It’s been a minute since I was a teen (give or take, oh, 25 years), but I’m pretty sure 14-year-old Karen would have flipped out over Benefit’s new Luv It Up eye and lip kit.
For starters, it’s only $25, which means I might have been able to afford it on my meager paycheck, which consisted of what I earned giving piano lessons to the neighborhood kids for $5 a pop.
Second, the sheer nude shades — totally appropriate for a young lady — would have been (and are) infinitely easy to wear (just swish a single shade on your lids and go).
I may even have been able to talk my parents into getting it for me as a Christmas gift, but that conversation would have gone down a little something like this…
MOM: What do you mean you’re going to be a nudist!?
14-YEAR-OLD KAREN: No… I… It’s nude makeup. Not nudist. Nude.
MOM: No daughter of mine is going to be a nudist!
And that pretty much sums up my teenage years.
But enough about that. 🙂 Let’s get back to the kit!
It contains five pieces of soft, flattering makeup for subtle eyes and lips.
You get three Longwear Powder Eyeshadows in shimmery beige Call My Buff, shimmery pink Nude Swings and shimmery golden taupe Thanks a Latte; one Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow in shimmery pink R.S.V.P.; and one Ultra Plush Lip Gloss in sheer pink Dandelion.
All of them are travel-sized, and the entire kit, which comes in a cute tin, almost fits in the palm of my paw.
So, what kind of makeup lover would like this kit? Well, the products are quite sheer, which may turn off hard-core makeup fans, but dolls who dig minimalist makeup looks — looks where they can just swoosh a single shade on their lids and call it a day — could like it a lot.
I think it would also be a good fit for tweens, teens and many gals in their early 20s, in part because of the amount of shimmer in the eye products. While I love how the shimmer makes my lids glow, it also tends to emphasize any wrinkles…and this gal ain’t got no time for that.
PRICE: $25
AVAILABILITY: Coming soon to Benefit counters and boutiques, and available now online
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B+
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Jamie says
Bahaha, love the last line of this post. I agree, this palette looks like it’s more for the minimalist/getting started bunch. I’m slightly tempted because I’m more of a minimalist when it comes to eye makeup. But alas, I don’t think I’ll be getting it because I have so many neutrals. The majority of my eyeshadows consist of these types of colors… I have a problem.
Karen says
Hi Jamie,
It’s true though, right?! I love me some shimmer but not when I have to deal with drawing attention to fine lines.
I know what you mean about neutrals. Seems like I can never say no!
What neutrals are your favorites to wear? I do a lot of MAC: Shroom, Soft Brown, Cork, Soba, Texture, Arena, Brown Script…love me some neutrals!
Jamie says
You’ve made me want to add more to my huge list of MAC shadows that I want (only have 2), but I just haven’t taken the plunge because the majority of my shadows come from various palettes. I was just reading your last post about hoarding them… I’m a semi-hoarder. I’ve put myself on a no-buy for shadows… and lip products…
I’m not really worried about my fine lines. I have one eyelid that scrunches up when it’s open. The other folds but looks like a monolid when it’s open. So you don’t notice my lines as much as you notice that my eyeliner is smudging all over one eyelid and not the other. *sigh*
My go-to neutral “eyeshadows” are Maybelline Natural Smokes quad (only the highlight and liner shades), Stila Kitten, theBalm Insane Jane, MAC Glamour Check, Hoola bronzer… I received it as a sample and I don’t really care for it much as a bronzer but really like it as an eyeshadow!
Laure says
I love nude-ish looks so this sounds like my cuppa tea. 🙂
Karen says
This kit sounds like it was meant for you!
Chris25 says
I agree. I can see this working for people who need conservative makeup looks.
Karen says
Totally. Add some cat liner and/or mascara and call it a day!
camille says
OHMYGOSH! My mom would totally say the same thing! Hahahha!
Thanks for this review! I would/will buy this! I’m a make up newbie, so this seems like the best starter kit for me. And you can’t beat the price!
Now, I just have to (eventually) get to the MAC counter at the Boulevard Mall to buy my first eye shadow brush! MAC 217!
Oh, poop! I just bought these Hello Kitty brushes! They got good reviews on Sephora, so I’m hoping they live up to the reviews! I might just buy the MAC, for good measure 🙂
Happy Cat Day!
Karen says
Happy belated Cat Day to you too!
hanna says
These all seem so sheer.
Karen says
Yes.
Lauren says
I do have to say the one shadow from Benefit I loved was ‘thanks a latte’ 🙂 Glad they included that and the RSVP creaseless cream in this set as they’re both favorites of mine!
Karen says
Hi Lauren,
Have you ever tried Skinny Jeans? It’s my absolute favorite Creaseless Cream from Benefit.
Here’s a review in case you’re interested!
Benefit Skinny Jeans
Chelsea says
The colors are right up my alley, but it’s a little sheer, and I would never use the lip gloss. Cute set though, great for a beginner!
Karen says
Hi Chelsea,
Maybe just snag RSVP on its own? It’s one of those lovely bases that is super flatting on lots o gals.
Hope you are having a nice week so far. It’s cold and clear here today in the North Bay Area…
Chelsea says
It’s been very nippy here in Southeast Michigan! It’s warming up a bit (my parents live in Northern Michigan, and were expecting snow for Halloween – as a kid, my costumes always had to fit over a snowsuit, which made me throw fits because princesses don’t look that frumpy!) for this week though…
I have my VIB 20% off (and I just made a F&F order 20% off…) so I’m sure I’ll need to go in store and play around. I already bought two of my eyebrow pencil with F&F, but I’ll probably buy a new concealer for blemishes (undecided on brand, I’m thinking MUFE might be good, but I’ll take whatever’s pale enough!) and a backup NARS eye primer, and maybe a new setting spray. I need some colorful eyeshadow though, I own all neutrals. I don’t want to get too crazy in colors, because they don’t look great on me, but I need a little bit of oomph.
Stephanie Smith says
I think I love your Mom!!!
Karen says
Yeah, that basically sums up every conversation we had during my teenage years, haha!
Sylvia says
I love RSVP with Thanks a Latte, the perfect nude eye!
Karen says
Add a little liner and mascara and you’re good. 🙂
Amruta says
The packaging and products are way too gorgeous !!
Karen says
Yup!
Maria Therese says
Fabulous palette you look smashing in those colors!!
Karen says
Thanks, Maria Therese. Are you a Benefit fan?
Danielle says
This definitely seems like a cute set for someone who does not have a lot of makeup or needs help putting looks together.
Ankita@corallista says
Such gorgeous packaging! Don’t think the shades would work for me though, I need a little more color to look alive!