Benefit Hello Flawless Foundation

After receiving a benefit make over on my hen weekend I have since become a fan of benefit products. After running out of erase paste I went to my local debenhams to pick up more erase paste and browse the other products available. While there I was asked if I had tried flawless foundation. As I hadn't I was offered a quick make over at the benefit counter and was quickly taken by this product too and ended up buying this along with my erase paste and a foundation brush.

Benefit cosmetics was founded back in the 70's and started as a beauty boutique specialising in quick fix products for beauty dilemmas. However benefit cosmetics is now a global brand selling over the counter in more than 30 countries. There are also now brow bars available at a lot of these counters. I've experienced benefit counters in both boots and debenhams. There products are widely available online too.

Hello flawless foundation is an oil free new liquid foundation from benefit. It states it's brightening make-up that contains SPF 25. Hello flawless foundation is available in a number of shades which will cover most skin tones. I was advised after trying a few different shades to go for the ivory. The other shades available are: Champagne
Honey
Beige
Toasted Beige
Amber
Hazelnut
Nutmeg
Each shade comes with its own tag line. The ivory shade has the tag line "Believe in me"

Like most benefit make-up this foundation is quite pricey. I paid £25 for mine from debenhams. It's £24.50 on the benefit website but I have seen it online for as cheap as £17.

The packaging for this foundation isn't as quirky as most benefit products. The foundation comes in a see through plastic bottle with a frost coloured white lid. It has a white pump dispenser which makes the foundation really easy to use allowing you to easily control the amount of foundation that comes out. Unlike some foundations I have experienced in the past that come in squeeze bottles and end up with half the bottle out on the first usage.
The front of the bottle has "hello flawless oxygen wow" written in large black letters that are in a fun/quirky font. It also has "brightening make-up" written in smaller letters and "oil free SPF 25" written in a pink bubble like shape. The bottle comes in a nice, classy looking rectangular box. The front of the box is white and has all the same information as the front of the bottle. Both sides are silver and have black writing saying things like "oxygen" and "wow". Each side has a different font. The top of the box is also silver and has a sticker on it telling you the shade and the shades tagline. The back of the box has the foundations names/promises, how to use and warnings. The bottom of the box lists the ingredients. Inside the box along with the bottle of foundation there is a fancy/classy looking leaflet which is black with white writing. The leaflet has more details of the product, how to use and warnings. I also got a free sample of benefit porefessional, not sure if this is a constant thing or just for a limited time.

Statements on the box/aims
"It's you... just more luminous and healthy looking! Our brightening make-up builds from light to medium coverage for a natural complexion you can believe in. Goodbye imperfections. Hello flawless."

"Helps to boost cellular respiration for a plumping up effect."
"Helps to protect against environmental stresses"

"Contains vitamin C & E derivatives known to prevent signs of ageing."

I really like this foundation, I prefer the more natural look and this gives me that perfectly. It is really easy to apply, this is a liquid foundation that has the consistency almost spot on. Its not too runny, that its slipping through your fingers, but runny enough that its easy to work with. It blends into my skinwell, and also works well with my other products, like Benefit erase paste. It blends so well with my skin and as it gives a light-medium coverage I'm not left with that orange line round my face, or that tangoed look. Although only a light coverage it hides all imperfections on my face well, it gives a real natural look not that shiny look so many foundations are guilty of. I also like how this foundation is SPF 25 as it means I don't have to worry about sun cream on my face after I have just put on all my make-up. Not that there has been a lot of sun but from the little we have had my skin has been fine so I believe it is working. It also feels really light when you are wearing it. I have used foundations in the past that have left my skin feeling quite heavy but this is the total opposite and sometimes I forget I am wearing it. It lasts well throughout the day and I very rarely have to top up. In fact I have only topped up once and that was because I was going out straight after work.

Overall I think I have found a foundation I will be happy to stay with. So far it has lived up to my expectations and has done everything it has aimed to (time will tell if it helps prevent the signs of aging). When I am wearing this foundation my skin looks better and brighter and I feel more confident. I would highly recommend this foundation to those who like a more natural look however I would suggest shopping around for a good price as at full/normal price it's a bit on the expensive side.