I haven't done a Brand Buzz in a hot minute and after making a recent purchase, I decided it was time to  write another one.

Benefit was one of the first high end makeup brands I ever purchased from. Those purchases will be mentioned in this post because they are some of the best products I've ever used.

I didn't think I had tried a lot of Benefit products but after looking things up, I realized I definitely did have a good understanding of the brand.

Benefit is fun, funny, chic, and witty. The packaging is adorable and the products are a little kitchy. That's what makes them, them. The branding is on point: pink, feathers, cute images -- it doesn't get much better than Benefit packaging.

Although I've tried a lot of Benefit products, I haven't tried all of them. I've been wanting to try their blushes, foundation, and Hoola Bronzer forever but just have never got my hands on them.

While this list is going to get a little hefty, I have definitely tried some products from Benefit that haven't been my favorite: such as the liquid highlighters and the They're Real Push Up Liner.

For now, here are my favorite, most beloved products from Benefit Cosmetics.





1. Erase Paste: This is the first concealer I've ever tried and it's a miracle worker. It's more of a corrector than a concealer because it has a thicker, paste like consistency. It blends really well and covers all your dark circles. I haven't repurchased since but I definitely need too.

2. Boing: Another concealer that I've tried and really enjoyed. I bought the Boing/Eye Bright compact from Ulta and fell in love. Eye Bright confuses me a bit but Boing is a great all around concealer. It's stiffer than Erase Paste but still works great to cover dark circles and is also really good for blemishes.

3. Gimme Brow: I've tried a lot of brow products, but Benefit is the king of all brows. I've never tried anything like this. I've tried tinted brow gels before but this is different. The wand is very small but is easy to control. The product is evenly distributed throughout your brows without being too much or too little. It's the easiest brow product I've ever used and I need to repurchase ASAP.

4. Oo La Lift: This is one of those kitschy products that actually kind of works. This is another first makeup product I bought years ago and just repurchased last week. It's an under eye brightener that is supposed to create the illusion of light & lift your under eye area to make it brighter. I definitely do notice a different and I just love the idea of this product. It's not a necessary step but for a beauty junkie like me it's awesome.

5. High Brow: Another awesome brow product that is a little kitschy. Before I knew what highlighting was, especially highlighting the brow bone, this little thing was my savior. It's supposed to lift your brow bone while also bringing the illusion of light to the area. I swear, it actually does lift the brow, better than any highlighter I've ever used in the area.

6. RollerLash Mascara: I won't get too much into this because I've raved about it before. I received a sample of this last year before it was released & before I even knew who the brand was. Well, this has quickly become my favorite every day mascara. It isn't a heavy formula and doesn't give me overly done lashes. It coats each lash perfectly without being overpowering. I get long, separated lashes every single time.

7. They're Real Mascara: This is probably Benefit's most popular product and what most people think of when they think of Benefit. It's a cult classic, cult favorite mascara and with good reason. I didn't like this mascara when I first tried it but it has grown on me. After using this for the first time, I'd go back and use different mascaras but I found myself missing this one. It gives more volume than Rollerlash and creates a more intense look, still without being overpowering. I get really good length with this as well, making it a good mascara for everyday or special.

Without making this post too long, take a look at some other Benefit favorites of mine!


Do you have a favorite product by Benefit Cosmetics?

Skincare has become a major thing for me in the past year. I was never one to have skin problems but last winter my skin changed and rebelled against me. I learned that I had super dry skin and I learned how to treat it and help it.

I learned how to clear blackheads and whiteheads and my Clarisonic changed my life.

Skincare is something I've fallen in love with and I cannot get enough. I always want to try new skincare and see what new things are on the market--that is exactly what this post is about.

I'm a firm believer that you can shop your skincare in the drugstore and be totally fine. A lot of my skincare is in the drugstore and I won't spend money on certain items--like makeup wipes. I do, however, like to try out different brands and products, both high end and low end.

Japanese and Korean skincare has been a huge trend in the past year and with good reason; they know what they're doing when it comes to skincare. Between sheet masks and powder exfoliates and everything in-between, the skincare industry has been completely changed.

There has been one brand I've been wanting to try for a while--Tatcha. Her skincare is based in Japanese ritual and is definitely on the pricey side.

She seems to be known for two products, well these are the two products I heard of; the Luminous Dewy Skin Mist and the Rice Enzyme Powder. The Dewy Skin Mist was made famous by Kim Kardashian and her makeup artist Mario, as well as resident queen of Youtube, Jaclyn Hill. It has a hefty price tag of $48 but everyone swears it's worth it.

The Exfoliating Rice Enzyme Powder is a strange but intriguing product. It's a powder that once you wet it, it foams up and you use it as an exfoliating cleanser. It's supposed to "release debris from skin" and leave your skin "baby soft."

As someone who loves both skin mists and exfoliating products, I knew I wanted and needed these in my skincare routine but I wasn't too keen on spending the hefty amount of money on it.

That is, until I saw Tatcha having their Friends & Family sale during Cyber Week. Another added bonus? They have travel sizes of a lot of their products. I can appreciate a good travel size because they're always cheaper and I never go through full sizes of anything anymore because I have so much!


I bought both the mist and the enzyme powder and my goodness, OH MY GOD. I can't tell you how good these both are. First off, let me say, I felt so luxurious opening the package. From the tissue paper to the boxes to the actual packaging, you could feel how expensive these products are and I felt so awesome because I don't have anything like these products/brand.



As for the products, I only used the mist once--I want to preserve it but it felt really great on my skin and gave the most incredible, glowing finish to my skin. I'll definitely be trying this out more down the road.




My favorite however has been the Rice Enzyme Powder. I've used it twice and the difference I see within those two uses is unlike anything before. My skin is brighter, clearer, and smoother. I have a lot of texture on my cheeks and jawline and this has basically cleared it all up. It's very interesting, using a powder to clean your face and I thought there would be more of a learning curve with it but that is certainly not the case. It is really easy to use if you just follow the instructions.

I don't see myself going through the powder that quickly but I'd definitely buy the travel size again. This is holy grail status for me!

What are some skincare products you are dying to try? Recommendations are always welcome ;) 

I have not been shy about my obsession with beauty products... it seems that with each passing day, each new product & each new Youtube video, the addiction gets worse. I can't explain why I love beauty so much ... it's just so much fun to apply make-up and play up a different look each day. You can completely transform your look with one swipe of lipstick.

I've have, though, gotten a lot better about not buying makeup items that I don't need because the amount of product was starting to overwhelm me, but my skincare collection has grew since that. Skincare is just a lot easier to go through, and to me, it's worth investing in some great product.

As a resident beauty junkie, receiving surprise packages in the mail filled with makeup & skincare items is pretty much like Christmas day.

It's rare that I don't know a package is coming but over the past two months, it's happened a few times ... two of them being what this entire post is about.

I've heard of Borghese before, because it's a semi well known brand that is carried in Bloomingdales. I rarely buy make-up that isn't found in Sephora or the drugstore, because I'm lazy, cheap, and the rewards program at Sephora is just too good to shop anywhere else.

To my surprise, I was contacted by a PR firm asking if I wanted to be sent some Borghese product for consideration -- I happily agreed & then totally forgot about it. Until a package showed up on my doorstep a few weeks later.

The package was amazing, filled with so many items and my goodness, it made my day! I'll get into what was in the first package, but two weeks ago, another package showed up on my doorstep from Borghese and it was filled with face masks. I had no idea this one was coming so this was a real surprise. I was squealing with delight.

(Side note: My mom & sister love when I get packages like this because it means more makeup & skincare for them to try as well)

I've been playing around with the makeup and masks for the past few weeks, and I have to say, they're pretty amazing. I thought Borghese was a lot more expensive, but it's not completely un-affordable.




Now, I haven't tried EVERYTHING that I was sent, but I have played around with everything and I'm excited to share it with you!

First up, the makeup:

//Superior State of the Art Mascara: I have so many mascaras open so this one hasn't bee used yet. I don't even think I opened it because I didn't want it to try out, so stay tuned for thoughts on this! It retails for $19.50 which isn't that bad since Too Faced & Benefit mascaras cost a little over $20.



//Color Eclipse Eclissare 5-Shade Eyeshadow Palette: I haven't tried this palette out either, because I have so many eyeshadow palettes and I don't use them as often as I'd like because I'm lazy and get into no eyeshadow funks. Also, these colors are more suitable for fall--dark grey & greens. The quality seems to be superb and I can't wait to dig my brushes into them once sweater weather arrives! The price is also right at $29 -- not that expensive, but a little pricey for only 5 eyeshadows.

//Kabuki Brush: I love this brush but I'm pretty sure my sister stole it from me. It is super soft, and great for bronzer or powder. I stopped using my ELF Kabuki Brush altogether once I got this, but now I can't seem to find it. It retails for $25 which is about the right price for a high end brush.

//Eclissare Color Glass Lip Gloss in Gilt: I have hardly used this product because it is pure glitter. This definitely isn't something I'd buy, or wear everyday and it has really just been sitting in my drawer for the past two months. It's wearable, for a night out, but not my taste. Retails for $21.50

Lipstick on top; lipgloss on bottom -- doesn't look as bad as I described

//Color Struck Lipstick in Swoon: I don't think I've ever seen a lipstick with chunky glitter in it, but this one definitely has that. It's very similar to the lip gloss in that sense, and also in the sense that I haven't worn it at all. Maybe I'll give it away?




//Summer Glow Tinted Moisturizer: I'm obsessed with BB Creams & tinted moisturizers so this was probably the best thing to happen to me. It seems to come in one color (not sure what color that is), and has a pump (which is a blessing in the beauty world). It gives the face a luminous finish, without being too overpowering, and truly gives a gorgeous finish. I wear this on days where I don't want too much coverage, or a heavy feeling foundation, Whenever I apply it, I am shocked by how natural & nice my skin looks. This retails for $29.50, a nice price for a high end tinted moisturizer.



//Eclissare Blush in Flight: This blush is BIG... one of the biggest blushes I have in my collection. It's also a very unique color. It is sparkly, definitely not a matte finish, and it's a deep brownish plum -- gorgeous for the Fall. (PLEASE I JUST NEED FALL!) That hasn't stopped me from wearing it, though. It gives a very natural, glowy finish to the cheeks and I love it!

That is all the makeup I received, and honestly I'm pretty happy with it. I don't think I would've ever bought any of these on my own, just because I haven't heard too much about Borghese around the internet so I'm glad I was able to try this brand out. I would definitely purchase more items from them.

Now onto the skincare (aka ALL FACE MASKS) I received. I'm obsessed & addicted to face masks (post on that coming soon).



These are all mud masks, and I've only tried one (the Active Mud For Delicate Dry Skin) and it was incredible. I'm excited to try the black, purfying one and I may do that tonight.

The masks I received were all from the Fango line: two tubes of Mineral Active Mud for Face & Body, Purifying Mud Mask for Face & Body  and the one I already used -- which costs over $70!

I'll keep you all updated on the masks, and will mention if any of them turn out to be favorites in my favorite face mask post.

I'm very grateful that I could try all these amazing products out, and will always give my honest opinion!

Has anyone tried Borghese? What is one beauty brand you've been curious to try and haven't yet? Tell me in the comments!