What They Say:"Want eyes that appear 10 years younger? Give yourself a ‘lift’ with high brow… a brow lifting and defining pencil. Tried and tested, this matte linen-pink cream works on all complexions beautifully… it lifts, separates, and makes eyes and brows look younger & sexier… and isn’t that what we’re all after?

How to use high brow:
1. Draw a light, thin line, in one sweep directly under your brow.
2. Lightly blend with ring finger… don’t over blend, we want the linen-pink to linger."

Jen's Experience: Since my eyebrows don't really have a natural arch, I picked up this product to see if I could create the illusion of a slightly more shapely brow. I was afraid that I would buy it and never use it, but as it turns out, it's a part of my beauty routine that I never leave out now.

My brows definitely look more defined. I think part of it is that the little hairs that grow in between plucking or waxing are completely masked by the pencil. The light color brightens up my whole eye area.

Granted, I think it looks a little weird when I first put it on (before I do eyeshadow). I probably blend it a little more than I should. After a few moments, even with minimal blending, it seems to mellow a bit. You can create a very similar effect with ordinary eyeshadow in a color that is slightly lighter but in the same range as your skin tone for a similar effect, but this product is super handy and makes it easy to line and define.

Retail Price: $18.00 (BenefitCosmetics.com, Sephora and department stores)

Rating:

What They Say: "Battle blemishes while you sleep with Ka-Pow! Dab this avenging cream, with salicylic acid, directly onto boo boos before bed… and Ka-Pow! will take care of the rest."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: I'm not going to pretend that at 28 I don't get the occasional zit. That would be nice, but it's just not true. So this new product from BeneFit piqued my interest. Of course, I did get a few opportunities to test it out (sad to say). I just wish I had more to say about it. I didn't notice much of an effect at all. Perhaps my few small pimples weren't the type that are best treated by this product, but I applied this pretty heavily at night, several times even, and didn't notice them retreating with any increased speed. I didn't even feel like it was penetrating much into my skin. Perhaps more surface-type blemishes like those more common on younger skin would be affected. I just wasn't all that impressed.

Retail Price: $18.00 (sephora.com)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: "With fading action! Fade those dark circles... this amazing treatment with extracts of orange, apple fruit and japonica leaf really works! 'Pack your bags, take off your shades', because eyecon de-puffs under the eyes and fades dark circles while it nourishes and smoothes the entire eye area."

Jen's DeLush Experience: I wasn't really prepared to try a new eye cream just yet, but I was in New Orleans when I lost my Neutrogena undereye cream and was forced to to get something new.  I was intrigued by the description on the Benefit website, so I thought I'd give it a shot.  I've been using it now for about a month with mixed results.  I have very dark undereye circles if I don't give them a lot of attention, and I am starting to get fine lines around my eyes.  The Benefit cream seems to do a lot for the fine lines, but I am not convinced that it is working on my undereye circles.  I saw a lot of progress with the Neutrogena Radiance Boost Eye Cream, to the point where I felt like I could go without concealer if I'd gotten enough sleep the night before.  After a month of using Eyecon, I always feel like I need to wear concealer.  I believe it does a lot more than a standard eye cream would do for my circles, but I just was expecting more out of this cream.

Tips:  Use both morning and night for more fading action.

Retail Price: $26.00

Rating: 

Described As: "An exciting new facial polish for your daily romp in the shower. The sweet tangy extracts of pineapple perk up your complexion. Blended with delicate beads of jojoba, this scrub helps to brighten, refine and smooth your face, throat and décolleté."

My DeLush Downlow: As far as exfoliators go, this one probably wouldnt be exceptional except that it smells so good that I want to eat it with a spoon.  It is very gentle on my sensitive skin, and it leaves my skin looking radiant and not raw.  It is easily my favorite component of my skin care routine.   The only downside to this awesome product is that it is somewhat pricy.

Tips:  Although the cleanser is very gentle, I would not recommend using it more than 2 or 3 times each week.  Use a quarter sized amount for the face and neck area and use your fingers to lightly polish the skin in small circles. 

Rating:

Reviewed By: Jen

What They Say: "There is nothing sexier than touching satiny smooth skin. Almost like magic, this velvety body balm transforms into a silken moisture powder the moment it touches your skin. With a tumble of white blossoms, its scent is a pure aphrodisiac. Slip some on with Bathina’s velvet puff. . . It’s all you’ll want to wear."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: I've actually been a fan of this for a long time, and am now thrilled to share it with you! If this sexy balm doesn't make you feel like a goddess, nothing will! It applies with a cute black velvet puff that is very retro, it smells like heaven, and makes your skin feel seriously healthy and pretty. It adds a lovely silky sheen.

Retail Price: $26.00 (benefitcosmetics.com)

Rating:

Jen Tried It: I’m always in search of ways to get out of wearing so much make-up to have the appearance of flawless skin. This product from BeneFit that promises that “our oil-free, cream-to-powder finish fakes foundation…it’s silky, even perfection for your complexion!”, so how could I not want to try it? I wear tinted moisturizer or foundation most days, but that’s not always enough to cover up minor redness and blemishes. I found that Some Kind-a Gorgeous didn’t provide quite as much coverage as my tinted moisturizer, but in combination with it, I got quite excellent coverage, making this sort of a bridge between a base and a concealer. It doesn’t do much for undereye circles, but it works nicely for the little stuff. For me, this is a decent supplement to my normal make-up wardrobe, but certainly not an essential. ($28.00, BeneFitCosmetics.com)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: "It's the world's best concealer. This industrial-strength concealing cream helps erase dark circles & imperfections. Lay it on... thick or thin... it looks natural and never heavy."

Jamie's Thoughts: They might not be exaggerating. Whether we want to admit it or not, some of us need a little help in the under eye area. As a redhead, my skin has a naturally translucent quality. This, combined with a lifetime of allergies, leaves me sporting some seriously dark, undereye circles. In a recent non-scientific poll of redheads (i.e. all the redheads I know), 100% of those polled reported a problem with dark circles. This concealer is so easy to use, it’s almost laughable. Benefit has hit a home run with Boi-ing!

Forewarned is fair warned: Have you ever seen a redhead without her makeup on? It’s quite a sight to behold, as we don’t have any color in our eyelashes or eyebrows. Please keep this in mind when viewing the following photos, which were taken in natural light (yes! I am either brave or crazy!). Be sure to forward them to a friend and have a hearty laugh at my expense.

I apply this as the first layer of my make-up, after I’ve moisturized. Using a minor finger (ring finger or pinky works nicely), I gently dab this on to the crescent-shaped area of my under eye, you know – the darkest section. Be forewarned: if you rub it too vigorously, the concealer will spread too thin and you’ll be starting all over again.

This first application may appear severe, but after you balance it out around the base of the eye (to your discretion), things will start to look normal again. One of the best features of this product is its range – it looks fabulous whether you’ve piled it on, or only spread a thin layer.

I use powder foundation which doesn’t interfere with the consistency of the concealer as much as a liquid might. I also occasionally apply Boi-ing on my eyelids when I want a fresh look without any eye shadow (too much of anything can turn a redhead from classy to trashy in mere seconds), and it also does a phenomenal job of hiding the red, blotchy areas near my nose.

The obvious negative? It’s only made in 3 shades, so consumers with darker or hard-to-match skin tones might be disappointed with the coverage it provides. Otherwise, this stuff is knocking on the door of a perfect, 5-lip rating.

Retail Price: $18.00 (benefit.com - click here for international order info - and sephora.com; see retail locations here)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say:"Want eyes that appear 10 years younger? Give yourself a ‘lift’ with high brow… a brow lifting and defining pencil. Tried and tested, this matte linen-pink cream works on all complexions beautifully… it lifts, separates, and makes eyes and brows look younger & sexier… and isn’t that what we’re all after?

How to use high brow:
1. Draw a light, thin line, in one sweep directly under your brow.
2. Lightly blend with ring finger… don’t over blend, we want the linen-pink to linger."

Jen's Experience: Since my eyebrows don't really have a natural arch, I picked up this product to see if I could create the illusion of a slightly more shapely brow. I was afraid that I would buy it and never use it, but as it turns out, it's a part of my beauty routine that I never leave out now.

My brows definitely look more defined. I think part of it is that the little hairs that grow in between plucking or waxing are completely masked by the pencil. The light color brightens up my whole eye area.

Granted, I think it looks a little weird when I first put it on (before I do eyeshadow). I probably blend it a little more than I should. After a few moments, even with minimal blending, it seems to mellow a bit. You can create a very similar effect with ordinary eyeshadow in a color that is slightly lighter but in the same range as your skin tone for a similar effect, but this product is super handy and makes it easy to line and define.

Retail Price: $18.00 (BenefitCosmetics.com, Sephora and department stores)

Rating:

Haven't we heard a lot about Benetint and Benetint Lip Balm? Well, I have, and I always wanted to find out what the hype was all about. So a while ago, I broke down and got some.

What They Say: "Created from our legendary Benetint, it’s benetint lip balm. This delicate blend, with vitamin E, spf 15 and a light rose-petal fragrance, protects and innocently colors lips. Pop this little ruby gem in your bag for the ultimate soft rosy pout."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: This definitely has a pretty sheer rosy tint to it, so plus points there. The only thing I've noticed, though, is that it doesn't keep my lips moisturized for a really long time. In fact, I have to reapply it quite a bit to keep them from feeling dried out from the formula. Pretty? Yes, VERY. Long-lasting? For all the hype, not really. For the price, I expected a bit more. Let's just say, I haven't added this to my list of favorites - but I will keep it around for fun once in a while.

Retail Price: $18.00 (benefitcosmetics.com)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: "A perk-me-up powder... this ballerina-pink sheer powder takes your complexion from dull to darling in an instant. Dust it lightly over your skin and you'll have them all wondering... how do you look so pretty at eight in the morning?"

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: I simply have nothing bad to say about this pretty blush from BeneFit. So let me just get to the good: a) I've rarely found anything that gives such a lovely pinkish glow. b) Even though it looks bright, it goes on sheer and evenly, and stays on during the day. c) I love love LOVE the included applicator brush. d) This is one of the most flattering blushes I've ever used - and it really does wake up a tired face!

Retail Price: $26.00 (benefit.com or at Sephora)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: "Do you have a license to wear those lashes? BAD gal Lash is loaded with a big, bad wand and tons of black mascara... it's like an instant set of false eyelashes."

Jen's Experience:   I have to start off by saying that this product has the largest application wand I have ever seen on a mascara.  Every time I pull out the wand I am shocked again at it's size.  Given that, it's no surprise that it really does give you some wildly fantastic lashes.  It goes on fairly evenly and doesn't clump.  It's very dramatic because it is jet black and also causes your lashes to curl as they lengthen.  So that's all the good, now here's the problem:  I can't keep it on my lashes and out of my undereyes.  I really, really want it to work, because it makes my eyelashes look so good, but I just can't wear it to work or shopping or anywhere I will be in bright lights because it runs so badly.  But for a night out on the town with some smoky eye makeup?  It's at the top of my list.

Retail Price: $18.00 (BeneFitCosmetics.com)

Rating:

What They Say: "The sexiest flush you can get from a bottle. Innocent yet provocative, our ruby-tinted cheek and lip stain is kiss-proof color that looks naturally sheer & radiant. It’s the original! benetint . . . the stain that’s celebrating TWENTY YEARS OF FAME!"

My Experience:  This is a neat product that has been around for quite a while.  Rumor is, Benetint was originally invented for Vegas strippers to give color to their nipples.   Most people, of course, use this for lip and cheek color, and for that purpose, it really does its job.  It is very, very natural looking, and lasts until you wash it off.  I like it better for lip color (especially under a lip gloss like DuWop Lip Venom) than I do for blush.  I find it more difficult to apply as cheek stain, and there are so many good blush options on the market.

Tips:  For extra long lasting lip color, apply to lips and let it soak in for 5-10 minutes before apply a gloss on top of it.   To use as a blush, apply sparingly at first, and blend it in with a cosmetic sponge or cotton ball.  It becomes easier over time to get some even coverage.

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Because who doesn't need a special lip gloss just for shopping?

From the BeneFit website: "Kitten’s adorable lip shine is a purr. . .fect compliment to her shopping powder. This delightfully coppery-flecked rose lip gloss gives the words “charge-it” a sexy new meaning."

My Experience:  I got this as a birthday present from someone who really appreciates the fun in trying out new beauty products.  I use this gloss for shopping and going out on the town.  It's a litle too glittery to wear to work.  It will brighten your whole face and has great staying powder.  However, the texture is kind of gooey, so you'll have to take care when applying it in public not to make a mess of your fingers.

Rating:

Reviewed By: Jen