Tried & Tested
On trial: Benefit’s Holiday Makeup Collection
This article is part of a paid-for partnership with Benefit
Makeup that looks good enough to eat? We’re here for it
Hailing from the vibrant streets of San Francisco, Benefit believes that laughter is the best cosmetic. The brainchild of models-turned-make-up-artists Jean and Jane Ford, the brand creates beauty that’s uplifting and makes you feel good with every look - and their latest Holiday Collection is proof of that.
Benemart offers up limited-edition beauty gift sets and holiday stocking fillers for brows, pores, lashes, cheeks, and more - each inspired by favourite nostalgic British household delights.
The range is fun and fabulous in such a kitsch way, from tins of 'Peas, Love & Pores', to cans of everyone’s favourite 'Soup’d Up Beauty' and 'BADGAL Energy Beauty Booster' energy drinks to see you through party season.
Inside The Gorgeous Grocer Beauty 24 Day Advent Calendar
In keeping with their Benemarket theme, this year’s 2024 Benefit advent calendar is tightly packed into a sturdy shopping basket you can keep for handy storage for years to come. It’s literally stuffed with Benefit bestsellers and beauty must-haves for you - or a pal if you’re feeling really generous. There are 24 numbered boxes featuring everything from fresh brow looks to cheek treats and crave-worthy lashes.
Here’s the low-down on exactly what you’ll find inside:
- The POREfessional smoothing face primer to minimise the look of pores | full-size
- BADgal BANG! BIGGER, BADDER volumizing mascara in intense pitch black | full-size
- 24-HR Brow Setter 24-hour invisible shaping & setting gel for brows | full-size
- Roller Liner Eyeliner true matte liquid eyeliner in black | full-size
- Willa soft neutral-rose blush | mini
- Terra golden brick-red blush | mini
- Starlaa rosy bronze blush | mini
- Cloudia misty pale-pink blush | mini
- Hoola matte bronzer | mini
- The POREfessional Good Cleanup pore-purifying foaming cleanser | fun-size
- The POREfessional Deep Retreat pore-clearing clay mask | fun-size
- The POREfessional Tight ‘n Toned pore-refining AHA+PHA toning foam | fun-size
- Plushtint moisturising matte lip tint in Red Velvet | fun-size
- Plushtint moisturising matte lip tint in Quilty Pleasure | fun-size
- Splashtint moisturising dewy lip tint in Heat Wave | fun-size
- Splashtint moisturising dewy lip tint in Honeymooner | fun-size
- Benetint rose-tinted lip & cheek stain | fun-size
- Roller Lash super-curling & lifting mascara in black | fun-size
- Fan Fest fanning & volumising mascara in hyper black | fun-size
- They’re Real beyond mascara in jet black | fun-size
- Fluff Up Brow Wax flexible brow-texturizing wax | fun-size
- The POREfessional: Super Setter long-lasting makeup setting spray | fun-size
- Precisely, My Brow Pencil ultra-fine brow defining pencil in shade 4 | fun-size
- Gimme Brow+ brow-volumising fibre gel in shade 3| fun-size
What else is in Benefit’s Holiday Collection?
The question is more like what isn’t here - there’s literally something for all your beauty needs with different price points to suit all.
Here’s a run-down of all the kitsch kits available to buy:
Piping Hot BeautyThis cute and colourful coffee cup comes filled with a mini curling mascara and warm seashell-pink blush. Brewtiful!
Whip It GlamSwap your chia latte for this coffee cup containing a mini lengthening mascara and 24-hour brow gel duo.
All You Knead is Pore CareThis stocking stuffer includes minis of pore-purifying foaming cleanser and pore-clearing clay mask for healthier-looking pores this season.
Chocolicious CheeksA mini palette that is good enough to eat, featuring Benefit's iconic matte bronzer, soft neutral-rose blush and exclusive bright cherry-red blush for a sweet pop of colour.
Chocolotta BlushPrefer a different style of chocolate? This one features Benefit's best selling baby-pink blush, warm seashell-pink blush and exclusive bright cherry-red blush for extra sweet cheeks.
Bad Gal EnergyFuel your holiday gifting with this supercharged set of Benefit bestsellers. Features a FULL-SIZE fan-fave volumizing mascara, and minis of the pore primer and iconic matte bronzer.
Fresh Caught LashesGo fishing for volume and length with this full size mascara duo. Includes Benefit's best selling volumising mascara and iconic lengthening mascara.
Wild Caught LashesA slightly different take on the other tin, this features Benefit's best selling volumising mascara alongside their newest fanning mascara.
Hooked On LashesThe final mascara tin again features Benefit's best selling volumising mascaras alongside their super-curling mascara.
Beauty WhiskA super set that acts as the complete kit for face, brows, lashes and lips. This portable palette features BADgal BANG mascara, POREfessional, Hoola, Willa, Fluff Up Brow Wax, Benetint and POREfessional Get Unblocked all sweetly packaged to look like a box of baking flour.
Soup’d Up BeautyA tin of soup-er stars. Get it? This can of tomato soup includes Benefit’s full size iconic matte bronzer and bestselling lip tint, plus a mini volumizing mascara.
Pore Mixed MedleyThese premium POREfessional picks will be perfect for keeping your skin in shape over the party season. Includes a full size pore primer along foaming cleanser and toning foam miniatures and a sample of overnight pore treatment.
Peas, Love & PoresSwap your tin of peas for total pore perfection with this can of Pore Care minis for cleaner, softer and smoother skin.
Extra Glam InfusedDrizzle on the glam this holiday with this premium set packed with Benefit’s newest mascara for fanned out lashes, setting spray, brow setting gel and strawberry pink blush.
Lookin’ CrispThis packet of glam includes full ad mini sizes of Benefit’s beauty favourites for face, brows, lashes and lips. The oh-so-crisp packaging is also a super cool reusable makeup bag. Talk about a beauty snack!
Our highlights from the Benefit Holiday Collection
There are too many fantastic products to pick from to single out one, but rest assured if you need an ultimate beauty gift for someone you love this holiday season, Benefit has you covered. Alternatively, treat yourself to one of these limited edition gifts; they're the perfect way to ensure you’ll be ready for the silly season ahead.
My own personal favourites, apart from the stunning advent calendar which I think is a genius way to do Christmas without a single reference to snow or Santa, has to be the Extra Infused Glam and the Lookin’ Crisp.
I love the olive oil style tin for Infused Glam and the fact that you can literally makeover your whole face with one super handy set for a really purse-friendly price. The brush on the fan fest mascara is perfect for getting to the much smaller lashes in the inner and outermost of your eye to give a really wide-eyed look - which will be perfect for the mornings after I’ve drunk too much eggnog. The setting spray is also super lightweight and really keeps your makeup in place - no matter how hard you dance, or maybe how hard it snows!?
Lookin’ Crisp has a slightly more expensive price point but I’m sorry, if this isn’t the best makeup bag ever then I don't know what is. It’s so retro and kooky and has already drawn compliments from nearly every person who has seen it. Added to that it’s filled with my favourite lip and cheek tint - it’s a winning combo.
The Verdict
A winning holiday collection from Benefit.
★★★★★
