Smashbox Light It Up 3 Palette Set: Eyes Contour Lips

There's nothing quite as cool as receiving one gift from a friend but actually getting three different things in the package. This is what makes the Smashbox Light It Up 3 Palette Set for Eyes, Contour and Lips ($55 CAD) a fun and unique beauty gift. Smashbox's Light It Up Holiday Collection for 2016 is in collaboration with Meryl Pataky, a San Francisco-based neon artist. Hence, the neon box and neon palettes. 

The set contains three palettes and within those palettes includes six eyeshadows, 1 contour, 1 bronzer, and 6 lip colours. 

The eyeshadows were not as impressive as other Photo Op Eyeshadows that I have tried in the past. The colours swatch nicely but look a bit muddy and sheer when applied. They require a primer or a bit of water to make the pigments pop. I like the varieties of colour that Smashbox chose to put in the palette. Vanilla (matte bone), Russet (satin bronze), Totally Nude (matte pink beige) and Dark Cocoa (matte brown) are basic neutrals, while Flamingo (peach with gold shimmer) and Amethyst (purple with gold shimmer) add interest to the palette. 

Both Flamingo and Amethyst are best worn foiled (spritz a little water or setting spray onto the brush before dipping into the eyeshadow), as the foiling technique is the best way to get the wonderful golden shimmer in these particular shadows to stand out.  

The Smashbox Light It Up Palette Set was my first experience with Smashbox face products. I have to say that I'm impressed. The powders are smooth, adhere onto the skin staying all day long and can be blended without fading away entirely. The Contour and Bronze shades are perfection for my currently faded tan. My only issue with the palette is the sizing of the powders. They're TINY. I find it extra difficult to fit my face brush into the palette without picking up one of the other shades. Perhaps Smashbox could have done without the highlight and just had two bigger bronzer and contour shades. 

Like the face powders, Smashbox's Be Legendary Lipsticks are also new to me. The Smashbox Lip Palette is by far my favourite of the 3-piece set. There are three cream finish lipsticks and three matte lipsticks, all available in Smashbox's permanent range. Congac is a warm raisin cream, Pretty Social is a light lavender pink, Inspiration is a bright fuchsia pink, First Time is a neutral coral, Jam On It is a raspberry, and Bing is a slightly orange red. The only shade that I don't find to be wearable for my colouring is Pretty Social, the light lavender pink. 

With both finishes, the Smashbox Be Legendary Lipsticks are comfortable and smooth. Not surprisingly, the matte lipsticks last for 4-5 hours on my lips, while the cream lipsticks last 2-3 hours depending on how much and what I've been eating/drinking.