Benefit Operation Pore-Proof Review

Hey there Peaches! So as promised I am reviewing the Operation: Pore-Proof kit sold exclusively at Sephora and on Benefit's website.

The kit is sold for $34. It includes deluxe samples of:

• The Porefessional Primer
• Dr. Feel Good
• The Porefessional Agent Zero Shine Powder (+ brush)
• The Porefessional License to Blot blotting stick

aaannnnddd....

• Shy Beam! 

 Obviously the main attraction in this kit is the shy beam sample which I reviewed individually. It's Benefit's newest addition to their highlights. Instead of being reflective and shimmery like High beam or sun beam. Shy beam is a nude-pink matte highlight, kind of like the liquid version of their eye bright pencil. One thing I'm not sure I mentioned is that it photographs beautifully. Again for an in depth description and swatches you'll want to see my review. You cand find that here.

so what about the porefessional products and Dr. Feel Good?

Dr. Feel Good:  So this is the other product in the box that is not part of the porefessional line. This product has been on the market for quite some time. It's marketed as a complexion balm intended for use either under, alone, or on top of makeup. It is supposed to mattify the skin, smooth away lines and touch up makeup as well as contain vitamins A, E and C to be good for the skin. I find tha application feels nice, and it's got a mattifying effects but I really don't like this to touch up makeup, I feel like it just moves it around. MaybenIm doing something wrong, but I didn't like it for that purpose.

The Porefessional Primer: In my late teen early adult years I've tried quite a few pore-minimizing primers, my favorite being from Dr. Brandt. The Porefessional feels a bit  similar and has the same effect and it's actually a bit cheaper. I really feel like it makes a huge difference on the appearance of pores, it's smooth and applies colorless which is great since I'm almost paper white so its noticeable when things have a slight tint on my skin. I feel like you could wear this without setting it, but I always do. The wear time is wonderful. My only gripe about this is that if you have an abundance of black heads, I have some really stubborn ones on my nose, it can make those a little more obvious. Otherwise I love this primer and I use it almost every day.

The Porefessional Agent Zero Shine Powder: This product in its full size is actually pretty travel friendly. It comes in a tube with a cap on top and a build in brush on the bottom, I would assume this would make it an easy product to pack for a trip or just for touch ups throughout the day. As for the powder, its not colorless which I dislike.While most translucent powder is white, this is more beige. I found it actually showed on my pale skin but I think it might be fine on slightly darker skin tones, and still be transparent. I think the functionality of this was decent. I used it on my nose and found that it stayed pretty matte, and my nose tends to get pretty oily on occasion. The trial brush they give you is not really like the one on the full size product. The full size brush is more dense and short where the trial is kind of like a flimsy blush applicator you might find in a cheap drugstore blush. I like this powder but not enough to buy it. Although I would definitely reccomend it to anyone looking for a nice travel friendly mattifying loose setting powder.

The Porefessional License To Blot Blotting Stick: I'm not really one who had ever used blotting paper, although maybe I should have in high school, I was crazy oily. However in my young-adult years I havent needed it I  did try it around my nose over the summer months and it seems to function well but I don't really feel like I can review this completely since I don't really use its I will say I love the packaging and I feel like even the full size would be convienet to carry in a bag or purse for on-the-go touch ups.

That's all for this review, sorry it took so long to post.

xoxo

Courtney

Benefit Shy Beam Review

For those you of you who don't know Benefit Cosmetics has pre-released their newest highlighter in a deluxe sample size exclusively in the Operation Pore-Proof Kit. The kit, which I will do  mini-review on later, includes 4 other pore-minimizing deluxe sample products, making this a steal at only $34. But that's not the point of this post.

So Shy Beam, what is it? It's a Matte nude-pink highlight, in a similar formula to Highbeam or Sunbeam. However I find that the shade is almost, upon first glace comparable to Benefit's Eye Bright pencil, one of my favorite pencil highlights. The main difference is that this appears to be slightly more on the nude side than a light pink.

Not going to lie, when I saw this on my instagram feed a few nights go and realized it was already being sold in only one kit I ran out and got it the next day.

Pros: Since it's a matte highlight if you're one of those who get particularly oily, this is a good option for a highlight, plus so far I haven't seen any issues with it caking over a basic translucent powder, I have not tried it with a mattifying powder yet. I also think this would be suitable for almost any skin tone, it sheers out nicely and doesn't leave a streaky or oddly pink smear like I've had with a few liquid highlights.

Cons: I did find that it can settle a bit into fine lines and wrinkles, a problem, again with some liquid highlights. however I would imagine this could be fixed with a silicone based primer? I also found that while it doesn't cake with a powder under it, it can begin to look cakey with one over it.  My last complaint is that though it's suitable for many skin tones, I feel that it may be a tad too dark for those of us who are exceptionally fair skinned.

The Bottom Line: I like this highlighter. I feel like it's good to have in my collection and I am not disappointed in my purchase. It's not my favorite but I think it has it's place. It's a good alternative to a shimmery highlight.

So that's all for this review my peaches! I'll post a review on the Operation Pore-Proof kit in the next few days.

xoxo
Courtney