Blogdorf Goodman is a mishmash of beauty product reviews, musings on fashion and swooning over fragrances.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

40 Days And 40 Nights of Beauty Brand Reviews


Day 34, Smashbox

Cavewoman: Smashbox Cosmetics is the baby of two great-grandsons of Max Factor. Holding the family legend carefully, the Factor heirs Dean and Davis created a line of cosmetics that were first used in photo shoots at the Smashbox Studio in Los Angeles. The line is full of great performers. My love of the PhotoFinish primer has been well-documented, there's nothing else I can say about it, other than the fact that it has seemed to inspire a primer-type product from almost every other cosmetic line I can think of. Often imitated but never equalled, it remains the best of the silicone-based primers, and it delivers what it promises.

But my new favorite from Smashbox departs from the serious, performance-oriented product philosophy of this line, and heads to the whimsical. I didn't even know for sure what Tokidoki meant, but one look at the Tokidoki Soft Lights called DolceVita, with its adorable flat kabuki brush, and I was headed to the checkout counter at our nearest Sephora. I'm always looking for the perfect cool-toned pink blush. Add a dab of shimmer and I'm buying. It was only when I got home with my purchase that I opened the box and read the explanation of what is Tokidoki. Here is what I found:

"Tokidoki means 'sometimes' in Japanese, because everyone waits for moments that change their destiny. Tokidoki is the hope and hidden energy everyone has inside that gives us the strength to face each new day and dream that something positive, something magical will happen to us. Smashbox Cosmetics is proud to present Tokidoki, an exciting new collection designed and illustrated especially for us by the ever-inspiring artist/creator Simone Legno."


To me, this DolceVita shade is my favorite pink powder blush. It can be used as an all-over face glow too, but I apply translucent loose powder over it to tone it down a bit if I am using it as an allover color. Soft and glowing as are the other Soft Lights shades, the texture is even and application is smooth. When using the product as a blush, I prefer to use a regular blush brush, because the kabuki brush is a bit too large and flat for me. I use the kabuki with other shimmery finishing powders, and it is easy to get an even application and to dust off any excess, too. I like the flat kabuki because it does not lay on too much color. I have also used the Tokidoki brush to apply loose powder over the DolceVita, to tone down the color and just give a subtle hint of pink. The pink works well as an eyeshadow, too, especially when combined with silvers and grays. Don't let the vibrant color intimidate you, because this shade is easy to wear if you're a cool-toned person who wants a fresh just-spent-the-day outdoors look.
It's been a very long, dull, cold, gray Winter in Ohio. I'm swiping on a bit of Spring with Tokidoki DolceVita, and finding a bit of that hidden energy for myself.

Annieytown:
I have gushed over smashbox primer since this blog started so I will not bore you with another glowing review. Instead I am going to focus on the fabulous Smashbox Soft Lights. This is a jumbo pot of a velvet like powder that adds subtle color and shimmer to the face. The effect is luminous and flattering. I loved all the colors but caved on the Lens shade. It is a sheer apricot color that manages to perk up your complexion and give you a well rested glow.

The shades are Highlight(an apricot with iridescent pink), Prism(soft rose petal shimmer), Lens(soft peachy shimmer), Tint(shimmery pink bronze) and Shimmer(shimmery nude bronze).

http://www.smashbox.com/

What are your favorite products from Smashbox? Let us know in the comments!
Photos: Cavewoman and Sephora.
I am posting this review early because I will be out of town.
Have a lovely weekend!

Disclosure: These products were purchased by the reviewers.

Labels: 40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Brands, Cavewoman Reviews, Product Purchase, Smashbox

posted by Annieytown @ 4:44 PM   10 Inspired Comments

10 Inspired Comments:

At 10:11 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

I also love the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer and Soft Lights (my favorite is "Tint"). I have had a lot of luck with their lip glosses as well. They're not sticky at all and seem to last a very long time on me. They're not super glossy though either which I like, so if you're looking for high-shine, something like MAC Lipglass might be a better choice.

 
At 11:12 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love Smashbox Soft Lights and have 4 of them: Halo, Shimmer, Glow and Intermix (everyone should own Intermix). Their eye shadows, blushes and glosses are wonderful but their brushes are so overlooked! Super soft and cruelty free (Smashbox even won an award from PETA) they never shead and I wouldn't be without them. Check out the Roxy brush roll on Smashbox.com. They are beautiful white brushes (handy especially for eye shadow) and are on sale from 80 down too $40!

 
At 2:43 AM, Blogger Leigh said...

I am obsessed with Lip Brilliance palettes from Smashbox. It's a trio of lip colors. I have 3 of the 4 palettes, and I hope they are permanent part of the collection, because I will buy them again and again. It's glossy but provides coverage that matches lipstick. The colors are simply amazing on my skin as well. Plus, they have pretty decent staying power for a gloss.

 
At 5:19 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Smashbox has been pretty hard to get hold of here in Sweden if you don´t live in Stockholm, but now finally we have a cuple of webshops that holds some of the products. I´m (just like everybody else) a huge fan of THE primer. I´m also very impressed with the skintint from the Tokidoki line. A perfect shade that stays put all day long.

 
At 8:06 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am, of course, enamored with the Photo Finish Foundation Primer. I also love the cream eyeliner palette and the Brow Tech Duo (or whatever it's called).

 
At 9:57 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have owned the BrowTech duo, and loved it but felt the color was slightly off. The Lip Brilliance palettes get amazing reviews. I own Soft Lights in Tint and LOVE it. It is the perfect highlighter - so subtle!

 
At 2:22 PM, Blogger jewelboxdreams said...

Smashbox is teriffic. I love the Tokidoiki line. I've been using the Celebrità eyeshadow quad almost every day since I got it. It may very well be my favorite quad ever!

 
At 5:56 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love the cream eyeliner palette - there is a nice range of colors, and the eyeliner really stays in place, all day. I wear it everyday, and I am planning to buy a couple of the full size cream eyeliner colors (the silver and bronze are my favorites).

 
At 8:10 PM, Blogger Candi said...

I'm obsessed with Smashbox cosmetics... their eyeshadows, photo finish primers, and brushes are definitely all wonderful, but my "I can't live without item" is their jet set cream eyeliner. This eyeliner comes in a smaller pot than their normal cream eyeliner (which i'm also a fan of), but stays in place until you take it off. I went swimming for an entire day wearing my black jet set.. and no joke at the end of the day came out with absolutely none of my makeup on, but my eyeliner was perfectly intact. if you are a black eyeliner junkie, you'll LOVE it.

 
At 9:27 AM, Blogger Jennifer said...

I love, love, LOVE their primer, of course. I have the cream eyeliner palette, and haven't been able to love it. :( I must be doing something wrong, because I just can't get a nice pigment or any real staying power.

 

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