Hello Happy Soft Blur Foundation From Benefit

Whilst there are many blurring products out there I’ve found that there are very few blurring foundations which is why I’ve been so excited to try out the new Hello Happy Soft Blur Foundation from Benefit. I’d seen it available online but couldn’t find it in store – I mean it’s almost impossible to get the shade right from online swatches, isn’t it?

I tracked it down in Bentalls in Kingston recently and was reminded how great customer service can be when you come across an assistant that actually cares about what you need. As well as colour matching, I was offered a sample of my chosen shade to take away before deciding on a purchase. The foundation also comes in mini travel sizes so perfect for when you’re not quite ready to invest in the full size or to take on holiday with you.

OK so back to the foundation itself – my aim is always to use a foundation that makes people say my skin looks great rather than my foundation looks great so I’m all about blurring out imperfections and large pores, and avoiding looking oily without looking dried up and cakey so that the effect is “my skin but better”.  I think that this is exactly what the Benefit Hello Happy Soft Blur Foundation formula is about with SPF15 and a light-to-medium coverage formula that’s suitable for all skin types.  

It’s available in 12 shades and I’ve been matched to shade 4 medium neutral. I would never have chosen a shade described as medium if I hadn’t been matched in store. There’s been a bit of talk in the press about the shade range being limited and whilst I’m vastly underqualified to comment on this from a WOC perspective it does seem as though there’s most choice for fairer complexions. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on this as well as comment from the brand. From what I’ve read, it’s not so much about how deep the darker end of the range is but more about the range of tones – how warm they are etc. Please, dear friends, jump in and comment to see if we can help brands change-up their approach.

The big plus for me formula wise is that it’s oil free and so feels so light on the skin which has been such a bonus during these sweltering hot summer days. The blurring effect helps to even out skin tone using optical sphere technology in a formula that I would definitely describe as runny! You need to shake up the bottle to make sure the optical spheres are mixed in and then squeeze a couple of drops out onto your hand, brush, blender applying to your face and adding more as necessary. I’m fine with a single layer but you can add more layers to build up coverage if that’s what you prefer.

So, while I was getting great service, I stocked up on a previous favourite – Benefit’s Gimme Brow in shade 2.  There are 8 shades to choose from in the range which has extended from the original choice. I still find it hard to find a light shade that doesn’t have reddish tones – this one is almost there but not my best match. I’ve previously reviewed it here.

Last up, and not yet trialled, I got a luxury sample of the Benefit It’s Potent Brightening Eye Cream to try.  I have to admit that I’d forgotten that Benefit do skin care products and I certainly haven’t tried any so this is a first for me.  This product promises to fade dark circles and help smooth fine lines. It contains a peptide complex to help restore elasticity and firmness, as well as a blend of hydrating botanical extracts including loquat extract to help protect the skin from free radical damage.

Thanks for reading and I’m looking forward to reading your comments.

Hazel

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