Green Art Nail: benefit

Since its creation in the 1970s (it was originally developed for an exotic dancer) benetint has become a popular product. It has appeared in many magazines and is loved by celebrities, makeup artists and makeup lovers around the world.

This product is marketed as a rose-tinted lip & cheek stain that lasts all day and looks “naturally sheer and sexy on all complexions.” It claims to be “the sexiest flush you can get from a bottle.”

I have been using this product for about 10 months. After testing it out in different ways and using a variety of application methods, I have decided that, for me, this product is not ideal for use on the cheeks. Although it gives a pretty flush, I have found that it darkens and draws attention to dark spots and imperfections on the face in a way that powder and cream blushes do not. It also seems to make the skin look a bit flat and does not leave the cheeks looking fresh or glowy. In terms of application, benetint sets so quickly on the cheeks that it blends unevenly and makes the skin appear blotchy.

That said, it is one of the best lip products that I have ever tried. It gives the lips a pretty rosy flush that really does last all day. I usually dab a bit of this product on my lips in the morning and then apply lip balm a few times throughout the day to add moisture (the nail polish-like brush makes application easy and precise). My lips look almost as flushed by the end of the day as they had at the beginning. I like the colour because it looks natural and does not feel heavy or sticky. Although I purchased this product in the summer, I started using it more often in the winter when I put my lip glosses away for the colder months. I only wear lip gloss in the summer because where I live the winters are very windy and my long hair gets stuck in my lip gloss. Benetint is mess free and transfer resistant. I only wish that it did not have such a high price tag. It costs $28 for 12.5 ml/0.40 fl oz. I was lucky enough to purchase my bottle on ebay for around $9. In benetint’s defense its seemingly small amount of product lasts for a very long time. I have been using it every single day for the last six months, and a few times per week before that, and the bottle still looks completely full. At the rate that things are going this one bottle could probably last for 10 years!

Benetint can be purchased at www.benefitcosmetics.com

My rating: 2/5 as a cheek stain and 5/5 as a lip stain

*click photos to enlarge*

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Benefit Velvet Eyeshadows: Bikini Line & Nice Melons

The Benefit website (www.benefitcosmetics.com) says that these velvet eyeshadows “glide on light as a feather & the gorgeous shades look fabulous on everyone.”

I purchased two shades: Bikini Line and Nice Melons. Both shadows, though powder, are incredibly creamy, smooth, and blendable. They are shimmery, but not glittery, have great pigmentation and last for hours without creasing (I have only used them with a primer). Despite being very soft and sometimes creating a bit of dust in the pan, these shadows create very little fallout during application and wear. The packaging is also very appealing and features a unique bird pattern.

Bikini Line: This colour is described by both Benefit and Sephora as a desert sand colour. On the lid it appears as a light buttery gold colour. This shade has been compared to MAC’s Ricepaper, Nylon, and Creme De Miel, and Femme Fi eyeshadows. I think that this colour is perfect to use all over the lid or as a brow bone highlight and would compliment most skin tones.

Nice Melons: This colour is described by Benefit as a papaya pearl colour and by Sephora as a golden peachy pink. This creamsicle shade adds a glowy warmth to the lids that I believe would be flattering on most skin tones. It has been compared to MAC’s Melon pigment.

So how do they compare to MAC Shadows? Well, a MAC shadow pot is $14.50 USD or 1.5 g / 0.05 oz whereas the velvet shadows are $18 USD for 3.00 g or 0.11 oz. Both shadows are equally pigmented and are high end quality. Benefit’s shadows are much softer and easier to blend. MAC shadows come in many different colours whereas Benefit currently only sells approximately 12 shades. MAC shadows come in a range of shades and finishes whereas Benefit shadows all have a slight sheen and are lighter, more wearable colours. Neither company tests on animals. Both companies’ products have sleek stylish packaging but Benefit’s is more original. In my opinion (and I am someone who prefers lighter shimmery colours), Benefit Velvet shadows win this competition with their generous amount of product, sleek packaging, and silky smooth formula. Either way, I will still purchase shadows from both companies but want to work on building my Velvet shadow collection at the moment. Which do you prefer?

My rating: 5/5

*click photos to enlarge*

-Bikini Line is on the left in each photo and Nice Melons is on the right-

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Keep Beauty Products Germ Free

A few weeks ago I was shopping on an online forum. I saw a few eyeshadows that I wanted to purchased but was hesitant to buy them because the seller had indicated that each shadow had been tested a few times. I have a huge germ phobia and very sensitive eyes so I do not usually like to purchase used beauty products. However, the shadows were being sold for a really great price and I did not want to pass up the great deal. So…I went over to the makeupalley.com beauty board and asked if there is a safe way to disinfect powder eyeshadows. Many posters recommended Beauty So Clean cosmetic sanitizer mist. I looked it up online and found that it was the perfect product for disinfecting makeup. I purchased two bottles online (there was a promotion at the time—2 bottles for the price of one—which is unfortunately no longer available). I ended up buying the shadows that I had wanted (Benefit velvet shadows) and disinfected them by first gently scraping off the top layer of product with a stiff angled brush and then spraying each shadow twice with Beauty So Clean. The spray did not damage the products and gave them a fresh finish. I also tried the spray on an Urban Decay shadow and it worked well.

As you can see from the picture below, the spray bottles are not very large. They are 0.27 Fl. oz. (8 ml) for around $12.50 USD but I think that they will last a long time and will make it possible for me to purchase used cosmetics on forums from time to time.

You can purchase this product here:http://www.beautysoclean.com/us-retail-stor

or use the site’s store locator to find a retail location near you.

My rating: 4/5

*click photo to enlarge*