Happy 2017! To kick us off I wanted to write about one of my favourite brands - Smashbox. Their holiday collection this year brought us neon perspex aplenty and I was fortunate enough to receive this mini palette set under the Christmas tree.

They are very travel friendly - an eyeshadow palette, lip palette and contour kit, each one smaller than a deck of cards. You also get a neon perspex mooji-style box as an added extra, just in case the coral strobe of the palettes themselves wasn't enough.



The contour kit is the classic trio of a cool toned contour powder, matte bronzer and a highlight/banana powder. I already have these but as part of a Masterclass palette which is much less compact. The formula is the same as the full size product - very smooth, blendable and not at all chalky or choppy. I use the banana powder to kick off any excess when baking my concealer and I love both of the contour shades. If you wanted to plump for their full size contour kit then there is also one for deeper skin tones. The pan sizes are pretty small in this kit, much smaller than they appear on their website photo - however, my Zoeva 109 brush fits perfectly for a sharp contour.

Contour, Bronzer, Highlight - Vanilla, Flamingo, Russet, Totally Nude,  Amethyst, Dark Cocoa

The eyeshadow palette was pretty disappointing - I absolutely love Smashbox eyeshadows as a rule but these are patchy and underwhelming. This is definitely not the same formula as their larger palettes. You can get it done, don't get me wrong - there's a good balance of shades and finishes. The lightest shade Vanilla I have in another palette and is one of my favourite bases and great for a matte brow bone highlight but across the palette the pigmentation is just not there. Much like the mini MAC eyeshadows - quality takes a huge knock here.

Cognac, Pretty Social, Inspiration, First Time Matte, Jam On It Matte, Bing Matte

The lip palette was the biggest surprise; I was all ready for these to be too waxy or greasy like pretty much every other lip palette I have tried. I was very wrong. Firstly, it's filled with shades you would actually want to wear from their Be Legendary collection - three in a sheer/sheen finish and three matte. The three matte shades are gorgeous, so much so that I immediately went and bought First Time in a full size that I could keep in my handbag for touch ups - it's very close to Kat Von D's Lolita II in tone but a lighter terracotta nude. Here you get neutrals, pinks, a red and a berry - all very wearable shades with pretty consistent quality across the palette and comparable to their full size lipsticks.

This set was £39 originally - a pretty hefty price tag for what you get. It was reduced to £26 and whilst sold out online, may still be available in stores. As I do travel a lot and appreciate the compact size, for me, the £26 would be worth it even with the eyeshadow palette falling well below expectation. It's also a really good way to try out the contour kit and six of the Be Legendary lipstick shades if you're new to Smashbox. However, the real recommendation I can make here is to treat yourself to a Smashbox Be Legendary Matte Lipstick for the new year - my first beauty love of 2017!