When besties win ... featuring the entire Benefit They're Real range

I think it was around the 10th of february when my attention was drawn to a Benefit post on Facebook.  "Send a Valentines card to your bestie and have a chance to win the whole Benefit They're Real range."  Now, I never win with these things so I din't give much notice to the last part of the sentence but sending a Benefit Valentines card to my bestie?  I loved that idea!!  She replied with her own Benefit Valentines card and that was it, or so I thought ...  Last week she came by my desk at work (yes, we work together) looking a bit mischievous so I immediately knew something was up.  And than she said something in the line of "if I tell you this, you're gonna owe me forever ... and you have to promise to never make fun of me again", alarm bells went off in my head because, you know, never make fun of my bestie again?? No way I can promise that!!!  But she didn't leave me hanging for long ... "remember those Benefit valentines cards we sent each other?  well, I just got an email that I've won and so we both get the whole Benefit They're Real range"  Say that again?  Overexcited doesn't even begin to describe what we felt but the real thrill was when the package came.  I mean look at it!!  Where to begin?

I've always been a big fan of Benefit.  I've been using their They're Real mascara for a few years now, and I still remember when and where the Sephora sales lady got me hooked on this mascara.  It was in Madrid to be exact and I was there on a girls only weekend.  The They're Real mascara just launched in Europe and one coat on my lashes was enough to get me hooked.  Sure I've tried other mascaras since but I always go back to this one.  I was so happy when they brought out the brown version.  Other Benefit favorites are the Porefessional primer and the Hello Flawless foundation and powder.  It's not just the products that are great but with Benefit it really is the whole experience.  The look and feel of the brand is just so appealing.  Cute but not too cute with a bit of a retro feel to it. 

Benefit, you already owned a piece of my heart and this just made it bigger.  Thank you so much for this, I'm really going to enjoy trying everything out!

Where to buy:

In Belgium you can buy Benefit at selected Galeria Inno stores or online at inno.be, currently there is a 20% off promotion when you buy 2 items at the beauty department.

Everyday makeup routine

Jeej, it’s monday - said no one ever.  I imagine most of us have a morning routine we don’t mess with once it’s in place and there isn’t a lot of margin for change.  So it’s no surprise that my makeup routine for working days is pretty much the same every day.  I can even do this before I have my first cup of coffee and it usually takes me 10-15 minutes max to put it on.  (the exception being those days where I really can’t get started no matter how hard I try and I end up wondering why there isn’t any color coming off my mascara only to find that I’ve been putting 3 coats of eyebrow gel on my lashes).  I guess I can even get it down to 5-10 minutes but putting on makeup feels like a little treat to me, a bit of me time before the hustle of the workday starts and therefore I don’t want to rush it.

This is what I wear to work every day, I’m going for the 'me but better' look.  Very natural and not too 'synthetic’ looking and something that easy to apply even when you’re still half a sleep.  

First is the base: Mac Prep + Prime Natural Radiance Base Lumière in Radiant Pink.  I love this, it feels moisturizing and gives my skin a healthy glow. The skin on my cheeks is quite dry and as I’m getting older I feel like my skin is starting to look a bit more dull, especially in fall/winter time.  This is the perfect primer if you want to remedy that.  

In the fall/winter I put on a real foundation but now that the weather is getting warmer, I switch to a BB cream or something similar.  Last year I bought the Guerlain Lingerie De Peau BB Beauty Booster in Light and since I had some left I started using it again this year.  I still love it as much as I did last year, it’s easy to apply (I use my fingers instead of a brush for this one),it looks really natural and has an SPF 30.

I don’t use under eye concealer simply because I haven’t found one that doesn’t crease.  I have lines under my eyes so under eye concealer is a tricky one.

To set everything I use my Hello Flawless powder by Benefit and for a blush I love my MAC legendary blush from the Marilyn Monroe collection.

For my eyes I really wouldn’t know what to do without my Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion.  My eyelids are a bit greasy so without a primer my eyeshadow would never stay put.  Next up is MAC Haux in the crease or should I say to create a crease.  I have hooded eyes (it only gets worse when you get older, don’t say I didn’t warn you) so I don’t really have a crease.  Nevermind, I just slap the color above my eyelid and pretend it’s a crease.  MAC All that glitters on my eyelid and MAC Dazzle light on the inner corner for that extra pop.  After the lash curler had done it’s duty I tightline my upper lashline with a brown pencil (Bourjois Contour Clubbing waterproof pencil in 57 up and brown) and a good coat of Benefit’s They're Real mascara.

MAC Eyebrow pencil in Fling to fill in those brows a bit and to set it Hema eyebrow gel

And to finish it all off some MAX fix+ which helps the whole thing to melt together and make it look very natural.

I play with the lip color a bit although I don’t go for very bold colors when I have to go to work.  But MAC Pink Plaid, Cut A Caper or Shy girl are regular guests here, as are Too Faced Melted liquified long wear lipstick in Melted Peony and Urban Decay Sheer Revolution lipstick in Sheer Streak.

A simple, neutral look that you really don't have to think about, perfect for weekdays!