POLICE FILES: Benefit has landed

This blog is dedicated to nail polish. And because I know people visit to read about polish, I try not to post about things that aren’t polish-related. But sometimes it can’t be helped. Sometimes something non-polish is so awesome (and so special to me) that it has to be written about.

This is one of those times.

I know a lot about nail polish. Too much, even. But when it comes to makeup, I know as much as a newborn baby.

Sure, there was a time I had a huge traincase of cosmetics, and sure, I loved playing with them, but I’m really not good at applying makeup. Tatin says I can learn just like I learned to paint my nails and I am making it my mission to do so one day.

I’ve survived these makeup-challenged years with two weapons – black eyeliner and Benetint.

If there’s a party, if we’re going out, if I need to look a little more dressed up, I just pick up my eyeliner and Benetint.

I love Benetint, Benefit’s lip and cheek stain. And Tatin finds it funny that I do. She wrote in her blog: “How funny that one of her favorite non-polish beauty products would come packaged in a bottle and brush that still looks like nail polish.”

It’s one of the few beauty products that I use up completely. Maybe the only one. In fact, my last bottle was so used (and abused) that its head broke off. And I still kept using it until it was completely empty.

The problem was I couldn’t buy Benetint here easily. Sure, there were resellers but their prices were high. So I had to get mine abroad.

When I heard that there were plans of bringing Benefit to Manila, I was excited. And finally, this month, it became a reality.

Tatin and I went to the soft opening of Benefit’s store in Greenbelt 5. It was madness. There were so many people there but Tatin and I squeezed into the store to get our Benefit fix.

I walked away with two tints – my beloved Benetint and Posietint.

I love love love the pretty packaging.

Let’s look at Benetint, my longtime love.

I love that it’s so easy to use.

This rose-tinted stain smells (and tastes) faintly like roses.

And I love that it makes you look like you just have naturally rosy cheeks.

I looked for old pics of me wearing Benetint.

This is me wearing nothing on my face but Benetint and eyeliner.

Another pic from the same night:

Different day, different party, same Benetint.

And okay, margaritas.

I’ve been loyal to Benetint for years. I didn’t think I’d fall in love with a different lip and cheek stain again.

But enter Posietint.

Posietint is Benefit’s poppy pink lip and cheek stain.

Unlike Benetint which is a liquid, Posietint’s formula is creamy.

I tried it and was surprised by how much I love it. Especially on the lips.

I loved it so much I sent this e-mail to Tatin who was in Hong Kong:

“OMG! I love Posietint! Ang ganda nya sa lips!!!”

So now my killer combo is Benetint on the cheeks and Posietint on the lips.

Because of these two tints, I spent hours looking at every single product (and all the FAQs and reviews) on Benefit’s website.

And now I have a sizable Benefit wish list. And on top of that list is ChaChaTint, Benefit’s mango-tinted lip and cheek stain. Because I want to complete my Benefit tint trio and because Tatin says it will rock my world too.

I love you, Benefit. I’m so glad you’re finally here.

Each tint costs ₱1800. Follow Benefit Cosmetics Philippines on Facebook. You can find Benefit’s first store in the Philippines at Greenbelt 5.