Benefit Cosmetics, my original favorite beauty line (seriously, since I wore shoes in the shower and governed my life according to a syllabus) has launched a fabulously priced line of skin care. It includes a full range of drench-your-skin-in-moisture-and-brightness items packaged in apothecary-style glass bottles and priced between $19-$38 for you to mix and match to suit your own peau needs. A full run-down of the offerings:

Ultra Radiance Hydrating Mist ($26)
This one’s my favorite. I love to get misty, like the eponymous pony of Chincoteague! Obviously, I stress over getting a drop of mist on my hairline and ruining my blow-out. My slightly Captain Obvious fix? Lopping the crook of my arm over my forehead/hairline so I can refresh my facial and spritz with wild abandon, the way my gal Misty frolicked like the feral creature she was. P.S. Creepy-but-related fact: My friend Marina went to Chincoteague this past summer and said there’s a taxodermied stuffed MISTY there. I have mixed feelings about this.

Misty says Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!

More products in the line…

Triple Performing Facial Emulsion ($28) contains tri-radiance (is there a better ingredient name?) to help develop skin’s reserves of water. It boasts a smooth, easily absorbed consistency and SPF 15.

Total Moisture Facial Cream ($38) For gals with Sahara skin, this concentrated hydration formula imparts long-term hydration.

Moisture Prep ($29) optimizes the Benefits (see what I did there?) of your moisturizer. Makeup artist Julie Monte for Benefit (visit her and the TO-DIE pink sparkly Benefit hand mirrors at the Benefit counter at the Bloomie’s in SoHo!) told us that it does for skin what dampening a sponge prior to soaking up a spill does. You know how a sponge can’t do its job if it’s drier than dust? This emulsion preps skin to absorb moisturizer. Genius.


It’s Potent! Eye Cream ($32) fades circles while smoothing lines thanks to burnet (like Carol!) an ancient Chinese remedy to help soothe the skin. The brightening effect is satisfying with this one.

Foamingly Clean ($21) I’m of the camp that is pro-foam, so I find this purifying cleanser utterly fulfilling. Like the rest of the products in the lineup, it smells soothingly of cucumber.

Refined Finish ($22) I like to squeeze a little of this scrub on my Clarisonic and buff away flakes and dead skin cells. Its synthetic spheres are perfectly round to avoid micro-tearing of the skin, as rougher natural scrubs can do. Contains glycolic acid to smooth away imperfections, as well.

Remove It ($21) To maintain the integrity of my lash extensions, I REQUIRE an oil-free makeup remover. I don’t dare use a face wash on my delicate eye area. I go to EXTREME lengths to preserve my cils and a little of this stuff on a Q will remove even the most stubborn shadows and liners in a jiff.

Be warned, per my gal Karen, it’ll replace all existing Benefit skin care. So stock up now if the thought of a world without “honey… snap out of it!” scrub gives you hives. It will be available at benefitcosmetics.com on March 15.

Are you psyched for the launch of Benefit b.Right? Yay or neigh? (I KNOW, it’s like I can’t CONTROL it).

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