January 2018 Brand Focus: Smashbox

My next post will be back to an actual product review, but I wanted to share a look into my vanity this month- and my thoughts on this brand focus intiaitve I've undertaken.

I've decided to challenge myself in 2018 to become more familiar with brands I just haven't tried much from. It was the Shadow & Highlight Palette set from Holiday 2017 that piqued my interest in Smashbox.

My history with the brand has been meh at best. I've previously used up an entire 24 Hour Photo Finish Eyeshadow Primer and loved it. I'm on my second bottle of Photo Finish Primer Water. I bought the L.A. Lights Palette for holiday 2016 and don't use it. It's unweildy and not a formula I've liked.

One of the reasons why I haven't been posting is that I'm not not testing different products every day. As of today I've got 14 primer-type products (face and eyes), one foundation, one concealer, four Cover Shot eyeshadow palettes, two Photo Edit Eyeshadow trios, two Photo Op Eyeshadow Trios (yes, the old ones), one Photo Op Eyeshadow Single, one Always On Gel Liner, one mascara, a contour trio, one Spotlight Palette, one large blush/highlight palette, one soft Lights blush (yes, discontinued- unfortunately, this is the best product I've discovered yet!), one Always Sharp Lip Liner, two Always On Liquid Lipsticks, one Be Legendary Lip Gloss, seven Be Legendary Lipsticks, and one lipstick transformer that I'm currently testing. That's 43 products I'm mostly testing for the first time- with an Ulta run planned for later today because I got a coupon for $10 off a $30 Smashbox purchase. So that's where I've been.

I did purchase most of these at my local CCO- and more than I'd planned to originally- because of the crazy sales going on. Think 40% off of outlet prices... even on current items. For example, I purchased the Studio Skin Foundation yesterday at about 58% off of the current retail price. (That sale killed my resolve to not buy new foundation.... I left with two!)

I'm not going to try any powders from the brand due to the price and because I have powders that I already love.... and I'm fighting the urge to pick up some more liners, but that's a category I'm trying to seriously reduce in my stash.

I hope you're also having a wonderful day... I'll be back this week with some actual reviews since I've been using some of these daily for two weeks already now and I feel ok to do so.