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Benefit Fine One One Review, Photos, Swatches

Benefit Fine One One
Benefit Fine One One

Benefit Fine One One ($30.00 for 0.28 oz.) is described as a “coral pink flush.” There are three shades in the stick that work together to create a sheer, brightening effect on the cheeks and lips. The palest color is a pale, white gold beige with pale gold shimmer (highlighter). The middle color is a pop of light-medium pink with a hint of coral (blush). The bottom color is a tangerine orange (“contour”). Together, they create a sheer tint of coral-orange with a very subtle sheen.

I was not a fan of this product. The texture is a little tacky, firm, and generally not the best feel or consistency for a cream blush. Because of the natural tendency for cheeks to be curved, it’s difficult to get all three colors at the same pressure. I ended up just swiping a brush across the surface and applying the color to my cheeks that way, because from the stick itself didn’t work well or make much sense–you’d get three stripes of color that you’d have to blend out anyway. It’s not as blendable as a cream blush should be; there’s a stiffness and stubbornness to the texture that doesn’t want to blend onto skin. The way it feels and dries down is not quite powder, not quite cream; it looks uneven and a little patchy within hours of applying. It’s pulled a disappearing act after a mere three hours.

I really disliked it on lips; it’s not particularly easy to apply, and it’s so, so drying. It looked like my lips were flaking, and it felt like they were after trying to wear it for two hours–not a forgiving nor hydrating formula at all. It just sat on top, not really blending in or staining the lips.

This is not going to show up on medium or darker complexions; it just barely shows up on me even layered and built up as much as possible. There are too many excellent coral blushes to opt for this one. Even Benefit’s own ChaCha Tint works infinitely better, though it is more orange–you can’t tell the difference on the skin.

Benefit Fine One One
Benefit Fine One One

Benefit Fine One One
Benefit Fine One One

Benefit Fine One One
Benefit Fine One One

Benefit Fine One One
Benefit Fine One One

Benefit Fine One One
Benefit Fine One One

Benefit Fine One One
Benefit Fine One One

Benefit Fine One One
Benefit Fine One One

Benefit Fine One One
Benefit Fine One One

Benefit Fine One One
Benefit Fine One One

68 Comments

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Terri Avatar

I know you gave this an F but I’m actually going to give it a shot. I have a huge issue with getting blushes to stay and generally only apply on the apples of my cheeks.

I’m pale so It may actually work on me.

Manda Avatar

This product confused me when Benefit announced the launch. I’m naturally wary of cheek and lip products (I don’t want something that’s been on one to be on the other!) not to mention that the shape of this tube doesn’t fit the natural curve of a cheek/cheekbone.

Zainab Avatar

Ha, I was going to say the same thing. It does me me wonder, could you get a lipstick that would give you the same look as the stripe swatch?

jdm Avatar

While some of the points you brought up were fairly valid (inability to show up on medium/darker complexions, the fussiness of trying to get the stick across the cheek) I have to say I found the product incredibly easy to blend into a flattering flush of color on lighter skin types. No tackiness whatsoever.

Adaora Avatar

True…but the product – as most of benefit’s products are- claim to be useful for ALL skin tones. And it deserves an F because there is NO WAY in hell it would show up on my darker skin (Nars Marinque/ Nars Macao) it’s a flop.

Katie Avatar

I kind of knew this would get a bad rating. It seems like a lot of 3-in-1 products are too good to be true! Oh well…better to know than to waste $30 on it!

Fiona Avatar

THis product never made sense to me. You can’t get an individual color, you have to blend them together to get anything but I think they want use to just blend the coral and the pink together and blend the highlighter above it. I think the pink and the coral should have switched places. It makes more sense to get darker as it goes down.

Myli Avatar

Maybe I’m the only one, but I actually think it looks good on you, probably gonna still give this one a shot since it’s so travel friendly

Jennifer Avatar

I like that benefit tried to do something a bit different. But I could tell by the looks that this wasn’t going to be the wonder product they wanted it to be. I think that’s okay. I’m pale, it would most likely work on me. I don’t think I’d spent the money though when I could just buy another great benefit blush.

xamyx Avatar

One reason (the main one, actually) I never even consider looking at this brand as a whole is the fact that everything is so “gimmicky” & comes off as juvenile. I do realize they have some amazing products, and I do have a few deluxe samples that I like, but I they’d appeal to more women (especially at their pricepoint) if they stepped back a bit from the gimmicks.

joyce Avatar

Granted, I’m not much of a Benefit fan to begin with, but this product looks so silly and gimmicky. I’d rather buy separate sticks of cream blush & highlighter.

Jamie G. Avatar

You look so pretty in that picture you make even a bad product look good Christine! I swatched this in person because the packaging and colors appealed to me but I was disappointed. I just don’t get it; especially for $30.

Sher Avatar

I have this and I really love it, goes on really well right from the stick for me. I am fair/light complected, so that probably plays a role. I think it gives a beautiful flush and I love the packaging too. I agree with Christine 100% regarding using this product on the lips. It just doesnt work – sits on top and feels very drying.

Rae // theNotice Avatar

Holy man! I never expected to see a Benefit product ever end up with an F on Temptalia — very surprising!

I have to admit, I’m kind of tempted to give this a swatch on-store, just to see what you dislike so much about it 😛

Adaora Avatar

Another product shutting out a good chunk of the makeup industry consumers (darker skinned women like myself). If it shows up that bare on you, it won’t even blip on my skin’s radar. NO thanks. I really appreciate your honesty here Christine.

Megan Avatar

I feel your pain. I have the same issues with BB cream. I’d love to try them but all the companies that have them only make four shades. Heck even tinted moisterizer doesn’t come in dark enough shades 🙁

Paola Avatar

Yet somehow you make it work! Looks so amazing on you, I’m tempted to get it anyway. Maybe you need to look a little more upset in the photos of the products that get bad grades! 😉

Mel Avatar

Noooo! I was so excited for this when I first heard about it; it sounded like a great idea for lazy girls like myself. Oh well, you just saved me some money… to spend on something else, of course! 😛

Carrie Ann Avatar

Definitely skipping this one. It’s a little pricey and I don’t get the concept of it. Why would you want to swipe 3 stripes of color on your cheeks, especially if they’re not very blendable? It would make more sense if it were just one shade of cream blush and a highlighter. Seems like more of a disaster than a time saver.

hush Avatar

This would probably show up better on skin tones that are less warm than yours. I hope the texture is good for clog-prone skin. Creamier blushes are usually either chock full of silicones or oil.

Mellanie Avatar

I have been using it for a few weeks now, and I really like it. It goes on like a cream and then dries to a soft powder.
My skin is fair/medium tone, so it shows up very nice. I’ve not tried it as a lipstick, and dont really feel the need to. It does save some time since I dont apply a highlighter to my cheeks when I use it.

Zadidoll Avatar

I agree. I also own it and absolutely love it. I found if I use a brush to blend it out then it loses the color but if I use my fingertips or a sponge to blend it out then it looks really nice. I’m Y1 in OCC foundations, 35 in MUFE Mat Velvet+.

Amy Avatar

I’m another big fan. I’m fair-skinned, and on me it show up beautifully, applies easily, and I especially love the highlight. I would totally recommend it.

Carrie Avatar

Aww, it’s never fun to see another company join the Temptalia “F” club.

That said, I don’t care for these 3-in-1 kind of products and it doesn’t surprise me that it doesn’t seem to work out.

Betina Avatar

Christine, the point of the three colours is that it’s highlighting (the champagne pink), blush (the darker pink) and contouring (the orange) in one product – you then blend to soften any harsh lines between those three tones. You’re not supposed to blend them all together. I agree it’s probably not good for darker complexions, but you didn’t seem to understand the point of the product…

Christine Avatar

Hey Betina!

I applied it five ways in an effort to find any way that might work better than the other:

1.) Straight from the stick in a single pass – the idea being to highlight/blush/contour all at once – which is what is shown in the photos (lightly blended between each “stripe”)
2.) Straight from the stick as kind of blended so the colors would merge
3.) Using a brush to apply each section
4.) Using a brush to apply all as one color
5.) Using fingertips to apply all as one color

I specifically mentioned in the review that the concept of the product is to provide highlight, blush, and contour at once – but it is terribly ineffective as such.

Kathy Avatar

I saw this demonstrated on one of Benefit’s shows on HSN. They did indeed apply it in stripes across the cheek with the white at the top, then tapped around the edges and between the colors to lightly blend. The women showing it (they own Benefit) said that the white was supposed to remain at the top for highlighting, the pink should stay in the middle as blush, and the coral shade is supposed to stay at the bottom as sort of a contour.

Of course that does not mean that it doesn’t have the shortcomings you described – – – I just wanted to post what they said on the show.

Thanks for swatching! I’m passing on this because I have oily skin and don’t use highlighters nor cream blushes.

Macy Avatar

I’m so glad you did this review! I’ve heard so many mixed reviews about this! I’ve heard wonderful reviews and horrible reviews. I love getting everybody’s opinion before purchasing something!

Libby Avatar

I actually purchased fine one one about a month ago after seeing a girl with a darker skin tone swatch it on YouTube. It showed up on her as a gorgeous orangey coral. For me, as a medium beige tone, I like using fine one one on low maintenance days when I want a wash of color. After a few uses the deodorant like stick started to contour to my cheek bone, so it’s a little less awkward and stick-like. I usually do about three layers of it and blend it gently with my finger – it barely needs any blending. It’s a little sticky, but blends well with my cream foundation.

Amy Avatar

I couldn’t have a more different opinion. I’m a very pale girl, and this is becoming a go-to product. It’s one of the most flattering, natural-looking corals I’ve used. I also have Cha Cha Tint, and I think this is much better. It lasts on me, I like the texture, and I have no problem applying it. I also like it as a subtle lip color. I’ll be wearing this all through spring and summer.

Chynah Marie Avatar

Well, to each his own. I love this product! I have fair-skin and it shows up well. It’s a matter of blending and finding a powder that sets this beautifully.

Julia Avatar

Weird… I actually bought this item today, and tried it on as soon as I got home and my results were so different! The texture is really smooth after application, and it feels like a typical cream blush. I just used my fingers to blend, and I actually applied too much, so I ended up looking like a clown (my skintone is medium – NC30)! It lasted on me for about 4 hrs (got it at around 12 noon, and put it on at 1pm). I think you may have gotten a defect… It has happened a few times that people got defects from Benefit.

namsai_dhabhis Avatar

err… I JUST bought this product today
what a bad decision 🙁

but I think it’s very handy for travel…
and I think I’ll use my finger to get the color and blend on my cheeks – better than swipe the giant stick on.. maybe -3-

and .. so I’ll get an orange blush, coral blush and mixed color- with/without shimmer
and a highlighter !!!!! depends on the look…

Not too bad ,I think
give it a try!!

ps. sorry about my English

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