Paul Gallagher just showed me his new handling of "LipSmacker" and it's a real keeper! This presentation begins in exactly the same way as "Vanish #2" from the original instructions and proceeds unaltered through "Fig.#7". The box is now held with the fingers of your right hand at the front and your thumb at the back. The UPC code is facing you. You use the bottom of the box to tap the heel of the spectator's empty right palm a couple of times in rapid succession as you say "Make a fist!". As soon as the spectator makes a fist with his right hand you repeat the exact same action to his left palm. That is to say, you tap the heel of his left palm a couple of times as you direct him to "Make another fist!". You'll be able to watch the magic happen as he makes the second fist. Now use the same closing to this variation as you used in "Vanish #2". Try this new handling, we think its another winner!

An alternate method to divulge the "mouth mint" in any of the "vanishes" is to have the spectator open his hand first and discover one of the mints has vanished. When the spectators' eyes look back up at your face have the mint between your lips.(No sucking here please!)

For mint longevity we suggest "between the cheek and gum, not under the tongue".

Ok I bought the effect and yes I too think that it has loads of potential.

I'm a magician from the UK and I was wondering if there are any other alternative UK brands of sweets or breathmints which could be used as an alternative to those supplied. Call me a perfectionist maybe but wouldn't it be great to be able to make up the necessary gimmick using a recognisable UK brand.

I had a quick look at the local chemist but it seems that our UK breathmints are smaller than those from the US.

To be honest I'm fairly certain that non-British breathmints would pass ok since, to my knowledge, the general public is not going to be aware of every brand of breathmints on the UK market (having to ask this question is maybe proof enough of this truth), but still it would be nice.

Have any other UK purchasers of this fine effect discovered perfect substitute sweets/mints?

Oooh here's a thought - in the past at restaurants I've been offered mini after dinner mints wrapped in shiny foil. They were about the same size as the lipsmacker mints would be if they too were wrapped up in a similar foil. But do they come in a useable package? How else could I disguise the UK looking mints?

As you can probably tell I'm starting to lose it here...becoming obsessed by breathmints!!

Please someone help before I teeter over the edge

I believe if you do a Google search or such on "Breath Assure Ora-Blast MegaMints" you will find they are sold throughout the world. Check out http://www.breathasure.com You can order them from the manufacturer, etc. This particular brand has some features naturally built in though you can most likely put this into other brands. Don't pass this item by. It may not read as earth shattering but it has a VERY strong effect on a spectator.

Tim Trono

One thing that most people seem to have missed... The "mint" is very close in size and shape to Jelly Belly jelly beans... Consider the alternatives...

ajp

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!!

White Jelly Belly beans is definitely the way to go and I bet they come in little cardboard boxes about the same size as poppet boxes. If they don't, then they're about to!! Time to put my PC scanner to good use.

For those interested in tying tricks in with "current trends," might I also suggest tying in LipSmacker with a Russian Roulette Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans competition? White could be snot or somesuch and rather than eating it, it vanishes?

I'm personally not a fan of riding a band-wagon, but in this instance, the combination of magic and the Bertie Bott's Beans may be a winner.

ajp

This effect is like a clean/non-messy version of Rocco's Salt-N-Pepper. Also, I've found that the Elohim Ring works as well, if not better than the supplied box, with this effect. Something to consider...

Thom