benefit

Eye Wanna! Eye Gotta! Have Benefit’s Two New Annie and Maggie Collection Kits for Fall

July 19th, 2011 by Karen 58 Comments

Benefit’s two new fall eye palettes aren’t just relying on good looks. They’re also travel-sized and perfect for your purse.

Remember those Annie and Maggie Sunday Funday and Scene Queen kits Benefit released last fall? These two new limited edition Eye Wanna! and Eye Gotta! kits ($36 each) have that same kind of convenience in mind, except this time around, the kits keep everything focused on the eyes.

Each one comes with three Benefit Velvet Eyeshadows and two Creaseless Creams, and all of the colors are new to the line.

If you’re in the mood for cool colors or perhaps a bold look, take a peek at the cool-toned blues, taupes and pinks in the Eye Wanna! kit; if, however, you prefer warmer greens, browns and plums for everyday wear, the Eye Gotta! kit might be more your style.

The Eye Wanna! kit includes…

Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow in Static — A frosty silvery taupe
Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow in Airbrush — A cool light pink with a sheen finish
Velvet Eyeshadow in Skyline — A cool cornflower blue with a sheen finish
Velvet Eyeshadow in Inked — A dark sapphire blue with blacked undertones and a sheen finish
Velvet Eyeshadow in Deco — A matte plum with a hint of red

The Eye Gotta! kit includes…

Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow in Flash — A frosty golden peach (kinda like a cream version of MAC Ricepaper)
Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow in Foiled — A frosty taupe with a touch of plum
Velvet Eyeshadow in Spiced — A shimmery, warm golden bronzy brown (really reminds me of Deeper from the new Urban Decay 15-Year Anniversary Palette)
Velvet Eyeshadow in Purple Haze — A warm plum with tiny flecks of golden glitter
Velvet Eyeshadow in Canopy — A golden khaki with a subtle sheen (my favorite!)

A couple of the Creaseless Creams have a high-shine, frosty finish that borders on loud, but layering the other shadows on top of ’em is one way to tone them down.

As for the powder eyeshadows, they’re my favorite things about these kits. Smoother and softer than Marshmallow Fluff. 🙂 Ah… They practically melt into my skin.

Eye Gotta! kit

[Continue reading…]

Two Ways to Win a Tube of Benefit They’re Real Mascara (Before It Arrives in Stores)

June 9th, 2011 by Karen 448 Comments

WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is Veronika! Congratulations, Veronika! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂

Not the type of gal who likes to wait (neither am I)? Well, here’s your chance to win the newest member of the Benefit team before it launches next month.

Jet black They’re Real mascara promises beyond-belief (ala, “Yes, they’re real. Thank you for asking.”) length, separation, curl hold, volume and lift — basically, the whole shebang if you like big, bold lashes.

I like it, particularly the dark, rich color and multi-function brush. The staggered bristles do seem to help it in the volume department, and the spiky tip is pretty good for detailed work. I think the finished lash look actually resembles the one I get from MAC Studio Fix BoldBlack Mascara â€” jet black and lightweight, yet it looks thick, with a moderate increase in length, coupled, however, with a slight tendency to relax the curl from my lash curler.

If you’d like to preview a tube before it officially hits stores, read on, Benefit babe!

A Makeup and Beauty Blog Giveaway!

One lucky lady (or gent) will win:

One (1) tube of Benefit They’re Real Mascara (a $22 value) before it launches in-stores this July

Two coats leave my lashes looking thick and dark, and it stays put all day long without flaking or smudging. On top of that, it remains easy to remove.

benefit theyre real mascara

benefit theyre real mascara brush

Before (top) and after two coats (bottom)

Before (left) and after two coats (right)

There are two ways to enter, and you can do both of them for two chances to win. First, you can enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post, a comment about anything at all, like, what was the very first mascara you ever tried? What do you look for in a mascara? Have you ever accidentally sent an email to the wrong person? How many plants do you have in your house? Who’s going to win the Stanley Cup? — you get the idea.
Second, you can enter by following me on Twitter @karenmbb and retweeting (RT) the following message:
- Follow @karenmbb and RT to Win a Tube of Benefit They’re Real Mascara http://bit.ly/k6TUua

The deadline to enter is Friday, June 10, 2011 at 11:59PM (PT).
Entrants must enter using a valid email address and/or Twitter account to win.
A maximum of two (2) entries per person — one within the comments at the bottom of this post, and a second entry via Twitter addressed to me @karenmbb.
Contest is open to individuals of any country who have reached the age of majority according to their local laws (18 in the United States with these exceptions: Alabama and Nebraska, 19; Mississippi, 21).
Tabs and I (heretofore referred to as “T-Money and K-Dawg”) will select one (1) winner at random from the entries either left in the comments at the bottom of this blog post or addressed to @karenmbb on Twitter.
The winner will be announced here within 48 hours of the deadline.
Void where prohibited by law.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is Veronika! Congratulations, Veronika! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂

Are Those Lashes Fake? Nope, According to Benefit’s New Mascara, They’re Real

May 27th, 2011 by Karen 28 Comments

Who wants wimpy lashes? I don’t, I don’t! If you say ptooey! to lashes that look anything less than false, Benefit’s betting their new They’re Real (“The mascara that’s beyond belief!”) mascara will satisfy your lash-tastic lust.

Coming this July to Benefit counters, stores and online, the new $22 jet black mascara promises dramatic length, separation, curl, volume and lift — pretty much the whole shebang. And to help it deliver on all these fronts, Benefit built a special brush with staggered bristles (to enhance volume) and a spiky tip (for lift, definition and curl).

The lashes I’ve been sporting this week have come courtesy of a new mascara combo. I like the look, but it takes a lot of work, so I’m hoping They’re Real delivers results just as good as my combo or better. 🙂 Gotta love streamlining, ya know?

To put They’re Real to the test, I applied it in several different ways — a single coat applied with the brush held horizontally, a single coat with it held vertically, then a double coat horizontally, etc. I felt I got the best results when I applied two coats while holding the brush horizontally, and then added a bit of the product with the brush held up and down.

benefit theyre real mascara

The finished lash look actually resembles the one I get from MAC Studio Fix BoldBlack Mascara — jet black and lightweight, yet it looks thick, with a moderate increase in length, coupled with a tendency to relax the curl from my lash curler.

Does it deliver in each of the areas Benefit said it would? Maybe not, but I still love the overall look. I like how thick and dark my lashes look with it on, and the wear time seems good so far. I’ve already had it on for about six hours today without a single smudge or flake, and from using it this week, I found that it’s also easy to remove.

benefit theyre real mascara
[Continue reading…]

Benefit They’re Real Mascara: Coming July 2011

May 27th, 2011 by Karen 9 Comments

Benefit They’re Real Mascara

New from Benefit –They’re Real Mascara, $22. Coming soon to Benefit stores, counters and online in July 2011.

From the official PR:

This bodacious breakthrough lengthens, volumizes and curls lashes for a spectacular “out-to-here” look! The long-wearing, jet black formula doesn’t smudge, budge or dry out… so your luscious lashes last all day.

Review coming soon, Benefit babes! 🙂 (UPDATE: Click here for the full review.)

benefit theyre real mascara

benefit theyre real mascara brush

Benefit Almost Never Discounts New Products, Which Makes Today’s One-Day Sale on ChaChaTint Pretty Cool

May 12th, 2011 by Karen 16 Comments

benefit cha cha tint swatch

It’s after midnight on the East Coast, but it’s never to late to dance! In fact, this is the perfect time to dance with Benefit’s new ChaChaTint Mango-Tinted Lip and Cheek Stain. It doesn’t officially debut until June 1, but it’s on sale today only (5/13) for a special one-day event on HSN (Home Shopping Network) and HSN.com.

And that’s not all. It’s regularly $29, but it’s being offered today as part of a $33 set ($77 value) that comes with three other products, too.

In all, the $33 Benefit Now to Wow! Color Collection includes…

Cha Cha Tint Mango-Tinted Lip and Cheek Stain (Full Size)
Instant Brow Pencil (Full Size; choose from Light or Medium)
BADgal Lash Mascara (Full Size)
High Beam Mini Luminescent Complexion Enhancer (Deluxe Mini)

Domestic shipping is just $2.50.
[Continue reading…]

Benefit Ultra Radiance Facial Re-Hydrating Mist: New from Benefit!

May 2nd, 2011 by Karen 4 Comments

Hey, Benefit beauties. Keep your eyes peeled this July for Benefit’s newest addition to their B. Right Radiant Skincare Collection, Special Ultra Radiance Facial Re-HyDrating Mist ($26, currently available now online).

Designed for all skin types, this moisturizing mist contains magnesium PCA; sodium hyaluronate; extracts of white and blue lotus; and what Benefit calls their exclusive tri-radiance complex (aka a batch of ingredients that supposedly help the skin retain moisture). Wear it on bare skin or on top of makeup to add a boost o’ hydration.

I spritzed some on this morning and love its light, fresh cucumber scent. I think it’ll come in handy when I hit the pool this summer and need a little moisture to soothe my dry skin while I’m out in the sun.

I plan on keeping it off my neck, though, because when it dries I feel a slight film, and I can’t deal with having a sticky neck!

Benefit Ultra Radiance Facial Re-Hydrating Mist box

Benefit Ultra Radiance Facial Re-Hydrating Mist back 1

Benefit Ultra Radiance Facial Re-Hydrating Mist ingredients

Benefit Ultra Radiance Facial Re-Hydrating Mist bottle small

Swatches of the Benefit Velvet Eyeshadows and the Summer of 2009

April 13th, 2011 by Karen 24 Comments

I was at the Benefit counter the other day picking up my umpteenth pot of Skinny Jeans, and while I was there I figured I may as well put my arms to good use by swatching the entire line of Velvet Eyeshadows.

These came out in the summer of 2009 — a truly great year for makeup — and I think they’re still some of the best things in the Benefit line. They’re silky and pigmented with a gorgeous, subtle sheen (like a very faint shine). And coupled with a good primer, they last all day long on my skin without creasing or fading.

I’m particularly fond of Where There’s Smoke (looks FANTASTIC atop Skinny Jeans), Nice Melons ( this for that wide awake look) and Fancy Pansy (gorgeous! — flashes from pink to purple to blue), but I like just about every shade in the line.

benefit velvet eyeshadow swatches
Velvet Eyeshadow swatches from left with the flash: Leggy, Fancy Pansy, Bikini Line, Bo Peep and Rich Beach
[Continue reading…]