I was invited to join the bloggers’ sneak peek at the B-Spot, a.k.a. the Benefit Cosmetics office in Bonifacio Global City last November 29. Sorry for the really late post about this event but things were also happening at the office and I had to go do other stuff too. Many thanks to Aubrey for organizing it and to Roxy and Mamita for helping us try on their wonderful makeup!

Anyway, Benefit Cosmetics is a very hip, non-traditional brand from the US. Their product names and packaging are not quite the usual stuff we see. I mean, I know Korean and Japanese brands have really cute names but it’s not the same kind of cute with Benefit. Hmm. How do I explain it? I guess some pictures will really help.

Top Row, Left to Right: High Beam, Benetint, Girl Meets Pearl.
Bottom Row: Some Kind-a Gorgeous

During the event, these products were laid out on one of the tables. I couldn’t help but take a picture because they were so pretty hahaha. I am a sucker for pretty packaging! Anyway, High Beam is their highlighter that’s usually for the brow bone and cheeks, Benetint is their famous lip and cheek tint, Girl Meets Pearl is what they call ‘liquid pearl for the face.’ Aren’t their names cute or what? I really think that Girl Meets Pearl is going to be one of the products that I should try to figure out if it will give me that nice glow or if it will make my face look oily. Some Kind-a Gorgeous is this nice foundation-like thing that they have. I like that it didn’t cake on me (because I tried it on during the event!) and that it just worked nicely. But see? The names are absolutely cute! ♥

There was a vanity table in the area where Aubrey introduced the brand to us. And it had a lot of goodies! Benefit’s famous Box of Powders, their scents, etc. I couldn’t help but notice it because it was really pretty. And full of makeup stuff hahaha. The girl that you see in the mirror is the lovely Cai. (Check out her blog too!)

See how beautiful that table was? I think this was also seen during the sneak peek in Greenbelt 5’s Fashion Walk.

After the introduction, we had time to try on their makeup! So happy that I mustered enough courage to ask them if it was possible to do so. I tend to be shy. As proof, I didn’t even get to ask someone to take my picture with my fully made up face. ^^; Mamita was the one who showed me the different products of Benefit that made me look so pretty that afternoon. I had a little makeup on so I removed everything using their very own makeup remover. It was actually pretty good because it didn’t take a lot of it to remove my eyeliner. K-Palette is a bit hard to remove, in my opinion. And then he used Pore-fessional to make my pores less obvious, plus That Gal to make my skin look brighter. Other products used on me included Some Kind-a Gorgeous (in Medium), Hello Flawless (in Toasted Beige), Brow Zings (I think!), Velvet eyeshadows (in Leggy and Dandy Brandy) Magic Ink liquid eyeliner, Bad Gal Lash Mascara, Box O’ Powders (in Bella Bamba — I love it!), Full Finish Lipstick (in Shy). Mamita was explaining to me some of the highlights of the products that he used to prettify me, which was something I really appreciated.

Click the image to view it in a larger form.

Throughout the afternoon, we were trying on the different products and it was interesting watching other women having makeup put on their faces too. They were already pretty and their features were enhanced because of Benefit’s products and the nice way that Roxy and Mamita applied them to these lovely people. Aubrey also showed us their skin care line and I couldn’t help but be fascinated by their facial emulsion, which is basically their day cream. I tried it on my hand and it wasn’t sticky at all. It felt more like a lotion to me and it smelled good too.

One of the women I met there was Anne, a Benefit fan. She has been telling us about the products that she has been trying too and where she has been buying them before she learned that Benefit is now in Manila. She also gave me a nice tip about wearing lipstick. That I should try experimenting by layering different lipstick colors. Admittedly, I am more of a lip tint and lip gloss kind of girl but I need to put my lipsticks to good use sooner or later so I am actually considering that, especially with two of my favorite ones from Etude House and Nyx.

Sofie was one of the bloggers that I met in the event and she was the one who recommended a primer to me, Dr. Feelgood. I don’t really wear makeup that often and I just bought a stick of Etude House’s Goodbye Pore Ever so I have yet to see if I’d actually get that product one of these days.

There were other friendly people like Bec and Danica so it was pretty much a great experience for me. I am not really an outgoing person but some of the ladies there were really open especially when it comes to sharing a little something about makeup and stuff. I have a few more photos of the event on my Google+ profile and you could view the album by clicking this link.

Before the event ended, Aubrey gave us pieces of paper where we would write our top 3 product choices from the trial time we had that afternoon. I couldn’t help but write down the Triple Performing facial emulsion because I’ve been looking for a non-sticky moisturizer which has SPF. Even if it’s just SPF15, at least there’s a little. I haven’t found a proper sunscreen because I keep getting pimples when I use sunscreen. (Ugh!) And guess what? We each went home with a little goodie bag with one of those top three product choices and a little something that the folks at Benefit added.

My goodies from Benefit Cosmetics Philippines: a bottle of Triple Performing Facial Emulsion and two Ultrashines from their Glossy Town Set (So Frisk Me and Spiked Punch).

I’ve been using the Triple Performing Facial Emulsion and I love it! It gives me nice moisturized skin but at the same time, it has no sticky feeling at all. And I already love the Ultrashines, both of them! I will definitely purchase them later on, when I run out of the stuff they gave me. The Spiked Punch shade is definitely my favorite because coral is such a cute color. It’s nice to put on top of my Etude House Look at My Lips #9 (Paparazzi Coral) and sometimes I wear it by itself.

The products are a bit more expensive than what I am used to, admittedly. But considering how gorgeous Bella Bamba is, I can’t help but want to get my hands on it as soon as they open their shop. Thankfully it comes in a set called Project Flawless and it has a few other things with it: an Ultrashine (in Foxy Lady), a mini Bad Gal Lash mascara and a mini Girl Meets Pearl. The set is PhP 2,100 but the blush alone is already PhP 1,600 and the Ultrashine is probably PhP 800 (based on the US website) so the set is a good deal, if you ask me. At least I’d try out 4 products and if I end up liking all of them, well… My wallet will cry some other time hahaha.

With that said, I hope to see you at the opening of Benefit’s shop this December 15, 2011 at 12:30pm. ;) Bring your sisters, BFFs and co-workers who want to know what’s up with Benefit. I assure you that you’d feel the fun and excitement too!

I don’t always go out wearing makeup. But when I do it’s usually like this:
1. Nature Republic oil control mist sprayed all over my face
2. Luview Aqua Essence bb cream spread all over my face
3. Skin Food Buckwheat Loose Powder #23 to set the bb cream
4. Etude House Drawing Eyebrow to fill in the gaps
5. K-palette liquid eyeliner on the upper lashline, never reaching the corners of my eyes, no wing-styled lining
6. Nichido Girls Night Out white eyeliner on the lower lashline and waterline
7. Maybelline Hyper Curl Volume’xpress Mascara on the upper lashes
8. Human Heart Nature Love Minerals blush in Petal Bloom on my cheeks OR Lioele’s Blooming Pop Pinky Tint on my cheeks
9. Tony Moly Berry Berry Magic Tint #1 on my lips
10. Luview Glossy Kiss on my lips

For the powder and blush, I usually use my kabuki brush. :) It’s so easy to use and it covers big areas on my face quickly!

I choose my blush depending on what I am wearing. If it’s something very casual (like a simple tee), I use the Lioele Blooming Pop Pinky Tint. When it’s dressier, I pick the Love Minerals blush. I think it’s because the Lioele looks more like a cute faint blush. :)

I have some lipsticks here. Sometimes I use them too. But like the blush, it depends on how dressy my clothes are. Or if I know that I will find it a hassle to do touch-ups especially when it comes to lipstick, I end up with the Tony Moly Berry Berry Magic Tint because the pink color simply stays. :)

Now that I’ve listed down my makeup stuff, I realize that it’s a whole lot of stuff! For my eyes alone I use 4 products. O_o And I don’t even use eyeshadow much at this rate. If you notice, I don’t line my lower lashline except with white eyeliner and I don’t use mascara on it either. Why? Because my eyes easily water. I just want to avoid raccoon eyes.

Just curious: What’s your makeup routine?

The makeup fail series is something that I write whenever I experience something or if I learned something new from my friends regarding makeup trouble, etc.

I am new to makeup and these days I’ve been going out with a bare face, more or less. Sometimes I go out only wearing sunblock. Sometimes it’s powder, sunblock and lip balm. And of course, there are times when I go out wearing a fully made-up face.

My dilemma: I sometimes forget my makeup pouch/kit at home, especially when I am in a rush to go. I only have one makeup pouch and almost everything I use on a regular basis is there. So in the mornings, I open up my makeup kit and use my powder, brushes, etc. When I am in a rush, I end up leaving it all behind, especially when I would be looking for something else before I leave the house.

There are some products that I always have extras of: lip balm, loose face powder.

I have a spare lip balm all the time because my lips easily get chapped. And I have a separate container of loose face powder because the original packaging is too bulky. I transferred some of it to a small container.

I also have a spare powder brush. However, there are times when my kabuki brush and powder brush are both in need of cleaning.~_~ So I end up not using either or something like that. Gah.

So here’s what I plan to do.
1. Definitely keep my loose powder’s container in my room while the other smaller one is in my makeup kit.
2. Make sure my brushes are always clean and kept properly. At least alternate them brushes. One is definitely going to be kept at home.
3. Wake up earlier than usual so I don’t rush and forget things behind.

The last part is something I will try to really do. But that will prove to be difficult! It’s just that I’ve really forgotten my makeup kit so many times. Especially when I need them the most. :(

What do you do so you won’t forget your makeup kit at home? I’d like to hear from you. :)