Retro Glamorous (Benefit in general)

Member Name: chaviane

Product:	Benefit in general
Date:	02/08/03 (756 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lovely smells, Beautiful Packaging, Flirtatious Names

Disadvantages: Expensive, Doesn't last long, Sometimes not so important

BENEFIT STORY
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The creator of this cosmetic brand is two identical twin sister Jane and Jean in San Fransisco, USA. Their success story has written in many business magazine. If I'm not wrong, they also received a sucess business award because of it. In fact, I've knew this brand when I was reading about them in a business magazine in my country. I always curios about it but finally I found them when I got to the UK.

I must admit that I really admire "Benefit" cosmetic strategy on creating their products. They created something that most women (maybe I can say every woman!) wants...feeling sexy, girly, and glamorous. Yup, they got it right! They created very feminine and different than others.....Benefit cosmetics!

Why its different?? Their packagings are different than others. There are plenty of cosmetics brands that always promoting themselves as more advance than other with high-tech and modern packaging. Not Benefit, its simpler than that, because benefit cosmetics just reminds us about the glamour of the 50's. Their idea was briliant, they dont have "colour identity" that usually one brand represented by one colour. But in Benefit, they are using plenty of colours in their product packaging, but they still have their identity....their design.

From their products, maybe their target market is young people who never experienced the glamour of the 50's unless from the pictures. If thats true, its a success, because their products provoke their curiousity. But their products also attract older women who wants to feels young again and to remember the good times they had in the 50's.

Is that enough to make it sucess? I guess it more than that. Every Benefit product has a simple and girly name that can make some of us giggle. Its gives a very refreshing cosmetics changing that always represented by french words that not everyone understand (believe it or not, I'
m learning french from my cosmetics...corps, levres, yeux...all the creams I need *hehe*). For example, "Dr feelgood"...or..."You Rebel"...maybe this one more interesting..."Touch me then try to leave cream". Nice isn't it?


ME AND BENEFIT
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Everytime I go to big department stores or large boots pharmacy, Benefit counter always so tempting to me. But, of course I dont buy their product right away. Only the past couple weeks. Why?? its simple, Benefit is expensive. The price range is almost the same as Chanel, Estee Lauder even YSL. The price range is from GBP.11.50 to GBP.32.50 . With that kinda price, it is not easy to make me buy the product especially I'm just as a student. Usually, I will spend that much in something that already well-known and represent luxury. So....everytime I pops up in Benefit counter, I'm just playing with their testers. But honestly, it is quiet tempting to own it.

But July was coming. Thats my birthday! time to give myself a treat *wink!*. Hum...actually, birthday is an excuse to me to buy something without feeling guilty...hehehe. So I decided to buy something from Benefit. I bought it like 2 weeks before my birthday (see...I just made up the reason). Then, on my birthday, I have more Benefit stuff from my friends.....hoooray!!!

What have I tried?? here it is....


BENEFIT THAT I'VE OWNED
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~~BENETINT~~ Price: GBP 21.50/15 ml

This is the product that I bought on my own. I choose this because its been reviewed in many fashion magazines as well as chosen by Sarah Jessica-Parker in Sex & the City series , so I'm really excited to own one.

The function is actually a blusher for your cheek, but I can use it to add a little "rose" colour to my lips. As you seen, the price is a bit too much for a blusher (I still loves my Bourjois blusher that doesn't
kill my allowance!). But since I dont have a liquid blusher, I gave this one a shot.

This liquid blusher reminds me of transparent nail polish. But its not thick at all. Maybe more like cranberry juice texture. But the smell is so rosy. The packaging no different than nail polish because the lid cover came with little brush that exactly look like nail polish brush. It only come in one colour, I was not really sure it will fits me because I'm kinda brown, but the sales convinced me that this colour fits all skin tone and she showed me how to apply it in my face. I just use the brush to aply 3 dots on my cheek and use my fingers to smear. Yup, I like the result. It gives an impression that I'm blushing from inside. Thats what I want!

It last long as well...I used it in the morning and when we want to go clubbing at night, I can see that I'm still blushing. The down side?? well, since I have to use my fingers, it gives reddish stain on it. Not easy to take it off by water, so I use my eye make-up remover to clean my hand. I tried to apply it with cotton, but the result not the same.

Will I buy it again? Hum...maybe. I like the result and liquid blush really nice for summer, but with that kind of price...I will have to think twice.


~~KITTEN CLASSIC~~ GBP. 19.50/ 10 g

This one is a gift from a friend who bought it with me. But of course I didn't know if its for me. She just asked what I think about it and which one I like from 3 kind of Kitten products, and I've chosen the classic one. Because its gives more sparkle compare to others and not so gold. I was so thrilled when she gave me this on my birthday!

Kitten is basically a sparkling body powder. The packaging is the one that attract the most because its looks sooo girly. The colour is pinky with female cat holding a mirrow drawing. In general, it looks like Minnie mouse's body powder that you've seen in cartoon. It comes with a re
ally soft puff to poof it everywhere in your body.

When I opened the packaging, I was wondering where's the powder? well, its already inside the puff. Good idea though, so less possibility that it will spill everywhere. The texture is so soft and the sparkling element is so fine, not too much. The smell?? like all Benefit products this one have a really soft smelling so flowery and fresh smell. On my birthday dinner, I poof the puff to my face and all over my chest and shoulder. Me and my friends took lots of pictures together. Thru digital camera, I can see the sparkling!! its so nice and pretty glow!

As I have mentioned, this sparkling powder came in 3 choices. "Kitten Classic" is the one that I own, it gives golden champange sparkle...another one is "Kitten Shops New York City" which is contains cooper pink glitter in it....and the last one is "Kitten Goes To Paris" that gives silvery lilac shimmer.

Will I buy it again? Maybe not. If shimmer still a trend, I still use it, because the nice effect it gives me. But I'm sure I can save money if I buy other brand. Of course, other brands might be minus the feminine packaging and soft n' puffy puff.


~~FLAMINGO FANCY~~ GBP 16/125 ml

This "kinda lotion" item also a gift from my friend. The bottle is so art deco. There's two pink flamingos kissing on the black label. Kinda cheesy for some people. But again, since its different, I'm also excited to try it on. Inside the clear bottle, I can see this thick shimmery golden coral lotion.

When I opened the bottle....the smell so....hum...lovely and very sexy, I guess thats what I love the most. First I thought its must be for bronzing. But I think its better to use it to give shimmery effect or to glistened your skin.

Once I applied it in my legs...the result is not so obvious. Not much colour but it surely makes my skin shimmer (the colour will be m
ore obvious if I apply many times). The first time I applied it with my hand, but it left stain to it, so I use liquid foundation sponge and the result is the same. Since its a body lotion, I guess its moisturize as well, but it does not moisture my skin enough, so I just use it as a "fun" product.

When I wore a skirt, this lotion gives a really nice shimmer to my legs. Hum...I got the feeling it "toned" my legs. Make it looks a bit thinner....I'm not sure, maybe because of the sparkle catch the lighting effect, but thats what I felt at that time. But the shimmer didn't last very long, after aabout 3 or 4 hours you can tell that its started to fade. Its even faster if you're sweating. Since its a lotion you can apply it again and again....only if you have time to do so.

In the future....Maybe I will buy it again. Not because of the shimmer, but only for the smell, because I really like it. But I guess I dont have to buy it again soon, I use mine quiet rare, since I'm a jeans and trousers girl. I'm sure mine will last for a long time.


~~BATHINA BODY SO FINE~~ GBP 22/110 g

I also got this on my birthday (Lucky me living with 15 girls, I showered with girly stuff!). I was impress with the presentation. The tin itself so beautifully made. Its also pinky with a blond girl applying this to her body in her pink room. Very 50's drawing. When I opened the rectangle tin....it was so organized. There's a black velvet sponge with pink ribbon to hold it and another smaller rectangle tin where the cream is. (honestly, I'm not so sure what I should refer it to, cream, gel or petrolatum with pink and milky colour....whatever..).

When I applied it to my skin, the smell was so nice...true aphrodisiac. I can see the sheen on my skin and the smell last quiet long but not too much, so its great. I applied it with the sponge provided and I can see the result right away. My skin appears
smoother and softer. But since I live in a student hall, not a pink room...I dont feel as sexy as the girl in the tin might...hehehehe.

But I was quiet dissapointed because the sheen doesn't last very long, although the smell still there. Another thing I have to be careful is that if I put it too much, I will look like I'm sweating instead on sheen. The smell so light even guys can enjoy it (on us girls, not them of course!) when one of the guy in my class gave me a hug for my birthday, he actually mentioned that I smells nice and very sexy (He could be a liar...you never know men! hehehe).

I'm not sure if I will buy it again or not, because I dont really need this and since the result does not last, its really wasting my money, even I love the smell and the smooth result. Beside, GBP 22 is not a cheap treat for something I dont use so often.


~~FROSTINGS~~ GBP.26/package

This one I also bought it on my own....yea yea yea, I can hear you saying that I mentioned I dont want to spend too much on Benefit. But I bought this in Harrods sale...after so many price changes....it cost me GBP 5.95 !!!! Yes!! see....hard to resist isn't it?? even I dont know what its for, I just thought that I have to get it. With that kind of price, I'm sure I wont regret it if I dont like it. I just grabbed the package from the sale box...and paid. No time to ask how to use it nor what its actually for.

When I got home. I can't wait to open it. Frostings actually a box contained 4 little pots. 2 pots are lip glosses (Icy petals & Icy orchid) and the other 2 are shimmery powder eye shadows (Tourmaline & Amethyst). Unlike other Benefit products, the design of this one is kinda minimalist and modern. So, if you're looking for the glamour of the 50's, this one is not for you.

The lip gloss maybe more like lip creme because the colour is quiet obvious. One is a bit reddish and another one kinda orange. When
I put it in my lips, again I'm tempted by Benefit smell. But since I have a full lips....this lip creme makes my lips looks too much. I have to apply it very thin and carefully to get the natural affects. As most glosses and lip cream are, this one also didn't last long.

The shimmery eye powders are more fun. One is a bit grey and another one is a bit like soft pink colour. I applied it on my eye lids with my finger and the colour stays nicely. I also apply it with brush although its stays well but very difficult to maintain. The down side? after a while it become "melted"...especially if you have an oily skin. But you can be creative it it...what I did was I use the grey powder as a "background" on my eye lids and added my other compact eyeshadows at the front. Its really nice result for night time.

Since I bought it when its on sale. I dont mind. But I'm sure I will not buy it when its not on sale. The price is a bit too much for something that I can buy from other brands with lots of cheaper price or if I want to splurge I can spend it to sumething luxurious such as Essentiels de Chanel (contains creamy stuff for your lips, cheek and face) that cost GBP.28 (only 2 pounds difference).

After I purchased this, I just realized that Benefit really selling the "experience". All their packaging are mostly made from simple tin, carton or plastic bottle, nothing fancy but it all nicely designed. This one is an example of one of their product that doesn't sell the "experience".....maybe thats why its ended up on sale racks.


WHERE TO BUY BENEFIT
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Hum...as I mentioned, its available in Harrods, but basically available in major department stores such as House of Fraser. But if you want to get some points, get it from large Boots pharmacy, sometimes they even double the points for Benefit products. Boots website also worth to check and you can or
der it online from there. I remember once in Boots website they actually offer 3 for 2 offers on Benefit...buy 3 any benefit items and get the cheapest one free. I didn't get anything that time, because I was able to control my spending mood.

So, its worth to check on their site to see what kind of offer they have. You can also browse on all Benefit products from there. But even you can order it online, I really recommend you to actually visit their counter, the experience of trying everything is so much nicer. Especially the price is quiet high, its better to try it and ask some advice from the sales before you actually buy it.


CONCLUSION
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Now I can say that I have more than enought Benefit products. It more than enough nice addition to my make-up and beauty products collections (hehehehe....just love them!). I will consider to buy another Benefit products a a present to my friends because I'm sure they will like it too, just to have fun with. Especially the items that I will not buy it on my own. The packaging and the smell is so nice....if I buy it to my girlfriends, I can tell that they will have so much fun with it like me. I will ask the sales to gift-wrap it for me, because they will wrap it nicely with black lace and bow in it.

But of course, I will select the products that have "more value"....even if other brands have it, but it must have something more, unique design, pretty packaging and super soft puff. I will not get Benefit products that looks no difference than other brands, because I prefer to save my money to buy other things as a nice gift

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