Current Benefit Box O' Powders Review

This whole week has been impossible for posting! I'm so sorry for the lateness of every post this week, since the entire Christmas eve, day and boxing day week is over, everything should return to normal! :)


I like variety and I'm sure you do too which is why I've avoided posting about anymore Benefit products, Sigma Products, etc. Since I do tend to talk about my favourites and shift the focus away from other products. I've decided to do products which I do not like as well as products which I enjoy. So not only will my blog be letting people know which products are amazing but also which products are terrible! (Note: All of these are my own personal opinions!). :)

So I think it's been long enough: Benefit Box O' Powders review time!

I decided that instead of reviewing each powder box individually (which may take a while), I'm just going to review every single box which I own in one simple, easy post! Partly because of laziness and partly because I though you'd appreciate less reading. ;)

I'll do an in-depth version with swatches and examples in make up application later on, promise. :)

All of these powders were purchased from the official Benefit Website, individual links will be below every product review. Also, all Benefit Box O' Powders have a very light and pleasant scent to them (they're quite famous for their scents)!  

All the powders which I own.

I do not own every benefit product ever created, believe it or not ;) These are the only powders from Benefit which I have tried and tested! I hope this helps some of you, also: please leave suggestions in the comment section of any powders which you enjoy using so I can check them out! :)

Hope you enjoy the review. :)

Hoola.

I am washed out. Not as badly as some people but I am pale enough that bronzing is a definite part of my everyday make up routine. I actually get told that I look sick without bronzer. I've been through quite a few bronzers and this one has always been my fall-back. Kind of like a fail-proof product, this bronzer is perfect for most skin-tones. It's very blendable and is perfect at imitating the natural shadows of your face.


Hoola by Benefit was my first ever bronzing powder so there have been some good memories using this powder. It's a completely matte light brown colour with no orange undertones, so you won't look like a spray tan gone wrong. Hoola is a very well-known bronzer and a favourite product for a lot of people. I personally use Hoola daily for contouring my nose subtly but would lean towards a more deeper colour for intense contouring of the cheek bones!

Hoola retails for $28.00 USD, CLICK HERE to view the page I bought it from. I bought the Double the Powder! online exclusive pack for $34.00 USD which includes Hoola and Thrrrob, CLICK HERE to visit the site!

Hervana.

I bought Hervana simply because it's a matte blush colour and I don't have a lot of matte blushes. The blush looks amazing and very subtle on any skin type. It actually looks like you are not wearing any product on your cheeks at all and the colour is buildable. That being said, I would not use this blush if you are looking for a highly pigmented cheek colour!! It is incredibly natural, subtle colour which does make a slight difference to your natural look.

Hervana retails for $28.00 USD, you can CLICK HERE to view the page!

Sugarbomb.

Sugarbomb is a very warm, flushed type of cheek colour. It is a satin blush colour with buildable colour. The four colours are: soft plum, peach, pink and rose. They work well separately and together as a multi-coloured blush. I found that this blush complimented warmer skin tones well and can be used alone for a quick flush of colour on simple days out.

This blush retails for $28.00 USD and you can purchase it by CLICKING HERE!

Dandelion.

Dandelion is a big favourite of mine! It's a brightening face powder which you can use as a light pink blush or sweep over your entire face for an enchanting glow. This blush evens out blotchy skin tones and brings light into dark areas which allows your complexion to glow subtly. It is a satin type blush and has a light sweet scent which wont overpower any fragrance you choose to wear.

You can purchase Dandelion for $28.00 USD by CLICKING HERE.

Bella Bamba.

Bella Bamba is a highly pigmented, shimmer blush colour. I own the deluxe sample size of the blush and have only used it on a few occasions. I find the blush is intense on my skin tone and would better suit people with darker, olive skin tones. When I do apply it, I do it with a very light hand and that alone is more then enough blush for even my more dramatic looks! I keep this in my emergency make up kit in case I ever need a bold blush colour.

That being said, I've found that some people of all skin tones absolutely love this melon-coloured blush! It's just not for me, personally! :)

You can buy Bella Bamba (god that name is fun to say) by CLICKING HERE for $28.00 USD.

Thrrrob.

I got Thrrrob from buying the Double the Powder! online exclusive pack for $34.00 USD which includes Hoola and Thrrrob, CLICK HERE to view the offer. I ended up enjoying this blush because it's a lovely light pink colour with a larger amount of shimmer compared to the other blushes. This blush looks amazing when layered on top of other blushes to add more dimension to your cheek colour and highlight your cheekbones.

CLICK HERE to purchase Thrrrob individually for $28.00 USD.

The catchy phrases on the packaging give you a general idea of uses for the powders. ;)

TheBalm Hot Mama & Benefit Bella Bamba Blush!

I decided to include pictures of blushes I own and love to show how they compare with the Benefit versions. TheBalm's Hot Mama blush (very famous blush) is a warmer and lighter colour compared to the Bella Bamba by Benefit. Bella Bamba is a melon-pink colour which is highly pigmented whereas Hot Mama can be used for everyday make up looks for any occasion.

TheBalm Bahama Mama and Benefit Hoola Bronzers!

Bahama Mama is a much more dramatic, deeper, matte brown colour then Hoola. I would not use Bahama Mama to contour my nose (that would make me look angry - hahaha)! But I reach for the Bahama Mama for cheek contouring. Hoola is a subtle colour which can be used for any type of contouring (especially for natural looks). They are both great bronzers for my light-medium, yellow undertoned skin tone. They have no orange undertones and no shimmer!


I hope this review helped someone, much love to all my readers! :)



Stay Beautiful! xx

TheBalm Betty-Lou Manizer and Mary-Lou Manizer Review

Where there is highlighter, there is bronzer (and I'd like to think vice versa!).

Oh look, more of TheBalm cosmetics! Why is no-one surprised? Betty-Lou Manizer is a shimmering bronzer and Mary-Lou Manizer is a shimmery satin gold highlighter.

Inside the Mary-Lou Manizer.

Close up Photo - No Flash.

Swatch of the Mary-Lou Manizer.

This is definitely a yellow/warmer toned base highlighter and although it is a powder, it does not feel drying on the skin at all. It's almost a transition between a cream and a powder so it's a bit risky to apply (risk of over-application!). I found the best way to apply this highlighter is using a light hand and a stippling brush!

This highlighter would suit any skin tone, it can be toned down for everyday casual looks and amped up for formal occasions. The best thing about this highlighter is: it does not budge. Similar to the high beam by Benefit, this highlighter will last all night through dancing and partying - even in Australian summer weather!

Inside the Betty-Lou Manizer.

Close up photo with no flash.

Swatches of the Mary-Lou Manizer (top) and the Betty-Lou Manizer (bottom).

I'm going to be completely honest, I much prefer matte bronzers simply because they look more natural and suitable for any occasion. However, this bronzer has completely changed that view! Although I'm still a massive fan of matte bronzers (I swear by it for natural contouring), shimmery bronzers are also very good. I wouldn't use a shimmery bronzer for a natural beauty look but for an evening out (especially if there will be a LOT of photos being taken), this particular bronzer is amazing!

In conclusion, while I reach for this bronzer a lot less then my matte bronzers, I would still repurchase if I ran out of Betty-Lou Manizer simply because it adds that "wow" effect in photos. I did not intend to buy this product, it came included in a set which I wanted purely for the value of it - but this bronzer has become my favourite item from that set!

I bought TheBalm's "Oh So Pretty" set which included the Betty-Lou Manizer for $48.96 USD from Feel Unique. You can visit the exact page by CLICKING HERE (non-sponsored link). Or you can just buy the Betty-Lou Manizer by itself from Bath&Unwind for $22.92 USD by CLICKING HERE (non-sponsored link).

I bought my Mary-Lou Manizer for $22.92 USD from Bath&Unwind. You can check it out by CLICKING HERE (non-sponsored link).

All products were purchased with my own money, I am not affiliated with any of the websites mentioned on this blog, and all websites have been checked to be official resellers of the brand! :)


Stay Beautiful! xx

TheBalm Meet Matte Eyeshadow Palette Review

There are certain brands out there that I consider to be my holy grail of make up. Literally almost everything from these brands seem to suit me perfectly. They're affordable (or at least worth the money/time/effort), work well, last long, and are incredibly pigmented whilst being versatile. TheBalm is one of these brands.

I am a massive TheBalm fan, everything that I have from the brand has been an massive success. That being said, there are still plenty of things from TheBalm which I haven't tried yet.

UPDATE: I have just discovered that TheBalm official website now ships internationally! International shipping is a flat rate of $40AUD which is pricey considering the large wishlist I have! My suggestion is to wait for the next Cyber Monday sale since they're often at 40% off RRP. I've already gotten everything I really wanted from the brand, I'm now just shopping for the sake of it. ;)

Anyways, onto my review, presenting the good-looking Matte ($38.40 AUD):

A small purse-friendly palette.

Inside.

The eyeshadows have the most quirkiest names! Matt Ramirez is a good neutral toned brow powder.

The Back.

The applicator that comes with it, I never use these since I prefer full-sized brushes.

The shadows are - obviously - all matte textures, highly pigmented, easily blendable and very versatile with a variety of different looks. It's perfect for if you want a matte contouring of the eyes or a matte base for highlighting of the brow bone. I haven't found one bad thing about this palette, I'm sold! It's reassuring to have a palette that's full of matte shades considering there are mainly shimmers in most palettes now.

I bought most of my TheBalm products from Bath&Unwind. CLICK HERE to visit the Meet Matte palette which I bought in a new window. The website has free (and extremely quick) shipping to Australia for orders over $108 AUD.

My first ever order from Bath&Unwind of products from TheBalm <3

Stay Beautiful! xx