Smashbox For Twenty Five Years Our Lips Have Been Sealed Lipstick Palette Review

Last month I attended a fabulous holiday party hosted by Shoppers Drug Mart & beautyboutique.ca. There was champagne, sparkling white Christmas trees decorated with makeup ornaments and even a gingerbread ice cream sandwich station! In the press bag I received some beautiful personalized presents and a gift card to do some shopping (not that I needed any motivation).

Being a Beauty Editor and testing new products means that I have enough makeup, skincare and fragrance to last a lifetime so I had no idea what to get. After adding some everyday essentials to my online cart (the Urban Decay Primer Potion and a new bath puff) I saw this gorgeous Smashbox Palette! I hadn’t heard very much about this limited edition collection when it launched but the variety of colors intrigued the lipstick junkie in me and I found them irresistible!  

This beautiful range was released to celebrate the brand’s 25 year anniversary and their influence in photography, fashion and beauty. The palette contains 25 of their most beloved, bestselling cream and matte shades inspired by style icons. I like the idea of lip palettes because the variety is very appealing but they aren’t always practical for reapplication on-the-go. This one is okay for travel and totes but too large to lug around in my purse. I really chose it for the stunning shades since there isn’t one lipstick that I don't love.

For personal or professional use this palette is great! The selection includes everything I look for: trendy flattering hues mixed with bright tones, deep rich creams, a few neutrals, dark vampy effects, plums, reds, corals, pinks and shades for all seasons and occasions. The large mirror is a nice touch but the lip brush is small and the thin shape makes application seem tedious so I don't really use it.

Although I'm obsessed with every color, the coverage is surprisingly inconsistent. I expected intense, buildable saturation throughout and what I got was 10 amazing mattes with medium to full coverage high intensity pigment and 15 glossy creams with sheer to medium color. Needless to say I wasn’t thrilled with the sheer tones since some show up as tints rather than lipstick and require a lot of layering to transmit the vibrancy and pureness of the color. When applied very generously, most of the shiny shades still look beautiful but I would have appreciated an entire palette of mattes and full-coverage creams instead. I also recommend keeping the plastic sheet covering since lip palettes have a tendency to dry up if not closed and sealed properly.

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The mattes hold-up well enough (usually a few hours of wear) but the glossy shades don’t last as long so once I leave the house (without the palette) I need a backup lipstick if I don’t want to go bare-lipped all day.

Below I've swatched some of the lipsticks to demonstrate pigmentation and finish. Dean, Robert, Kelly, Davis, Kim and Angie are the sheer-medium creams and the mattes go from Lori to Peggy.

The formula contains nourishing butters and oils that provide moisture for comfortable wear and I think most of the pigments are suitable for all complexions. The palette retails for $79.00 and is still available at beautyboutique.ca should you wish to indulge before it's gone.