Bringin’ It on with Benefit Cosmetics – The Launch at Greenbelt 5

I’ve been to many events but I’ve hardly had as much fun at a launch as I did yesterday.  Benefit Cosmetics launched its very first Philippine boutique in Greenbelt 5, and I was happy to be a part of it.  Benefit San Francisco is a premium cosmetics brand that carries a theme that is vintage, American, extemely feminine and quite quirky.  What a delightful day!

General Managers and Brand Manager Aubrey cut the ribbon.  Suddenly,  flash dancers invade the lobby facade and do a dance of joy!  Indeed, dear Benefit, it’s been almost too long a wait and you guys have finally arrived.

Keep reading to enter Manila’s very own cosmetic “candy store” and see which blogger friends joined in the fun!

This preppy trio carry product testers or cookies and cupcakes .   One of the flash dancers was lovely Martha of thebeautyjunkee blog, here she is with one of the Benefit babes.

One of the first bloggers I ever met when I started getting invited to events was the talented Dior Co of DiorCoMakeup.com, she’s been hiding away at work as one of Manila’s in-demand makeup artists.  It was nice to see her again after a long time.

I only made one purchase that day since I was already given complimentary items in a goodie bag by Benefit.  I bought Bathina, a cake body highlighter applied with a puff  in a candy apple red tin that is not as big as this, ok, hahaha.  I have quite a few weddings next year and Bathina is great for arms, shoulders and legs, also for skincare shoot talents. I’ve seen this used on the Globe Tattoo Alodia shoot by makeup artists who work alongside Jing Monis.  They buffed Bathina highlighter balm onto Alodia’s legs.

Skincare!

This luxury mascara does not disappoint at all, it’s awesome and when I tried it on at the boutique I was like “Wow”, however it is Php1,200 and that smarts a bit, but what made me go “wow” is its perfectly balanced formula for length, definition, curl lift, and volume.

It’s something I’d like to receive as a gift and would even consider it an “HG” item (holy grail worthy), but because of the price I stop short of that and due to budget constraints I wouldn’t repurchase this on a regular basis.  It is a really well-rounded in performance type of mascara though.  If you can afford it, I do recommend it.  Another blogger I waited to see was Project Vanity’s Liz Lanuzo,  I wondered if she’d show up, and she did and she was rockin’ a bright lip

.  In this photo with her I’m wearing Benefit’s Full Finish lipstick in Shy, which Liz and I both swooned over for a few minutes.

Here’s Liz with Benefit’s sunny Brand Manager, Aubrey who I say did a FUNtastic job for this brand’s launch, it’s truly been awhile since I’ve smiled from ear to ear throughout an entire event.  Apart from being a cosmetics boutique Benefit will also be offering brow services to refine appreciate arches.

The event was over by about 230pm, but the boutique was buzzing with excitement for hours after that, I know because I stayed.  I feel also very blessed to have been gifted by the brand with two highly recommended Benefit products just because I showed up.

I received the new Watts Up! Stick Highlighter for the face and exchanged a High Brow highlighter pencil for Benefit Boiing cake concealer.  Reviews on these coming up soon, I got so excited about them I photographed them already today.  I had so much fun at this launch, seriously (had…fun…seriously…) and the organizers behind the brand were so involved and attentive to everyone I have to give Benefit a thumbs up for opening their boutique with a bang!  Good job, guys, and thanks again, Aubrey!