And I like the way you move. (Yep, I’m quoting Whigfield, you can judge me, I care not.)
So my lovely co-author and close personal acquaintance, Oily Baby, suggested posting our makeup looks. I guess it’s a good idea to show that we, you know, wear makeup and aren’t talking out of our butts. She was on it quickly, I was not, but here it goes.
Afternoon peeps,
So, for a while now, I’ve ventured to the Benefit counter in my local pharmacy. I’ve purchased a few products and have been given others as gifts. For the price, I have contemplated whether or not the products are actually worth the money. Clearly, the packaging is beautiful and really gives a nice impression as a gift but, besides that, why should one buy this brand? Following, there is some of the list that I have collected and my reviews of each (because I know you clearly care about my opinion), enjoy…
My first foray into Benefit was with their ridiculously popular mascara They’re Real. (£19.50/$23.00)
One of their cheapest products and, as far as I’m concerned, one of their best. It separates. lifts and accentuates lashes, while not looking too clumpy. It’s somewhat drying – as I have found with a lot of mascaras – but that isn’t a huge deal in my book. Better it’s a bit of a pain to get off, instead of creating the dreaded ‘Panda Eye’. It’s very dark black, of which I’m a huge fan, and gives great volume. All in all, it’s pretty much worth the money and lasts for quite some time. (I still sometimes use the brush for other mascaras, even though this particular one has run out.)
Verdict: Worth the money.
Up next, Erase Paste, according to their website: “brightening camouflage for eyes and face“. ($26.00/£19.50)
Now, this one I’m torn on. It comes in three shades, 1. Fair, 2. Medium and 3. Deep. However, there isn’t that much of a difference between them. (Clearly they aren’t in the act of having this concealer for darker skintones.)
Anyway… It’s very creamy and silky, with great coverage. My mum loves it for just this reason, she has a number of blemishes on her skin; age spots, wrinkles and some broken capillaries. Erase Paste leaves them almost non-existent. “BUT THAT’S GOOD, RIGHT?” I hear you cry. It is good, it’s brilliant and she is delighted with it. However, I feel that for the delicate eye area, it is too heavy and, as you try to blend, it can crease and pull at the skin. I think that’s pretty detrimental to younger skin and isn’t all that necessary unless you have some extremely visible blemishes that you would like to conceal. So, by all means, use this if you are looking for OMG!COVERAGE but if you’d rather a lighter feeling concealer, this isn’t for you.
Verdict: Somewhat worth it, depending on what you are looking for.
But fear not, because Boi-ing might just be the concealer for you. ($20.00/£17.50)
Boi-ing comes in five shades, a lot more variation than that of Erase Paste and it’s cheaper too. For me, this would be more suited to younger skin. It’s lighter and easier to blend, great for under-eye areas. Having said that, it’s a bit drying and there are a ton of concealers – much cheaper – that do pretty much the same thing.
Verdict: Not worth it, plenty of cheaper concealers that do the same job. (See: E.L.F. Studio Complete Coverage Concealer, £3.75, at www.eyeslipsface.co.uk)
Lemon Aid is a “colour correcting eyelid primer“. ($20.00/£16.50) It’s yellow, hence the name, and its apparent appeal is that it can be worn with or without eyeshadow over it.
This is okay. It’s definitely suited to paler skintones and it does give a wide-eyed look but I personally don’t feel that it’s brilliant as an eyeshadow primer. It’s average, at best, and there are a number of non-yellow dupes for people who aren’t into that look.
Verdict: Not worth it, cheaper primers available that work just as well, if not better, and suit more skintones. (See: Essence I Love Stage Eyshadow Primer, $1/€2.50, www.essence.eu)
That Gal face primer ($29.00/£22.50) was something I bought spontaneously.
Acquired with a makeup voucher that was burning a whole in my purse, I trawled the Benefit counter for something I had yet to try. I was looking for a good primer and the TOO ENTHUSIASTIC Benefit person was all over this product like a fly on shit.
Yep, it’s brightening and it smells good but, really, that’s it. It didn’t smooth my face or even out foundation as much as I would have hoped. It’s a bit pink for my liking – since I’m already too pink naturally – so I think this may work better on someone with slightly darker, oilier skin.
And that bitch said it was for dry skin. I felt like I’d put water on my face -_- Fool me once, etc., etc.
Verdict: Not for me. (See: Gosh Velvet Touch Foundation Primer, €19.99, www.goshcosmetics.ie and at Superdrug).
High Beam is like the Holy Grail of Benefit products ($26.00/£19.50).
Okay so, admittedly, it’s good. In fact, it is very good. It highlights one’s features like a dream – although is a tad on the shimmery side – enhancing those loverly cheekbones and eyebrow bones… As if your face has been licked by a unicorn. I don’t really have any problems with this, except the price. I, personally, don’t think that it’s worth it. Considering the previously mentioned E.L.F. does a dupe for pretty much all of Benefit’s highlighters; High Beam, Moon Beam and Sun Beam. Check them out here: http://eyeslipsface.co.uk/en/restofworld/shimmer/shimmering-facial-whip/invt/1200
Verdict: Nope, not when E.L.F. is on their case with a fabulous product that does EXACTLY the same thing.
Overall Verdict:
So, if you are interested in Benefit products, buy them, I wouldn’t tell you not to. But, basically, there are a huge number of duplicates out there for a literal fraction of the price. Obviously Benefit‘s packaging is prettier and all that but I, personally, would rather spend the money on other brands.
That’s all folks!
WHY IS SKIN SO HARD 