Benefit Bella Bamba Review, Photos, Swatches
Saturday, December 25th, 2010
Benefit Bella Bamba Powder
Benefit Spring 2011: Bella Bamba
Benefit Bella Bamba Boxed Powder ($28.00 for 0.28 oz.) is a brightened medium pink with pale gold shimmer-sheen. It’s fairly pigmented and can easily be used as an intense blusher, but it’s soft and fine enough in texture to be used as a sheer color on cheeks when blended out. I want to say it’s like a mix of Coralista and Sugarbomb but distinctly pink, not really a coral at all.
At first glance, it seems like Bella Bamba might just be another NARS Orgasm variation, but it’s so much pinker than those peachy-pinks. The closest dupe I could think of was Chanel Pink Explosion Joues Contraste, which is slightly cooler and has less gold shimmer. NARS Angelika is closest in color by NARS, but it’s really more a mesh of that blush with Albatross, I’d say.
I’m a little disappointed to see Benefit cutting the product size down by so much–a lot of their boxed powders have as much as 0.42 oz., while ones that are lower hover around 0.35 oz. It’s just as pigmented and incredibly similar in texture to Coralista, which is a full 0.42 oz. It’s still a lot of product for $28 (most blushes are 0.15 oz. or so), but it was something I thought was worth noting. I’m also not a fan of the flip-top packaging, because it doesn’t stay open on its own (probably more frustrating to photograph than to use, I suppose, though). I prefer the removable lid myself.
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- Product: 29/30
- Value: 9/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
FINAL THOUGHTS: I think this is a great boxed powder, and even though they reduced the size, it’s still a ton of blush for the price. It’s nicely pigmented win a flattering pink that’s not too cool or warm; the golden sheen makes it suitable for warmer skin tones while the slightly cool-toned pink of the shade itself works well on cool skin tones, too.
WHERE TO BUY: Sephora
See more photos & swatches!
Benefit Bella Bamba Powder
Benefit Bella Bamba Powder
Benefit Bella Bamba Powder
Benefit Bella Bamba Powder
Benefit Bella Bamba Powder
Benefit Bella Bamba Powder
Benefit Bella Bamba Powder
Benefit Bella Bamba Powder Swatch
This is the first blush I ever hit pan on!
I LOVE IT I SAW YOUR SWATCHES ON YOUR WEBSITE AND WENT TO ULTA TO TRY IT AND I LOVE IT IS SO PRETTY AND IM NC40 N S LOVELY
Hello Christine, do you think this color would like on a NC40? I love your reviews, your are great!
I think it would be pretty!
This looks gorgeous!! Definitely a shade I want to try, my skin is cool/neutral toned so I think it would work well on me!
Christine, How does this compare to MAC's dollymix and Stila's custom color blush (just the colors, i know stila's doesn't have shimmer)? Thanks!!!
It's deeper than Dollymix, and I don't have the Stila color.
Any suggestions for a close drugstore brand? I tried it on at Sephora and LOVED it, but can't really afford to spend so much at the moment.
Don't have one, sorry!
Yummm but I hate the idea of cardboard packaging ):
I just got mine today coz just arrived a few days here in Thailand, When I first swatted it at the benefit counter at the store, I ell immediately in love with this, such a gorgeous colour and it really feels like 3D on me hahahhahah, love it so much, would definitely rebuy! I used to only stick to my mac hang loose mineralized blush following with Mac skin finish by candlelight, but now I think this is my new fave!
I ordered this blush and I have to say that it's so gorgeous!!! I use this as a highlight with NARS Torrid and it completed it.
Hi Christine! Do you think it will it suit NC20 Asian skin?
Yup!!
saw this blush in sephora and it looks so cute. awesome review!
i want this so bad.. wowowow.
I just bought it last night! I was online shopping at Sephora and I remembered hearing about this. I never tried any of the other Benefit blushes since $28 is a little steep for me, but I went ahead and bought it anyway. I'm excited to try it.
i heard its similar to bite of an apple excpt the shimmer...
Totally different on me, personally!
what dou you think about comparison between this benefit and NARS deep throat? maybe like pigmented ?
Deep Throat isn't quite pink enough, I'd say.
Yeesh...what's with companies decreasing the sizes of their products? I don't like that, even if it is still a lot of product for the cash. It just seems wrong. I also don't like the flip top lid. There's always the possibility of it being used too often and cracking off. Le sigh.
wow! the really did cut down the product by a lot. since the other powders are going to eventually come in this packaging as well, they will probably be cutting down on the size of those too. booooooooooooo! if you cut down by size THAT much (one third the size of coralista) then the price should come down too. i hate when companies do that and for that reason alone im skipping this.
I think this pink is so pretty, but I hate the packaging. especially how you just leave the brush in the box? product would get all over it! I guess you could just leave the brush out of the box though.
There is a plastic insert that the brush sits in, so it doesn't sit on top of the powder.
I just thought the same thing. Thx for your reply, Christine! :]
i like the new packaging but i somewhat don't like it at the same time
I saw it at Sephora the other day and it is very pretty.
from .35 to .28!!? thats just wrong.
Looks lovely - Nars is hard to come by in my area and I'm a sucker for gold glitter, so I'll definitely look into this. Plus the colour is so cute and calls for a doll-like look xDD
That's quite lovely. I have too many blushes so I won't splurge on this but maybe when I run out... which will be never. lol
This is soooo pretty. Eery time I see it I want it more!
I would love it.. But here in Italy it will cost 32 € as all the other benefit blushes, it's almost 42 $! Too much :(
I just got this blush and it is very pretty. I think I also prefer the old lid, though I like that this one comes w/ a mirror. When I heard they had changed the design of the box, I was a little worried, but at least it still resembles the look of their other boxed blushes. I hear that all of the boxed powders will soon come in the same kind of box.
The swatches of this blush look almost identical to what Orgasm looks like on me-bummer, I'm a huge Benefit fan and was pretty excited for this =\ maybe it will look different when I try it on my own skin...
I have sugarbomb and coralista and love them so i might get this. I hope they come out with something really different like a hot pink or something..
I just hate the packaging. The flashy box looks so cheap, like something you would find at a dollar store
Hi Christine, I sort of swatch bamba and deep throat, they are pretty close as well. Do you think so?? I just need a second opinion.
I find Bella Bamba a lot pinker!
I thought I would like this but I'll pass...too pink and too much shimmer for me.
Looks gorgeous, gonna buy it very soon
I've been flirting with ordering one of Benefit's boxed powders for a while, but still wasnt sure about the color... this one looks like it might me a hit for me :) Will consider buying!
This looks gorgeous! thanks for reviewing!
I received this in my Christmas Beauty box this morning---between this and the Chanel products, I'm lovin' my BEAUTY-filled holiday!!
This looks like the perfect pink for a paler skintone. However, the shimmer kinda makes me hesitate...
when I swatch this, i feel like Coralista has more shimmer to it than bella bamba. I was surprise. You should swatch it if you have the chance. its wearable for warm tone too. makeup and beauty blog also has swatches and she look good with it :)
I love it!!! :D It'll be perfect for spring and summer.
would this look ashy on my nw45 skin? I would love to get a benefit blush but i dont want to be ashy lol :) thnks merry christmas btw
I don't think it would be!
Okay, this is a MIST HAVE! I have Sugarbomb, Coralista, and Hoola by Benefit, and I must say that I love them all. Bella Bamba would look lovely next to my other boxed powders. :D
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