“Maybe you need to move the camera to the left a little?”

This is the face you make when your parents try to FaceTime you from across the Pacific Ocean for the very first time, LOL!

Both my mom and dad are retired, in their mid-60s and not the most technologically savvy people. Example: Even though I’ve explained it to them a bunch of times over the last six years, they still don’t understand what a blog is (“Why do you post so many pictures of makeup and Tabs on the internet?”).

But bless their hearts for trying and for keeping an open mind to new gadgets and gizmos.

They’re on Oahu right now, and it’s been a couple days since I’ve seen them, so they FaceTime’d me (is that even a verb?) this morning to say hello and to show me the ocean. How sweet!

Because they’re my parents, I spent 10 minutes looking at my dad’s left ear before they figured out how to hold the iPhone. When they finally worked it out, my mom grabbed the phone to chat…

ME: “Hi, Mom. Whatcha up to?”

MOM: “Oh, I went to a country line dancing class this morning. It was a lot of fun. Dad says he went to the gym to walk on the treadmill, but I think he went to the buffet instead. You know. Retired people stuff.”

ME: “That’s cool.”

MOM: “Where’s my tabby?”

ME: “He’s sleeping at the top of his cat tower. I’d wake him, but I’m not in the mood to get scratched.”

MOM: “You know, if I had a grandchild, I’d take her on vacation with us.”

ME: “You know, you already have a grand-cat.”

MOM: “I know! But I can’t take Tabs with me to Hawaii. If I had a granddaughter, I could bring her to the pool, the beach and all that fun stuff.”

ME: “Are you asking for a grandchild so you can have something to do on vacation?”

MOM: “I’m just saying. If you had a baby, it would keep me busy. Ideally a girl. Hint, hint.”

ME: “Ummm…”

MOM: “Just something to think about!

Oh, I like your eye makeup today. What are you wearing?”

ME: “It’s a new kit from Benefit called the Most Glamorous Nudes Ever.”

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The brand-spankin’ new Benefit World Famous Neutrals kits

If you decide to add one of Benefit’s new World Famous Neutrals kits to your holiday wish list, there’s a good chance (at least 93.5%) that your sis, mom, BFF or Secret Santa will find it hard to resist keeping it for herself.

(Because that’s totally what I’d be tempted to do.)

These three new $30 Sephora exclusive kits are some of the most exciting neutrals I’ve seen since Naked2, and I’m going bananas (B-A-N-A-N-A-S) over the colors, almost all of which are new.

Just when I thought the whole neutral palette craze was completely played out, along comes Benefit to put their signature spin on it.

First, they created “Eyenessa,” the magical, mystical makeup maven/character who graces the covers of all three World Famous Neutral kits, and judging by her giant hoop earrings and affinity for gold jewelry, she’s a girl after my own accessories-lovin’ heart.

Second, there’s the Creaseless Creams! — which are my favorite things about these. Each kit comes with two of them in tiny pots, along with four Longwear Powder Shadows.

Now, it seems like every brand has a nude/neutral palette of powder eyeshadows, but not many of them come with cream shadows. By including two Creaseless Creams with each of these, Benefit takes these kits to the next level. I think the Creams give Bene-babes much more power to layer and create their own custom combos.

What do ya say we take a closer look now at each of the kits?

KIT #1: Most Glamorous Nudes Ever

Abracadabra! This spellbinding kit’s combination of rich, warm neutrals is prompting me to put my obsession with Skinny Jeans on pause (BTW, have you tried Skinny Jeans yet?? It’s one of my favorite cream eyeshadow colors of all time!). The kit features two enchanting Creaseless Creams of its own, the shimmery champagne Birthday Suit and My Two Cents, a shimmery warm golden copper.

The kit also comes with Longwear Powder Shadows in Call My Buff (a pearly, peachy beige), Kiss Me I’m Tipsy (a warm reddish brown with a hint of plum), It’s Complicated (a shimmery pinkish gold) and Gilt-y Pleasure (a shimmery peachy gold) to add even more glow to your eye looks.

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Wearing Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Skinny Jeans

Aaand this is how much I love Benefit’s $19 Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner in Skinny Jeans…

Yeah, THAT much.

I just picked up my umpteenth pot and figured it was high time I publically professed my love for this shimmery cream eyeshadow.

Why? Because these Skinny Jeans are astronomical! — in that they also moonlight as an eyeliner and an eyeshadow base.

Benefit describes the color as a “pretty pewter,” but I think Skinny Jeans is more complex than that. On my NC42 skin, it’s like an alchemist’s brew, an enchanting blend of khaki, gray and taupe.

So pretty!

Question: how are real skinny jeans like zombies? Answer: they keep coming back from the dead! Seriously, what’s up with that? Just when I think skinny jeans have gone out of style forever, they come back! Which reminds me…OMG! Last night’s The Walking Dead!!

I happen to love these skinny jeans, because unlike the tapered Guess acid-washed pair (with the zippers on the ankles) I wore in eighth grade, these always fit.

You know how a black blazer can really dress up a pair of jeans and a white tee? Well, that’s what I think Skinny Jeans does for my eyes.

If I’m wearing something basic and simple — like maybe a sheer lip balm, a dash of cream blush and a couple coats of mascara — Skinny Jeans on my lids and lower lash lines adds some polish to the look and turns things up a notch.

I’ll happily wear this Creaseless Cream/Liner any time of year, but because it has some smokiness to it, my favorite times to wear it are fall and winter.

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Wearing the new Benefit Fine-One-One on my cheeks and lips

This is Benefit Fine-One-One. What is the nature of your beauty emergency?

(Mumbling) Uh…

Hello? Miss, you’re gonna have to speak up.

(Whispering) I can’t. My guy is sound asleep in the other room, and I don’t want to wake him.

Okay…what is the emergency?

Well, I’m kinda sorta panicking because it’s the morning after our first sleepover, and I forgot my makeup bag.

Seriously?

Yeah, he hasn’t seen me without my war paint on yet, and I’d like to maintain the illusion that I just wake up with great hair and makeup, ya know?

…

OHMIGOSH! I think I’m hyperventilating!!

Alright, first of all, I need you to remain calm. Can you do that for me?

Yes…okay. I think so.

Good. Now I’m going to dispatch our Emergency Glam Squad to your location and a stick of Benefit’s new Fine-One-One.

Foxy!

Ooh, what’s that?! I’ve never heard of it before.

It’s a new brightening cheek and lip stick — a trio of creams perfect for situations like these. They can be used separately, or together, whenever you need a sheer flush in a flash.

How do I use it? What do I do when it arrives?

First, remove the cap, and twist the dial at the bottom. The stick, which has a shimmery pink champagne color, a matter watermelon and a matte coral, pops up like a tube of deodorant.

Swipe it directly on your cheeks…

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The new Benefit Crescent Row Limited Edition Set for Holiday 2012

Each of the four tiny 0.34-ounce bottles in the new $36 Benefit Crescent Row fragrance set is small enough to bring in a carry-on bag on your next flight (TSA rules limit liquids to 3.4 ounces or less).

Choose from Laugh With Me Lee Lee (a woody floral), My Place or Yours Gina (a woody oriental), Ring My Bella (a fruity floral) and See & Be Seen Sasha (a captivating floral).

I like my cats big and my perfumes tiny, so every year when Benefit rolls out their little fragrance kits I get really excited! — and then I pop open one of their caps…

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