is not an actual thing, but its the best term i can think of that would imply forward progress and better performance/quality. I guess the phrase “lipgloss formulation” would work too but it doesn’t have the same connotation.

Anyhow I was convinced to try these because of two reasons:
1) It’s been a while. So lets see how far the cosmetics chemical industry has come since i last tried – i think it was – a Juicy Tube.
2) One of my friends found my review of Smashbox’s Holiday Palette so entertaining that she got me this as “an early Christmas present” but with a catch: I would have to write another mini dissertation on it.
Since it’s here, free of charge and sitting on my desk, here goes the review.

First Look
Girls like diamonds and make up right? Put them together it just makes sense.

Now if only those diamonds were real… this set would be one heck of a value.

From Left to Right: Azalea, Legendary, Pout, Gilt, Jewel

 

Smashbox On the Rocks Photo Op Eyeshadow Palette Swatches & Review (Holiday 2014)

Smashbox’s 2014 On the Rocks collection includes two shadow palettes. This is review of the smaller of the two with 12 colors. Here is the blinged-out, eye-catching packaging that hints at what lines within.

It’s like a black cardboard fire opal. I was torn about throwing away the box.

DON’T THROW ME AWAY. I’m beautiful.

After admiring the rainbows from all possible angles,  you open the box to reveal a 4″ x 4″x 0.5″ compact fit for a dark fairy queen.

*w*

The back – the shiny black plastic of this palette gives Nars compacts a run for their money in terms of collecting fingerprints and dust.

Once you get over admiring that, flipping the snap-lip open will reveal a mirror that takes up the whole inside of the lid, 12 shadows, a big ole rhinestone and a clear plastic insert (which you can’t really see) that protects the mirror and the names of the shadow printed on it.

Oh hai thar.

Come closer ;D

And closer…