Starfruit

Starfruit Smacker tube designs from 1994-2002

The Starfruit Smacker is indeed a star in the 1990's Lip Smacker line-up, debuting in the very early 90's, around 1994. Bonne Bell always had a way of creating unconventional and intriguing flavors and Starfruit shows just that. Starfruit was so special, it even came in a Biggy-size when it first launched! I don't have many details of what kind of promotion the Starfruit Biggy came in but I would love to know if you remember.

The very first Starfruit Smackers circa 1994

Backside of the Starfruit Biggy and mini sporting the ingredients and iconic Bonne Bell logo

With its nearly fluorescent, tropical-hued pink tube it's a flavor hard not to notice! Just like you, I've always wondered why BB chose this shade as opposed to a starfruits actual color, a bright yellow-green, but that mystery is part of Bonne Bell's charm. The color of the balm itself is an exotic coral-red shade that gave a light tint along with the signature gleam of a Smackers sheen.

The Starfruit Smacker has a flavor in a league of its own which ultimately solidified its place in Bonne Bell history. A refreshing tropical fruity flavor, much like an actual starfruit. I could swear there is even a soft floral undertone too that added on to its uniqueness. If you haven't tried an actual starfruit, it has a green, crisp, light tropical fruity flavor so they did great with this formula. An actual starfruit has always reminded me of a green grape, not at all flavor-wise, but the experience and texture of eating one. 

Starfruit even made its way into the Natural Nectar line in the elusive lip balm pots as Shooting Starfruit and was also available as a Smackers bath & body fragrance in this collection! Comment below if you had them.

Starfruit was such a popular flavor she even got her own character in Smackersville alongside her adorable pet monkey Muffin who also inspired many delicious and memorable flavors in the Pet Pals collection. They first appeared together in the Friendship Duos collectables in a limited-edition Starfruit Smacker adorned in a laser holographic wrap along with Muffin's flavor Wild Berry Muffin. She was the Queen Bee of Smackersville too based on the archived stats below.

Limited Edition Starfruit from the Friendship Collectibles duos, 2000

Backside of the Limited Edition Starfruit (right) from the Friendship Collectibles duos

 

 

Starfruit started disappearing from the Original line-up around 2002 and the world has never been the same. Bonne Bell never reintroduced Starfruit but did bring out a Skittles Strawberry Starfruit Smacker with their Skittles partnership and even an SPF 24 option, Julius' Starfruit, in their Paul Frank partnership. Both had new takes on starfruit formulas that were very different from the original but also unique and refreshing.