Save 20% @ Benefit Through 5/29/09

Through 5/29/09, enter code: MAKEUP20 at checkout to receive 20% off your entire Benefit order! I’ve really been wanting to check out their Smokin’ Eyes palette, and 20% off really is a great deal, although I’m probably more likely to pick it up using my new Sephora gift card from SO’s sister :).

Benefit’s New Moisturizing ‘Woman Seeking Toner’: Available for a Limited Time

Woman Seeking Toner ($32)

This is sure to be your best-kept beauty secret. Much more than a simple toner, this delicate toning lotion hydrates, revitalizes & smooths your complexion. Leaves your skin feeling refreshed & smooth in seconds.

Tips and tricks: After cleansing, apply to your face & neck-colleté with a cotton pad. For maximum revitalizing effect, tap skin lightly with fingers to help lotion absorb. Do not rinse off. Follow with moisturizer. Use morning & evening.

If Benefit’s new moisturizing, revitalizing, and smoothing toning lotion can really deliver on its claims, it sounds pretty wonderful to me! Plus everyone knows I’m a sucker for pink products.

While $32 is a bit pricey for a Benefit toner, I’m mighty tempted to try this since the colder weather has been sucking my skin dry! But I’m wondering why the “limited time only” deal with this–perhaps they’re just testing out the waters before an official launch?

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Benefit Powderflage

Benefit Powderflage ($28): A light-diffusing powder concealer for under eyes & face;

Tough camo on the outside, soft pink on the inside-how cute!

“For camouflaging dark circles & fines lines, powderflage is fast, easy, light & breezy! Virtually weightless, this silky, light pink powder magically camouflages & diffuses. The “flager” brush conceals in 2 quick strokes.”

“Tips and tricks: With “flager” brush, sweep powderflage over dark circles or lines you want to diffuse. Use alone or over makeup.”

I don’t generally wear concealer, as it’s an extra step that I don’t really need or have the time for, but this is mighty tempting! I’m wondering if it works to conceal redness, or only works to brighten/diffuse. I may have to check this out for myself to find out =P

Do you have this? I’d love to know more about it!

Benefit Silky-Finish Lipstick Review and Swatch

From Sephora: This innovative formula slides on silky smooth for the softest, sexiest lips ever. Sheer coverage with buildable color – wear as little or as much as you like. Lipstick glides on effortlessly with the slant tip for flawless, even coverage. [$16]

I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve never tried MAC’s Slimshine lipsticks, but I’d imagine that they’re pretty similar to Benefit’s Silky-Finish lipsticks. I was walking around Sephora looking for things to spend my gift card on when the slim/sleek packaging of these lippies caught my eye. After swatching them on my hand and realizing they were quite similar in consistency to my beloved Dior Addict Ultra-Shine lipsticks (and almost $10 cheaper!!!), I decided to give them a shot. These are a cross between a gloss and a lipstick-they feel ultralight and somewhat glossy going on (no waxiness here!) and leave a pleasant sheen on the lips. If you hate the stickiness of gloss but don’t really like wearing lipstick, something like this is a great alternative!

Overall I’m relatively pleased with the lipstick, but I don’t love it nearly as much as I do my Dior. Although some of the Silky-Finishes have a good amount of glitter/shimmer to them, they lack the shiny, almost wet-looking finish that my Dior gives me, and the glitter in my Benefit lipstick seems to congregate on certain areas of my lips which drives me a little crazy!

I picked up this lipstick in Candy Store, which is a rosy pink shade with copper/gold shimmer. It’s a little rosy for my taste (I was hoping for a lighter pink), but gorgeous nevertheless! The color goes on relatively sheer, but it’s definitely buildable (although this definitely doesn’t qualify as a full coverage lipstick). As with any glittery lipstick it can be a tad drying, but no more so than any other lipstick I’ve tried.

Swatch of Candy Store

Candy Store on Lips 🙂
(The color is actually much rosier in person-the color in the tube is a pretty accurate representation of what it looks like on)

Tried Benefit’s Silky-Finish lipsticks before? Loved them? Hated them? I’d love to hear your opinions in the comments!

Read about Laneige’s Ideal Glossy Rouge (which is similar in shine/consistency) here!