Benefit Box O' Powder in Dallas

I swap on Makeup Alley and a few months ago, I picked up the Benefit Box O' Powder blush in Dallas.  Benefit describes the color as "an outdoor glow for an indoor gal face powder".  I'm not sure what that's supposed to mean, but I do think it's a lovely color.

I don't know what's up with the color balance on my camera.  This blush definitely is brownish, but it's not near as brown as it is showing up in these swatches.  It's a dusky pinky brown.  It reminds me a lot of the Tarte Amazonian Clay blush in Exposed or the Estee Lauder Pure Color blush in Rebel Rose.

Shades like this I really like for using as a blush/contour.  I just apply it along the back of the cheeks and it gives both definition and color without being over the top blush or contour.

The blush has good color payoff.  There isn't any obvious shimmer, but it has a satin finish.  I found that it blended easily and wore well.  I got a solid 8 hours out of it before there was any noticeable fading.

The biggest downside (as always) with me for this, and all, Benefit blush is the packaging.  At this price point, I don't want cardboard packaging.  And I think this is an older run of the product because the lid isn't attached at all.  Attached or not, I despise the packaging.

Benefit Box O' Powder blush in Dallas contains .28oz of product and retails for $28 wherever Benefit is sold, unless you're like me and you get yours in a makeup swap.

Overall:  7/10

Benefit Box O' Powder in Dandelion

Benefit Box O' Powders are nothing new, and they're blushes, so how exactly I've gone this long without owning one properly, I'm not sure.  I did pick up a mini of Benefit's Bella Bamba as a Sephora 100 point perk, but it's not the same as owning a full size and somehow the mini packaging manages to be even more annoying than the full size packaging.

Benefit's Box O' Powder blush in Dandelion is something that has been on my wishlist forever.  It's a blush.  It's a yellow based pink blush.  I mean, how had I not picked this up?

Well, after finally biting the bullet and picking it up when I had a Sephora discount, I know how I hadn't picked it up.  It's fine.  The blush, itself, is fine.  It's a very subtle (even on my super pale skin) yellow based pink blush.  It's smooth without being powdery.  It blends well and it has decent staying power - I got 6 hours out of it before it faded noticeably.  It has a satin finish.

The packaging is terrible.  The stupid cardboard flip top lid thing is nothing but an irritation.  The brush, surprisingly, wasn't awful, though I wouldn't use it to apply blush.  I think it would be fine for a contour brush.   There's a stupid little plastic insert thing that sits over the powder and if you're not careful (which, of course, I learned the hard way) it's very easy to gouge the product.

This is a product that I wanted to love, but the packaging was sufficiently annoying that I not only don't love it.  I have it sitting in my makeup storage in the other room.  And while I expected the color to be subtle, I don't know that I expected it to be quite this subtle.  MAC's Pink Tea looks similar in the pan, but has way more oomph on the skin.  

Sigh.  At this price point, I should love it and I don't.

Benefit Box O' Powder in Dandelion contains 7 grams of product and retails for $28 wherever Benefit is sold.  I got mine at Sephora.

Overall:  6/10

Benefit 3D Brightening Face Powder in Bella Bamba

Benefit describes its Bella Bamba box of powder as a 3D watermelon pink.  I'm not exactly sure what the 3D is other than sparkle.  Seriously?  Can someone tell me?  What the hell is the 3D claim on their blushes?

At first glance I thought that this was just a dupe for NARS Orgasm (because I need another one of those. Ha!), but on closer look, Bella Bamba is nowhere near as peachy or sparkly as Orgasm.  Bella Bamba is decidedly pink, not peach and despite all the claims of 3D, I didn't find it to be overwhelmingly sparkly.  

Also, for a Benefit product, I was surprised that the color payoff wasn't better.  You can definitely get payoff, but you sort of have to work at it.  I'm not sure if this is just a problem with the gimmicky packaging (this was a Sephora Beauty Insider perk) or if the bigger box o' powders have this issue as well.

Because this is just a deluxe sample I really can't speak to the thing that I know tends to drive people nuts about the Benefit blushes - the cardboard flip top packaging.  Not that this plastic clamshell packaging is much better, IMO.

The Benefit blushes seem to vary in the amount of product they contain.  Bella Bamba currently contains 8 grams of product for $28.

I think this is a really nice blush.  Despite the 3D claims, it wasn't a glitter bomb.  The texture of the blush was really nice.  It blended out without a problem, but you can also easily build it up if that's what you're wanting.

Overall: 8/10

Eyeliner Updates: Benefit, L'Oreal, Maybelline

It's been a while since my last big eyeliner post and I have updates:

Benefit Magic Ink

.08oz,  $20

This is one of the few eyeliners I've seen in a long time that has an actual bristle brush applicator.  The only other 2 I can think of are the Kat Von D eyeliner and the Vincent Longo eyeliner.  The brush is really thin, which allows for very precise product application.  However, be forewarned that if you're looking for a dramatic eyeliner look, you may be spending a good chunk of time applying product.

I personally prefer bristle brush applicators, but if you're not a fan of them, you might want to skip this product, especially given how fine the brush is.

The formula it incredibly pigmented.  This is easily the blackest black eyeliner I've ever seen.  You don't even have to give it a good shake.  Not the slightest hint of wateriness to be found.

The product goes on smooth.  I haven't noticed any issues with it flaking or cracking.  It seems to stay a bit pliable, which prevents the cracking and flaking but does mean that it smudges pretty easily, even hours after application.  And if your eyes water at all, this stuff will run.

It's not something I'd wear daily, but when you're looking to do a really precise, pigmented eyeliner look, it's great.

Overall:  7/10



L'Oreal Telescopic Waterproof Eyeliner

.07oz, around $8

You can still readily get this eyeliner from most retailers (Target, Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Ulta, etc), but I can't find it on the L'Oreal site right now.  I really hope they're not discontinuing this product.  I feel like they're always cycling out the products that I like.

This product took a while to grow on me.  I learned the hard way that you really need to give it a vigorous shaking before application.  But now, I love it.  It's my go-to liner.

The applicator lays down a good strip of product.  The pigmentation (provided you give it a good shake) is really good, not at all watery.  The waterproof formula is surprisingly waterproof.  I don't go swimming in it or anything, but I often have watery eyes and this stuff has never budged.

This product isn't great if you're trying to do a dramatic winged liner look.  The product will contract as it dries and it's just not good for that type of look.  However, if you're just wanting a regular liner, it's fantastic.  And for a waterproof product, it comes off easily at the end of the day.

Overall:  9/10





L'Oreal Lineur Intense Felt Tip Eyeliner

.05oz, ranges $9 - 16

Like the Telescopic waterproof, I'm thinking they may be discontinuing this as well.  It's not longer available on the L'Oreal site either.

I was looking for a daily wear alternative to the Benefit Magic Ink.  This product got a lot of play on YouTube, specifically as being an alternative to the Lancome Art Liner at a much better price point.  There were specifically raves about how intensely pigmented the formula is.

I was very underwhelmed.  The tube I bought is not intensely pigmented.  It's okay.  But it's really watery, even with a good shaking.  I don't care for the applicator brush at all.  It's really long and floppy.  I'd prefer a bristle brush to a floppy felt tip.

Overall:  5/10



Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner

.106oz, around $8.50

Comes in 4 shades: black, brown, charcoal and eggplant.  Supposedly gives you 24 hours wear.

I have only tried the brown formula, but I can easily say that there is no way this is a 24 hour wear product.  On me (and I don't have oily lids), it's not even a 6 hour wear.  You could probably set it with an eyeshadow and get longer wear out of it, but to my way of thinking that sort of defeats the purpose of using a long wear gel eyeliner.  And it works well as a color base, but again, not exactly why I purchased it.

It comes with a brush that doesn't totally suck, though I don't ever use it to apply this product.  The Maybelline gel liner is also much cheaper than the MAC Fluidline, but in this case, you get what you pay for.

Overall:  6/10


Swatches
(sorry for all the flash, camera wasn't cooperating):