G’morning and happy Tuesday, friend. I was feeling kinda blah yesterday afternoon (been cold and rainy here), so I stopped by Sephora for a little pick-me-up.
In a somewhat shocking display of self-restraint, I managed to make it out of the store with just one thing — Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Strut ($19), a shimmery charcoal gray.
I’ve been meaning to bring it home for a while but just never got around to it. I bet she’ll look cute (and we’ll know soon enough) worn with a couple of my favorite Creaseless Cream go-to girls, Skinny Jeans (a shimmery pewter) and Birthday Suit (a shimmery chrome).
And since I was already at the store, I figured, “Why not swatch all of the Creaseless Creams?” 🙂
Swatches from the left: Tattle Tale, RSVP, Birthday Suit and Get Figgy
Skinny Jeans, Flatter Me, Strut, Stiletto and Busy Signal
Ice Shot, Silver Spoon, Purple Snap and Tidal Rave (all are Sephora exclusives)
Swatches with the flash
Swatches without the flash
I think of these as sort of like eyeshadows for hopeless girls (like me), LOL! Hopeless, as in me when I’m pressed for time or feeling exceptionally uncoordinated/or lazy. They’re so creamy and cooperative that they make it easy to do quick, shimmery eye looks. Plus, paired with a good primer, they stay put all day long without creasing or fading.
The Creaseless Creams also double as liners and can even work as bases beneath powder shadows, too. Hello, versatility!
What I’ll often do is apply a darker shade, like Skinny Jeans, on my lids with a dense eyeshadow brush (the MAC 239 springs to mind). Then, with a fluffy domed brush like the MAC 217, I’ll sweep a lighter color, like Birthday Suit, into the crease. Fo’ reals, the shadows blend right into each other like buttah!
When I have a little more time, I’ll grab an eyeliner brush (my fave’s the Sonia Kashuk Bent Brush) to apply a darker shade along the lower lash line, which draws attention to the eyes. A little bit of eyeliner along the waterlines, some mascara, and it’s a wrap. I’m good to go.
For more on the Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadows, check out…
Have you worn the Creaseless Creams before, and do you have any must-haves or ideas for looks I should try?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. Is it wrong that I think of Krispy Kreme every time I say the phrase, “Creaseless Creams”?
I’m wearing Get Figgy today. Get Figgy & Birthday Suit are my go-to colors for when I’m wanting a quick and natural eye look. I use Birthday Suit underneath some of my neutral MAC pigments and it’s a great combo.
I don’t have Get Figgy yet. I think it might have to the next CCS to join the crew. 🙂 Thanks for the tip on layering Birthday Suit beneath the neutral MAC Pigments! I’ll have to try that.
I’m actually wearing an older one. Samba-body loves me (?). I think its right. I love it. It’s so pretty and doesn’t smudge on my oily lids! 🙂 I just use that and my black liquid liner pen!
Oh, I LOVE that color! It’s so fabulous with coral cheeks and lips. 🙂 Good call on working that with the black liquid liner pen. Are you still using LORAC’s?
My favourite is Busy Signal. I wear it all the time 🙂 Its such a beautiful brown! I prefer these to MAC paint pots 🙂
I’m really drawn to that shade too. What do you like to pair it with?
these are gorgeous! I love spring pastels!
Me too!
You missed out on the three Creaseless Creams in the Femme Metale kit. They’re amazing!! Metallic finish, slightly more color payoff than Tidal Rave, they’re almost kin to MAC paint pots. I really hope Benefit releases more colors like that, because I truly love them.
Actually, I didn’t! 🙂 They’re no longer available on counter, but I swatched and reviewed them in September before they came out.
Here’s a link to the review for those who are interested:
The $38 Benefit Femme Metale Precious Metals Eye Makeup Kit: An Alchemist’s Delight
The kit was available through Sephora’s site through the F&F, and some time in early January I went looking – to get another gift for a friend. Sadly, it was gone by that point…!
I just saw those Sephora exclusives in-store yesterday, and I was wondering why I didn’t hear about them first here like I usually do 🙂 Well, here they are.
The only one I really liked was Purple Snap. It swatched like a cool lilac on me… really pretty 🙂
Hi JJ,
I reviewed them waaaay back in October! Here ya go:
These New Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liners Live Exclusively at Sephora
Ah, I must have missed it! It makes me wonder what other articles I may have missed!
I have Purple Snap and Strut… Stiletto, Tidal Rave, Birthday Suit and Skinny Jeans are next =P. Try Strut under teals and blues — makes a beautiful teal smokey eye! My favorite is using it with the new WetnWild 8 pan in Blue Had Me At Hello! 🙂
Thanks for the tip, Wendy! 🙂
I have this in RSVP! I love it to death. When I’m in a rush, I just dip my finger into the pot, dab it on both lids, throw on some mascara and I’m good!
What a coincidence! I wore RSVP yesterday. 🙂
There are some beautiful colors up there – thanks for the swatches! Do you know how they compare to MUFE aqua creams in terms of application and wear?
Hi Beth,
You’re welcome! I’ve tried the ones by MUFE and they’re great too — they’re slightly drier, though. I find the Benefit ones easier to blend.
As for wear time, the Creaseless Creams are good (they last all day on me with a good primer), but if you need a product to withstand sweat, water, or any sort of extreme conditions, the MUFE Aqua Creams are the way to go.
I want them all… my faves are RSVP, Birthday Suit, Figgy and Stiletto :).
and Strut, too :).
You need Skinny Jeans in your life too! Seriously… it’s the best. 🙂
im going to have to admit that strut is my most favorite-st creaseless cream shadow. i love love love love it!
it makes a smokey eye easy, can be used on its own and with powder shadows. i just love it!
I haven’t had the chance to break in Strut yet (hopefully later today, when I get some play time). What do you usually like to pair it with? I’m thinking it would look really nice with some pretty greens/purples/blues.
almost anything. i love it with some purples and teals. lately, ive been using mufe #18 pigment on top of it for a quick green/teal smokey eye. its also gorgeous with violet pigment.
today im wearing it with the teeniest bit of mac cranberry eyeshadow and gray liner. 🙂
SO I looove that color (Cranberry) but I look like crap in it! You’re lucky to be able to pull it off.
Okay, looks like I’m going to have to do some teal experiments with Strut, STAT!
i hope you enjoy strut as much as i do!
LOL i looked at the mirror again to see if i do look ok w/ cranberry on (as opposed to looking like i have a black eye) … i look human – i think it goes w/ the yellow in my undertones. LOL!
I’ve tried to work it in a number of different ways but I’ve come to realize that I look like a sci-fi monster with it on. 🙁 YOU LUCKY DUCK!
awwww. there are a bajillion other colors for you, girl! cranberry is just one of `em … 🙂
*quackyquack*
LOL! 🙂
So, will you get to go home at a decent hour today?
I have Birthday Suit and Busy Signal; love ’em both. When I’m feeling really, really lazy, I take an eyeliner brush, do a quick medium-thick line of Busy Signal on both lashlines, whip a flick of mascara on and call it a day, makeup-wise. This seriously takes all of 2 minutes. These are great shadows. If I’m using one to shadow the entire upper lid, I usually apply it with a concealer brush, though.
Okay… looks like Busy Signal needs to come with me sooner than later!
I’ve never tried these before, but they’re going straight onto the shopping list!
They’re fantastic. Make sure Birthday Suit and Skinny Jeans are on your list!
I just love these puppies! My favs are rsvp and birthday suit. I can even get quite good wear time from them without a primer, which is no small feat considering how oily my lids are! I really want to pick up a few mores shades since it’s such a great product.
RSVP is the jam! I wore it yesterday with some thick liquid liner along the upper lash line… it seriously took me less than five minutes to do my eyes!
I know, they’re so pretty AND so easy! Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadows for the win! lol
I love Birthday Suit, Flying Down To, and Flatter Me.
I’ve never tried layering the Creaseless Creams before, so thanks for the great tip Karen!
You’re welcome, Terri. They’re beautiful beneath the Benefit Shadows! Try Birthday Suit with Leggy or Bikini Line. 🙂
I only own 1, skinny jeans! Such a fabulous and easy to use shade! 😀
LOVE that shade! What do you like to pair it with?
I’ve been eyeing these up forever! I forsee “Get Figgy” and “RSVP” in my near future 😉
RSVP rocks. I use it when I’m looking/feeling tired… it always perks up my eyes!
They’re so pretty! I think i’ll have to go and look at all those pretty pretty colors, lol! I’ve been trying to dodge that store. I went in last Saturday for just a red lipgloss and ended up with also the Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer. Darn thing was in the front bins … couldn’t resist!
Oh, I hear that! I can never resist those bins!
I need to get birthday suit and skinny jeans xoxox
Both colors are must-haves. 🙂
I love Sephora! I hate going there because I can’t walk away without at least one bag full of stuff. Haha they have like the best sales associates in the world I swear! Or maybe I’m just easily talked into making purchases 🙂
Birthday Suit is my fall back cream shadow. I have you to thank for that. I have Skinny Jeans and I have been meaning to pick up Strut too. Strut is what hoped MAC’s Dangerous Cuvee would be but I was sadly disappointed!
The Birthday Suit/Skinny Jeans combo is THE BEST. 🙂
Do you have Samba-y Loves Me? It would look great on you.
OMG! I think Stiletto and Get Figgy are one of the most beautiful eyeshadows I´ve EVER seen!
You must’ve read my makeup obsessed mind, I was just talking about how lovely these were yesterday! The other day i swatched too on my hand for blog pictures, took a showers, and lo and behold there they still ere.
These are great! Which colors are your fave?
definitely Gettin’ Figgy. How can you not love a gorgeous shimmery purple?
They look gorgeous! Thanks for the swatches!
You’re welcome, Gio! Do you like any of these colors?
These look fab. I want to see them on!
Hi Marian,
You can check out Birthday Suit and Skinny Jeans in action here:
Happy Birthday to Your Brows! Benefit Now Offers Free Brow Arch Services on Your Birthday
I’m wearing the shade “My Date’s My Brother” today. 🙂 Creaseless Creams are the Best….Products…EVAHH!
I love them too! Do you layer a primer beneath? Or do you just wear ’em alone?
I rarely remember to use a primer but never really notice any creasing. I think I have 10 different shades. 😀
I should also mention that I got into the creaseless creams thanks to your blog! It was one of the first few posts I remember reading after I discovered your blog 2 years ago or so.
I LOVE these, my favourite are Stiletto and Busy Signal. Great product, especially when you have no time but still want to look great 😉
hi karen,
i purchased the benefit set at sephora when the offered it for $10 dollars it included a crease less eyeshadow, it’s great! But, I wanted to thank you because you mentioned the Bobbi Brown color corrector in Peach as part of your under eye routine and I love it. I have the same coloring as you and you were spot on! It’s amazing! Thank you!
So funny to read this, but I was planning on picking up Get Figgy tomorrow! Love these!! I look at them as kinda like “cheater shadows” because they require so little effort for such great payoff! Wonderful for my “lazy girl” or “frazzled girl” days, LOL! I have Skinny Jeans and RSVP and I am crazy about both. Skinny Jeans makes for a killer smokey eye! I’m sure that Get Figgy will not be my last Creasless Cream Shadow from Benefit. 😉
I know a lot of people have problems with cream shadows, but I love them. I want to give these a whirl!
Wow! I didn’t know it was physically possible to leave Sephora with only one item! Who knew?
My favorite look is to put RSVP on the lid. Then I break out a couple of colors from the Femme Metale kit. I use Plum-ing for Gold on the outer corner and crease, then use Platinum on the brow bone.
These have never worked out that well for me on their own, but I do use Flatter Me pretty regularly. With UDPP or Stila Prime Pot (my new love) and Satin Taupe on top, it’s my everyday eye.
I have a couple and although they are great/versatile, easy to put on, I have the one in Strut and it’s a perfect color to do a quick smokey eye look, but what I notice is after a month or two, the remaining stuff in the jar dries up really quickly, I used mine this morning and accidently tip over the jar and a whole chunk of it fell out….
I love Benefit’s cream shadows so much – I own Sippin’ and Dippin’ (very similar to Mac’s Rubenesque) and Samba-dy loves me. Both very pretty, frosty colours so I can’t wait to get a darker one like Busy signals.
They really are very adaptable and so easy to use. Pretty colours too…definitely one of my favourite Benefit product ever! I do want to get a matte one though – is there one in the range, or would I need to check out Bare Study or similar at a Mac counter?
Oooooh! I simply looove Benefit’s cream shadows ( I’m not usually crazy about creams ) Yesterday I wore my Skinny Jeans in the my crease with Urban’s Fishnet shadow as my base color. Looked supercool together!!! 🙂
You have hit the nail on the head in pairing Strut with Skinny Jeans and Birthday Suit! I love that trio for easy peasy smokey or non smokey eyes and Strut with just Birthday Suit for a very very fast eye look that is stunning. What took you so long to get Strut, Karen?! 😉
I love Birthday Suit, I bought it after reading about it on your blog, so thank you! It’s my go to shadow when i’m getting ready for work every morning. I’m sad that just this morning I tossed my other cream shadow, Sambady loves me, because it was dried out. I don’t remember how old it was but I bought it at the same time as my Birthday suit and that one’s still great. Has this ever happened to any of yours? I wonder how often we’re supposed to replace them. Bummer since Sambady loves me is LE =(
That’s one swatch-a-licious arm you got there!
I must make Strut mine…
FAVES! These were my gateway make up, that opened up my addiction back in 2008. Hahah, my first were Get Figgy and Strut. I use the fat Bad Gal pencil (do they even make it anymore?) to make a fat line on my upper lashline and smoke it out with the shadow. I took these with me to Paris when I lived there and sooo much love for this product, for real.
Ahh! I love these so much, and I have your recommendation of Birthday Suit to thank! I have that one, RSVP, Tattle Tale, Skinny Jeans, Strut, Busy Signal, Ice Shot, Tidal Rave, and the three that came in that one kit, lol. However, looking at your swatch, I may want to check out Flatter Me… 🙂
Those are some gorgeous shades!
Ohhhhh, I love Strut. She was my first Benefit CC. She does really cool things to my grey-brown eyes. Instead of emphasizing the brown like most shadows seem to do, it makes my eyes smokier. Somehow it pulls out the grey in my eyes which makes my eyes appear very smoky/slatey which is kind of cool. I haven’t used her in awhile; I should dig her out.
I’ve been debating about Stiletto. I love the color, but I keep debating whether it’s a color that’ll look good on my cool-toned skin OR if it’ll look bruisey or like I’ve been crying (Plum-ing for Gold and I weren’t exactly a match made in heaven, I think. It’s a wee warm). I need K-Dawg’s opinion!
P.S. Have you found your Shu curler yet? I had to order a new leopard ring because apparently Zena hid the old one too well.
P.S.S. Have you ever thought of an emergency makeup hotline? “KAREN, I’M ON SEPHORA AND I CAN”T FIGURE OUT WHICH COLOR TO GET?!?!?!?! HELP!!!!!!” Then again, that might send you to the psychiatric ward for a psychotic breakdown before your 38.
One word: Sparklicious. OK, that’s not really a word. But you just knew that would be my sentiment! I so need to check these out. 🙂
I have a sample size of RSVP and this guy lasted for a good 8 hours on my lids without a primer. I was impressed but the texture of these is a bit dry for my taste. I prefer the Buxom Stay-There eyeshadows. They have such beautiful colors!
I need need NEED NEED NEEDNEEDNEED the SKINNY JEANS color!!! Oh my goodness, I can’t stand how gorgeous it is. I must get it. Tomorrow. I must.
Thanks for posting! I have a few of these and love them. My fave combo is Birthday Suit with Skinny Jeans in the crease!
Karen – I have Strut & Stiletto. I don’t wear Strut near enough, but when I want to go for a sweet 80’s vibe, I’ll pair Stiletto with Lancome Indigo Art Inkliner as liner. It’s, like, totally awesome together! 😉
Omg! i love them i got birthday suit, skinny jeans, stiletto, strut and sippin n dippin. I love using birthday suit and skinny jeans together or birthday suit and strut in order to create a quick smokey eyes effect!
i hope you review the new sephora exclusive shades!!!