Biggy Christmas Lip Smackers, 1981
Hi BC readers, it’s been a minute! Things have settled down here so I’m hoping to get back into the swing of things on the blog.
How is everyone doing in this dreary post-Lip Smackers world– are you slowly chipping away at your Lip Smacker stash dreaming of better days, hoarding them like a dragon hoards treasure? Or maybe you’ve succumbed to the new normal, an endless parade of Disney characters dancing before your eyes (well, honestly I haven’t checked on LS 2.0 in a couple of years but… it’s a safe assumption)?
Strawberry, Bubble Gum
I’m in the hoarding-and-still-mourning-but-reluctantly-trying-other-products phase just so I don’t go through my extras too quick. While I’m going to be bitter ’til the end of time about the brand being gone, I’m thankful there is such a massive back-catalog to continue discovering and collecting.
I hope everyone has a good holiday and I look forward to posting more regularly!
A little holiday throwback for us. These are over 15 years old now, aren’t they? They’re teenagers! 😛
- Crystal Wintergreen
- Golden Butter Cream
- Kaleidoscope Candy
- Strawberry Sequins
- Silver Snowball Cookie
- Berry Beads
The scents have turned on mine but I still remember loving Golden Butter Cream and Crystal Wintergreen. It’s a bit bittersweet thinking back to these old sets, isn’t it?
Hey everyone,
I’m sorry about my extended absence the past couple of months! I know a lot of you have been wondering where I am and why I haven’t been reviewing new products or responding to comments.
After much thought, I’m sad to say I will no longer be reviewing new Lip Smackers on Bunnycookie. This brand means a lot to me but I am no longer passionate about it post-Bonne Bell’s ownership.
This is for a lot of reasons:
- Expense: Lip Smackers no longer have shelf presence in my local stores and I know I’m not alone in that. I’ve had to rely on the internet and in turn pay a significant premium. It has seriously begun to add up, in part because of:
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- Quantity: The collections they’re churning out have gotten way too big. You may remember me complaining about the 20+ smacker Easter set this year. That’s far too much for most people and it discourages collecting. Instead of finding holiday releases exciting I started to dread them due to the sheer volume. Sure, I could be pickier about what I buy but I’m a completionist and I like to review the full set on the blog. I don’t want any more Disney products. I don’t want another Marshmallow Treat. I don’t want to pay for new art on old flavors.
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- Quality: Formula changes, loose caps, mismatched tubes, weak scents, the Peppermint/Cin Sugar debacle, Smoochie Club not fulfilling orders, flavor reveals that never happen (Pink Lemonade biggy, Oatmeal Cookie), the list goes on. The rotten cherry on top are the Chinese-made tinned balms and dollar store collections, both of which indicate declining quality. No thanks.
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- Mission: Bonne Bell didn’t just make lip balm, they were beacons of their community; they provided jobs (and to a demographic often ignored: senior citizens), supported health initiatives, and provided fantastic, small-town style customer service until the end. There was a ton of heart in that company, and growing up I always connected with and felt represented by the brand. Despite smackers insane popularity, the company never felt mass marketed. It paid off too; rarely do you see this type of brand loyalty. Rarer yet is honesty from a corporation.
That about sums it up. I don’t mean to bash Markwins, they’ve supported blog contests and sent me products in the past to review which I greatly appreciate. The truth is I would be saying this no matter what company acquired Lip Smackers, even if the transition was perfect and they were releasing flavors I’ve only dreamed of. Ultimately my passion for the brand stops with Bonne Bell, it just took me awhile to realize it.
As for the blog? There will be updates but it will only be older smackers from now on. The comment system will be the same as usual; everyone is welcome to discuss old and new smackers to their heart’s content. I’m so sorry BC won’t be your source for new reviews anymore. I’ve met a lot of collectors and made a lot of friends and I love you guys! Who knew something like lip balm could mean so much to so many people?
BC
Psst, what’s this?
Is that what I think it is…? 😮
It is! The new Tsum Tsum Lip Smackers are here! And they might be the cutest yet.
We have the sweet kitten Marie (from the Aristocats) in Love in Pear-y, a hoppin’ Tigger in Bouncy Bubble Gum, an adorable Donald in Jelly Quackers, and an all too precious Dumbo in Peanut Butter Shake.
The Aristocats is one of my favorite Disney movies, and Marie’s Love in Pear-y might just be my favorite Tsum Tsum flavor! It’s a lovely floral pear that I wish I could bottle up in a perfume. Truly any cat lover will be over the moon with this balm 🙂
Dumbo’s little hat, trunk, and rosy red cheeks make him too cute for words, but his Peanut Butter Shake flavoring falls a bit short. I don’t pick up on much peanut at all! It’s a bit more of a burnt caramel if anything. A circus peanut flavor would have been a home-run here.
Lip Smacker always does justice to their bubble gum flavors, and Bouncy Bubble Gum pairs perfectly with Tigger. The formula seems a bit more mild initially but then the classic scent comes through.
And if you’ve liked the recent cranberries LS has put out, you’ll enjoy Jelly Quackers. The first note is similar to the burnt scent I picked up in Dumbo’s flavor, then it transitions into cranberry. I do actually like the ‘burnt’ scent, even though I can’t really identify it, it’s a nice change from the cookie filler every other formula had.
Another really fun collection! Keep in mind the Disney balms have never had a ton of scent innovation, it’s usually a re-imagining of past scents. I hope the Tsum Tsum family continues to grow, I’d love to see a princess collection (Ariel please 🙂 )
These will be available in stores this July and on Lipsmacker.com in August!