Benefit Fancy Pansy Eyeshadow ($18.00 for 0.11 oz.) is described as an “orchid silk.” It’s a cool-toned, pink-lavender with a pale, iridescent lilac shimmer-sheen. At first glance, it seems like it might be like shades such as MAC Stars ‘n Rockets, but it’s much, much lighter with less of a duochrome; it’s more like the iridescence of those types of shades without the strong fuchsia base. Inglot #346 is a matte version of this shade. Milani Royalty is the closest dupe I found.

It has a silky smooth texture, and the powder is finely-milled. It’s not powdery but so soft that it makes blending a breeze. The powder feels dense and buttery, so it delivers good color payoff without having to pack it on. Compared to other shades in the range, this one is just a tiny bit under-pigmented but that’s being nit picky.  Velvet Eyeshadows wear well, too, without fading during the day and no fall out occurs.  Another nice thing about the range is that they’re twice the size of most eyeshadows.  Fancy Pansy pairs well with darker purples, whether blue or red-based, along with navy blues.

The Glossover

P	Fancy Pansy A+
	Benefit's Velvet Eyeshadows seem underrated or under-appreciated, because I think it's a really solid range, but I don't feel like I see people raving about these! They're double the size of typical eyeshadows with good color payoff and an amazing texture.
	Product 10/10 Pigmentation 9.5/10 Texture 10/10 Longevity 10/10 Application 5/5
	Where to Buy
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Benefit Fancy Pansy Eyeshadow

Benefit Fancy Pansy Eyeshadow

Benefit Fancy Pansy Eyeshadow

Benefit Fancy Pansy Eyeshadow

Benefit Fancy Pansy Eyeshadow

Benefit Dandy Brandy Eyeshadow ($18.00 for 0.11 oz.) is described as a “copper spice.” It’s a gorgeous shade of bronze-shimmered medium brown with copper-red undertones. The hue reminded me of Make Up For Ever #15 when it is sheered out (when it’s opaque, it’s much too bronze and deep). Bare Escentuals The Truth is also quite similar, perhaps a bit redder. Shades like MAC Make Your Mark and MAC Buckwheat are noticeably darker.

Brandy Dandy has strong warm undertones, but paired with cool grays, taupes, or blues, could work on cooler complexions. Dandy Brandy pairs well with Fawn Over Me or Bikini Line for a quick and easy look of light/dark contrast with a lot of underlying warmth. It’s a good staple shade for those who love warm browns, but it’s certainly a shade that many brands have, so check your stash first for similarities.

Benefit recommends sweeping it on over bare lids for sheer color and layered over their cream eyeshadow for richer color. The super soft texture of the finely-milled powder makes it effortless to blend to a soft wash, but it doesn’t require building to get opaque color (see the swatch!) either. The Velvet Eyeshadows have a dense quality to them, and combined with their softness, makes them feel buttery and almost creamy (but they’re powder, I promise!). I’ve been a fan of Benefit’s eyeshadows for years now, and for those seeking softer shades overall, I recommend checking out the range.  As a bonus, each eyeshadow is double the size of your average eyeshadow!

The Glossover

P	Dandy Brandy A+
	There are only things to love and like about this product--I have no complaints! I could not think of any criticism for the formula; the only thing I could point out is that it may not be the most original shade, so whether it's a must-have merely depends on what you already own!
	Product 10/10 Pigmentation 10/10 Texture 10/10 Longevity 10/10 Application 5/5
	Where to Buy
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Benefit Dandy Brandy Eyeshadow

Benefit Dandy Brandy Eyeshadow

Benefit Dandy Brandy Eyeshadow

Benefit Dandy Brandy Eyeshadow

Benefit Dandy Brandy Eyeshadow

Benefit Velvet Eyeshadows for Spring 2010

Benefit Spring 2010 Eyeshadows ($18.00 each) come in six, limited edition varieties:  Bo Peep, Buns, Nice Melons, Shamrocker, Mermaid, and Fancy Pansy.  They’re new and only available for a limited time, unfortunately, but they are perfect spring-friendly shades.

I am a big, big fan of Benefit’s Velvet Eyeshadows. I have been for awhile (you can see my original review, if you’re curious), so when I found out that there were six new shades for spring, I got a little excited. When I saw that they had pops of color, I couldn’t wait to try them.  You know me, I love me some color–even though I can totally appreciate a good neutral–and Benefit finally brought me some color.

• Bo Peep is an icy pink with a silver sheen.  This is probably the one with the most frost-like appearance.
• Buns is a caramel brown with a soft golden bronze sheen.
• Nice Melons is a peachy-pink with gold sheen.  It would appear that nobody is going to escape spring without some sort of melon-esque shade in their makeup wardrobe.  Yes, it totally reminds me of MAC Melon pigment, but it’s in glorious pressed form.  (For the record, I do not like MAC pigments pressed… they’re not the same!)
• Shamrocker is a fresh, minty green with silver sheen.  I don’t even know if I have any minty greens in my stash–it’s just not a color you see too often.  I like!
• Mermaid is a dark green with a teal edge and gold sheen.  I would have loved to see a little more boldness and vibrancy from this shade, even though it is very much in line with the look and feel of Benefit as a line.
• Fancy Pansy is a iridescent fuchsia-purple pearled shade with an icy sheen.  It’s like a much more purple version of MAC Stars ‘n Rockets (which runs a little fuchsia in comparison).

All six shades have the same softness, smoothness, and pigmentation as I’ve come to expect of Velvet Eyeshadows.  One of my favorite qualities about these is the consistency across the line — there are no duds.  There are no misses in texture, color pay off, or feel.  Everything is as it should be, even if one color may not be to your taste.  I can really appreciate the consistency, because it means you don’t have to worry, “Is this one going to be a flop?”

I would, of course, love to see Benefit add even more vibrant hues (a girl can dream, right?) or even a line of matte or semi-matte eyeshadows to complement the Velvet Eyeshadow line (which is all on the shimmery side of life).  But nevertheless, I hope they’ll continue to release new and/or limited edition shades throughout 2010!

Can’t wait to do a look with these!

If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!

• Product: 29/30
• Value: 9/10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 4/5

Recommendation: If you love soft, smooth, well-pigmented eyeshadow, Benefit’s Velvet Eyeshadow is all that and more.

Availability: Benefit

See photos & swatches!

Bo Peep

Buns

Nice Melons

Shamrocker

Mermaid

Fancy Pansy

Bo Peep, Buns, Nice Melons

Shamrocker, Mermaid, Fancy Pansy

Benefit Velvet Eyeshadows for Superior Use & Value

Benefit Velvet Eyeshadow ($18.00 for 0.11 oz.) are velvety, silky-soft eyeshadows with smooth color that go on effortlessly and blend seamlessly. Seriously, I absolutely fell head-over-heels in love with these from the moment I swatched them on my skin. They’re ridiculously soft and exactly as they’re named–velvety. There’s little else that is as suitable to describe it as like velvet. I find that these also blend really easily both within the Benefit brand but with other brands’ shadows, too (always a plus).

Benefit currently has ten shades of their velvet eyeshadow available: Bikini Line (desert sand), Fawn Over Me (cafe au lait), Leggy (pink nude satin), Buckle Bunny (rosa mocha), Rich Beach (brown sugar), Where There’s Smoke (smoky pewter), Dandy Brandy (copper spice), “Gimme Some” Plum (iced plum), Like What You Sea? (misty blue), and I Cannes and I Will (golden mulberry). I’ve only tried six of the ten shades, but I’m comfortable saying that the entire range is worth checking out, because the six I tried were amazing.

• Bikini Line is a soft, shimmering warm-toned gold. This has my name written ALL over it, duh. I cannot resist a gold eyeshadow to save my life!
• Rich Beach is a warm-toned bronzy shade with just a bit of gold shimmer.
• Dandy Brandy is a lightly cool-toned chocolate brown with copper flecks of shimmer.
• Buckle Bunny is a muted rosy mauve with soft gold sheen.
• I Cannes & I Will is a plum purple with gold flecks. I really loved this shade, because it has a very unique look to it.
• Like What You Sea? is a soft, cool-toned silvery-blue with silver sheen.

They’re also really reasonably priced relative to the amount you get. For $14 at MAC, you’ll get 0.05 oz. of eyeshadow, whereas Benefit’s giving you double that for $18. From that perspective, you’re definitely getting your money’s worth with Benefit’s Velvet Eyeshadows!

• Product: 9/10
• Value: 9/10
• Ease of Use: 9/10
• Packaging: 9/10

Recommendation: If you’re all about a super soft and silky eyeshadow, these are most definitely for you. I just can’t get over the texture and how soft these are!

Availability: Benefit, Sephora.com

See swatches and photos…

Benefit Bikini Line Eyeshadow

Benefit Rich Beach Eyeshadow

Benefit Dandy Brandy Eyeshadow

Benefit Buckle Bunny Eyeshadow

Benefit I Cannes & I Will Eyeshadow

Benefit Like What You Sea? Eyeshadow

Bikini Line, Rich Beach, Dandy Brandy

Buckle Bunny, I Cannes & I Will, Like What You Sea?

Benefit is the Girly Cure to Your Makeup & Skin Woes

Have you ever tried the ever-feminine Benefit Cosmetics line? Really? Never, you say? Let us fill you in on some of the best products they have to offer. But between you and me, we definitely suggest starting out with their amazing Velvet Eyeshadows, followed by their Creaseless Eyeshadows.

Hint:  Click the links for reviews (if there’s no link, we haven’t reviewed it explicitly on the blog yet).

• Creaseless Cream Eyeshadows ($19.00) come in twelve shades, and they often put out limited edition ones as part of their seasonal collections. These are easy to wear, last all day, and can be worn alone or under other eyeshadows as a base.
• CORALista Blush ($28.00) is a value-sized coral blusher that’s absolutely divine on warmer skin tones, but it isn’t so warm or so coral that it doesn’t work on cooler or paler skin tones, too. (I love how many of Benefit’s products work for a variety of skin tones.) This is a summer staple for me.
• Gilded Eyeliner ($20.00) is a quick and dirty way to pop open those peepers and make those eyes look alive, even when you’re operating on little to no sleep. A pearly, golden-yellow works well on the lower water line and inner tear duct to brighten up your eyes.
• Full-Finish Lipsticks ($18.00) came back with a vengeance last fall (in 2008) and is available in fourteen shades. These lipsticks are creamy, pigmented, and moisturizing while giving you great wear. One of my favorite lipstick formulas!
• One Hot Minute ($30.00) is an all-over loose powder that makes your entire face look brighter and more awake with just a light dusting. It gives a soft, luminous sheen that’s not disco-ball glittery.
• Benetint ($28.00) is just one of those cult products that you either adore or you don’t understand the buzz. It’s a great multi-tasking product that you can keep in your makeup bag for any spontaneous occasion. You can use it to add color to cheeks or lips, and one little bottle goes quite a long way. It’s soft and natural–the two must-haves of any cheek/lip stain.
• Velvet Eyeshadow ($18.00) is easily one of the best eyeshadow formulations on the market. Velvety, silky, and smooth describe the finish of these lovelies. Pigmented and true-to-color bring it all home. The only downside? There are only ten shades! I adore, ADORE Bikini Line.

Availability: BenefitCosmetics.com, Sephora.com