Are you BROWsing?
First things first, let us take a moment to say that Laurretta Power is possibly the coolest name for anyone, ever. Fact. Perfect for the woman in question too. Benefit’s National Brow Artist and Head of Artistry Laurretta is cool, relaxed, friendly and passionate…all the things you associate with Benefit Cosmetics.
Benefit is the girl next door, cool with an approachable attitude…she’s fun, quirky, but she’s no try-hard. They are the people’s brand in many respects.
I have loved Benefit Cosmetics for a very long time. I have watched them expand and grow their portfolio of beauty products to a quite extraordinary collection. You could easily feel overwhelmed when faced with all the delicious colours and textures, how do you choose? But you talk to a Benefit girl and the chances are a customer will join in the conversation about their favourites; a brand that people want to share their love of.
But if I asked you how long this beauty brand had been around, what would be your guess?
Well, I’m pretty sure you might be surprised that it launched in 1976.
Twin sisters Jane and Jean founded the brand and one of the first things created was Benetint – now legendary.
Laurretta told me a wonderful behind the scenes story of the origins of this cult product which goes…
The sisters were approached by a couple of exotic dancers, wanting to find a product that would make the pink of their errrr well….nipples…stand out in a show.
Yup.
The sisters realising the opportunity to influence their success with a community of entertainers with a deep need and passion for makeup, agreed they could do this and worked through the night to crush rose petals to create the original stain.
There’s your fun fact on Benefit Cosmetics!
Bold is Beautiful
Benefit has a fantastically successful community support and charity programme: Bold is Beautiful raising millions worldwide for charities that support women in domestic crisis and going through cancer treatment. Particularly poignant when dealing with creative hair makeup styling products as they so expertly do.
Passionately immersive, the fundraising is a huge cultural part of the business and offers fabulous opportunities to work with consumers in creative ways for the greater good, running pop-up charity shops, supporting fun-runs and so on. The aim is to follow the Benefit style: be disruptive, get noticed, have fun and raise awareness, but remain non-confrontational.
During August, they have donated 100% of their brow product profits to support causes globally, pretty great, right?
Talking of brows, back to the matter at hand.
Laurretta had some fantastic advice and insight, making so much sense in a category that for many is still new as a focal area.
Hair Raising Insights
As the number one brow brand in the UK, Benefit Cosmetics has an extraordinary choice of formats and colours to suit all skill levels and preferences, from brow pencils to pens and waxes to powders. So, how do you know which is right for you and why so many choices?
I put that question to Laurretta and she advised that the ideal is to have around 3 different brow products to achieve the most natural looking brow, with real hair-like qualities:
- Texture
- Highlight
- Dimension
So, by layering formula, colour and pigment depth differently you will get a more 3D, natural look.
Benefit has gone to great lengths to ensure that the palette of colours in their brow products is the same in each formulation, it will only be pigment intensity that varies. The same range of shades are not available in all products however, by layering you can create that multi-dimensional effect of hair.
And with that, a newcomer has arrived at Benefit Brows...
POWmade Brow Pomade is a full pigment eyebrow pomade.
Probably suited to the more skillful among us, the payoff is more powerful, but I would add, it has glide-able control and blendable application. The wear is fantastic, smudge, budge, transfer and water proof, giving 36-hour wear without drying out on skin.
Something that Benefit has always been great at is quirky, smart packaging developed to suit the use of the product itself. This new product is no different. The portable pot has 3 ridges on the inside of the jar to wipe excess off the brush and create a more pointed application for those realistic hair strokes.
There are 8 shades to launch from lightest warm golden blonde through to warm black-brown.
Benefit has a wealth of insight on Instagram from user generated content, tutorial, facts, support, inspiration and fun. Even if you only use a few of their products, there is an abundance of ideas to weave into your makeup styling repertoire.
I have to say, my connection to Benefit Cosmetics has been completely reinvigorated. I am placing my order for a few brow products as I type and there may be a few brow products in my basket too that were forgotten favourites!
Laurretta and I could have talked for hours, she was full of knowledge and passion for the brand which oozed out of her.
Laurretta Power’s Tip:
Ok, so on this occasion I am passing my Beauty Insider Tip baton. I couldn’t let the moment pass without grabbing a nugget from Laurretta to add as an insider tip.
Over to Laurretta…
Get yourself a brow tint and wax.
This smallest change can make the biggest difference as it will ultimately give you easier maintenance. Even if you don’t think you have much brow to work with, get a professional to style you so that you have the optimal shape to suit your face. The stylists are trained in the Benefit Brow way which is Start Arch & Finish. This will give you brow mapping and is individual to you.
What are you waiting for? Head to the Benefit counter in-store to get your brows looking their very best.