Benefit Benetint

A couple weeks ago I reviewed Stila’s Convertible Color Dual Lip & Cheek Cream. My verdict on that two-in-one product is that it’s an excellent blush but, for me, a poor lip product as the colour just didn’t work on my face. But while that item didn’t quite work out for me, I decided to give another two-in-one lip/blush product a shot: Benefit’s Benetint, which I received in my January 2014 Topbox.

This is a rather odd-looking product. While most lip/blush products are creams or gels, this one is a liquid and a very thin, watery liquid at that. It’s also got quite the story behind it. According to Benefit, this “rose-tinted stain” was originally created for an exotic dancer back in the 1970s.

But since then, this product “has soared to cult fave status” and is now “loved by celebs, makeup artists and gals around the world,” says Benefit. And why do they love it? Because this “is kiss-proof, see-through color for lips and cheeks that lasts for hours. Naturally sheer and sexy on all complexions...it’s innocent yet provocative.”

I agree with some of those claims. On my lips, this product was fairly sheer, though not quite see-through, and while I wouldn’t say it left my lips looking provocative, it did add some colour and depth and sure, it sexed them up. Unfortunately, my lips didn’t stay looking like that for long. While this product is reasonably “kiss-proof,” it’s not food- or beverage-proof.

However, while Benetint didn’t last very long on my lips, it had great staying power on cheeks, easily lasting the day. There, it was also quite sheer, which I like, though more colour can easily be achieved by just applying more product. Again, the results aren’t really provocative but they do look nice and could be pulled off by a wide range of complexions.

Applying a liquid to your cheeks does feel a bit weird but thanks to the application brush, putting Benetint on is actually pretty simple. And yes, while it is a liquid, it didn’t run down my cheek or otherwise misbehave.

Unlike as with the Stila product, the Benefit one works better as a blush than as a lip product, at least for me. My biggest issue with it as a lip product is that it just doesn’t feel that great on. Now, to be fair, Benefit doesn’t claim that this product will moisturize by lips and leave them feeling soft and smooth. But that’s what I want in a lip product, at least to some degree.

Benetint feels exactly like you think it would feel: Like water on your lips. Maybe in the hot, humid summer, that will work but not right now, when this horrible, never-ending winter is consistently stripping moisture from my lips

Sephora.ca currently sells this item for $36. Because you don’t need a lot of this product to get some colour, one bottle should last you a very, very long time.

Would I buy this product: No, it’s not for me.

Should you buy this product: Maybe. This is one of those products that I’m not picking up not because it’s bad but because it just doesn’t work for me. When it comes to lip products, I need something that provides moisture and Benetint just doesn’t do that. But if that’s not a concern for you, then this product might work out nicely.