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

L'Oreal Shine Caresse Lip Colour in 501: Bonnie

So I know that these have been out for a while now but I only recently decided to bite the bullet and get myself one. I have seen so many different reviews about these that are both positive and negative but last time I was out I couldn't help but have a bit of a swatch-fest and just buy one.

I ended up getting shade No. 501 Bonnie as it's a shade that I normally don't lean towards. I have so many pink shades at home that for once I went a bit out of my comfort zone and tried something different in this peachy shade.

Surprisingly I have found this shade very versatile and it goes so well with a very minimum makeup look on days when I don't have time to do much or am just not feeling like putting too much colour on my face. It gives off such a lovely shine when applied and this is one thing that I really do love.

Here is a little bit about the Shine Caresse lip colours from the L'Oreal website:

'The next generation lip colour, that combines the texture & shine of a gloss with the long wear of a stain. Delivering a lasting colour with a subtle glossy shine. 

The unique formula comprised of 30% water and 60% oil provides an exceptionally high level of moisture, allowing for 6hr hydration.
Concentrated soluble colour pigments create a subtle wet look with a weightless feeling on lips.'

I find this gloss is very sticky to start with when it's first applied but it does dry fairly fast and not leave too much of a sticky residue once that happens. It feels quite comfortable on the lips which really surprises me as my poor lips and stain products normally don't get along very well as I always find them too drying. I don't seem to have this problem with the Shine Caresse gloss which is great.

It has a very fruity scent that reminds me a bit like boiled lollies but it doesn't seem to have much of a taste that I can detect. The doe-foot applicator is a very convenient shape to apply the gloss but I usually wipe off quite a bit of product before applying or it can get a bit messy and difficult to spread around evenly before it starts to set.

L'Oreal Shine Caresse in No. 501: Bonnie - with flash

L'Oreal Shine Caresse in No. 501: Bonnie - without flash

The only problem I sometimes have with this lip product is that it tends to wear off the centre of my lips in a short amount of time and I find I can get a bit of a ring around my lips because of the stain component. I am a bit of a lip licker though when I am thinking alot so this might not be an issue for most people.

Overall I am really happy that I decided to try one of these for myself and will most likely pick up one in another shade next time I am out and about.
 
Has anyone else tried one of these yet? I'd love to know what other shade I should try next.

I hope everyone had a great 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

Bloom Lip Stain in Wine

I acquired this Lip Stain a little while ago in one of the monthly sample boxes that are around. At first I didn't think it was going to be something I could wear being that the 'Wine' shade looks extremely dark in the packaging, but I was luckily enough to be pleasantly surprised when I got up the courage to try using it.

These lip stains are like a marker pen which makes application so dead easy. It goes on quite sheer to start with but can be layered as much as you like to build it up to the intensity that you want. It dries really quickly and does not budge once it has dried.

In the below pictures I have drawn a line using one stroke of the pen on the left, and then have built up the colour to a more darker shade with around three layers on the right.

(Bloom Lip Stain in Wine - With flash)

(Bloom Lip Stain in Wine - Without Flash)

I love the way this stain doesn't creep out of the lip lines like others I have used. It seems to last a good 3-4 hours on me before fading away with normal eating and drinking throughout the day.

One thing I have to mention though is that it can be quite drying on the lips if you don't apply a lip balm first.

 (Bloom Lip Stain in Wine - One Coat)

You can find out more about these lip stains and the other shades in the range from the Bloom website.

Has anyone else used these stains before?

Have a great week!

Michelle xx