Review: Benefit Cosmetics Plushtint in French Toast

 

It's time to start practising puckering up - you know that we're sliding into party season at this point, and you'll be wanting to look your best for all the get togethers that you'll be attending, whether it's with family, or work friends, or those who are far apart, but in your heart. Aside from dolling up and looking cute, my requirements for my make up would be for my lippie to need minimal touching up (for all those kisses, naturally), the inevitable pictures that would be taken, and to create the illusion that I haven't just been stuffing my face silly while people haven't been watching.

 As such, I probably won't be reaching for a massively bold colour this season, as I'd like something lighter, something that could pass for my lips, but better. The Benefit Cosmetics Plushtint caught my eye when I was browsing through Adore Beauty recently. I wanted something that would be a bit of a lip tint, and more enhance what I already have, rather than cover up over it. It's meant to give the lips a velvety matte finish, be long wearing, while still staying lightweight on the lips, so that you can have a bit of colour on them without the lips cracking and being uncomfortable.

 

This comes in a short, fat tube with a round top that has a doe foot applicator in the cap. The applicator is narrow enough that it can actually reach the nooks and crannies around the commissure of the lips, which means that I can give my lips a fuller looking pout. I can certainly attest to the fact that this does give the lips a velvety matte finish, and I find this to rival the lip tints that we have available from K-beauty brands. By that, I mean while this has some pigmentation to it, it's not particularly bold, but it does make a difference to how my lips look, particularly in the French Toast shade, which is very much a 'my lips but better' shade.

 This almost has a blurring effect on the lips, which is a soft finish, and I love that this doesn't dry out my lips like a lot of other early generation matte products would have in the past, and that this more seems to move with me than crack when my mouth is in motion. This means that it doesn't dry out my lips, but despite the claims of this being that it's meant to nourish and moisturise the skin, it doesn't seem to do that as much as I'd like. At best, I'd settle for this to not dry out my lips, and help hold the shape of the lips better for a longer period of time, keeping it plump. 

 

The formula contains hyaluronic acid, goji berry seed oil and raspberry leaf extract, which explains why despite having a consistency that doesn't seem conducive to keeping the lips looking fresh and soft, this actually does a better job of doing so than the classic matte lippies of the 2000s. While it's also supposed to be transfer resistant, it does transfer a little bit, but a lot of it seems to stay on the lips, which I appreciate. I also love that this isn't sticky at all, and that I can wear it easily throughout the day This retails for $42 where Benefit is available. Are you a matte or glossy, or satin even, girly?