benefit

April 2019 Favorites

by
April 2019 FavoritesApril 2019 Favorites
MAC Paint Pot in Painterly, $22 / L’Oreal Blow Dry It Thermal Smoother Cream, $6 /
Clarins Glow Booster, $32 / Benefit Gimme Brow+, $24

I’m so, so happy that it is consistently not-cold. My windows have been open. I have been outside. I’m eschewing jackets. It is wonderful! April was a fairly minimal beauty month for me, but details on my April 2019 Favorites are after the jump.

Read more

Benefit Roller Lash

by
benefit Roller LashBenefit Roller Lash

This legacy post has been given a facelift. Content has been edited for clarity and flow, but the essence is the same. Enjoy!

Benefit Roller Lash may as well be old news, now, but I got a deluxe sample in the Paint it Pink set.

I was prepared to not be impressed. So far, most prestige mascaras I’ve tried haven’t done much for me except my favorite, bareMinerals Flawless Definition. I like they’re Real! from Benefit but not enough to spend $24 on it. By-and-large, the price-per-use of prestige products at their retail prices are rough. When you consider that mascara must be replaced every 3-6 months for performance and sanitary reasons, dropping $20+ on a tube just doesn’t jive with me.

Performance-wise, I was pleasantly surprised.

Read more

Quick Take: Benefit Gimme Brow is Coming Back

by

Gimme Brow Recall

I was sad when the recall of Gimme Brow came out. At the time, it seemed as though the product was being discontinued.

Then, after weeks with a new product and almost as soon as my post about that product went live, I got word that Gimme Brow is returning. Rather, at this point, has returned for online sales for the most part. It will be available in most stores by Friday.

The packaging, price, and shade range appears to be the same. The product now has a plus sign appended at the end of its name so it reads: Gimme Brow+. To me, this implies a reformulation. Based on the earlier recall, a reformulation makes sense to comply with eye safety standards…but then why throw on the + sign? There don’t appear to be any claims of enhanced efficacy, hold, conditioning, or any of that jazz.

As for me… 

I still intend to use up my Ulta Brow Tint. I also still intend to try Glossier Boy Brow. But I’m delighted Gimme Brow is back and definitely plan to repurchase to verify that havoc wasn’t wreaked on it. That said, at $24 a tube, purchases will be limited to infrequent VIB and Ulta Platinum sales.

Every Cosmetic I Love Gets Discontinued – Gimme Brow Recall

by

Gimme Brow Recall

This week, Benefit Cosmetics issued a recall of the best damn brow product I’ve ever used.

The Gimme Brow Recall Recall

Benefit states that they recalled the product after discovering (on their own) that it wasn’t up to par with their quality standards. Okay, good move, Good Guy Benefit.

Customers were instructed to return to their place of purchase for a refund. Benefit also clarified that the product is not problematic provided you are using as directed. Otherwise, if it comes into contact with the eye itself it could cause irritation.

Read more

No Buy Pause

by

No Buy

Before long it will be time to give my No Buy pause and make some calculated beauty purchases. Soon, the infrequent (and therefore precious) sales shall be upon us. I am not unrealistic – I’ll want to shop.

No Buy Pause Plan

The Bottom Line

There will be more purchased as I hope to maintain my Sephora VIB and Ulta Platinum statuses for 2018. If I plan and am deliberate, I am confident I can meet those thresholds without buying random stuff I don’t feel strongly about.

Fortunately, I continue to be underwhelmed by holiday collections. so there’s little temptation there. The only thing I have been stricken by so far are Urban Decay’s new Heavy Metal glitter liner shades. I love the one I own, but definitely don’t need to add more to my collection – so it is easy to get over.

Using Gimme Brow (Or Why I’m an Idiot)

by

Gimme Brow

Benefit Gimme Brow, $24

My brows hadn’t been touched in months; literally nary a pluck. I’ve been attempting to grow them in so that eventually a semblance of shape could be cultivated from them. Fortunately, I had a voucher for a free brow wax at the Benefit Brow Bar and redeemed it this weekend. In minutes, my brows were whipped into glorious shape.  Sweet success!

After mapping, waxing, plucking strays, and cleaning up, my Arch Expert deftly swiped Gimme Brow, my current go-to brow product, through my brows.

Boy, am I an idiot.

Read more