The Benefit make-up products that are actually worth your money

Not too thin to be fiddly but precise enough for definition, Benefit’s bestselling brow pencil boasts an ultra-fine tip for a natural-looking effect. The tip can be used to draw on hair-like strokes to create a fuller and voluminous brow. The pencil has a twist-up retractable design which means there’s no need for sharpening, while the spoolie brush on the opposite tip helps to blend and buff out the product for a softer effect.

Filling in any sparseness but also creating a more defined arch, I use it to even out my brows (mine are certainly not twins, but odd sisters) before feathering out the arches. The pigment is rich while the colour lasts a good 12 hours. What’s more, the full look takes me less than 10 seconds, and there’s little room for error thanks to the foolproof spoolie and well-formulated pencil.

Read my full Benefit precisely, my brow pencil review now

When it launched 20 years ago, Benefit’s hoola bronzer was the first shimmer-free matte formula on the market. Its enduring popularity is thanks to the longwear formula, rich yet natural-looking pigment and matte finish. The silky-soft powder is easily buildable with a brush with the lightweight formula blending nicely with other face products like foundation and blush.

It gives your face a subtly contoured effect and a fresh-of-the-plane bronzed look. Plus, the nifty compact makes it perfect for throwing in your bag and topping up on the go (unlike other bronzers, this one never cracks at the bottom of my bag).

The definition and curl that Benefit’s badgal mascara gifts your lashes is seriously impressive. Lengthening and lifting, sans eyelash curler, the formula is water-resistant and smudge-proof (even in balmy weather). Infused with provitamin B5 for extra thickness and strength, the mascara isn’t too heavy, with lashes still feeling flexible and soft.

While just one layer creates definition and volume thanks to the precise applicator, the mascara is easily buildable from root to tip for a more dramatic look (with no risk of clumping). It continues to look fresh until I take it off in the evening. I love the brown colourway for a softer, everyday look while the black hue will make a statement come evening.

A new launch on the scene, Benefit’s porefessional setting powder promises to control shine all day. I have oily-prone skin that gets worse throughout the day, so this powder’s claims excited me. The soft formula sits weightlessly on the skin, with a natural-looking matte finish. Locking in your make-up and blurring the appearance of pores, it also has impressive staying power (I only had to apply once on a warm day).

The formula absorbs sweat for an instant mattifying effect and application is super easy thanks to the easily portable tub that a brush, sponge or powder puff can be dipped into. This is a make-up bag staple.

Benefit’s eyebrow wax is a great tool for enhancing your natural arches. The lightweight formula glides easily onto your brows for a defined and sculpted finish. Infused with shea butter, jojoba seed oil and argan oil, it doesn’t have the same crunchy finish or flaking as some gels can cause and helps hold hairs in position.

The pigment is similarly impressive, with brows transformed with just a few strokes. My only gripe is that the colour can transfer onto the skin around your brow in hot weather or if you’re sweating, so this is something to consider if you have oily skin or are in balmy conditions.

I’ve been applying winged eyeliner for more than a decade, so it’s safe to say I’ve tried a lot of formulas. Benefit’s roller liner is one of the best of the bunch, with the silky, soft formula drying almost instantly into a sleek, matte finish. The precise, pointed tip leaves little room for error, whether you’re after a dramatic wing or classic cat eye.

While cheaper formulas can get you the same look initially, they tend to smudge or completely fade throughout the day. Benefit’s roller liner, however, stays put, with my signature cat eye still looking just as defined in the evening.

Benefit’s lip tint is one of the brand’s most signature products. Its first iteration, the benetint, was created in the late Seventies for exotic dancers as a nipple tint. Formulated using steamed rose petals, its founders Jean and Jane extracted the colour until they were left with a rich, vivid red tint. Now, the rejigged formula adds a subtle wash of colour to lips and cheeks. The floratint is my favourite colour for a floral flush that lasts all day. The liquid formula can be dabbed onto cheeks using the doe applicator before being blended in with a brush. It’s easily buildable and creates a seamless finish with other make-up.

When it came to using it on my lips, I found it was quite drying and trickier to blend. Layering with a balm or gloss was far more effective and the tint itself is impressively long-lasting and natural-looking. Just make sure to exfoliate your lips before application.

Just like its playful packaging hints, Benefit’s boi-ing bright on concealer is a magic eraser for dark circles. Powered by red algae extract and colour-correctly pigments, it visibly brightens and masks tired under-eyes. Just three small dots of the formula under each eye are enough to smooth, soften and brighten the area, with the formula pleasingly lightweight and creamy.

It can be applied with your fingers, a beauty blender or a blush and the product is easily buildable, with no risk of piling. Coverage lasts a good seven or so hours and I didn’t notice any creasing or drying. It’s available in 12 shades – you can go one shade lighter for a brightening effect or colour match to use on blemishes on your face, with the formula blending seamlessly with my face make-up. This has replaced my usual concealer.

One of Benefit’s bestselling make-up staples, the blush powder feels near-weightless on the skin, giving cheeks a natural-looking flush. A few sweeps across the skin provide a subtle look, and it can be easily built up and blended with a bonzer for a more contoured finish. The formula isn’t drying and it has a strong staying power, with coverage still going strong nine hours after application.

There are 12 shades to suit various skin tones, with the willa my favourite for a rose pink wash. Plus, the portable compact is perfect for throwing in your bag for topping up throughout the day.

Another new launch for 2024, Benefit’s splashtint is a dewy lip tint designed to enhance your natural pout. The hydrating formula works to visibly smooth fine lines with hyaluronic acid, goji berry seed oil and glycerin all helping to lock in moisture.

A hybrid balm and gloss, it leaves a glass-like sheen with a juicy, tinted finish. The tint is a dream to apply thanks to the angular doe applicator with the lightweight formula sitting nicely over lip liner or lipstick. This has gone straight into my make-up bag for a pick-me-up throughout the day.

I had high hopes for Benefit’s brand new porefessional matte primer, owing to just how good the brand’s pore-blurring primers are. The matte formula is ideal for oil-prone skin like mine, with the formula absorbing excess oil and blurring the appearance of pores. The formula dries almost instantly with make-up sitting nicely on top for a matte finish. Niacinamide gives skin a hydration boost while rose hip extract reduces shine.

However, a lot is needed for full coverage and the tube is just 22ml for £32, so it’s not great value for money. And while my skin looked smooth and blurred after application, the product began to flake and pile a few hours in on the skin.