Benefit Gimme Brow

Brows have become my new thing, I'm realising that my face just doesn't look right without at least my brows filled in. That said as much as I like my Beautiful Brows powder when I am doing a full face of makeup, alone it draws more attention than needed to my brows, and not in a good way.

So on a recent trip to Sephora, Dubai, I was quickly convinced that Gimme Brow by Benefit was the product I needed. Named as a ‘brush on fibre-gel’ it has a tiny wand to add a tint to the skin and the hairs, so it fills in gaps and keeps hairs in place at the same time.

Spot the fibre-gel brow

Like all Benefit products the application is designed to be foolproof. The wand is tiny, so all the hairs are caught, without catching forehead or eyelids at the same time. The color is buildable, and the gel doesn't clump or leave your brows feeling "crispy," in fact, once applied, I barely notice it. It lasts all day and, as it claims, it seems to be water resistant but is definitely humidity resistant! That said, it does come off easily with makeup remover, which is always a good thing.

There are only two shades available, light/medium and medium/deep, I use the latter. For me, it's one of those no-makeup makeup products, great for use everyday, but if I need/want more defined brows I would opt for a powder/pencil product only because my brows are sparse and fair to begin with. If that isn't the case for you though, then this could be the perfect product. It just hope the colour selection is expanded to cater for blondes and redheads too!

Gimme Brow costs £17.50 for 3g and can be purchased directly from Benefit, or Boots and many department stores.
    

Benefit Christmas, all wrapped up in love!

I don't like to say the C-word so early in the year but needs must and I hope when you read this post you'll start to get excited about the season.

Benefit Cosmetics have launched what I think, and I know they think, are their best Christmas sets yet. Perfect for newbies and addicts alike there is a great range of products at a budget to suit everyone.

I had the pleasure of attending the launch of their Christmas sets in their new store in Carnaby Street, London. The store is amazing and is the flagship branch for their new blow-dry bar, it also offers waxing, tanning and shellac manicures. Added to that the salon and treatment area is tucked away from the rest of the store and there is access to a champagne bar and nibbles while you pamper.

I was lucky enough to be sent home with two of the 14 sets available this year, Primed for Lovin’ and Crescent Row.

Two of the gift sets this year are housed in storage tins that are also stackable. Primed for Lovin’ is the larger of the two tins and contains three full sized products, They're Real, High Beam and Porefessional as well as a mini ultra plush lip gloss in the shade Sugarbomb. The tin costs £44.50 and is great value considering that most of the items retail for around £23.

The Crescent Row Set contains four miniture fragrances, one of which is the newest addition to the collection, Noella. At £29.50, the price of one full size perfume, the set is great value for money.

Another set that caught my eye was Little Love Potions, which contains a selection of mini  bestsellers, ideal as an introduction to the brand or for anyone who likes to have minitures to keep in their handbag.

The set includes Porefessional,  It's Potent, High Beam, Posietint, Stay Don’t Stray, Watt’s Up, Bad Gal Lash, That Gal and Hoola lip gloss. This set retails at £29.50 and I’m sure I’ll be heading out to add this to my collection soon.

All the sets are available now and are limited edition. The most limited being the very exciting Countdown to Love Advent Calendar. There was a giant calendar displayed at the event, which I think every blogger stared at for a while thinking ‘I wish’.

Featuring 24 miniature Benefit goodies, the calendar will be available to buy on 2 November, no doubt only for that day, from Debenhams stores and select Benefit Boutiques. The Benefit ladies stressed that they were extremely limited edition and that some stores would only have 10 so I suggest if you want one to get that date in your diary for a trip to a store.

Finally if that wasn’t enough Benefit have two new products to showcase too, but for now I will leave you with an image to whet your appetite and I will be back with a full review soon.

Check out the website, here, and let me know, what is on your Benefit lust list?

Hello Flawless

To be honest I didn't have high hopes for Hello Flawless when it was given to me at a Benefit event a few months ago. But since the first try I have been wearing it every day.

Hello Flawless is a powder foundation and I was matched to the shade Honey, which is a great perfect for my skin tone in the winter months.

I wouldn’t say that the foundation makes me look flawless but I get pretty close, and that’s good enough for me on a daily basis. 

The foundation provides a light to medium coverage at best. It isn't very long lasting, but because of the size of the packaging I carry this round with me to touch up my foundation if I am planning on going out in the evening.

The finish is matte and you can see the level of coverage and shade in my last makeup post here. 

The application is a little tricky to get right, only because you need lots of thin layers to get the coverage level you want or you risk looking cakey. Surprisingly, I found that the brush and the sponge stored underneath the foundation are best for application.

I use the sponge to press the powder onto my skin where I want the most coverage, and then with the brush apply the light layer over the rest of my face making sure to blend well.

The foundation costs £25.50, a little pricy in my opinion for that money I would want something with a few more skin benefits but I wouldn’t say no to buying it again when I run out.

Benefit Fake Up

Benefit is on a role with their product releases this year. First came Fine-One-One, then the World Famous Neutrals and now Fake Up. Of all of them, this is the one I was most excited for.

Fake Up is described as a hydrating crease-control concealer, that has been proven to keep the skin hydrated for 6 hours. It is made up of two parts, a hydrating ring containing vitamin E and apple seed extract for moisurisation and a concealing core to smooth skin, hide dark circles and diffuse light.

I am constantly being told I look tired (I know, thanks!). The skin around my eyes and their shape makes them look darker so I would love nothing more than to achieve that Kim Kardashian brightness. I also have dry skin and fine lines starting to develop so the last thing I want is something that settles in the lines and looks worse than going bare.

I was fortunate enough to be invited to the final stop of the Fake Up tour at the Benefit Spitlefields boutique. After quizzes, nibbles and some information on the product we were all given the entire shade selection to take home and a Hello Flawless Powder foundation to celebrate its 1 year birthday.

Fake Up comes in three shades, light medium and deep and we were told that all three shades could be used together for contouring. In fact at London fashion week, the Benefit team had gone as far as using the product as a foundation on the models when they were short of time.

I use the shade medium on a daily basis underneath my eyes, which glides onto the skin and blends in easil, without having to tug the eye area. I use my fingers to blend but you could also use a foundation or a concealer brush and I imagine a beauty blender or sponge would also work well.

From left to right: light, medium and deep

After wearing all day my eye area felt smooth and hydrated and I am pleased to report that I didn't experience any creasing. Even though it is so hydrating it doesn’t leave the eye area looking shiny.

Although the medium shade doesn’t give me that KK look, it does even out the colour around my eye area and make me look brighter on a daily basis. On a night out I would use the light shade to add extra brightness and it would also work well as a shimmer-free highlight shade. I used deep as an alternative to a powder contour and found it much easier to blend and get a defined look. However, I don’t think the shade is right for my skin tone.

Fake Up costs £18.50 for 3.5g. Considering I have paid £10 for Garniers eye roll on, which doesn't have the staying power or the level of coverage as this product, I think the price is reasonable. The only thing I can’t judge at the moment is how long it will last.

Finally, just a quick note on the packaging…how cute! I love the design of the tube but also that the boxes are slightly different colours to indicate the shade.

Fake Up is released today (30 March) in the UK and can be found in stores or online, will you be faking it?

Benefit Fine One One review

Benefit have kicked off the new year with a brand new product in their collection, Fine One One, which is described as sheer brightening cheek and lip colour.

I was lucky enough to be invited to an event at the Spitalfields boutique, where we got to have makeovers, a 'photo shoot' on a segway and a talk about the brand DNA from the daughters of one of the founders, Maggie and Annie Danielson.

Some segway time with Grace from ‘All That Slap'

Fine One One is made up of three shades — pink champagne, sheer watermelon and soft coral — which blended together form a sheer coral pink, which gives a subtle and natural cheek but can be built up to bright pink.

The packaging is very cute. The rose gold finish looks good and complements the colour of the product. The plastic casing does feel a bit cheap, compared to other Benefit products, but it is light weight and compact, which is great for travel.

To use the product, you twist it up and then glide it across your cheekbone. As with all Benefit’s products, it is designed to be easy to use and it really is. I really like the flush of colour it leaves on the cheeks, and it can be built up to something more if you want to. Since the cheek isn’t flat, I did find that I had to go over the area twice, angling the product to get an even amount of each shade.

The Benefit ladies said that Fine One One was tested on all skin tones and is suitable for all, but I think that darker skin tones will find it difficult to build up into anything more than a flush of colour.

I did a small colour test of my own using my mum and sister since we all have a slightly different skin tone. Standing side by side, wearing the same amount of product it is interesting to see how much of the colour could be seen. Personally I think it was the most flattering on my sister. For some reason the colour looked barely there on me compared to the top photograph.

The product also can be used as a lip colour but I don’t imagine I will be using it for that, mostly because it’s awkward to apply on the go.

I love the colour and the finish on me but, unfortunately, I didn’t find that the product lasted very well. After applying it at around 7.30am, I could see very little, if any, left by lunchtime.

At £23.50 for 8g, it is a little pricy, especially since I can imagine getting through this much quicker than a regular powder blush.

What do you think of Fine One One?

#Merrybenechristmas — Benefit’s Christmas Party

Benefit held their first blogger Christmas party at Mary Jane's bar in London, which was a mix of beauty talk, festive food and drinks and of course makeovers! I have previously visited the Benefit headquarters, which was an amazing experience and I equally enjoyed this one.

On this occasion Benefit showcased their Christmas gift sets, which contain a mix of full sized and trial sized products. The gift sets are a great way of treating yourself and trying three or four products for a reduced price. They are also great for teenagers or those new to makeup.

One set that caught my eye was the Jet Set beauty collection (all the sets have a travel theme this year), which contains a mini sized Porefessional, four neutral eyeshadows (plus a sponge applicator), a blush/highlighter, lipgloss and mascara. In the past the sets have contained colours that I would not always use but since everyone loves a neutral palette, there is no danger of this palette going unloved.

We had a demonstration of the set and the look that could be achieved, which took less than 10 minutes! We were also told about Benefit’s achievements over the last year, including having two top 10 selling products, and that there will be lots of exciting products to come in 2013.

We were all lucky enough to walk away with some goodies including Porefessional and They're Real, which I have reviewed in the past.

The Christmas sets are all currently reduced on the Benefit website, so if you don’t have one waiting underneath the tree and want to treat yourself post-Christmas these are even more of a bargain.

They’re Real! Benefit mascara review

Benefit’s Bad Gal Lash is the only mascara I have used, loved and repurchased. However, last year Benefit released They’re Real and replaced Bad Gal Lash as my favourite mascara.

They’re Real is a false-lash effect mascara, which is perfect for me since I can’t/don’t like applying false lashes. The secret to the mascara is in the wand. The rounded end means that each and every lash can be coated, and it only takes the one coat to get the effect.

For me, it’s perfect because it does the job it’s meant to do without clumping my lashes together or ending up all over my lids. I can easily get away with just one coat to get the effect I want.

Naked lashes

They’re real!

I have grown to like the packaging on this, although I am not much of a packaging girl generally. But I like that it is not too long and fits into makeup bags and pockets easily.

If I had to find a fault with this I would say that, because it is so effective at coating every lash, I don’t like the defined look you get on the lower lashes (think Twiggy). I skip using this on my lower lash line and opt instead to applying eyeliner so that my lower lashes are more subtly defined.

*This was a gift from my little sister. Thanks Sis! 

Quick review: Benefit POREfessional

After attending the Benefit event at the end of November last year, I was really glad to have received a porefessional in my goodie bag.

As the name suggests this product is meant to minimise pores — my major skin complaint — and to my  pleasant surprise, it does!

It is a beige coloured, silky/silicon feeling cream that spreads easily on the skin and immediately reduces the appearance of pores. It also gives a matt finish, so would be great for anyone with oily skin.

I apply a small amount to my nose and cheeks and then use the remaining residue on my fingers on my forehead and chin, a little goes a long way so I am expecting that it will last ages! It leaves my skin feeling really soft and smooth and acts as a great base for makeup but can also be used alone.

At £23.50 it is not cheap, but I have already purchased my own and Benefit are currently selling it in a set with Erase Paste and a sample size of Girl Meets Pearl for the same price — I am not sure if this is a permanent addition to the range so those of you who want to try take advantage of the set.

My experience at the Benefit brow bar

Benefit’s brow bar were also present at LFWend and offering a discounted price on all their service. Having grown my eyebrows out since my HD brows experience, they were in desperate need of a tidy and I decided to take advantage of Benefit’s special offer.

Because my decision was quite sporadic I didn’t go any of the sensible things a beauty blogger should do like take “before” shots and pictures of the stand but hopefully you can still get a good idea of the service.

I was cautious after my HD brow experience, which I think left me looking uneven. So the first thing I did was tell the “brow man” that I am aware that one of my eyebrows sits higher than the other and is more arched and that I wanted them as even as possible.

The first step was to dye my eyebrows, the colour was left on for 1 minute. The same as HD brows, he mixed a bit of the colour with a blue dye, which is meant to give a more glossy and natural finish. My eyebrows immediately look better dyed, being naturally very fair.

He then waxed my eyebrows, which involved me pulling a few funny faces, and after plucking out the odd hair I was done!

In all not only was this treatment quicker, but I preferred the finish so much more. My eyebrows were even and he caught every hair and I will definitely revisit Benefit in the future.

On the day Benefit were also offering a deal include eyelash dying, which I also tried. This involved me sitting with my eyes closed for 15 minutes with the dye on my lashes. That was the longest 15 minutes I have experienced, especially with the noise and bustle around of other people shopping. The urge to open my eyes was so strong, but at the same time I was very aware that I had dye on my lashes and I was worried what would happen if it did get into my eye.

After the first 10 minutes or so one of my eyes started to tingle, which only increased my paranoia! But I was reassured that it is completely normal and that usually people have one eye that is stronger than the other, which is why I only felt it in one.

I have to admit though, once the dye was taken off I really didn’t see a huge difference. My eyelashes are naturally dark and this didn’t do much to make them look darker or thicker — but they do seem to look more curled and I can notice the smaller lashes toward the inner corner of my eye more.

I expected that dying my eyelashes would mean I could get away without a mascara every day, but maybe that is not what this treatment is intended for? I personally wouldn’t repeat this treatment again, for people with already dark lashes it isn’t going to add much.

Quick review: Eye bright by Benefit

This is one of those products that does exactly what it says on the box. Eye bright by Benefit is designed to make you look awake by adding brightness to the eye — I can’t think of any other way to describe it!

It is a nice pale pink coloured eye pencil, which you can use in that waterline to brighten up the eye are and make you look awake or in the corners of the eyes (useful to highlight the inner corner too!).

I have heard of and tried out the tip of using white eyeliner before to brighten up the eyes, but I really didn’t like the look it gave, and the pink tone of this lends itself much better for this.

The pencil is creamy and applies to the waterline easily and surprisingly it lasts as well as you would expect from any eyeliner. I prefer to apply with a light touch to get the best look.You can also use it as a highlight underneath the brow bone or in the inner corner of the eye.

This normally retails at £14 but I used my Debenhams beauty club points to get this for cheaper. I think at £14 it is expensive for what it is. For those of you who received the dusty pink Eyeko eyeliner in the January Glossybox, I think that this can be used in the same way and is a cheaper alternative. I also think that the slightly darker shade will work well to give a brightening effect without looking obvious.

My visit to Beauty Heaven a.k.a Benefit headquarters

I was lucky enough to be invited to “beauty heaven” by the lovely people at Benefit, to have a nose around their office and take a closer look at their Christmas gift sets.

I actually arrived 20 minutes early and not knowing the area at all, ended up 10 minutes late! So I was a bit flustered when I first arrived but just in time for the presentation, introducing me and the other bloggers to Benefit.

I learnt so much about Benefit, how the company started and developed, as well as where they are now and what they have planned. We were then given a tour of the offices, which were amazing. The whole place was decorated pink and had cute signposts of the different departments. We also got to meet Ian and Gail, the people responsible for running Benefit in the UK (I believe!).

The atmosphere in the office was amazing, as much as I love where I work, you can imagine that the Benefit team have a lot of fun at work every day. In fact, I learnt that they have a YouTube channel and that all the staff are used to make the adverts for new products, with the most recent being "They’re Real". This is the link to a video they made of a tour around the office, which should give you a bit of an idea about the energy levels I got to experience in the office on the day.

I don’t have to worry about breaking any secrets saying this now, but we were even lucky enough to see two new products to be launched in the new year, which I have noticed some bloggers already writing about. The new blush, Hervana and new flawless foundations.

Unfortunately I had to leave early and missed the chance to win a hamper of Benefit goodies and the opportunity to play around with some products, but I was lucky enough to be given a goodie bag filled generously with some new products to try.

I am most excited about the porefessional primer, since this has been on my wish list for a while. The headband has already come in handy for my pampering sessions and I will be sure to review the other products as soon as possible.

My visit has definitely made me love the brand that much more. Let me know what your favourite Benefit product is.