New Benefit 'Rockateur' Blush Powder Coming Soon!

Psst! Benefit Cosmetics are soon to be releasing a brand new blusher, Rockateur. I always love the Benefit blushes in their cute little boxes, so I'm really excited to give it a try. Rockateur will be available in stores from September 2013, and for ONE day only on Saturday 27th July in selected stores (see below) 

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Weekly Product Pick: Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Two Cents and Bronze Have More Fun (As featured in Grazia Daily)

Each week for Grazia Daily I choose a product which I'm absolutely loving...

Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Bronze Have More Fun and Two Cents, £15.50 each

As the whole nation awaits the release of The Great Gatsby (Which I cannot wait to go and see!) Benefit have launched a brand new Art Deco inspired collection: Color...By Benefit. The Creaseless Cream Eyeshadows look absolutely gorgeous and wear beautifully. A cream-based shadow is amazing for a long-lasting look, as well as being soft and blendable on the lid. Perfection! I love to create a rich, smouldering eye with the deep bronze and rich copper shades pictured.

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Foundation Faves: From Day to Night (and my High Street Steal!)

I always get asked about my favourite foundations, so I thought I'd put together this little blog to, ahem, cover all bases...

Daytime Delight: Hello Flawless by Benefit

Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow SPF25 Brightening Make-Up in Champagne, £24.50, and Benefit Hello Flawless SPF15 Powder Cover-Up in Champagne, £24.50, both available from Benefit.com

For a gorgeous daytime foundation, I use the Benefit Hello Flawless range because it is so light yet adds a beautiful warmth to the face. It feels super soft on the skin and smells divine...heavenly!

I like to sweep over a layer of the Hello Flawless Powder Cover-Up in a matching shade for an extra boost of cover which lasts all day, without that nasty cloggy feeling. 

Apologies for the stern face in my swatch picture above (it would appear someone forgot to put sugar on my weetabix that morning!) but as you can see, the Hello Flawless foundation is subtle but effective... perfect for daytime coverage.

Nighttime Full Coverage: MAC Studio Sculpt 

Studio Sculpt SPF 15, £24, available from MAC Cosmetics

I use MAC Studio Sculpt for a trustworthy coverage on those big nights out. It has a really thick liquid consistency, a gel based foundation which is fantastic for dry skin. I find the Studio Sculpt is best applied with a foundation brush, and a little goes a LONG way. It's also buildable, so you can layer the application to create a high coverage. Here's a before and after picture, featuring my dear friend Anna...

I would recommend leaving this foundation for a couple of minutes before applying powder to the skin surface, as it does set. I always use a mineral-based translucent powder (such as Rimmel Stay Matte in Transparent, £3.99) over the Studio Sculpt for an utterly flawless finish, quashing any unwanted shine in the process.

The High Street Steal: Rimmel Match Perfection

Rimmel London Match Perfection Light Perfecting Radiance Foundation SPF18 in Soft Beige, £6.99

For a lower priced foundation, my tried and tested favourite is the Match Perfection Range by Rimmel. It might not feel as super soft as the Hello Flawless range by Benefit, and it might not be as super flawless as the MAC Studio Sculpt, but for only £6.99 I was seriously impressed. The SPF18 foundation blends really well, with no streaks or patchiness. It's great that more and more high street foundations are combining coverage with sun protection too! As with all liquid foundations, I like to set with a loose powder. The Match Perfection Silky Loose Powder, £6.99, works well and leaves a lovely soft finish, but I couldn't see much difference between that and the Rimmel Stay Matte in Transparent, £3.99, which is a few pounds cheaper.

Rimmel London Match Perfection in 040 Soft Beige Skin Tone Adapting Concealer and Highlighter, £5.99

I love the fact that Rimmel have developed a whole range of complimenting products to suit everyones coverage needs. The matching concealer is a brilliant high street alternative to YSL Touche Eclat (priced at a staggering £25) and works brilliantly on those troublesome areas, without standing out like a sore thumb. The concealer is bright and illuminating, lifting the dark under-eye area without dodgy creases. 

Again, apologies for the slight scowl below (I really must work on my snaps!) but as you can see, my coverage looks nice and natural with a light glow. A great high street buy for those with normal to dry complexions.

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Benefit Face Powder in Sugarbomb: My No.1 Daytime Blush

Benefit Face Powder in Sugarbomb, £23.50, available from Benefitcosmetics.co.uk

Gorgeously soft and warming, this blush adds a beautifully subtle glow to the cheeks. It's really complimenting to both pale and medium complexions, and would make a great shimmering highlighter for darker skin tones.

The palette balance of golden bronzes and pinks (rose, shimmering pink, soft plum, sumptuous peach) means that you don't end up with a harsh block of blush, so no Coco the Clown in sight (phew!) 

I sweep the blush over the apples of my cheeks everyday for a 'natural' radiance, perfect for creating glowing, healthy skin. A look of natural perfection. I also like to use it as a base to soften a stronger blush for nights out, applying a sweep of NARS blush in Orgasm across my cheek bones for an extra oomph. 

 Pictured: Benefit Face Powder in Sugarbomb on cheeks, MAC Ruby Woo on lips with MAC Cherry lip pencil, Pro Lashes by Gary Cockerill, HD Brow palette in Bombshell on brows 

Top marks from me! Sugarbomb Face Powder is a make-up bag must for everyday gorgeousness.

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Benefit Ultra Shine Lip Shine in Foxy Lady

If you're on the lookout for a super-glossy, non-sticky, beautifully scented gloss, then Benefit Ultra Shines Lip Shine in Foxy Lady, now £7.00 in the sales, available from Benefitcosmetics.co.uk,

is absolutely perfect. It's packed full of glorious pinky-golden shimmer. I love to glide a layer over a feminine pink lipstick (currently I'm using Chanel Rouge Allure 112 Fantasque, available this spring 2013) for a temptingly kissable, glossy pout. 

I think I'll be getting a lot of wear out of this beautiful little gloss as we head towards summer, it's so pretty and eye-catching. This really is a pink to make the boys wink.

Pictured above on nude lips (i.e. without base lipstick)

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Bye Bye Blemish: Benefit Erase Paste Brightening Concealer

Benefit Erase Paste Brightening Concealer, £17.55 (usually £19.50) available from Debenhams

Christmas parties, mulled wine, late night shopping... I, for one, LOVE the fabulous festivities. However, upon examining my face in that oh-so-telling bathroom mirror (you know the one I'm talking about, the one that you avoid at all costs when you have a horrendous hangover) I've come to realise that all this festive cheer has left me looking, well, a touch haggard. Dark circles have set up shop for the long haul, alongside little bags and tired eyes.

There is a saviour out there, ladies and gentlemen! Banish those imperfections with Benefit Erase Paste Brightening Concealer. It eradicates those pesky booze-induced blemishes in an instant, keeps unsightly dark shadows at bay, and generally helps to create the illusion of constant perfection. Hurrahs! Mulled wine for everybody!

This little pot may be a bit of a splurge, but a little goes a long way. The paste is really concentrated and quite thick, so it stays put all day long. Use a concealer brush to apply before foundation.

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Benefit Hervana Good Karma Face Powder

Benefit Hervana Good Karma Face Powder, £23.50, available from FeelUnique.com (free delivery!)

This multi-tonal blush has just the right balance between soft pinks and warm, shimmering coral. The Lucky Shell shade adds a pearly glow, while the Divine Peach has a great golden shimmer which adds a healthy warmth to your skin. The pinker shades, Heavenly Rose and Berry Delight, are feminine and flattering on the apples of your cheeks.

I like to use the palette combination together on initial application (with a good blush brush) and then use the Lucky Shell as a highlight. 

The great thing about Benefit's Face Powders is how long they last. They're really compact, so although you don't get tons for your money they do go the distance. I had my last box for about 12 months! Well worth spending those extra pennies in my opinion. 

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#TodayImWearing...

Skin Prep
Rituals Active Moisture Lotion, £22.50, available from FeelUnique.com
Make-Up: Base
Benefit Erase Paste, £19.50, available from FeelUnique.com
MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation SPF15, £24, available from MAC Cosmetics UK
Make-Up: Cheeks
Benefit Hervana Good Karma Face Powder, £23.50, available from FeelUnique.com
Benefit High Beam Luminescent Complexion Enhancer, £18.50, available from FeelUnique.com
Make-Up: Eyes and Brows
HD Brows Palette in Bombshell, £19.95, available from HD Brows stockists
Benefit They're Real Mascara, £18.50, available from FeelUnique.com
Rimmel London Glam Eyes Professional Liquid Eyeliner, £5.29, available from FeelUnique.com 
Make-Up: Lips
Chanel Rouge Allure in Fantasque (112), available in January 2013 (Chanel Spring Collection)

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Product Pick: Benefit 'They're Real' Mascara

Benefit's 'They're Real' mascara, £18.50, available from FeelUnique.com (delivery included!)

If you're looking for a new mascara, I would definitely recommend the latest offering by Benefit... Just a few strokes creates instant lash wonderment. Thicker, fuller and longer lashes, hooray! 

The best thing about this lash wear, in my opinion, is how it stays put all through the day. No smudges and no flakes. I just HATE it when you go for an afternoon mirror-check to see a smattering of black specks have set up shop across your cheeks! 

Benefit's They're Real, before and after:

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Cheekbones: High Definition

I am in absolute awe of girls (and often boys) with razor sharp cheekbones. These lucky specimens have been blessed with the premium of genetics. Handily, however, you can emulate this gift of God with a few crafty make-up tricks. Watch this video tutorial (my filming debut, cringe) to learn how to create high-definition cheekbones in under five minutes...



Get the look with...

Bronzer
I used Bourjois Poudre Bronzante which is available from Boots for £6.99. For a more-expensive alternative I'd recommend Hoola by Benefit, available from FeelUnique.com for £23.50, or MAC's Matte Bronzer, available from MAC Cosmetics UK for £18.50.

Mid-tone pink blush
I used Maybelline's Mineral Powder, which has now been discontinued. However, there are loads of alternatives... such as Mac's Powder Blush in Immaculate Pink, available from MAC Cosmetics UK for £17.50, Maybelline's Expert Wear Blusher in Rose, available from Boots for £5.19, or Benefit's Coralista Box of Powder, available from Boots for £23.50.

Highlighting blush
You'll need a really light pink, preferably with light-reflecting particles in, to create a highlight on your cheekbones. I used Benefit's Dandelion Pink Perk Me Up Face Powder, available from Boots for £23.50. It's pricey but does last for an absolute age.

Illuminator
For serious cheeky enhancement I used Benefit's High Beam Luminescent Complexion Enhancer, available from FeelUnique.com for £18.50. You can read all about it (along with an application guide) by clicking on this link!

Blusher brush
A good blusher brush is worth paying a few extra pennies for. A bad brush will leave you with an uneven complexion and stray brush hairs clogging up your powders...not desirable. I recommend Body Shop's Blusher Brush, available from Body Shop for £12.00.

Get Illuminated! Sun Beam or High Beam?

If you don't have an illuminator in your life (and no, I'm not talking about the ever-lasting glow of true love... do behave you soppy romanticists) then you seriously need to sort it out. Get that fine ass down to the nearest beauty department, pronto.

Which is exactly what I did, just two weeks ago, after I made the fatal error (for my bank balance anyway) of trying out a friend's new purchase: Benefit's High Beam. A few little dabs and my oh my, I felt positively radiant.

Upon approaching the counter I was all ready to part with my hard-earned dollar, when the sales assistant threw a significant curve ball my way: "Why don't you try the new Sun Beam illuminator?" Nope. I knew what I wanted. No side-tracking. I wanted the High Beam. High Beam. Finito.

"It's brand new in to our store today. We haven't even put it on display yet..."

Uh-oh. One sentence and I flaked. I'm a little ashamed to admit it (please don't inform Mr Halifax of my weakness) but I just had to buy both products there and then. I'd like to pretend it was all for your benefit. But really, it was simply to benefit my love of Benefit.

Anyhow, I digress. The whole point of this blog is to help you decide which illuminator will work the best for you, so you don't end up teetering on the edge of bankruptcy like me...

Sun Beam: The Pros
You will sexify summer with Sun Beam. If you're a fan of bronzer and tan, then Sun Beam goes above and beyond to enhance your sun kissed skin. It's light but effective, and blends in so easily, just like High Beam. The golden-pink shimmer is just enough without being tacky, perfect for adding definition in the summer months. I love popping a few cheeky dabs to my cleavage area too, perfect for glamming up those evenings on the hacienda on holiday.


Works best if you have...
A natural tan. Enhance medium to dark skin tones with Sun Beam's golden glow. You'll look super sun kissed and beach beautiful. Combine with a few spritz of Tigi's Catwalk Salt Spray for the perfect summer locks.

You can buy it from...
FeelUnique.com, 13ml, £18.50

High Beam: The Pros
It isn't one of Benefit's best sellers for no reason. If magical fairies squeezed the essence of pearls into a bottle to create a subtle, dewy, shimmering glow... then you'd have yourself some High Beam. Okay, maybe I'm over-selling it a touch. But it does look amazing, and it is so easy to apply (see image below) A few sweeps of High Beam and you have instant cheek bone definition.


Works best if you have...
Fair skin. If you have the complexion to make a porcelain doll jealous, then you must invest in this. Trust me, it will transform your life.

You can buy it from....
FeelUnique.com, 13ml, £18.50

Top tips for application
Here's a dandy little guide to show you how to optimise your illumination. Now that's a tongue-twister and a half...

The Dab Guide - To illuminate or not to illuminate?

- Three dabs on the most prominent line of your cheekbone
- One dab underneath your eyebrow, again following the most prominent part of your brow bone
- A dab on both edges of your forehead (where it is almost like a corner)
- A dab in the centre of your forehead to brighten up your whole face
- I like a little dab on my chin too, but have a little experiment with that one!