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

The Balm 'How 'Bout Them Apples?' Cheek and Lip Palette

A little while ago I did a little haul of some The Balm products as it's a brand that I hadn't had much exposure to before. There was no way I could resist the How 'Bout Them Apples? Lip and Cheek Palette as it just looked so cute.

This palette comes in the signature cardboard packaging that The Balm are known for which is probably the one thing that I'm not a huge fan of as I can see it getting very dirty and showing a lot of wear and tear after a while. It has a flip top lid that contains quite a large mirror underneath and it is slim enough so that it doesn't feel too bulky to hold when using it.

On the back of the packaging is a list of the shades contained in the palette with little colour swatches as well.

Packaging aside, this palette contains six gorgeous creamy shades that can be used either on the lips or cheeks. The shades are all very versatile for any occasion, they are all easy to blend and don't end up patchy like some other cream products can on my skin. They are also very pigmented and a little goes a long way.

Each shade wears for a good couple of hours on my lips (with eating and drinking involved) and can last all day when I wear them as a cream blush.

I generally like to use cream makeup products on my skin when it is feeling a bit dry and I don't want anything emphasized by using powder type products so these get quite a bit of a workout when I am having no-so-good skin days.

The six shades swatched in order above are Cider (a pretty pinky nude), Pie (a nice bright pink), Candy (a more muted rose pink), Cobbler (a gorgeous red), Crisp (a shimmery pink) and Caramel (a darker browny nude).

I alternate between using all of them on my lips depending on what look I'm going for but my favourite shades to use on my cheeks as a blush are Cider, Pie and Candy. I have also used Caramel as a contour shade when in a hurry and it works really well this way when blended out.

The Balm's How 'Bout Them Apples? Lip and Cheek Palette can be bought almost anywhere that stocks The Balm products and seems to retail for around $34.95.

Has anyone else tried this palette? What are your favourite The Balm products?

I hope everyone has had a lovely weekend!

Michelle xx

Model Co Cheek & Lip Tint in Rosy Red - A Hot Pink Mess!

So. without beating around the bush today, this product has pretty much confirmed in concrete my absolute hate for stains.

I received this in one of the monthly subscription boxes a while ago and I really have tried and tried to get to like it but alas, it just isn't meant to be.

Frankly, I've never been a fan of stains. They pretty much terrify me as there is such a fine line between great application and having clown cheeks. Also, any that have been made for use on lips always seem to be terribly drying on me.

This Model Co Cheek & Lip Tint comes in a tube where you have to squeeze the product out and that is its first downfall. There doesn't seem to be any sweet medium with getting this product out. You either get nothing or suddenly a huge blob comes out. It really needs to have an applicator of some description built into the top to make it easier to get out the small amount that you actually need.

Secondly is the fact that it stains almost instantly. You have to be a super blending machine to get this stuff onto the cheeks and blended out or you have some lovely pink racing stripes going on. I just can't seem to do it and I really don't like the fact that I then have to have bright pink fingertips for the rest of the day no matter how many times I wash my hands.

Thirdly is that it is so awfully drying whenever I've tried to use it as a lip tint. I've tried applying some lip balm first but then the stain seems to just slip off the lips and bleed into all the fine lines around them so yet again, it just seems all too hard.

As you can see in the above picture, it is a very, very bright stain which leaves absolutely no room for error. Unfortunately, I mustn't be dextrous enough to use products like this and I really don't have the time to keep trying with products that take too much effort these days.  


Has anyone else used this and been successful? If anyone has any insider tips on using stains I'd love to know!

Have a great week!

Michelle xx

Australis Creme Colour for Cheeks & Lips in Dusky Rose

Now I know these have been around for quite a while already but I've only become a recent owner of this after a trip to Priceline a couple of weeks ago and have since fallen in love.

The Australis Creme Colours are supposed to be used on either the lips or the cheeks, but I really only use mine as a blush as I found it a little bit too drying on my lips.

I find this product has a lovely, easy to blend formula and you really only need to use the absolute teeniest amount, especially this shade, because it packs a huge punch and can look a bit clown-like if overapplied.

I have to admit that although I loved this shade when I picked it up off the shelf to bring home, I was totally horrified at how bright it actually ended up being when I first swatched it. I was thinking there was no way in hell I was ever going to be able to work with a shade so bright! But, luckily I soon found out that as long as you go light handed and blend, blend, blend, it gives such a pretty looking flush to the cheeks that does end up looking quite natural.

Australis Creme Colour in Dusky Rose

It's fairly long lasting too and seems to get through a normal work day for me without fading too much at all. Also, because you do only have to use the tiniest amount, this little pot should last forever.

Overall, I'm definitely in love with this as a blush and have nothing like it in my makeup kit already which is always nice.

Has anyone else used one of these before? Do you also find it a bit drying on the lips but a great blush?

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

Michelle xx