Mini Benefit Baby Haul

Oh what's this? Both "mini" and "baby" in the title? Well, it's accurate. I wanted so badly to try out the Benefit They're Real mascara, because although I've heard a mix of both good and bad, you have to really try it out for yourself to give an opinion. And I also heard it was a really wet mascara, so yeah. I like wet mascaras. After seeing that Sephora's Beauty Insider program was giving a mini They're Real mascara and a mini Watt's Up! cream highlighter as a gift for member's birthdays, off to eBay I went as, clearly, they don't have Sephora in Australia. It turned out brilliantly for me, as not only did I find a seller that was auctioning off their Beauty Insider birthday pressie for about twenty bucks (hey, it's a good deal considering Aussie prices), but they were also including three other Benefit freebies which included a deluxe sample size of High Beam, and a sample of Stay Don't Stray and Garden of Good and Eva.

They're Real mascara

Ah the reason for the whole purchase, I don't really see this mascara as being as super wet as I've heard, but I'll guess I'll see when I actually apply it. The only thing I can say is that, daaang, that brush is spiky with longer bristles. It might be a tad painful if I try putting it too close to my eyes as I've found with other plastic brushes. 

Watt's Up! cream highlighter

A champagne cream highlighter. Have also heard good things about this, and, surprisingly considering my skin tone, I've never had a champagne highlighter, so this should be a good step. It blends really easily as I found when swatching it.

High Beam liquid highlighter

I have actually had this before, I think in the Benefit Finding Mr Bright kit. They call it "model in a bottle" and I was so tempted to shell out for the full size, but this deluxe sample should tide me over for a while. It's a pink pearl liquid highlighter, but, again, blends so easily into the skin and just makes you really look lit up and, not too sparkly, but just enough shimmer on the cheekbones. 

Stay Don't Stray eye primer

I've never had a huge amount of eye primers, but I really should use them more. Obviously, my eye make up has held up a lot better when using primers, so hopefully this will be what turns me around to consistent use.

Garden of Good and Eva eau de toilette

I have never tried any scents by Benefit, so I really didn't know what to expect. Unfortunately, this sample was almost empty when I got it, but it smelled pretty good. A tiny bit floral, a tiny bit herbal, but that kind of "water" scent I like. Water doesn't even have a scent, does it? But that seems to be the description of scents I like. I will admit though that when I first sprayed it on my wrists, it was definitely a bit stronger and I wasn't a fan. But it wears away to a really wearable scent.

left to right, without flash: Watt's Up! swatch, Watt's Up! blended, High Beam swatch, High Beam blended

With Flash

Natural Sunlight

Overall, I feel this was a pretty decent find on eBay, considering what I ended up with. I'm liking the highlighters, and the mascara looks promising. I'm even interested in the eye primer, knowing how good the primers from Benefit are. And the size of these mini's are just so cute too! Makes for easy travelling, sadly though, will probably entice me to eventually buy full sizes.