SUNDAY SPECIAL: Benefit Cheekathon (review & swatches)

I have wanted this palette from the second I first laid my eyes on it at the Sephora website. So when opportunity arose (thanks, Urša!), I made sure to have it join my collection.

The packaging is quite sturdy and closes with a magnet. It’s also super pretty, if you’re into such girly things (sure you are, just admit it). When opened, you’re facing five full size Benefit face products and a brush with natural bristles. There are four blushes: Dandelion, Dallas, Coralista and Rockateur, and the Hoola bronzer.

Dandelion is very nice baby pink blush, that kind of pink that everyone can wear. However, the pigmentation simply isn’t there. The same goes for Dallas blush that is a dusty rose color. Again, absolutely beautiful, but it does not show up on my skin tone. I am however completely in love with Coralista (the name says it all – a coral color with a bit of shimmer). Rockateur is a very shimmery rose blush that I simply cannot use as a blush, but it works great as a highlighter now when I’m a bit more tanned than usual. I probably won’t be able to use it in the fall and winter months.  

The problem with Dandelion and Dallas is the pigmentation. But I also have a beef with the Hoola bronzer (which, BTW, is great for my skin tone). It is so finely mild that it becomes buttery and makes a real mess with any brush but the brush that is actually included in the palette. I thought that the trick was to use a natural bristle brush but when trying others in my collection I noticed they were destroying the pan and quickly gave up. I don’t remember having this problem with my Hoola single, but unfortunately I’ve passed it on so I can’t really compare. 

Having a brush is very nice but truth be told, you cannot use it for more then one product – I think that mixing blushes and the bronzer could end up in disaster. 

Apart from that, I can also mention you get an instruction leaflet included - if you're the kind of person who likes to be told how to do their make-up, you'll probably get good use out of it. I just threw it in the trash. 

 

All in all, I would say this is a good product. But it’s just good, when I expected much more from it. At the $58 price tag (for a $145) value I would have probably been better off investing a few more dollars and getting another palette (like the Hourglass Illume Sheer Color trio – isn’t it just amazing) but it is what it is. I’ll continue to use it, of course, but unfortunately it’s not something I would highly recommend. 

Until next time, stay beautiful!