Benefit's Cabana Glama is on Sale at Sephora, and You Should Probably Get It...

This summer season of 2012, Benefit put out a cute little kit called Cabana Glama.  When I first saw it I really wasn't all that interested but when it recently went on sale at Sephora for $19 (down from it's original price of $36) I figured, "Eh, what the hell, I'll add it to my cart".  Now, after using it for the past couple weeks, I'm here to tell you that you might want to grab it too because I'm in love with it and I know some of you will be too!

Inside this kit you'll find most of what you need for a full face of makeup.  Here's what you get:

Some Kind-a Gorgeous in Medium

I haven't heard the best about Benefit's Some Kind-a Gorgeous Foundation Faker.  Many reviews on Sephora claim that they don't notice an ounce of difference after application.  I, on the other hand, thought it was great!  It even out my skin dramatically in relation to how sheer it is and it sets to a powder-like finish, making your skin feel and look like you're not wearing anything at all, hence the "Foundation Faker" part.  


It's got a creamy, yet thin consistency that doesn't feel heavy in the slightest.  I think the results you'll experience depend on how you apply it.  I applied it by putting swipes of the product sporadically around my face and then pushing/buffing it into my skin with a Real Techniques Buffing Brush in kind of a stippling motion.  I'd advise against rubbing it in with your fingers as I'd imagine you'll lose the little coverage it's able to give.  I haven't tried this, but I think using a sponge to blend it into your skin would work well also.

Hoola Bronzer

I'm not sure how I feel about this Hoola bronzer just yet.  It swatches very light for me, which is a great thing for those of you with light skin, but not so great for me and my tan skin.  You'll see in the swatch below that it's almost invisible on my arm.  On my face, it give me a subtle bronze effect which is nice on days I'm in the mood for that type of look but sometimes I want something with a little more intensity.  It's pretty neutral in tone which makes it better for contouring than most warm-toned bronzers.

Shadows L-R:  Peach Fuzz, Bronze Buzz, Cocoa Pizzazz

The shadows were what I was most excited for initially, specifically the Peach Fuzz shade which is a peachy pink with a golden sheen.  Bronze Buzz is a bronze (obviously) and Cocoa Pizzazz is a dark bronze.  These shadows are very soft and have a decent pigmentation.  The problem I have with them is that they - and I know this is going to sound odd - blend almost too well together.  No matter how I apply them they all come out looking like 1 color together on my lids.  They still look nice on my eyes, giving me a natural summery look, but I wish they were more distinguishable when applied.

Posietint

Finally, the kit includes a mini Posietint cheek and lip stain.  I at first thought it would be too light to wear on my cheeks but it does show up nicely.  It looks like a very natural flush on me.  On the lips it gives me a quite pleasant pink stain that lasts quite a long time and doesn't dry my lips out.  It doesn't moisturize by any means, but it doesn't make things worse.  

Swatches L-R:  Hoola, Posietint, Some Kind-a Gorgeous in Medium,
Peach Fuzz, Bronze Buzz, Cocoa Pizzazz

See what I mean about Hoola?  You can barely see it on my arm, but luckily my face is a little lighter than my arm so it does show a bit.


Bottom Line:  Amber Really Likes!


I don't know if I would buy this kit for it's originally $36 price tag, but I think it's a steal at $19.  It's a great chance to try out a few of Benefit's products.  I don't know if would've ever tried Some Kind-a Gorgeous if it weren't for this kit and I'm so glad I did.  I'm enjoying Posietint as well!  


You can find more information about Benefit's Cabana Glama at the Benefit website, and you can purchase this at Sephora!