If there’s one thing that can perk a girl back up after a 5 AM campaign launch wakeup call, it’s the promise of being the first to get her hands on a brand new Benefit Cosmetics collaboration. Running on far less than my suggested minimum amount of sleep and far more than the suggested daily maximum Starbucks consumption, I dashed to Toronto Eaton Centre’s Sephora location on May 10 to walk the pink carpet and meet Benefit Make Up Master Jose Rivera.
Beats blaring, the Benefit Canada team was strutting down the pink carpet when I arrived. There was also a man who had been painted by hand by Benefit Canada’s very own Maddox, a makeup genius. I shamelessly got a photo with him, aided and abetted by Benefit’s marketing manager, Ruth, but figured you should probably see the close-up instead. Gratuitous nipples ahead…
I’ll admit, I was originally a little skeptical of the shades in this kit. They seemed really, really loud. That’s no surprise, really – Matthew Wiliamson is known for his bold colours and glamorous aesthetic. What was surprising was how absolutely wearable they all are. I was lucky enough to sit down in Jose Rivera’s makeup chair for a little touchup and to chat beauty. I’m very much a “do what you want” girl once I’m in the chair, but my sleepy eyes convinced Jose that eye makeup was the way to go with my look.
c/o Benefit Canada’s Instagram feed
Using the gorgeous teal shade (Feel So Teal) in The Rich is Back Kit and my favourite Bad Gal liner in grey, Jose lined and defined my eyes. A careful smudge of the neutral shades in the kit and a coat of They’re Real Mascara on top of the Bad Gal Lash I already had on later, I looked about 12 hours more rested than I actually was.
OK, time for a #humblebrag moment. I’m decidedly not a They’re Real mascara girl. I’ve been obsessed with Bad Gal since high school and no matter how many tubes I try just can’t get behind it. It looks amazing on everyone else, don’t get me wrong, but Bad Gal just does more for me. When I admitted this to Jose, his immediate reaction was to tell me my lashes were so lovely and long that the blackening & thickening of Bad Gal was a better match than the extending of They’re Real. *swoon*. For pretty much everyone who isn’t me: ladies across Canada + the US are obsessed with They’re Real and it’s included in this kit. Check out this amazing brush!
I was lucky enough to bring the kit home with me, courtesy of Benefit Cosmetics Canada. I was a good blogger for once and took photos before I played with the product. Luckily for me, my mom had a gala event that evening and needed a sassy makeup look to go with her LBD so playtime wasn’t far off.
Clockwise from bottom left: Disco Dust, Solid Gold, Get Down Brown, Feel So Teal; They’re Real Mascara, Inferno Lip Gloss, Gimme Fever Cheek Powder
- Disco Dust eyeshadow: A shimmery vanilla colour with pinkish golden sheen
- Solid Gold eyeshadow: A shimmery gold
- Get Down Brown eyeshadow: A neutral copper brown with satin finish
- Feel So Teal eyeshadow: A dark teal with tiny blue glitter reflects
- Inferno Lip Gloss: A sheer berry red with golden shimmer
- They’re Real Mascara
- Gimme Fever Cheek Powder: A warm blush pink with golden shimmer.
The colour combination is something Jose and I spoke about while he was beautifying me in his chair. What he likes best about this kit is that it really can work for everyone. Three of the shadow shades are pretty neutral and can be worn daily, while the teal adds a gorgeous pop of colour on any skin tone. I love the idea of using the teal shadow on the outer corners of the eyes, as spotted on Benefit Canada’s Rema Gouyez at the event:
The Rich is Back will be in stores on May 30, exclusively at Sephora, and will retail for $40 CAD.
***Disclosure: I was provided with a complimentary kit as a thank you for attending the flash sale event. As always, opinions are my own!
