This is not exactly a “new” product, but I just have to rave about this new lipstick I recently came across. It is by Smashbox, called Photo Finish Lipstick With Sila-Silk Technology. In layman’s terms, its a great lipstick. One of the few I felt the need to actually write and tell people about.

This lipstick goes on perfectly and feels incredibly soft. It doesn’t sink into the creases and if your lips are a bit chapped or flaky, it just covers it nicely. Its very luxe and velvety feel along with a slight hint of fragrance that isn’t too over-powering. It has something called Sila-Silk technology in it which is suppossed to impart that “plush feel and full moist finish” to lips. Whatever it is called, it works. Lips feel great, smooth and the color lasts for a while. The color I am currently loving is called Elegant (sheer finish), which is a great nude color that looks good with a smoky eye. They have three finishes – a cream, sheer and shimmer one. It’s $22 and you can find it at smashbox.com.

Smashbox has introduced Palettes for PETA, two new eyeshadow trios that are 100% vegan and cruelty free. Smashbox has been proudly cruelty free for some time now but this trio takes it a step further and helps promote “cruelty free, kind living” with the adorable bunny logo branded right into the eyeshadow. This palette is named “Earth Mother” and the shades are even more gorgeous in person. The other trio is named “In the Wild” and it features gold, peach and green shimmery shades. I’m a sucker for makeup with a cause.

One thing that really intrigues me in beauty products these days is how advanced they have become. Who would really ever think that our lipgloss could be good for us or that our foundation would change color based on our skin?

Smashbox’s O-Glow is one of those products that makes use of this advanced technology and turns it into something foolproof. This product is a gel blush that is waterproof and actually works with your skin’s chemistry to change colors. You start by dabbing on beads of color on your cheeks and almost instantly, the gel starts changing into this intense pink color. It was a little alarming at first, I thought this product would stain my cheeks and that would be the end of it. However, I was really happy to find that this gel blended extremely well into my skin… I was actually surprised by it. The color I thought was a bit alarming at first, blended down to a nice, pink, healthy glow. This product claims to turn cheeks to the exact color you blush in and I found this was pretty close. While I love how well this gel blended, I also loved how it left my skin feeling. It was as if I had this great, silky barrier on my cheeks. If you use Smashbox’s Photo Finish Foundation Primer, you know what I mean.

I spent New Year’s Eve visiting all of my favorite counters in preparation for coming back and posting again. One of the things that caught my eye was Smashbox’s new Tokidoki collection. For those of you wondering what Tokidoki is, it’s a Japanese anime created by Italian artist Simone LegnoI. You can find more of his work here.

I have never been inclined to try a Smashbox Skin Tint before so it must have been the Tokidoki art that did me in. At first look, the shade Bella may scare off some potential users but this bright pink shade is great. It can give skin a really beautiful, youthful glow. The key here is to start off small and build on the application. I’m using it on my lips and cheeks and it makes me look like I’m a teenager all over again. It also blends really well. Sometimes with stains you have to act fast before it dries up on you but this creamy formula gives you the time you need. Added bonus: it’s oil free and contains vitamins A, C, and E.

You can find this at Sephora now but act quickly… it’s limited edition. You can also find the rest of the collection here.