Red Raspberry
Red Raspberry was freshly plucked from the Bonne Bell berry patch in 1976 shortly after the success of its cousin Wild Raspberry. In original .60 oz., biggy size, the raspberry red tube and screw cap weren't the only flawless attributes of Red Raspberry, the flavor and formula sealed the deal for this just over four decades old favorite.
There’s no doubt Bonne Bell was the queen of making so many berry delicious flavors over the decades following their first flavor ever created, Strawberry, in 1973. The original 70’s line introduced many iconic Lip Smacker flavors that stayed in the line for decades to come including the cult favorite Red Raspberry.
Red Raspberry proved to be one of Bonne Bell's most succulent Smackers to date. Imagine the flavor of the most ripe and plump red raspberry freshly picked off the bush on the perfect summer day. Bonne Bell captured just that making it a true Lip Smacker. Not only was the flavor juicy but the formula imparted the perfect berry tinted shine with every use. One of the original Smackers to leave behind color that also doubled as the perfect lipstick for many.
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| A few Red Raspberry labels from 1976 through 2015 |
Red Raspberry stayed in the Lip Smacker family through most of Bonne Bell's ownership (along with Wild Raspberry) and was offered as a single and was also included in trios and the keychain-capped six pack Cherries, Berries 'n more in the 90's. Sadly Red Raspberry was retired shortly before the brand was sold in 2015. Through out the four decades it was available it became a favorite to many and saw quite a few label changes along the way and even donned some limited edition packaging as you can see above. After Wild Raspberry and Red Raspberry became instant stapes, Bonne Bell introduced many other juicy raspberry concoctions throughout the years like Raspberry Sherbet (1978) and much later Raspberry Chocolate (1994), Raspberry Ribbon Candy (holiday 2001), Raspberry Peach (2001) and Raspberry Melon (2008) among countless liquid glosses like the Razzleberry Roll-on Shiner, Raspberry Orbit Lip Sparkler and Raspberry Angel Cake Sponge-on Layered Cake which I will all eventually review on here.
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| Marketing pamphlet for the mini bonus promotion with purchase of a regular (biggy) size featuring Red Raspberry from 1978 |
I used to like Lip Smackers when Bonne Bell owned the company before Markwins took over and bought it. Back then, Lip Smacker and Bonne Bell catered to us collectors (we buy thousands of lip balms a year. I used to buy like twenty thousand lip balms). They would create new flavors just for us collectors, and they didn't need Disney products to carry the brand like nowadays.
ReplyDeleteIn 2015, Markwins bought Lip Smackers and Bonne Bell. I was so worried about if the quality would be good like with Bonne Bell, and I was right that the quality would turn bad. Markwins keeps putting out the same flavors in different packaging for all the seasonal years. They started to make LS and BB products in China when they've been made in the USA since the beginning. Us collectors complain all the time to Markwins, but I don't understand why they don't cater to us. I don't understand why they can't create new flavors for us collectors to buy. Lazy, lazy, lazy!
I wish Markwins were more grateful for the dedicated fans they acquired when they bought LS from the Bells. Seriously, the world doesn’t revolve around Disney branding.
I mean, come on, we spend our entire salary every year buying over thousands of LS products unlike the other lowly customers who only purchase LS products like, maybe once a year.Markwins sticks to about 8-10 flavors and renames them 20x’s. *Eye rolls* With all the money they’re making from the Tsum Tsums WHY aren’t they spending it on R&D for new and AUTHENTIC flavors!?! I like, wrote in on Facebook about my thoughts and someone had the nerve to say to my post that Markwins won't cater to us because we're not the general public. We're a niche brand and a small niche. The person had the nerve to say that since Markwins is a big company, they have no time to target small niches like us. The person also said we're in the 1% and no company is interested in us because we're that low.
I'm like, excuse me????!!! Us collectors are so not niches at all. We helped build up the company to how great and powerful it is for today. If it weren't for us collectors, this company wouldn't have lasted as long as it did. Now, Markwins is ruining everything that Bonne Bell stood for. Also, that person said since another company took out, the management would manage BB and LS differently than Bonne Bell did because of the switch of companies.
Even if we’re the 1%, we spend 10X as much as the regular consumer, who doesn’t buy every new Party Pack coming out, or collection-most of us do! So our opinion does matter. How hard is it to do a few brand new flavors a year and some really good originals collections? I literally avoid any Disney branded Smacker now. I will buy any but that just to spite it.
Emily Huang is now head of all Bonne Bell/Lip Smackers brands at Markwins. Clearly, she’s sleeping at the wheel because they haven’t done anything with the BB brand and clearly nothing new with Lip Smacker. Bill George is her boss. Both need to leave cosmetics immediately
That is so, so wrong! They should manage LS and BB the same because we're the companies bread and butter.
I just don't understand, like, how come they, like, don't worship us! Us collectors are so, so, sooooooo special! We demand special treatment because we spend soooooo much money on the brand. Who do those stupid people think that they are running Markwins? Seriously, I think I'm going to sue Markwins for endangering us collectors from getting what we want and deserve!
UGH! I'm so over Markwins. Anyone with me?
I've been without Red Raspberry for several years now. I weep every time I buy something I hope will match, only to find myself continually disappointed and my wallet that much lighter!
ReplyDeleteI'm a 50+ woman. I want my RED RASPBERRY Lip Smacker!
I had dozens - everywhere! Pockets of every coat. A couple floating around in the bottoms of purses. Drawers. All over the vehicle. I was never, ever, ever, without.
I wrote to Bonne Bell USA, a few years ago now, only to be told to buy online . It simply couldn't be done. The shipping cost more than quadruple the price of product. Since that particular moment in time, they now no longer make it.
Had I known.
I have never found ANYTHING that comes close to the benefits my Red Raspberry offered. The flavour, the scent, the light finish, my always soft lips, and best of all, just the lightest wisp of colour. Sighhhhhhhhhhh
Thanks for sharing! Red Raspberry was a favorite to many including my own sister. One thing I've learned is Bonne Bell Lip Smackers are ageless, it just goes to show how great the product was. You're in luck however, it's currently being sold in lots on eBay, original formula and all so I hope you've come across it already and if not at least see my reply so you can get a stockpile. I hope you see this!
DeleteI loved the red raspberry as well & have looked for years to find more to not avail 😢 I wish they would bring this popular flavour back!!
ReplyDeleteI really miss Red Raspberry Lip Smackers. The only thing I ever found that was sort of close was the Strawberry Flavor Saver from Avon. (Kind of a pale imitation of RR) Unfortunately it's not available online anymore, and I'm just not willing to go through the rigmarole of setting up with a representative.
ReplyDelete