The Benefit cosmetics thread. What have you tried?

[Fabulassie]

I have tried a lot of Benefit products over the years, since they were still just a single shop in San Francisco. I like the line because they try new things. I think they have innovated some products we take for granted now, like primer (Dr Feelgood) and highlighter (that liquid stuff, Highlights, I think it's called.) But often it is gimmicky and I never think of them for basic products like eye shadow.

I am really happy with their Stay, Don't Stray primrr/fix for concealer. It's a bit like spackle for keeping foundation and concealer on spots.

I am underwhelmed by They're Real mascara. I find it too gummy and much prefer the new Max Factor lengthening mascara.

I also can't get enthused about their new eyeliner pencil, which is meant to be easy to apply right next to the lash line. I am posting from bed and will come back with specific product names later. But I was wondering which Benefit products others have tried.

I've got a big beautiful eyes kits, which has the boing concealer, 2 eye shadows and a powder eye liner. The boing is brilliant. I have vitiligo and it covers the difference between my white patches and the rest of my skin, without the need for me to where full foundation. I'm not struck on the volleyball Utd of the e?eshadow though as its a bit pink for me. The eyeliner is good as I can use very little and blend it easily.

I love their powder blushers and all the various high lighters.
Love the new eyebrow stuff.
Never use eyeshadow anyway.
Don't use for skincare at all

World famous neutrals palette in glamorous. I love the creaseless creams.

I use Dandelion powder as my everyday blusher.

Sugarbomb is my summer blusher as it sparkles gold.

Occasional eye-shadow singles, I use strut as an eyeliner sometimes and call my buff as a base if I don't use primer.

Its not my fave brand ( that's Urban Decay) but I'll use it happily.

I used quite a few things when it was first over here , it seemed to be better quality. Dandelion is my only product now.

I've been using Lemon Aid concealer for years, both in the dark folds under my eyes and on upper and lower eyelids to neutralise redness and generally brighten. I also love Dr Feelgood, used on it's own or under foundation, love it. I had a free sample of They're Real from a magazine last year and hated it, came off on my skin. I used to use Benetint and Highbeam when younger, but not any more. Tried Boing concealer in a shop and it was mych too heavy for me. Like Browzing too.

The appeal always used to be the unique products, now there are copycats everywhere it's not quite the same. I've never tried the eyeshadows, blushers etc, tend to stick with the more niche-y things.

OK, awake now and can give more product names.

Yeah, the highlighter is called High Beam. You can buy cheap copies of it that are just as good, but I remember when it was new. They definitely used to be more standout for their unique ideas - now everyone copies them.

I was talked into their Hello Flawless Oxygen foundation a couple of weeks ago, but I don't think I like it too much. It's too.... something. I'm going to put some on right now and figure out why I've already moved on to other foundations... well, I guess it's just a hair too pale for me and maybe a bit thin for me. I may revisit in the winter.

I was given a sample of some primer (not Dr. Feelgood) and it was OK but I don't think it's way better than the cheap primer I already have.

She also tried to sell me on skin care products but I would never buy skin care products from a makeup counter demonstration. I do a lot of research online (and mostly use Olay stuff).

I think They're Real is just overhyped. There's a Max Factor counter at the Boots I go to and I love the girl who works there. She told me they have a new mascara called "Extensions False Lash Effect" and I was really dubious because of my experience with They're Real - but I tried it and was very impressed. It builds up really well. I just keep applying more and more coats and it never goes gummy. It just does what They're Real claims to do and there is none of that weird glueyness that I felt with They're Real.

I use their boi ing concealer... nothing covers the dark circles under my eyes after a night shift like this does!

I sometimes use their bad gal mascara, I tried the they're real mascara a while back but didn't really like it.

I use their hello flawless powder. I'm not really one for foundation, usually use a tinted moisturiser, but I find this powder is very good for taking any shine off.

My sister bought me one of their blusters, I think it was sugar bomb. I like it but I'm not sure I'd buy it again, not sure it's any better than others I have used and it's a wee bit pricey. Having said that, it has lasted ages.

I quite like benefit makeup, it's probably my favourite brand and it's my go-to counter when I fancy something new. I love the gifts they bring out at Christmas :)

I'm still in mourning for the Wonder Lift cream that did amazing things to my skin. If anyone has found a substitute, please share. It managed to tighten and brighten my face.

Oh another one that has gone and I loved - flamingo fancy body highlighter

I love Benefit eye shadows - especially the little kits with application instructions!

I love their erase paste its the only thing that covers my dark circles. It comes in a little pot but lasts ages!
I've got a sample size of their new eyeliner and it's good for me because I don't have a steady hand and I'm usually useless at applying eyeliner.
I've got they're real mascara and I like it but hate the brush. That evil spiky ball at the end gets me everytime. I prefer maxfactor or L'Oréal for mascara.

I LOVE 'take a picture it lasts longer' for the front of my shins and collarbone/shoulder area if wearing a stroppy dress or top. It smells beautiful and is a nice highlighter for the body without being too shiny or sparkly.

I also really like poressential (I think it's called) for my big pores either side of my nose, it fills them in well either before tinted moisturiser (Nars, not benefit) or nothing at all.

The one thing I remember them doing before anyone else is the Benetint lip and cheek stain, sometimes I get it free with things (a recent look fantastic order) and I'll use it now and again, in the winter it's lovely when my skin goes a bit pale (blue).

I also really like their little eyebrow compact, it has a shadow and waxy type thing you can mix with just a touch of a brush and fills in eyebrows without them looking too false.

Also - thanks for the recommendation on the mascara, I agree they don't do mascara very well. I have been using YSL but the brush has gone a bit claggy.

I like a lot of their blushers - Sugarbomb, Coralista, Rockateur, and the new Majorette one. The new eyeliner is pretty good too, and I like the brow kit. Find a lot of their other products a bit "meh" and kind of overpriced.

They used to do an amazing cream eyeshadow called Naughty Feather that was the perfect neutral for me and didn't budge, but sadly they discontinued it....

I think it's amazing that only one person has mentioned their benetint liquid stain!! To me, that's THE iconic product from the brand.

I love benetint. I've tried a few alternative liquid blushes, both cheaper and pricier, and none of them compare. I did have their benetint lip balm, but then promptly lost it on a night out.

I haven't tried any of the other liquid blush shades (like lolli tint and posie tint), but that's mainly because the original is already a perfect colour in my eyes. I've heard very good things about their face brightening powder "Dandelion", although I haven't used it myself.

I used to get mini bottles of "High Beam" in make up kits for christmas, and it was fantastic. You can't use too much, but it really is good.

They also had an under eye brightening cream, which I always threw away as I was so underwhelmed with it. I'm surprised so many people have been saying how much they like the boi-ing concealer - it's probably one of my most hated concealers on the market.

Even the palest colour in the range was absolutely orange on me. They definitely aren't pale skin friendly.

I wanted to like Benetint but the colour is too pinky-red for my colouring and I find liquid stains kind of annoying (you always end up with stained fingers as well). Their Cha Cha Tint is a much better colour for me but I still don't use it much.

I don't rate They're Real either. It's too thick, not black enough and smudges onto my lids through the day. I prefer the No 7 mascaras, and Bourjois.

I have two mini travel kits by Benefit and I like the consistency of the eye shadows and the highlighters.

I do see it as a younger woman's brand now though. Some of the products just disappear into my wrinkly skin.

I've tried a fair bit from them but tbh, I'm not a huge fan. I dislike the kitschy packaging and think they are very overpriced for what they are (and I use other high end cosmetics, so it's not a pop at £££ cosmetics per se).

I find the box blushes completely impractical for use, I can't get my brush into them properly and the boxes don't stand up well to being carried about in your make up kit.

The benetint made me look like aunt Sally, didn't blend at all well even though I was very quick and didn't hang around between applying and blending and I hate the glass bottle, nail polish packaging.

Moonbeam highlighter was ok. I would've liked it smoother and I HATE the nailpolish packaging (same for benetint), just made for spilling and drying out and the brush is completely useless for application. I much prefer MAC strobe cream, nicer texture and in much more sensible, hygienic & easy to transport squeezy tube packaging. Also less wasteful as those fixed nailpolish brushes don't allow you to get the last 1/4 of product from around the edges of the bottle.

Those are the things that really stuck out for me as being terrible, either for packaging design or poor product. The rest of the stuff I tried from them has been merely "meh". Meh is fine, but not at those prices.

Yeah, I forgot Benetint! It does work well on me. I just don't really wear blusher, for some reason.

Coralista is my default blusher - love it. I used my advantage points to get the They're Real eyeliner the other day and really really don't like it (Flicky eyeliner is my standard look and I found it claggy to use and a bit heavy in my hand - you can easily make mistakes)

Will have a gander at the max factor mascara later today as end a new one...

I love the cream eye shadows. Last really well even on their own applied with a finger on the train

I like dr feel good but don't buy any more as it dries out so quickly (in the tin, not on your face)

Oh, I've though of one product I do like - the silicone primer, "the pore professional"

I found Dr Feelgood completely useless. Didn't seem to do anything much for me in terms of look of skin, application of makeup, etc., I might as well have been applying nothing.

I love Dandelion blusher but I used to get through it very fast, maybe because it's so pale you use quite a bit of it. I told this to the assistant last time and she suggested Hervana which is perfect - just need a tiny bit.

The only thing is I don't like the box as much

Also love their Brow Zings - the only eyebrow product i have ever got on with.