Review, Swatches & Look: Benefit's "Groovy Kind-a Love" Set

Voila, the Benefit "Groovy Kind-a Love" make-up set!

This post features a review of each product, pictures, swatches and the look I created using the set!
 I hope you like it!  ☺

❤ POREfessional
❤ 2 Blushes in "Dandelion" and "Fever"
❤ Benetint
❤ 4 Eyeshadows from top-to-bottom in "Tickle my Ivory", "Gilt-y Pleasure", "Shimmer Down" & "Kiss me I'm Tipsy!"
❤ "They're Real!" Mini Mascara
❤ Double ended sponge applicator
❤ Blush sweep brush




POREfessional: A Benefit classic, POREfessional is a great miniature to have in this set! It claims to minimise pores and maximise staying power. I mainly use it on my nose and cheeks as these are the areas that my pores are at their largest. It has a nice, light texture with the powdery edge that you'd expect from a primer. A little goes a long way so just dab a bit in your desired area and blend. When I applied my makeup on top I did feel that my pores were less visible. However I did not feel it improved the longevity of my make up and I also believed it prevented the make up on my nose from setting, but maybe I just didnt allow enough time for POREfessional to absorb.

*Added on January 10th, following more use*
Unfortunately, it doesn't matter how much time I allow for this product to dry, it always prevents my make up from settling on my nose. I have no idea why this is and it's becoming a bit of a pain as my nose is the most porous area on my face. Has anyone else had this experience?

Benetint: Pictured above is a Benetint swatch. Don't be put off by the brightness of the swatch, it blends to give a gorgeous natural glow on the cheeks. Below is a picture of the blended swatch.

As you can see it is a lot more subtle. I put on more than usual here just so it would show up on camera, but I think it is a shade that would work with most skin tones as the pigmentation can be altered depending on how much product you use. It claims to be a stain for cheeks and lips however I find it is way to watery to be an affective lipstain. My main problem with this product is that it settles into and highlights any red patches/spots on the cheek area. This makes it hard to use if you have acne on your cheeks, but great if you have dried out skin!

Dandelion & Fever (L-R): These are the two powder blushes in the set. Dandelion is a pale shimmery pink that looks fab on pale skin. Fever has more of a bronze tone and adds a lovely warmth to the face. Each are beautiful on their own however they really complement each other when they are blended and add a warmth to the face that is lighter than just Fever on its own. Maybe this sounds silly, but I kinda felt like you need to allow time for the product to develop. When I am applying this blush (mixing both shades) it seems to come out fairly light and unnoticeable however becomes a lot more obvious after a few minutes of settling onto my skin. For this reason I suggest applying a small amount!

"Tickle my Ivory", "Gilt-y Pleasure", "Shimmer Down" & "Kiss me I'm Tipsy" (L-R): The first eyeshadow is a shimmery white that is a beautiful highlighter without the harsh unnatural look that normally accompanies white highlighters. This is because of its pinky undertones. I use it under my eyebrow arch for a warm shimmer that lasts for many hours."Gilt-y Pleasure" is a shimmery orange tone that is lovely and warm. It really brings out blue eyes, enhancing their natural colour. I feel it is a bit more wearable on its own than Urban Decays Half Baked, which can be a bit too bright and unnatural looking on its own I feel.  "Shimmer Down" is a little browner than "Gilt-y Pleasure" but just as shimmery. I found it was not as pigmented as it looks in the pot unfortunately. As it is so shimmery and applies a little sheer, it makes a lovely base for a neutral eye look. Beware of a little fall out, but it is very manageable. "Kiss me I'm Tipsy" is a deep, warm brown and is without the shimmer featured in the other shadows. I feel it is my new favourite shade for an everyday cut-crease look, and it doesn't move or smudge throughout the day. Alternatively, it could be used as an eyeliner for a soft eye look for blondes or redheads. 

"They're Real" Mascara: A much loved Benefit product which launched about 3 years ago. It is on the wet side, so beware of smudges during application until it dries. The brush has thin plastic bristles and has a ball-shape at the top of the wand, which also has plastic bristles. This is designed to make application to the very outer eyelashes easier. The actual mascara is black and very elongating, with the brush distributing plenty of product to every eyelash with few clumps, thanks to its wand. I have never found a mascara that applies so close to the lashes and as a natural blonde this is a maaaaajor plus! All in all, this miniature has convinced me of the greatness of this product, and I will be buying it once this one empties!

*Added on January 10th, following more use*

 On my first few applications I felt this mascara was a bit wet and this led to smudging during application, however after about 2 weeks of using this product it has dried a bit and not so much product comes out, meaning a smudge-free application. I have gotten many compliments on my eyelashes since using this product, and have been asked if I have fake lashes on, allowing me to reply with "They're Real!"! 

(Please excuse that last cheesy comment, had to be done!)

 And here is how it all looks together! In this picture I used all 4 eyeshadows and Benetint on my cheeks and lips. I also used a lipliner on my lips to keep some definition as Benetint is very watery and does not stay in place on the lips. The set creates an overall warm, glowy look that is very versatile and wearable. For this reason, I think it makes a great gift even for those who know very little about makeup, or like to play it safe. The packaging contains the pun-tastic, retro charm common to all Benefit products. The set offers a great chance to experiment with Benefit miniatures before forking out for a full product that mightn't suit and it has secured a homely spot on my make up table!

Have you tried this set or any of its products? Are you a Benebabe til death? Let me know your opinions, as always feedback is welcomed!

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Merry Christmas er'body!