Last summer, Smashbox released a collection with makeup artist Vlada Haggerty, who also happens to be the Lip Editor-in-Chief (the Russian branch translates it as “expert on lipsticks”) of the brand and has participated in creating liquid lipsticks before. The entire collection was designed in a consistent style, with packaging and cosmetics in a rose gold color scheme.

I, of course, had my eye on the highlighter and eyeshadow palette.

The packaging is standard for the brand. The highlighter comes in a box with the shade name on top, while the palette is in a box with a “window” and the shade names duplicated on top.

On the back, there’s a photo of Vlada and a link to her Instagram.

Smashbox + Vlada Petal Metal Highlighter Gilded Rose

This highlighter was released in three shades, one of which was exclusive to American Sephora and the other wasn’t available in Russia. They’re darker than Gilded Rose, but would still have complemented the collection 🙂

The compact is simply stunning! It’s the most beautiful cosmetic packaging I’ve ever seen 😍 It’s heavy, made of plastic, and closes with a magnet.

On the back, the shade name is printed – Gilded Rose – as well as the volume – 10 grams. Made in Italy.

Inside, there’s a rose, which is repeated on the packaging of almost all the products, as a symbol of one of Vlada’s most famous lip arts.

In the swatches, applied with fingers on the left and with a brush on the right, the shade is a champagne with a pinkish shimmer 😍

The highlighter is undoubtedly very beautiful! But also picky. You need to choose the right brush for it, which should be quite dense, possibly even a bit stiff, otherwise the highlighter will mostly transfer glitter to your face. I like to use it with the Real Techniques Setting Brush.

If you don’t blend it well enough into the skin, individual pinkish glitter may be visible under electric lighting. There are no complaints about its staying power and blendability, it lasts all day and can be layered to a bright metallic shine.

It has no scent, a volume of 10 grams, and a baked texture, so it will last for a hundred years.

Beautiful design, doesn’t dust, layers well, gives a wet shine, picky about brushes, may accentuate skin texture, has individual glitter.

Rating: 7 out of 10.

Smashbox + Vlada Cover Shot: Petal Metal Eye Shadow Palette

I love eyeshadows with all my heart, and I’m usually drawn to this type of color scheme. So, I decided to buy this little Petal Metal palette.

The palette is quite small and compact, just like the others in the Cover Shot line.

The lid features a holographic image of the same rose and lips by Vlada. I’ve also seen photos of this palette with the typical Cover Shot “explosion” design. Perhaps they made this palette a permanent part of the collection and changed the lid to make it fit in better.

On the back, there are the shade names. The total weight of the eyeshadows is 6.2 grams, made in Italy.

Inside, there’s a mirror, but you can only use it if you hold it very close to your face; at a distance, it distorts the reflection.

The left section is warmer, with copper shades.

The right side has a slightly cooler pinkish range.

Swatches of the left section. Shades: Fresh Stem, Nude Rose, Rose Quartz, Floral Support.

Swatches of the right section. Shades: Opal Rose, Rose Rocked, XO,Vlada, Coffee Blossom.

The left section under colder lighting in the depth of the room.

The same with the right section.

And some makeup looks.

Used shades: Coffee Blossom, Fresh Stem, Rose Quartz, Floral Support.

Shades used: Coffee Blossom, Nude Rose, Opal Rose, Rose Rocked, XO,Vlada.

Shades used: Fresh Stem, Nude Rose, Coffee Blossom, Rose Quartz, Floral Support.

Shades used: Fresh Stem, Nude Rose.

The eyeshadows are very soft and noticeably dusty when picked up. The matte shades feel silky to the touch, blend and layer well, while the metallics are creamy, super soft, and best applied with fingers for a more intense metallic effect.

Opal Rose is my favorite shade! The most beautiful pink that plays when the lighting is right.

Overall, I have very positive impressions of the palette, and it almost always stays in my cosmetic bag for a week and doesn’t get boring.

Great pigmentation, easy blendability, layerable, dusty, metallics fall out slightly during application, mirror.

Rating: 9 out of 10.

The collection often goes on sale, and you can catch the palette and highlighter with discounts of 40-50%, so if you see something you like, good luck finding it 😉

Thanks for your attention,

Polina.