Boi-ing Concealer Range | Benefit Cosmetics

Benefit have just relaunched their concealers, and now have a uniform look! Their 3 old concealers have been revamped, repackaged and renamed as part of the boi-ing concealer family. The family includes, Hydrating concealer (fake up), industrial strength concealer (the original boi-ing), brightening concealer (erase paste) and the newest baby – Boi-ing airbrush concealer. The ones that have been repackaged are still the same formula we are familiar with.

Boi-ing concealer range

The 4 concealers all come in adorable eraser packaging. It’s such a cute play on erasing imperfections- exactly what I would expect from benefit. They all come in 3 shades each (1, 2, 3)
I do feel the shade range is a little limited. I would love to see a 0.5 added as well as possibly a 4 and 5 to be more inclusive for all benebabes. All of the concealers retail for $34 each here in Australia which I think is a fair price.

Boi-ing airbrush concealer & swatches

boi-ing concealer airbrush concealer

Boi-ing Airbrush Concealer

Let’s talk about the newest one first. My first impressions swatching this was that it felt like a mix between fake up and the original Boi-ing. It feels so smooth, and glides on like a dream. It claims to be crease proof, waterproof, with a soft focus finish,  so it has some bold promises to live up to. I actually really have been enjoying this concealer. It has a light to medium – but buildable coverage, and it doesn’t sink into my expression lines.
boi-ing concealer airbrush concealer benefit

Boi-ing Airbrush Concealer

boi-ing concealer airbrush concealer swatches

Boi-ing Airbrush Concealer swatches (L to R – 1,2, 3)

I used shade 2 to cancel out my dark circles, shade 3 to add warmth around the outside of my face, and shade 1 to highlight and brighten the center of my face. It definitely had really good coverage. For all these before and after images I did not set the concealer with powder. I can almost get away with that for this concealer, but it looks much more flawless when set.

boi-ing concealer airbrush concealer before and after

Boi-ing industrial strength concealer & swatches

boi-ing concealer industrial strength benefit

This is the original Boi-ing- one of the first products I tried from benefit, many years ago in a set. This is a drier formula than the other concealers in the range. I personally don’t use these thicker, drier concealers under my eyes, as I have drier under eyes and I don’t find they usually work well for me. But this works so well for spot concealing blemishes! It really has amazing coverage too.
boi-ing concealer industrial strength
boi-ing concealer industrial strength swatches

Boi-ing Industrial Strength Concealer Swatches
(L-R- 1, 2, 3)

In my before and after images below, it photographs amazingly! This is because of the matte finish. I didn’t actually realise how flawless it looks on camera until I was editing this blog post – maybe it will have to be my new filming concealer. If you have normal to oily skin and are looking for something that won’t budge off of your breakouts, pigmentation or other areas of concern then this will be perfect for you.
I am lucky enough to not struggle with breakouts regularly, but if I do- they’re so often on my cheeks. This makes it so difficult to contour. So I have been using shade 3 to contour when I not too heavily fake tanned, and it looks divine.
boi-ing concealer industrial strength before and after

Boi-ing hydrating concealer & swatches

boi-ing concealer hydrating

I personally find fake up such a catchier name than ‘hydrating concealer’ but the new packaging is so damn cute I will let it slide. My ‘fake up’ was defiantly well loved.
boi-ing concealer hydrating vs fake up
I really love this concealer for highlighting my face. Not only is it non drying, it’s actually dewy! So many popular concealers for highlighting have a matte finish, which can make it really heavy on your skin, especially if you’re on the drier side like me. If you have any dry patches around your nose and mouth this is so good to tone them down, but also hydrate and sooth them. I’ve seen them used as hydrating nude lipsticks- I gave it a go and it wasn’t actually too bad.
boi-ing concealer hydrating concealer
boi-ing concealer hydrating concealer swatches

Boi-ing Hydrating Concealer Swatches (L-R – 1, 2, 3)

Now that I have darker shades I’ve tried them as a dewy bronzer (not contour) and it actually makes me look so radiant- I will be doing this all summer long.
I do find it can crease under the eyes if it’s not set very well, but if you have dry under eyes, it won’t cling to those patches like matte formulas. However being so light reflective, I would recommend setting it with a powder under the eyes, so it looks more flawless. As you can see in the before and after below – it doesn’t look ‘flat’ due to the light bouncing off it.
boi-ing concealer hydrating concealer before after

Boi-ing brightening concealer

boi-ing concealer brightening concealer benefit

Formally known as erase paste. This line runs more peachy to counteract the blue/purple tones usually found around our eyes. But if you have sun spots or darker pigmentation this will also work well. Because I have horrendous dark circles, I have tried a lot of correctors, and this is the most unique one. Most are a drier formula, similar to industrial strength, or a regular liquid with a doe foot. This one is much creamier, and almost the consistency of a lipstick that’s been left in a hot car. Because of this it is so emollient, blendable and easy to use.
boi-ing concealer brightening vs erase paste
boi-ing concealer brightening concealer swatches

Boi-ing Brightening Concealer Swatches (l-R – 1, 2, 3)

You can see how it really cancels out those purple tones under my eyes. Here I used shade 1, but I definitely could have gotten away with shade 2. I only use a really small amount of correcter over my dark circles. Then I would usually follow up with foundation, and a lighter concealer through the centre of my face to create dimension.

 boi-ing concealer brightening before and after

Why have Benefit renamed their existing products?

Benefit have been busy recently creating more constant family’s within the brand. I.e.- They’re real use to just be a mascara.. now it is a range including mascara, eyeliner, makeup remover and lipsticks.
The icon is Hoola bronzer is now a range including creams, liquids, fake tan and more. The cult professional primer is now a skin focused range. Not to mention all the brow products are matching! Click here for a review on the entire hoola range!
I personally am loving this! They have always had adorable packaging, but now the brand just flows a lot more. Especially as a beauty Influencer, the products are super cute for flat lays!
Thankyou so much Ela for sending me this amazing PR pack to be able to share with all of you!

Top 5 Luxurious Highlighter Makeup Products

Highlighting doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, any time soon. So today I want to show you my top 5 highlighter makeup products. I broke them into 5 categories, to make it a bit easier for myself, because I am a highlight JUNKIE! Send me to makeup rehab haha.
If you are interested, here is my Highlighter Collection Video from 2016

Shimmer highlighter makeup

highlighter makeup abh nicole g

ABH X Nicole Guerrio Glow Kit Swatches

If you want to be shimmering, and shining all over the place.. You need to get your hands on the Anastasia Beverly Hills X Nicole Guerrio Glow Kit. It is more shimmery than her other glow kits. This means it photographs amazingly! I can sometimes struggle to capture the glow on camera, but not with this palette. There are 6 wonderful shades in the palette too, making it super versatile if you like to infrequently tan, or work on a variety of skin tones. Check out my full review here

highlighter makeup abh nicole g swatches

ABH X Nicole Guerrio Glow Kit (Swatches- Kitty kat, forever young, day dream, forever lit, glow getter, 143)

Liquid highlighter makeup

Liquid highlighter can be difficult for some people to work with. Which is why you need the Cover FX Sunlight Custom Enhancer drops. I could come up with  101 ways to use this beauty. But my favourites would have to be the following.
Mixed in with my foundation to create an all over glow.
Under my foundation for a lit from within  glow.
On top of foundation, on the highest points of the face for intense gleam factor.

highlighter makeup cover fx

Cover FX Custom Enhancer Drops – Sunlight

Gold highlighter makeup

highlighter makeup champagne pop

Becca Champagne Pop

I couldn’t do a fav highlighters post without mentioning my MOST USED (OMG) one! Champagne Pop by Becca.. You are just everything to me. I love this when I am fake tanned, which is 99% of the time. It has a gorgeous golden sheen to the face, which isn’t too yellow. It has a mix of peach, pink, gold, and of course champagne – making it work for most skin types. Jaclyn Hill, you really nailed it with this one!

highlighter makeup champagne pop swatch

Becca Champagne Pop Swatched

Natural highlighter makeup

With a name like Dandelion Twinkle, you can just picture how dainty and gorgeous this highlight will be before even seeing it. It is the newest one by Benefit, and their first powder highlight. If you apply one layer of this it will be so gorgeous and subtle, you will just look like you have a natural radiant glow. However you can definitely still build it up! Even applying it while your setting spray is still drying will give a super intense pop – making it work for day or night time.

highlighter makeup dandelion twinkle

Benefit Cosmetics – Dandelion Twinkle

Cream highlighter makeup

LA Lights hollywood & highlight from Smashbox was a random buy, that was totally worth it! It is so easy to work with. Never – not even once, has it made my foundation  patchy. I love to draw it straight on, before setting my face with powder, and then blend with my fingers. Use it alone, or under your favourite powder highlight for a super intense look.

highlighter makeup smashbox

Smashbox – LA Lights hollywood & highlight

 

What is your must have strobing essential?

 

 

 

highlighter makeup swatches

(top-bottom) Champagne pop, Dandelion twinkle, hollywood & highlight, sunlight

Sephora

Hoola Bronzer Range Review | Benefit Cosmetics

The Hoola Bronzer by Benefit is definitely a cult classic. I remember years ago, when I first started watching YouTube videos, it was one of the most popular bronzers around. Now- maybe 10 years later? (showing my age here..) It is STILL one of the leading bronzers.
The reason for this is the gorgeous, universally flattering shade.
But over the last few years, Benefit decided to extend the hoola bronzer range. And in my opinion.. it is now even better!
To see all of the shades in action, check out my Benefit Hoola Range Review & Demo Video *

Benefit’s hoola bronzer swatches

Hoola Bronzer swatches

Hoola Bronzer Swatches
Hoola Lite, Hoola, Quickie Contour Stick, Dew the Hoola
(top-bottom)

As you can see from the swatches, the entire hoola bronzer range is on the same colour spectrum. With Dew the Hoola as the most warm toned. I find this works really well, as it is a liquid – I will swirl it all over my face with a duo fibre brush, adding a sunkissed glow. The others are a bit more neutral toned, meaning you can use them to contour or bronze your skin, depending on if you like a cream or powder.

My thoughts on the new hoola bronzer lite

When I first saw it sneak peeked on a coffee date with Benebae Ela earlier this year, I had my doubts. I never found the original hoola bronzer too dark. But now that there is a Lite version, I can’t imagine my life without it. Once you apply it to your skin, it transforms and builds into the most gorgeous natural bronze shade. I can use this from my fairest to when I am at my most tanned, and it still shows up and always looks stunning.

Hoola Bronzer vs hoola lite

Hoola Lite (top)
Hoola Classic (bottom)

What makes the hoola bronzer cream contour amazing!

Hoola Bronzer quickie contour

Quickie Contour Stick

I have actually found my holy grail cream contour product. The Hoola Quickie Contour stick is incredible. I cannot imagine not having it in my collection anymore. I use it every single day I wear makeup. On a natural makeup day, it will be all I wear on my cheeks, blended out with a little highlight. On full glam days.. I use this, and layer it with the entire hoola bronzer range – coz I’m super extra.

Hoola Bronzer quickie contour stick

Quickie Contour Stick
Top – blended
Bottom – swatched

What are your favourites from the collection? Mine are definitely the newest to the family. Hoola Lite and Quickie Contour Stick.

  • This range was generously gifted to me from Benefit Cosmetics.

Shop Benefit Cosmetics

Mac Foundation Review | Next To Nothing Face Colour

So today we are diving in and looking at the newest foundation by MAC. It is the Next To Nothing Foundation, which retails for $44 here in Australia, and $31USD in the US. This MAC foundation is described as a balmy tinted cream. The key claims are that it provides hydration and radiance, comfortable creamy formula, and improves the look of texture, fine lines and wrinkles.

MAC foundation comparison

The best way to apply the Next To Nothing Face Colour MAC foundation

I tried applying this sheer MAC foundation a few different ways, and found that using a round top foundation brush was the best for me. Since it is a thick consistency, but sheer coverage, it benefits well from a brush so it can be spread out without reducing the cover. Unfortunately my favourite method of using a sponge was useless with this product, as it gave even less coverage.

MAC foundation before and after

Before and After 1 layer of the MAC Next To Nothing Face Cover

MAC foundation next to nothing

Completed Makeup Look

How to pick your MAC foundation shades

This MAC foundation comes in 9 shades from Light to Dark Deep. I ended up choosing the shade medium as I found the online colour match recommendation from MAC to be best for NC 20/25.
MAC foundation shade range

I have the Studio Fix Fluid foundation from MAC in NC20 and NC30. NC20 is my most used and preferred shade. It is more yellow toned than the Next to Nothing Face Colour in Medium. However I wouldn’t consider the shade medium to be pink toned – but more neutral.

MAC foundation studio fix comparison

(L-R) Next to Nothing Medium, Studio Fix NC20, Studio Fix NC30

 

Is the new MAC foundation price worth it?

Most foundations come standard with 30mL, in a glass bottle, that requires you to purchase a separate pump.  This MAC foundation contains 35mL and comes with a pump for $44. It is cheaper than the other MAC foundations on their website, and contains more product as well. It literally has ‘next to nothing’ coverage, so if you like medium to full coverage this won’t be worth it for you. But if you like a sheer tint, that will add a radiant glow I would say it is worth it.

 

Bareminerals bareSkin Complete Coverage Serum Concealer Review

bareSkin Complete Coverage Serum Concealer.

concealer01

I picked this up on a bit of a whim after seeing Shaanxo use it once in a video. I’ve been using the Nars creamy concealer for a while now and have repurchased a few times in my various shades.
With our crappy Australian dollar the price keeps going up and up for makeup. I had the urban decay naked concealer on my list to try next but refused to pay over $40 for one concealer.
Bare minerals swooped in and saved the day being only $29. I picked up the lightest shade in fair for when I’m too lazy to fake tan and medium golden for my tan times. I struggled to choose my shades though with little swatches online. Once they came I picked up medium as well.
The packaging is nice and simple. I really love the applicator. It’s a double sided doe foot which means I only have to re-dip once as it picks up so much product.
The makeup formula is so thin, but high coverage I was really surprised. It’s the first concealer in years I haven’t had to use a corrector under my eyes first for natural days. Being such a thin consistency it blends like a dream and never looks cakey.

bareminerals

Fair – I use this when I have no tan on under my eyes and on blemishes. It’s about the same shade as my skin so I don’t use this for highlighting
Medium – This is slightly lighter than my fake tan colour so I can use this for a subtle highlight. It is a bit pink toned.
Medium Golden – This is a yellow tone which matches my fake tan really well. I use this on blemishes and right under my eyes.

Smashbox L.A. Lights Travel Set Review & Swatches

I absolutely love the Smashbox highlight stick in Hollywood & Highlight. It’s a perfect neutral shade with just the right amount of pink, pearl and gold in it. This makeup blends like a dream over any foundation, shall I go on? So when I saw on Meccas website that there was a pack of the mini multitasking sticks in the other shades I just knew they had to get added to my cart.

This makeup set comes with 4 shades in a chubby stick type packaging for only $43. They are designed to be used anyway you like; blush, bronzer, lips, eyes, all that jazz. However some shades kind of only really work for one purpose.

Shade 1. Hollywood highlight

This is the one I have in the full size and I do find it a little harder to work with than the big one. It’s got the same gorgeous tone, but since I have to draw more lines as its smaller it moves my foundation and requires more blending.

smashbox03

Shade 2. Venice Beach Bronze

This bronzer is a gorgeous golden shimmer tone which looks gorgeous when it’s applied messily over the face. It does require a little more blending than some of my other cream bronzers. But it’s the only one I have with shimmer. It looks beautiful once you get it right. I find a mixture of a brush and the warmth from my fingers does a good job. This shade could also double as a bronze eyeshadow base, which I haven’t actually tried yet- just a thought.

smashbox04

Shade 3. Beverly Hills Blush

This lighter mauve colour would easily double as w gorgeous cheek and lip tint. It blends easily on the cheeks with a brush or fingers.

I find that when I apply it as a lipstick it sits in the lines in my lips. If I run a little all over my lips then it works better as a stain.

smashbox05

Shade 4. Malibu Berry

I find this one very similar in application to the other blush. It’s great for cheeks and a lip stain. Easy to blend and a pretty berry tone.

smashbox06

All in all I’m pleased I picked up some other shades, but glad they’re only mini’s. The highlight is reached for daily, but the others are not here or there.

smashbox07

 

(l-r Hollywood & highlight, Beverly Hills Blush, Malibu Berry, Venice Beach Bronze)
If you’re getting into makeup creams and want some easy to use convenient chubby sticks I would recommend this set to have a play with.

Bare Minerals BareSkin Sheer Sun Serum Bronzer Review

BareSkin Sheer Sun Serum Bronzer.

I recently saw this when browsing Mecca Online. Unfortunately I was unable to find any reviews on it. Seeing as I loved the limited edition Loreal Liquid Bronzer so much, I decided to grab it anyway. It is limited edition and retails for $41.

It comes in a little bottle, the same as their serum foundations. I liked the gold lid, it’s super cute. You have to shake well before using it. I assume this is due to the serum. It comes out a tiny hole, one drop at a time.

bronzer02 bronzer03
I find one drop easy does one half of my face, cheek, forehead and a swish on my nose. This universal makeup shade is a gorgeous warm bronze which stands out in all the right ways against my pale skin. However when I fake tan (which is always) it’s much more subtle. This works well for me as I try to go for quite a ‘natural’ skin look day to day.
I love to swirl this all over my cheeks with a Real Techniques Duo Fibre Brush and then dab over with my foundation sponge to make sure it’s all seamless. I can’t comment on the ‘serum’ aspect, but this is a gorgeous makeup bronzer for light to medium skin tones.