Hey Beauties!
I am a firm believer that makeup is a form of creative expression, it is an art that is designed to be fun, vibrant and exciting! I love that makeup gives you the ability to discover who you truly are, figure out what works for you and customize your look to best represent you! That's why I'm such a massive fan of brands that look at makeup as an art form and create products that allow you to play, create and discover.
Smashbox Cosmetics is right at the top of my list because everything from their brand identity to the products themselves are created with individuality and customization in mind. Their new Spotlight Highlighting Palettes are an incredible example of just that!
The Spotlight Highlighting Palettes ($40 CAD/$35 USD - 0.30 oz) were created in collaboration with youtuber Casey Holmes who I have been a massive fan of for years! When I heard that Casey was coming out with highlighters I knew they would be amazing because she has always been an advocate for makeup that covers redness and imperfections but never accentuates textures, pores or fine lines.
(gold palette)
The Details
Their collaboration created two highlighting palettes designed to help you "customize your glow, add dimension, and let your features pop with layers of light".
The palettes come in two shades, Pearl (for fair to light skintones) and Gold (for medium to dark skintones) but I definitely think you can mix and match depending on your preferences because makeup has no real rules. Each palette contains 3 coordinating powders (turn it on, crank it up & blow a fuse) in the specific shade range and each powder has a different finish that ranges from a subtle glow to a super sparkle.
This trio design gives you the freedom to build and control your glow. You can smooth on the first shade (Turn it On) for a soft all over glow, you can layer on the next shade (Crank it Up) for an intense spotlight effect, or lastly you can top it all off with the third shade (Blow a Fuse) to add a sparkly strobe. I love this system because it truly gives you the chance to play and create your perfect glow all in one small, sturdy compact.
(pearl palette)
The Formulation
The formulation of the powders is another wonderful aspect of these palettes, they are so incredibly well made and they are the only illuminating powders I have tried that work on every skintone and texture.
The 1st and 2nd shade in each palette are so incredibly smooth that they almost feel like a cream to the touch. The powders are velvety smooth and super soft with an ultra-blendable texture that melts into the skin. They are also very nicely pigmented with the perfect amount of colour for a subtle glow in one swipe but it can absolutely be built up to a stronger, more intense gleam.
The 3rd shade in each palette is a different formula entirely with a stiffer, drier texture that delivers a more subtle dose of colour. The reason it is less pigmented is because it's designed to be a delivery system for the mega glow sparkles that will take your highlight to the next level. I love to use the shade as a topper for my highlight and sometimes my blush!
The most magical aspect of these powders is that truly blend and melt into the skin effortlessly. They do not emphasize texture, pores or fine lines AT ALL and that is almost impossible to achieve with any sort of powder product.
(L-R - Gold 3, 2, 1 Pearl 3, 2, 1)
The Shade Range
Smashbox really nailed the shade range for these palettes, both the Pearl and Gold palettes were really well thought out with shades that work for any skintone and undertone. Pearl is light enough for the fairest of complexions without looking muddy but has enough colour to it that light to medium skintones can pull it off as well! Gold has a range of tones that work beautifully on almost any skintone even darker, richer complexions.
Gold Palette
- 1 Turn it On - light golden peach with a pearly sheen
- 2 Crank it Up - medium golden copper with a frosty sheen
-3 Blow A Fuse - medium dark copper brown with golden glitter
Pearl Palette
- 1 Turn it On - light creamy yellow with a pearly sheen
- 2 Crank it Up - medium champagne with a sparkling frosty finish
- 3 Blow A Fuse - light to medium golden peach with sparkling glitter
Wearing Pearl 1 - Turn It On
Wearing Pearl 1 & 2
My Final Thoughts
I was honestly so impressed by these palettes, Smashbox and Casey Holmes created the perfect customizable highlighting palettes with an incredible formula that doesn't get enough credit! I really love that Smashbox encourages creativity and individuality within this platform. They understand what makeup is all about and they aren't afraid to create products that might be a little outside of the box.
Pin it!
*press sample but opinions are all my own*
