Minimal luxe makeup – a Smith & Cult review
Written By Jenny Wu on
I appreciate good packaging in beauty products, so from the moment I laid eyes on the Smith & Cult lip lacquer, I was in love. Thanks to an awesome Black Friday beauty sale at Saks, I was able to add more Smith & Cult goodies to my makeup collection.
In this post
- Smith & Cult Lip Lacquers swatches and review ⇢
- Smith & Cult Lip Stain (Sweet Suite) swatches and review ⇢
- Smith & Cult Nail Lacquer (Lovers Creep) swatches and review ⇢
- Overall thoughts on the brand and its makeup ⇢
Smith & Cult Lip Lacquers
I first discovered Smith & Cult in my September Popsugar Must Have Box, and I instantly feel in love with its modern yet luxurious packaging. The metallic cap with its uneven edge is so unique – it’s like a sculptural piece right on my vanity!
The product itself is excellent – very shiny, hydrating, and not sticky at all. Color wise they’re more pigmented than lip glosses, but not as rich as typical lip lacquers unless you opt for the darker shades.
I have a total of 4 shades right now: Warning (a bright shimmery red), Queen is Dead (a shimmery berry), Lovers (a medium bubblegum pink), and Now Kith (a light mauve). How cheeky and fun are these names? As you can see from the single swatch above, The Warning and Queen is Dead are more pigmented, whereas Lovers and Now Kith provide just a hint of color.
Personally I really love Now Kith for a nude look, and Queen is Dead for an everyday look.
- Highlights
- Gorgeous packaging, high shine, no stickiness, vegan, paraben-free.
- Purchase at
- Saks Fifth Avenue ($22), Net-a-Porter ($22)
Smith & Cult Lip Stain
This has the same uneven edge cap found in across all Smith & Cult products, except this time the entire tube is metallic! The color of the shade is actually indicated by the color of the logo on the bottle. Seriously, I can’t get enough of their minimalistic design!
The shade I picked up is Sweet Suite, which is described as a rosy pink. The texture of the lip stain feels silkier and more hydrating compared to the lip lacquer. It actually reminds me a bit of the YSL Oil in Teint Lip Stain which I adore, but at a lower price point!
Color and pigmentation is similar to the Lip Lacquer in Lovers, but notice how it smoothes out the lines on my lips! Overall I prefer the texture and finish of the lip stains, so it’s a shame they only have 2 shades right now.
- Highlights
- All-metallic tube, silky smooth texture, hydrating, blurring.
- Purchase at
- Saks Fifth Avenue ($24), Net-a-Porter ($24)
Smith & Cult Nail Lacquer
Seriously, Smith & Cult makeup double as vanity decor because they’re just so gorgeous! Their nail polish is no exception, and they’re 8-free, meaning they’re formulated without Dibutyl Phthalate, Toluene, Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin, Camphor, Xylene, Ethyl Tosylamide and Triphenyl Phosphate – aka all the nasty stuff.
The brush is shorter than any other nail polishes I’ve tried, so it took some time getting used to. The texture of the polish is interesting as well – it has this jelly like consistency which I found makes for a smoother and easier application.
The color I chose is Lover’s Creep, a rich burgundy that’s perfect for the fall/winter. I love that you only need one application to get an opaque coverage, though you can definitely layer on a second to get a deeper color.
The finish is glossy and smooth, though I would definitely apply a top coat if you want the colors to last. I didn’t, and by day 2 my nails were already chipped. I get the same results with Essie, OPI, and Debra Lippman if I don’t apply a top coat as well, so I think this may be related to the base coat I’m using…probably need to experiment more on this, but let’s just say Smith & Cult performs on par with my other polishes.
- Highlights
- 8-free, gorgeous packaging, jelly-like consistency, easy application
- Purchase at
- Saks Fifth Avenue ($18), Birchbox ($18), Net-a-Porter ($18)
Overall thoughts
- If packaging is a big deal for you, you’ll definitely appreciate the quality and design of Smith & Cult products. They’ll add glam to any vanity or dresser!
- Price wise, Smith & Cult is more affordable than upscale brands like YSL, Dior, or Chanel, but the quality is comparable. So if you’re looking for something nicer than drugstore makeup but aren’t ready to splurge on high end designer brands, this is a great middle ground.
- I love that the brand doesn’t try to do it all – they mostly focus on nail polishes and lip products, and they’re pretty darn good at it. I can’t wait to see what new shades they release in the future!
Overall I’m so happy I discovered Smith & Cult and will definitely add more of their products to my collection in the future! Hope you enjoyed this review, and let me know if you’ve ever tried Smith & Cult before!
Passionate about science-based skincare. Tested hundreds if not thousands of products since my 20's. Working regularly with brands like iHerb, Ulta, CurrentBody, and MedStar Health to share my knowledge and experience in all things beauty. Learn more.
Skin profile: 35+, dry/combination, focused on well-aging, hydration, and a healthy glow ✨
Comments & Questions
Stephanie | thefantasia.com
Interesting brand! I love that it's comparable to the quality of higher-end brands - I haven't been the biggest fan of YSL's Glossy stains so this is a nice alternative! Are you planning to shop for more items from the brand?
Jenny Wu
Hi Stephanie, thanks for the comment! I didn't like the YSL glossy stains either, it had this weird texture and accentuated the lines on my lips D: I'm thinking of trying their eyeshadow palettes next, the packaging has the cool uneven edges as well! If they release new lip stain colors, I might pick up more of those as well :)
An Dang, TheBeauParlour
Oehh I like the color The Warning, it has such a pretty soft pink effect on your lips! But too bad i'm not a gloss lover (: i can't stand the feeling of shiney gloss on my lips hehe. The nailpolish was something I had my eyes on for a long time, but now you tell me that without a topcoat it doesnt stay long i changed my mind! But still, the packaging of all of these items are so pretty!
xx, An | http://thebeauparlour.com/
Jenny Wu
Thanks for stopping by An! Lip glosses are definitely a hit or miss for me as well, since I can't stand the stickiness some of them have! Luckily this isn't sticky at all, though it definitely has that shiny gloss feel :P
Eek, I guess I didn't find the nail polish chipping a big deal because this happens with all my nail polishes regardless of brand D: I'm starting to wonder if it's my base coat, which actually makes the polish very easy to peel off! I think I need to go back and retest this, but I'll say that its staying power is comparable to Essie, OPI, and Debra Lippmann, hope that makes things more clear!
Elisa
i've never heard of this brand before so thank you for writing a blog post about it! i totally dig the packaging. it's so pretty and shiny *o*
Queen Is Dead and The Warning are really pretty. they provide just the right amount of pigment imo :D
since i have quite pigmented lips, i think Now Kith and Lovers will just look like clear gloss on my lips xD
i was actually hoping for a color swatch on the arms though just to see how the colors look like from the tube. that'd be a good comparison to how the colors show up on the lips. just an opinion :P
Jenny Wu
Woohoo, so glad you liked the post! :D I have pigmented lips as well, so darker colors definitely have better payoff. Now Kith did give my lips a more nude color, and while it's not a color I'd usually wear, it's great for a smokey eye look!
Omg, I totally took color swatches on my arm and forgot to attach the pic, sorry! It's up on the post now if you want to take a look!
Shireen L. Platt
Hmm, I am not a fan of sheer lip products so I will definitely skip the lip stains and lacquers but I have read fantastic reviews on the nail polish so I might pick up a couple when I see another sale.
Shireen | Reflection of Sanity
Jenny Wu
Thanks for stopping by Shireen! They do have some great colors for their nail polishes. I'm thinking of buying more as well!
Jennifer
These photos are so beautiful Jenny! I love how bright and saturated the colours are. I've only tried a nail polish or two from the brand but their lip stain looks like something I'd really enjoy. Thanks for sharing lovely!
www.barelytherebeauty.com
xx
Jenny Wu
Thank you so much Jennifer! It helps when the products themselves are beautiful and colorful - makes taking photos much easier ?? The lip stain is my favorite as well, just wish they had more colors!
Grace
Thank you honey ❣️