So I've decided to step away from the fashion today and do something more beauty related as I recently invested in a lot of benefit cosmetics make-up and wanted to let you dolls know what I think of the brand as well as each individual item. I had really high expectations as it seems as though they have been taking the world by storm, winning every true-blue makeup fanatic’s heart with all their cute packaging and humorous product names. So naturally I just had to try their make-up out!
However if you're like me and often reluctant to spend your money on such things then you'll understand how regretful I was when I spent £150 on just six items! I spent the whole day thinking 'should I have done that' especially as I'm only used to using cheap make-up! But i felt that it was time for change and I wanted to treat myself to some decent beauty products as the cheap ones just weren't doing it for me anymore! I was so sick and tired of coming home from work every day and realising how much of my make-up had come off throughout the day. The lines and dark circles under my eyes were the worst! So I was hoping and praying that these benefit products were everything that they are made out to be. The six items that I brought consisted of the Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow brightening liquid foundation, The POREfessional Pro balm, They're Real mascara, Watts Up soft focus highlighter, Creaseless cream eyeshadow and Erase Paste.
The foundation was the main item that I was worried about as I find it so hard to find a foundation that sits nicely on my skin without being too oily and at the same time gives me full coverage. However I noticed that this particular foundation is 'oil free' so I picked up a few free samples from my local benefit counter to try them out and I have to say I was very impressed. There are nine shades in total and I am usually an ivory as I have very pale skin. However benefit do two Ivory shades, one that has a more pink tone to it 'believe in me ivory' and one that is more of a yellow 'I'm pure 4 sure' which is the one that I discovered was best suited to my skin tone. One thing that I did notice is that the formula is extremely runny and does have a dewy finish because of this but none the less looks so flawless and natural on the skin and is definitely the best foundation I have ever used so far!
Moving on to The POREfessional PRO balm which I apply to my T zone under my foundation on the days that I want a bit of extra coverage. It is the No.1 selling primer in the UK and has been for the last three years! For me it's all about how long my make-up lasts and with this it definitely does! There are many primers around and I have to say I've tried out quite a few but this is definitely one of the best, I just love how silky it feels on my skin and a little goes a long way. It gives a very smooth complexion by minimising the appearance of fine lines and pores (hence the name) which doesn't feel like an extra layer under my make-up at all!
The Watts Up soft focus highlighter is also a very good product but for me personally it is not really a highlighter as it is darker than my actual skin tone! But none the less would be a great product for those with a darker complexion. I also find it very difficult to blend over existing make-up but maybe I just haven't mastered that yet!
As for the They're Real Mascara I can see why it has been the No.1 selling mascara in the UK for the past two years as it really does do what it says it will! It lengthens, curls, lifts, separates and adds volume all at the same time giving you the ultimate false lash effect. Like most girls I have the habit of picking my mascara off at the end of the day (come on we all do it) which has left me with hardly any eyelashes at all and the ones I do have are so short! But this mascara actually manages to make my lashes look half decent and it is so simple and easy to use! So I would recommend this mascara to absolutely anyone.
It's only recently that I've started getting into eye shadow as I never used to be able to apply it properly and would always end up looking like a clown. However after watching endless make-up tutorials I feel like I have finally mastered eye shadow application and wanted to invest in a decent eye shadow that I would wear every day. So when I saw that benefit have an award winning crease control cream shadow I just had to invest as eye shadow creasing on my lid is a problem I often suffer with. I decided to go for the shade 'Bikini-Tini' which is a very neutral champagne colour with a slight shimmer which instantly caught my eye. At first I had picked up a dodgy one (it's just my luck isn't it) which was so dry and hard that I couldn't even get anything out of the pot to apply to my eye lid. When I took this back the woman explained to me that this is what happens when the lids are not closed tight enough so I always make sure the lid to my new one is done up properly to keep it creamy and dreamy. However even with my new one I am slightly disappointed as it doesn't apply very easily to my lid and just ends up looking like a complete mess so if anyone has any tips on how to apply the creaseless cream shadow then please let me know!
The product that I was most impressed with is the Erase Paste which I could swear is God sent! I use this every day to hide the dark circles and discolouration under and around my eyes as well as my freckles on the top of my cheeks and over my nose. It comes complete with a fully illustrated step by step guide and a mini spatula for easy application. However I find it a lot easier to apply using a beauty blender. This is a product that I will continue to buy over and over again, I just love the brightening effect that it has on my complexion and it works wonders at hiding blemishes too!
The thing that really sets benefit aside from all the other make-up companies out there is their fun and quirky edge to beauty. I love the humour behind the brand that do not take themselves too seriously and I will continue to buy my beauty products from them for a long time. Admittedly their products are pricey but beauty always comes at a cost and I can assure you it will be worth it. Every girl should try out benefit cosmetics at least once!
All products are linked below, including the Pauls Boutique beauty accessories featured in this post.
