YOU'RE SO OVERRATED #3 // Benefit Hoola Bronzer

Hey guys!

Last year, I started this series that is quite possibly one of my fabourites to write about - and it's called You're So Overrated. For a recap, this series is to write about all the products that I personally have been persuaded to buy because of all the hype and excitment from Youtube and the blogsphere, and have failed to meet expectations. This doesn't mean they're bad products in the slightest (well.. some are..), just that I don't think they're deserving of the hype that surrounds them. I've previously talked about the MAC Pro Longwear Concealer and the Lime Crime Lipsticks - and now, I'm talking about a huuuuuuuge cult favourite.. The Benefit Hoola Bronzer.

Dun dun duuuuuuuuuuun.

Don't get me wrong - I love most Benefit products. I don't think that this a terrible bronzer in the slightest. However, for the amount of time this is talked about and raved about, I really don't think that it is quite deserving of the praise.

Read on to see what I think!

Hoola is, in my opinion, a neutral toned bronzer that most people use for the dual purpose of contouring and bronzing. The consensus is generally people loving this product because of this purpose, and its supposed ability to match your skin tone whether light or medium. But personally, I just find this way too hard to work with.

Maybe I got a dud, but this honestly is pretty hard to blend on my cheeks. It just ends up looking really mud on my face rather than bronzed goddess. I still bring it out from time to time, but the times where it hasn't worked for me outweigh the times it has unfortunately. I don't think its necessarily a bad product - it is a nice enough colour, but because it really doesn't work for me, I definitely think the money ($51 is no small change) could have been spent better elsewhere. If you were buying this, I'd try and get another smaller size (they have them sometimes in their kits or holiday packages) before committing to a full size purchase, as I have normal, non problematic skin and I'm still not completely in love.

There you have it! What I really think about the Hoola bronzer and whether you should purchase it or not. If you've tried this bronzer, and have had either the same experience as me or otheriwse,lease leave it below! If you have a magic way to use it and love it, let me know that too!

Until next time...

xxxx

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review: benefit they're real push up liner !

Hey guys!

This time last week, I attended a top secret Benefit event for the launch of their new product - the They're Real Push Up Liner! A gel liner in a pen form, this was tipped to one of the best beauty releases of this year. And if you're someone like me, who loves the look of gel liner, but can never get it quite right, you'd be 100% right for anticipating it.

During the event, amongst extremely attractive Benefit cops, we were given a They're Real Push up Liner, a They're Real Mascara and another new arrival, the They're Real Remover (which is another amazing product, but one at a time!).

I won't ever claim to be an eyeliner expert. Nearly every time it looks half decent is honestly a fluke. I've tried to practise but really trying to squeeze in time between everything I have going on at the moment is almost impossible. Will this solve all my liner dilemmas? Probably not going to make me better over night, but I have to say using something like this had made putting on liner SO MUCH EASIER!

Read on to see my thoughts of the liner!

At the event, we were given this little booklet in our 'loot' bag, which demonstrates how to perfect your 'Benefit Wing', and how to achieve other looks with the liner. 

Look at this thing! The packaging is on point - but then again, is any Benefit product ugly really? The best part about this product is that it isn't like say, the Maybelline Master Precise. The product actually stays within the tube and winds up as you need it! That means there is no pen nib to dry out because you only ever use what you actually need from the product. Another cool addition is that the lid actually screws on! You'll never have to worry about the lid falling off and rendering your liquid liner unusable.

 The packaging and product is angled itself, to help you get it as close to your lash line as possible. Plus, you only wind up to get that teeny tiny amount you see in that photo, and that will be enough to create your wing.

Here is my wing that I create using this liner - the mascara I used is Benefit's They're Real ;) :

I am someone who had real life struggles with liner, and I am so impressed with the way this product applies! It makes it so easy for me to just first draw my wing, connect it to my eye, then fill it and thicken it up. Is it perfect? No, of course not. Like I said, my skills are not going to improve overnight! But, I definitely prefer this over my Maybelline Master Precise because of how innovative it is and how it caters to my poorly practiced skills. The angled tip makes it so easy to apply and look so matte, black and beautiful. I'm just completely impressed - love your work, Benefit!

This will be available to purchase at the end of June!

Until next time...

xxxx

in between blogging, you can find me here!

instagram: http://instagram.com/beautybybek

twitter: https://twitter.com/bekaaturner

*This product was gifted to me, but that it no way influences my opinion of it per my Disclaimer 

review: benefit hello flawless oxygen wow foundation

Hey guys!

Last week, I had a relative go overseas. So of course, I asked if they could make a stop off at the local Sephora and pick up this baby for me. I have wanted to try this foundation forever, but it is so expensive here! I recieved a sample of this foundation in my Ulta Haul, and upon trying it knew that I should try the full size, as I had found my colour match. I personally just use samples to colour match, as I don't think that I can really test a foundation properly from a teeny tiny sample.

I posted my first impressions of this on my Instagram (link is at the end of every blog post, if you want to have a look), and thought that I would wear it for the rest of the week to give you guys a proper overview of the foundation and my thoughts on it. It is an expensive foundation, so this may help you decide if you want to try it or not!

This is what you get inside the packaging. The foundation holds 30mLs, which is pretty standard. It also comes with a small sample of their Stay Flawless 15 Hour Primer, which I already own and love!

The bottle comes with a pump, which is awesome because its so much more hygenic! Plus, its easier to comtrol so there isn't as much product wastage. Also, I've noticed that as you use product, the bottom of foundations creeps up and up. I love this! Every foundation should have this! I'll definitely know when I need to repurchase.

Here is the consistency and coverage of the foundation! It's quite liquidy and definitely lightweight, which is great because it doesn't feel like you're wearing a heavy foundation. As you can see from the bottom photo, it definitely covers pretty well! You can only just see my veins peeking through. As for the finish of the foundation, some have said that it is extremely dewy. I have to disagree! I don't think it is hugely dewy or matte, but it is more dewy than it is matte. That said, I would not recommend it for oilier skinned girls. This is definitely for dry to normal skin!

My only issue with this foundation so far is the wear time - which is a big reason why I wouldn't recommend it to those with oily skin. I did set it with a powder after wearing it the first time, but that didn't seem to prolong the wear time by much.

That said, I do really like this foundation! I love the finish and the coverage - and especially how lightweight it feels on my skin. The wear time isn't a huge deal, as I can save this foundation for days when I don't have to wear it for as long.

That's all for todays post! Is there any products that you would like me review? Let me know down below!

Until next time...

xxxx

in between blogging, you can find me here!

instagram: http://instagram.com/beautybybek

twitter: https://twitter.com/bekaaturner

check out my bh cosmetics forever nude palette giveaway!

mini review: benefit's they're real mascara

Hey guys!

Today's post will be a quick review on a much coveted mascara within the beauty community. Everyone raves about this mascara on blogs and Youtube alike, and even its high price tag won't stop most people (i.e. me) from giving it a try.

Of course it's the Benefit They're Real mascara!

I had high hopes for this mascara, I'll admit it - I had read and watched reviews upon reviews before actually making my mind up to buy this. Honestly, I had not seen one bad review, so I figured I couldn't go wrong. Read on to see what my thoughts are now after trailing this for a couple of months.

Being a higher end brand, the price tag on this baby is quite high. But, given that it retails in Australia for $38, it honestly isn't as hefty as other high end brands. Our drugstore mascaras usually retail for about $25-30AU, and seeing as this is only $5-8AU more expensive, I don't think that the price for this is too unreasonable. Still, I did wait until I went overseas to buy this because it is only $23USD. I did have the option to purchase a sample size at $10USD, but when in Rome..

From the Benefit website, this mascara claims to:

"... lengthens, curls, volumizes, lifts & separates. Our jet black, long-wearing formula won’t smudge or dry out. A specially designed brush reveals lashes you never knew you had!"

So... What do I think?

I may be the first person to say this but.. I have such a love/hate relationship with this mascara. I really really wanted it to work - so many bloggers and youtubers claim this to be their ride or die. I, unfortunately, think differently. Is it a bad mascara? No, not at all. Is it a great mascara? Ehhh.. Well, its definitely not a bad mascara. It does what a mascara is supposed to do - namely coat your lashes and make them look more defined. But is it worthy of all the praise it receives? Not in my opinion. 

First of all, its a plastic brush. I am a known bristle brush lover, but that hasn't stopped me from adoring a select few mascaras with plastic brushes. Most people claim that this mascara is what converted them to a plastic wand, but to me its just a standard brush nothing too special. Oh, except the spiky ball on the end. That was genius on Benefit's part. It has never been so easy to get the lashes situated in the inner part of my eye, and also the outer lashes. It's my favourite thing about this mascara.

Close up of the mascara wand

The other thing about this mascara is that its that dreaded wet formula. If you don't know how I feel about wet formulas, I will tell you now. Basically, most wet formulas just clump my lashes and make them so spidery. I have to work twice as hard to get my lashes to separate and gain more volume. I am someone who prefers my lashes to look full and voluminous, and a bristle wand with a dry formula really helps me to achieve this. Unfortunately, this is a problem that I have with this mascara.

Here are some pictures with the mascara applied to my lashes:

One coat of the Benefit's They're Real mascara

Two coats of the Benefit's They're Real mascara

As you can see in the first photo, my lashes are quite thin and spidery. As much as it has coated, curled and lifted my lashes up, there is really no volume or lusciousness to them. And then the second photo, you can really see how clumped they can become. This is after trying to work with the mascara for 2+ minutes..

I don't love or hate this mascara in all honesty - I wouldn't say its a favourite, nor one that I would consider throwing out. There are days where it does work perfectly - where it really does all it claims to. But unfortunately those days are few and far between. I just wish I had had the sense to buy the sample size before purchasing the full size, but hey. At least it is one more mascara to have. But, so many other people have had a great experience with this mascara so I wouldn't let this review stop you from giving it a go - just because it didn't work for me doesn't mean it won't work for you! It is quite possible that I was just the unlucky person who got the dud bottle.

Do you own this mascara? What are your thoughts on it?

Until next time...

xxxx

my top five blushes

Hey guys!

 

I am a make-up addict. I have admitted this quite frequently throughout my blog. But there is one make-up product in particular that I am not so fond of. And that, my friends, is blush.

 

If I'm completely honest, blush scares me. It's a fine line. If you don't use it you look sickly. If you use too much it looks like you're off to the circus. It is so difficult to get it that in between stage where it just looks flushed, girly and pretty. And that intimidates me! Blush holds way too much power, seriously.
 

As someone who has naturally rosy cheeks, and who blushes too easily as it is, I think I have a right to be intimidated by blush. I can put on a colour and blend it out well so that my cheeks look all glowy and gorgeous in the right way. And later on that day, I will look in the mirror and my redness will have taken over, completely changing the colour of my blush and making me look a right fool. The majority of the time, I won't even put blush on. Who needs blush when you have an inbuilt blushing machine? I should probably be celebrating all the money this could potentially save me, but I'm not. I want to love blush and be all up in its blushy goodness. But right now, its a love-hate relationship. Think Katy Perry Hot n' Cold.

 

But, there are a few blushes that I adore. The exception to the rule. Not everyday, but on the occasions where I just want a teeny tiny pink flush that won't be disrupted by my horrendous red cheeks, these are the ones I go for.

 

top row (l-r): Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso, Benefit Boxed Blush in Rockateur

bottom row (l-r): MAC Mineralize Blush in Warm Soul, ELF Studio Blush in Tickled Pink, Face of Australia Blush in Nutmeg

The reason I love all of these blushes is either because they give a lovely radiant glow or because they aren't too pigmented but still give me a healthy appearance. This post wasn't like choosing my favourite lipsticks, or my favourite foundations. It is actually the easiest top five I have chosen thus far for my blog. Read on to see what I love about these blushes individually :)

Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso: This is super raved about all through Youtube and beauty blogs alike, and let me tell you, they are not wrong. It is this beautiful natural peachy pink with gold shimmer, which doesn't translate to your cheeks. But there is this beautiful sheen, and I don't even bother wearing any highlighter with this. And it is a steal at $8USD. Milani isn't available in Australia, but I brought this from either Cherry Culture or Beauty Joint (can't remember which), and if you are an Australian looking for US drugstore brands not readily available here, I highly recommend going to either of those sites and buying this. You will not be disappointed.

 

MAC Mineralize Blush in Warm Soul: This is another beautiful shade. In pan, I would describe it as a peachy-mauve hybrid, and I literally need to just touch my brush into the colour for it to show up on my skin. It gives this lovely, natural, flushed, healthy glow, and because its a mineralize blush, it goes on and blends so flawlessly. I do find that it can go wrong really quickly though, which is why I only just tap my brush once and then go back in again in the same fashion if its not enough. But I really feel that this is worth the money, especially for me because I barely need any. I did buy this in the US for $27.50USD, but in Australia it retails for $43AU. I would purchase again, if I ran out. That's a big if but, I really don't see that happening in the near future.

 

Benefits Boxed Blush in Rockateur: This is one of Benefit's newer releases, and probably my most coveted blush. It is this beautiful rose-gold colour, and it literally goes with everything! I wouldn't say it was too pigmented straight away, but obviously that's something that I like. It smells heavenly too, sort of like my Nana, but not in a bad way. This is the only Benefit blush I own, but I swear this was the best purchase that I could have made! Maybe one day I'll buy more.. And I would 100% repurchase. Again, I did buy this in the US for $28USD, and it retails in Australia for $51AU.

 

ELF Studio Blush in Tickled Pink: My next most used blush. This is the perfect pink colour. Its not mauve, its not peach and its not Barbie pink either. It is just pink, and that's all there really is to it. Again, it isn't hugely pigmented and I just use a tiny bit on the apples of my cheeks and blend it into my bronzer, which is really enough I feel. I brought this off Beauty Joint for $3.99USD, and ELF has recently been added to Kmart (!) but I'm not sure for how much it retails for

 

Face of Australia Blush in Nutmeg: This is one of the first blushes I ever purchased! It's again a lovely pink, with a little shimmer in the pan, but I don't find it to be noticeable on the skin. I feel that this goes perfectly with a smokey eye. Just like Luminoso and Warm Soul, it just gives a lovely healthy colour, but subtle at the same time. As far as I know, this is only available in Australia for around $9.45AU.

 

Heavy swatches of the blushes in natural light (l-r): Milani Luminoso, MAC Warm Soul, Benefit Rockateur, ELF Tickled Pink, Face of Australia Nutmeg 

Swatches of the blushes with flash, same order as above :)

 

The swatches all look the same on my arm, but in person they do all look different. But you can tell the type of colour I like to wear.

 

As I said, blush is intimidating. It can make or break your make-up look, which is why it scares me. Maybe one day I'll be able to see all the good that blush does, and fall absolutely in need with it. But for right now, I'm happy switching these ones in and out. I do own more, but these are obviously the ones I go to and use the most often.

 

I hope this was helpful! If you are someone like me, who blushes like they've been running a marathon, maybe you'll find one of these blushes will work for you! If you have any others you think I should be trialling, please leave it below in the comments :)

 

xxxx