Happy Friday lovely ladies and gentlemen!!!
So, this is not a make up post per-see... but I do have some tips for you.. and another beautalicious bargain!!!!
I don't usually recommend brands to people, only products. I find that, although some things are worth spending extra pennies on, for the most part, the product inside the fancy packaging with the price tag to match, is the same as that from the drugstore. However, in this case the price tag isn't an issue and so I am going to talk to you about Benefit! All you British Beauties, get your bumbums to the closest newsagents and buy up Glamour magazine, for they are gifting 3 wonderful Benefit pencils (worth between £14 & £18 each) for the bargain price of £2.. and the magazine isn't bad either. The issue was released yesterday, so I'd recommend you hurry before they all sell out. These aren't giveaway sample sizes, they are the real deal. Oh mama.
1) The first freebie is the Benefit Eye Bright. It's used instead of a white eye pencil to line the shelf and make the eyes appear more open and... you guessed it....BRIGHT! I have always favored this product over a white eye pencil, as the subtle pink shade gives a more natural look. The quality of this product is wonderful, it's a soft, thick pencil that takes seconds to apply. I have in the past used Sephora's own brand Make Up Forever pink eye brightening pencil, which is much cheaper and pretty much exactly the same... but if you can get the Benefit freebie then go for it! You could pretty much get away with this and a quick coat of mascara and have sparkling eyes that could make even Leatherface cry. (Works wonder for those I-want-to-wear-make-up-but-look-like-I'm-not kind of days!)
2) The "IT" stick. Basically, this is concealer in a pencil. I'd never used it before, but thought I'd give it a try. I'm always curious to test drive products, particularly ones that I usually wouldn't buy myself. I was very impressed by the IT stick. The coverage it gives is perfect. . it blends well, and it's so nifty and easy to use! You could take this baby anywhere with you, even on a dirty camping weekend, and always look perfectly blemish free. To apply, draw onto the areas you wish to conceal and blend out with a cosmetic sponge. As the product is only available in one colour, I would recommend going over it with your regular base or a loose powder to match your skin tone. The powder will also keep your magic blemish-be-gone work in place ;) REMEMBER BASE-CONCEALER-POWDER. The holy trinity to flawless skin. Powder is ALWAYS last.
3) Bad gal black eyeliner pencil. This one is pretty straight forward. It's a thick black kohl pencil. It does go on rather spectacularly though, and is the deepest shade of black. Cleopatra would be jealous. Nowadays I usually only line my upper lash line, very finely with either a brown or black eye pencil. I find if the line is too thick, my bug eyes become the size of a normal person. And who wants to be normal!? Applying a thinner line, right against the lash line also give a much more natural look. It thickens up the appearance of the lashes, opens the eye.. and you won't look like Amy Winehouse. I choose pencil because it can be easily blended or buffed out, if you are going for a super duper natural look. Brown works best in this case.
I'll include some tips on eye make up next time.. maybe I'll even take photos?! Not quite ready for video just yet.
FYI I have found in the past that Benefit have a tendency to market their products for one specific use, when in fact they have many, often more exceptional functions.
EXAMPLE: Lemon Aid.
I have almost come to blows with the girl behind the Benefit counter before over this product. She insisted it was to be used as an upper eyelid concealer, before applying shadow. I disagree. It's essentially a highly pigmented yellow concealer, and anyone who knows me, or whom I have applied make up on, will know that yellow concealer is my biggest vice. Not only is it wonderful at covering up those pesky dark circles under the eye (blue is opposite yellow on the colour wheel, therefore for anyone will bluer undertones beneath the eye this is your new best friend), it is also a marvelous highlighter. Cheekbones, nose, chin, outer corners of the eye...highlight away and well, the proof is in the pudding.
I mention this because I am sure that the IT stick could be similarly used as a highlighting tool, particularly as it's most likely paler than most people's natural skin tone. Any concealer a shade paler than your base can be dual functioned as a highlighter :) I'll be sure to post a demo of how to highlight & accent your features soon.
Until then... This is my Beatles song of the week. Enjoy!
Love, love
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