Benefit Benetint - Discovering a classic for the first time

So, I think I was most likely the last person left on earth who had never tried this product before until only recently. My husband purchased a bottle of this a little while ago as a present for me and because I am generally terrified of using liquid tints like this I put on my best fake smile as a 'Thank You' and promptly put it at the back of my makeup cupboard thinking I would never use it.

But, something in the back of my mind wouldn't let me forget about this little bottle of scary, runny, red liquid (mainly due to how much it cost!) so I decided to make it my mission to try and get over my fear. After what seemed like an endless amount of Googling and Youtubing I finally managed to work out the easiest way to use it and I've never looked back!

Benefit Benetint is described as a rose-tinted lip and cheek stain and after a bit of research I found out that it was originally created for exotic dancers to use in the 1970's to make their 'pink' bits look even pinker.

It's a very thin, runny liquid that looks quite scary when you first take the brush out of the bottle. It's very easy to apply too much but once you get the hang of it, it gives such a beautiful pink flush to the cheeks and lips that is seriously long lasting. The smell of this liquid is something I just can't seem to put my finger on though. It's kind of a mix between a rose/potpourri scent and Turkish delight to me but it doesn't linger around once applied.

My favourite way to use this on my lips is to apply a thin layer all over them before starting the rest of my makeup. Then I apply a second layer at the end once I'm done to darken the tint. After that I apply some clear, pink or red gloss for colour that lasts virtually the entire day. I do find it a little bit too drying to use on my lips on its own, but with a layer of gloss on top my lips feels comfortable for the majority of the day.

Now, when it came to using it on my cheeks at first I was at a complete loss. No matter what I did I either ended up with pink stripes like a zebra or full-on clown cheeks. I just couldn't seem to get the application right to get that rosy glow that everyone else seems to achieve when using it.

That was until good old Youtube saved the day! I found the best and most easiest way to apply this tint after endless searching and I will never do it differently again.

The trick is to brush some onto a clean, flat surface such as a mirror or ceramic tile, dab your preferred blush brush into it and then dab it onto the cheeks in a fast, circular stippling motion until the desired colour is achieved. Genious!! I like to use the edge of my Becca 'The One Perfecting Brush' to do this as it seems to give me the best application and I end up with perfectly flushed cheeks with no noticeable lines or streaks that last all day long.

I now use this application method for all of my other liquid products that previously went unloved and I'm so grateful for discovering this method. It's opened up a whole new world of makeup for me!

And another great benefit to applying it this way is no stained fingers because as you can see in the pictures below, once this puppy is applied, it's on for the long haul!

(Benefit Benetint - Freshly applied on the top and blended out on the bottom)

(Benefit Benetint - after several wipes with makeup remover - it does not budge!)

The only issue I have now is if I accidentally apply too much to my lips it does have a tendency to bleed out into the fine lines so less is definitely more with this product. Always start with a light application and build it up as it's much easier to apply more than it is to take off.

Even though this little bottle can seem a bit costly (around $55 at Sephora), because of the teeny amount you need to use each application it will literally last a lifetime.

Is there anyone else left on the planet that hasn't tried this product yet, or was I seriously the last one?

I hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Michelle xx

February 2015 Favourites

So, I've only really gotten back into caring about what products I was using in the past month because prior to that when I was in the worst of my morning sickness and exhaustion period I really didn't care about anything!

During February I found that I was gravitating the most towards all of the following products:

* The Body Shop Shea Body Butter - Now I have an ever growing belly I've been slathering this stuff on every day to make sure I don't get any stretch marks again throughout this pregnancy. I managed to be lucky enough to not get any last time so fingers crossed!
* Cowshed Lazy Cow Soothing Bath & Shower Gel - Hubby was kind enough to buy this for me one day from Sephora on one of his lunchtime walks (he works just around the corner so lucky me!) and when he saw that it contained essential oils of jasmine, chamomile and sandalwood he thought it would be a good thing to try and calm me down at night when I wasn't feeling so good. The scent is very strong and took a little getting used to but I am totally in love with it now.
* Maybelline Dream Pure BB Cream - This has been hands down my most favourite BB Cream of all time so far. It goes on nice and smooth and the coverage is great. It's also quite matte too which I really like and it makes a great base for those days when I just can't be bothered wearing foundation but want my skin to look more even.
* Kosmea Australia Replenishing Moisture Cream - I have been using this of a morning as I find the Rose scent soothing. It's a lovely, light cream that makes my skin feel nice and moisturised for the day. 

 

* Sephora Contour Eye Pencil in Black Lace - Hubby scored again by taking another trip to Sephora and buying me one of their 'Best of' gift sets which contained around 8 of their best selling products. This eye pencil was in it and I have used it exclusively ever since, mainly because it is waterproof and therefore does not budge for at least 8 hours on me which is a pretty big event considering I have the worst hooded eyes in history and am usually lucky if an eye pencil stays put for up to two hours.
* Sephora Nail Lacquer in Pole Dance - This was another product in the 'Best of' set and I have worn it exclusively on my toes for over six weeks now and am a bit obsessed with it. It's such a gorgeous, deep, burgundy red that looks really elegant in my opinion. It wears pretty well too and takes quite a long time before it starts to chip.
* Sephora Hydrating Powder Blush in Romantic Rose - Yep, another goody from the 'Best of' set that I have developed a deep love for. It's such a flattering, natural pink shade that is so easy to apply and blend out and it has helped me on many days to not look like the zombie that I really felt like.
* Beesline Beeswax Jelly - I have been using this on my lips at night before going to bed and love how soft they feel in the morning when I wake up. It's got no scent that I can identify which has been great on my worst sick days and I've also found it great for any dry eczema patches that pop up now and then.
* Benefit Lolli Tint - I have been using this stain on my lips prior to applying any lipstick or gloss as it means I am left with a nice pink stained lip at the end of the day. I'm not really a huge fan of using it as a cheek stain as I find it a bit too fiddly to blend out before it sets but it's definitely a winner for the lips.
* Bourjois Volume Glamour Max Mascara in Noir Max - This is a great mascara for lengthening and thickening the lashes and I have been using it every day lately.
* Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer - I don't think I really need to say very much about this concealer as every man and his dog probably knows about it already. All I'll say is that it has been my saviour on many mornings when my poor under eyes were not looking so fresh and is a product that I would hate to live without.
* Ulta3 Colour Me Pretty Lipstick Crayon in Pretty Nude - So here is yet another lipstick crayon product on the market and one that I've really grown fond of. It doesn't have any taste or scent at all and is nice and smooth to apply. It gives quite a good colour payoff and leaves a lovely glossy shine on the lips. Nude lips have been my favourite lately as they make me feel put together without having to make too much of an effort with the rest of my makeup.

So those were my favourite products over February.

I'd love to know what products you've been enjoying over the past month or so?

Have a great week.

Michelle xx