Beauty knows Benefit

Ah, the ‘70s. That glorious whirlwind of disco, platform heels, and Farrah Fawcett flip curls. I’ve never been to a fondue party, but apparently they were all the rage back then, too, and truth be told, I wouldn’t mind stepping into a time machine to experience everything the 1970s could offer. Yes, even fondue parties.

Sadly, there are no available time machines (Seriously? Get to work, scientists!), but cosmetic brand Benefit gives us the next best thing with their fun and groovy products that take us back to that golden age of psychedelic design and fresh-faced makeup looks that was a much-needed breather from the heavily lined eyes, skinny brows, and layers of foundation of decades past.

According to Benefit brand manager Aubrey Bautista, co-founders and twin sisters Jean and Jane Ford were actually inspired by the vibe and times of 1970s San Francisco, where the brand was founded and headquartered.

Benefit recently launched a handful of new products to add to its family of 200 “members.” Seated at tables with a bucketful — and I mean that literally — of products in front of us, we were encouraged to try out both Benefit’s new and more classic products as we were served cocktails. Playing around with makeup while sipping cocktails at half past noon? Needless to say, I was in heaven! While dabbing on concealer and retouching my mascara using Benefit’s Boi-ing industrial-strength concealer and They’re Real! Mascara, respectively — both items I absolutely love, by the way — we were treated to a mini-show as boutique manager Tasha Santos and beauty artist Raymond Isaias showed up dressed in adorable, Bavarian-inspired costumes to present and demonstrate what was definitely the star of the show: Benefit’s Stay Flawless 15-Hour Primer. This little baby comes in glue-stick-style packaging, like those ones we all used as kids during arts and crafts, with a black and white, polka-dot design. Vintage chic? Talk about vintage cute! The balm itself glides onto skin to lock down your makeup and not only keep it there for 15 hours but still allow it to look fresh. Honestly, I’m sold already! But that’s not it! (Do I sound like an infomercial lady already?) It also promises to make pores look smaller and reduce shine so that voila! You’ve officially created the perfect, smooth canvas for your foundation.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I’ve always preferred thicker and well-groomed brows to frame my face. Thankfully, gone are the days when over-tweezed and sharply arched brows were the rage. Even gorgeous, full-browed international celebrities like Lily Collins (Snow White, Mirror, Mirror) and Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen, Game of Thrones) are being praised for keeping them natural. Between you and me, aside from being highly impressed, I did let out a secret sigh of relief when Aubrey told us that Benefit has always been about the fuller-brow look, despite the changing eyebrow trends over the years. Thank goodness!

Just then, RJ Palacios whisked himself into the room as “Be-dini, the Great Brow-zini,” and introduced us to another of Benefit’s new products — Gimme Brow. Once I heard all about it, I just knew this would undoubtedly become many a sparse- or light-browed woman’s magic wand (in a bottle)! A brow fiber gel that comes in two shades, light/medium and medium/deep, it’s buildable, longwearing, and water-resistant. The magic wand — uh, I mean, microfiber brush — sets brow hairs in place while adding volume, and the formula contains pro-vitamin B5 and, believe it or not, marshmallow extract to condition your brows at the same time. See, sometimes sweets are good for you! I’ll admit, I wasn’t too sure if Gimme Brow would be something I could even use in the first place since my brows are already dark and full — a bittersweet feature, to be honest — but lo and behold, I tried it out myself and they helped to fill in the more sparse areas and kept everything in place.

You’d think that was it, right? Well Benebabes and boys (what you officially call yourself if you’re a fan of Benefit products, by the way) we were told there’s still more on the way in the very near future! The Color…By Benefit collection has been re-launched, with seven colors in their Ultra Plush Lip Gloss line, nine shades in their Creaseless Cream Shadow, and 13 hues in their Longwear Powder Shadows. Plus, for all the lipstick fiends like myself, they’ll be releasing their Hydra-Smooth Lip Color line this October. My favorite shades already include Fling Thing, Nice N’ Teasy, and Dare Me. Trust me, it’ll be more than difficult to choose your favorite shade once they hit shelves. That top-three list alone took me nearly half an hour to complete. Phew! Also in October will come an addition to Benefit’s Boxed ‘o Powders collection — Rockateur. Described as a warm-toned rose gold, this may already be my new favorite next to their popular Coralista face powder/blush.

Locally, Benefit will be growing even bigger and better with two new store openings — one in SM Mall of Asia this July, and another in TriNoma in August to add to their existing stores in Greenbelt 5, Rustan’s Shangri-La Plaza Mall, and Rustan’s Makati. The MOA branch will include a receiving room, while the TriNoma branch will have its own private Pretty Room for its brow, face, and body waxing services. Is it too much for me to want to shop at each different boutique purely for the fun of it?

There are many exciting things ahead for Benefit, and with their slogan “Laughter is the best cosmetic, so grin and bear it,” there is certainly much to laugh about already!