Benefit How To Look The Best At Everything Kit - Light

So in the few years that I have been into Benefit I've never really wanted this kit. I'd read quite a few reviews that said the light shade in this kit was far too dark and orangey so not to bother, so I always stayed away.
My skin is light but by no means the fairest out there and I have had the full size Hello Flawless Powder in Ivory before which I really liked until I dropped it and it crumbled into ashes :-( I've also tried both Boi-ing concealers in the various concealer kits before and already have the full size in the light shade. So why did I want this you ask? Well for a few reasons I'm currently 6 months pregnant and want a quick way to get ready and have everything just there in one kit, also I love the Porefessional and mine has ran out. I've also heard that they have changed this kit to make the shades actually light? I don't know 100% but now this kit contains ivory colours where before I think it was Champagne.

I do have a very nice and expensive Lancome foundation but I don't wear foundation daily and it seems like a lot of faffing about that I can't be bothered with right now.
So I bought this kit of my 27th birthday last week and my first thoughts where that it's small. Very small! but you do get a good few products for the £25.50 price tag. Also just look how cute the packaging is, can we just take a moment to admire it please. It looks just like a little book how cute!

Anyway now that I have been using this for a week or so i am in awe of it as it is perfect for my skin and it's quick and easy. Most importantly I don't find it too dark or orange and it gives me a very natural look. The finish is not full coverage I'd say light-medium which I am happy with. The foundation is SPF 25 and is very comfortable to wear. I definitely will buy the full size Porefessional and Oxygen Wow when these run out. I also already loved the Boi-ing concealer as it is so heavy duty and covers so well. Here you get shades 1 and 2 so I like to use them both together as 1 alone can look abit too light for me if I have my photo taken with a flash on I'm like whoa too light.
This kit is definitely worth the money and I love it all apart from the powder brush that is too small and thin to do anything.

Inside this kit you get:
- Porefessional 7.5ml
- Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow foundation in Ivory 7ml
- Boi-ing 1 & 2 at 1.5g each
- Hello Flawless in Ivory 4g.

This kit comes in light, medium or deep shades and if you have overlooked it before like me then I recommend having a rethink to see if it suits your needs now. X

My current favourites - Early August

Here is what I've been reaching for most this month:

Benefit Boi-ing concealer - nothing covers my dark under eye circles like this stuff. It has the best coverage that I've found in a concealer but it isn't too thick or cakey.
£21.50 Here

Nuxe Reve De Miel - I never thought a good hand cream would make such a big impact on me but I have fell head over heels for this stuff! This hand and cuticle cream is absorbed instantly and leaves my hands feeling soft and refreshed and not to mention smelling good enough to eat. This isn't greasy at all like all the other hand creams that I've tried.
£10 Here

The Balm Instain Blush in Swiss Dot - This blush has been a big game changer for me I've already been a Benefit Coralista kind of girl but I might even love this just as much. It is amazing and it's so pigmented and longwearing not to mention pretty. I love this.
£21.50 Here
Benefit Porefessional - I've nearly ran out of this oh no! It's my favourite primer and most days I wear it alone, who needs a bb cream with this wonder. It really does smooth out my complexion and hide my pores. It leaves my complexion looking natural too. It feels so soft and silky I will definitely have to repurchase this one.
£24.50 Here
Elf Stipple Brush - This is my must have brush as I use it for so much. I use it to apply my cream blushers. I currently use it to apply my very pigmented The Balm Instain blusher as a normal brush applies too much product. I also use it to apply my Benefit Watts Up highlighter. Everyone needs a stipple brush in there life.
£3.75 Here
L'Oréal Paris 3 in 1 Micellar Solution - This is my current make up remover of choice as it does the job so effortlessly. I've never used the Bioderma one but I know that bloggers say that this is closest alternative and I really like this. It moves my make up fast but also feels gentle on my skin.
£3.33 Here
Burts Bee's Lipbalm - I've recently been using this daily and I've noticed that my lips do feel in better condition. It leaves them feeling softer and more hydrated.
£3.69 Here

In a rush, running late? Check out my 5 minute makeup routine

If I'm running late and need to be out of the house quick here are my go to products to get a flawless look that will get me out of the door quick:

Step 1: Benefit Porefessional - 30 seconds
I squeeze a small pea sized amounts of this on the back of my hand and apply by pressing it into the skin. I use this at the sides of my nose and on top of my nose where I find my pores to be at their most visible.

Step 2: Benefit Fake Up concealer - 30 seconds
I do one swoop under each eye and pay let gently with my fingers to blend.

Step 3: Benefit Peek a Bright Eye's kit - 2 minutes
With the fluff brush apply the base shadow, then dab in the contour shadow and blend into the crease of the eyes concentrating on the outer corner. Then dab in the pearly pink shadow and apply to the centre of the eyelid.
Now use the liner brush and the dark contour shadow to line the top eyelids.
With your first finger apply the eye bright creme on the inner and outer corners of each eye and blend well. Then swipe across your brow bone and blend you will now look nice and awake.

Step 4: Benefit Fine One One - 1 minute
Swipe the stick from the apple of your cheeks up towards your temple do this 2-3 times on each cheek to build up colour, lightly blend with finger. Now swipe across the lips and gently blend to give the lips some colour.

Step 5: Benefit Bad Gal Lash Mascara - 1 minute
Apply a couple of coats to each eye to build up to the desired length and volume.

5 minutes gone and you are ready to leave the house gorgeous. X

Which Benefit primer is best?

Benefit have a few primers out and they are all fabulous but if you are struggling to choose one, I will try and help.

On the pictures they are from left to right: Porefessional, That Gal and Girl Meets Pearl.

They each do different things:

Porefessional - This is my favourite as the colour is perfect for my skin. It is a light beige and even though it's a primer it works so well for me I don't need to wear foundation. As you have probably guessed from the name it minimises the apprentice of pores. I don't have a clue how it works I know that it just does, and it does it well. A little bit of this goes along way too. It feels very silky smooth and light on the skin. If you feel you need touch ups throughout the day you can pat on over make up for a instant perk me up. You can use this on all of your face concentrating on your t zone as this is usually where the most visible pores are.

That Gal - This stuff smells of strawberrys and it a thicker cream than the Porefessional. It is pink in colour and is used to brighten the face if you are having a dull day. This stuff is really good and is best worn under foundation but can be worn on top of foundation or alone. This can be mixed with Girl Meets Pearls for bright pearly cheeks so there would be no need for blusher.

Girl Meets Pearl - This is a highlighting primer and this is my least favourite of the 3. This is pink out of the tube but has gold highlighting tones. It is very nice but just not for me. It is best mixed with foundation or blusher for a subtle glow on either your whole face or cheeks. As this is mostly a highlighter I don't really use it as I have Watts Up and Highbeam which I prefer. I think this primer is more suited for darker skintones. It is very nice and gives your face a second glow so maybe save it for party's.

So out of the 3 Porefessional is my favourite and more suited to my fair skin. It is my favourite primer for everyday wear. That gal is great for cheating your way to a bright healthy glow if you have had a heavy night the evening before.
I have recently got Dr Feelgood which is also a priming balm so I will review this soon as I haven't tried it out yet.

Let me know what your favourite is?

Handbag essentials - March 2013

The make up that I carry with me on a daily basis is constantly changing as I try out new things. So this is my March round up of must have essentials. I keep them all in a little make up bag that I keep in my handbag.
This month I am carrying around:
- Benefit Porefessional mini
- Benefit Hello Flawless powder in ivory
- Benefit Fine One One
- Benefit Coralista lipgloss
- Benefit Laugh with me Lee Lee perfume mini.

I use the Porefessional daily as it is silky and feels great on the skin. It reduces the visibility of pores, I don't know how it does it but it does. Most days I use this solo with no foundation. I have a full size of this in my make up bag but a mini is great to carry around for any needed touch ups in the day as you can wear this over or under make up it is truly a wonder product.

The Hello Flawless powder is great as you get a sponge and a brush applicator with it so you can get as much coverage as you want with this product. You use the sponge first on any areas you want more coverage and then the brush after for lighter application. I love how it has room to store these underneath the powder. I don't like liquid foundation so I prefer to use this on days when I want to wear foundation.

As I have mentioned before I am a huge fan of the Fine One One as it is a blusher and highlighter all in one just sweep across the cheek and voila instant colour. I use Hervana blusher and Watts Up highlighter when I'm getting ready in a morning but this is great for touch ups as the colours are so nice. You can build up colour too I recommend trying this out as if you are worried that you will look like a clown after one sweep across the cheek don't worry you won't. I introduced my best friend to this and she went out and bought it straight away. It is any girls handbag must have.

I've never really been one for lip glosses as I don't like the stickiness and the fact that my hair gets stuck to it as soon as you step outside but this isn't that sticky at all so that's a plus.
I had the Life on the A list gloss with my jetset kit and found the colour a bit too light for my liking. After looking online I had it set in my mind that I would buy the Dandelion lip gloss but when I tried it out in store the colour of that was too light too so I went for Coralista it gives great colour. It's good as I hardly wear lipstick and this is great for everyday colour.

I adore the Laugh with me Lee Lee perfume that I got with my Primed For Takeoff set it smells truly amazing. This is weird as when I tried them out in store on those wooden test sticks I didn't like any of them. But since getting it I love it as it smells so different when on the skin. So when you try them at the counters I would recommend testing them on your wrist to get the true smell.

I keep all these is a cute little Benefit make up bag called 'Bermuda Betty' the size is perfect for me as it keeps all these things In with room to spare. It fits perfectly into my handbag and it has a nifty mirror inside too.

There is just one item missing which I haven't received yet which is the new Benefit Fake Up hydrating concealer. I am so excited about this it isn't in stores until March 30th but they have started selling it early online si I an hoping to receive it tomorrow March 21st. I will keep you updated on this. I was lucky enough to try it in store and I believe it will be great. I tried it as I was worried that because it has a moisturiser around the concealer i thought it would leave under the eye looking shiny and greasy but it doesn't. I will post about it when I get it. Please check out my YouTube channel for Benefit make up tutorials. Comment me any requests you have :-)