UNDER REVIEW: BENEFIT Pore Minimising Makeup

HOW TO USE

Minimize & disguise! Before opening, shake bottle well. Pull out custom pore-blurring sponge from base. Press button to release 1-2 drops of makeup onto the sponge. Pat & blend on pore-problem areas or all over face to instantly minimize the look of pores. Repeat to build coverage

REVIEW

This is so typical. I use a sample of a product, absolutely love it; buy the full size version and it doesn’t work in the same way at all.

The sample was Benefit POREfessional Pore Minimising Makeup from Feel Unique. They run a ‘Pick n Mix’ promotion each month – an ongoing offer where you can choose 5 beauty samples for £3.95 which in turn, is redeemable against your next purchase.

It’s hit and miss, some months the samples offer great value and good-sized bottles of shampoo and conditioners; Also, big brand names such as Elemis and Emma Hardie are often featured.

This month there’s a lot of Dermalogica skin care and Charlotte Tilbury foundation samples – something I wouldn’t normally consider of value, but useful if shops don’t carry a specific shade you want to try. Obviously give the perfume vials a swerve, you can pick those up anywhere.

I picked shade 01 Ivory. It came in a 0.3ml sachet with a tiny sponge. The instructions said something like massage the sachet before use, which I did (big mistake) because a shedload of product spurted out, so in the end I managed only 5 applications – on my nose only. A little of this product goes far. I needed just a dot each time.

The secret to application is to dab it on gently, never rub. The fluid is thin and watery, but I only apply one layer – I can’t build it up, any more and things turn ugly. Besides, I found one layer enough. It dries very quickly.

I was very impressed, pores were completely covered without looking cakey. The shade is very light, too light at first in fact, but somehow it adapts and blends in with your skin to look more natural. I didn’t set it with powder. Well, I did the first day and it looked like I had a false nose on, so lesson learned. 

I tried not to touch my face during the day because I didn’t want to disturb it with the natural oils on my fingers. I know from experience that once you interfere with make up on your nose, it stubbornly sinks into pores and is very hard to remove. I hadn’t realised how many times a day I touched my face. It’s actually very hard not to!

So, after these 5 applications, I splashed £26.00 on a full size 15ml bottle. I find most Benefit products are over priced, I feel they could knock off £4-6 easily.

I chose the same shade, 01. The bottle has an in-built sponge at the bottom you pull off (although the mini pad was easier to use). Again, I only used it on my nose. I feel my face would look mask like and unnatural if I used it all over. But somehow, even one thin application with only a dot of product, looked cakey. It looked fine from a distance, but as you got closer it became more obvious.

Even worse, it seemed to oxidise, the light shade turned yellowy orange. I’m going to keep applying it though, because I can’t shelve another expensive product to the drawer of doom. I’ll try it with primer underneath to see if it makes a difference. Some reviewer say put it under or over foundation, so i’ll try that with caution.

SHOPPING INFO

Benefit POREfessional Pore Minimizing Makeup £26.00

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Feel Unique (at 14/6/18) are selling Shade 01 Ivory (Fair, Cool) for £20.80 and shade 03 Natural (Medium, Neutral) for £13.00.