Is Benefit Cosmetics Hello Flawless Oxygen WOW Brightening Makeup worth the hype?

Benefit Cosmetics Hello Flawless Oxygen WOW Brightening Makeup is actually my first ever purchase from Benefit. I have tried a few things (samples) from Benefit that came along with my Sephora orders but I never happened to buy anything from them. However, when Benefit introduced this new liquid foundation last month and it started getting rave reviews from some of my favorite bloggers, I couldn’t resist and ordered it from Sephora.

 

Here’s what Benefit has to say about the product :

Goodbye imperfections. Hello Flawless! Benefit’s brightening liquid foundation builds from light to medium coverage for a natural complexion you can believe in. It’s you…just more luminous & healthy looking.

With Oxygen WOW Hydrating Complex:

• Helps to boost cellular respiration for a “plumping up” effect
• Helps to protect against environmental stresses
• Contains vitamin C&E, minerals and peptides that brighten, hydrate & prevent signs of aging

Additional Benefits:
Oil-free
Fragrance-free
SPF 25 PA+++ (protects from UVA and and UVB rays)

The Oxygen Wow liquid foundation is available in 9 shades, ranging from fair to dark and I chose “Cheers to me” Champagne for my light-medium (NC 25-ish) skintone. Champagne is the third lightest shade in the line and is just a tad bit lighter on my skin. The color does settle after a few minutes back to my skintone but that’s probably due to the slight oxidation effect.

 

 

The texture is very liquid-y/runny but you won’t need much – I find that one pump is more than enough for my face and neck. Because of my dry skin, I make sure to apply my foundation over moisturized skin. It applies easily enough with sponge or fingers and blends well too. The formula is very lightweight and I don’t feel it at all on my face after applying.

Coverage-wise, it’s buildable from light to medium, which is what I typically prefer. It evens out my skin tone nicely, making it look really smooth but doesn’t really help with the appearance of pores on my cheeks. It has a slightly dewy finish, which is always a nice-to-have for me, but lacks the glow factor that I love. As for longevity, the foundation lasts all day with a primer underneath. In my opinion, the formula should be suitable for all skin types, unless you prefer a totally matte finish.

Overall, I am pretty happy with this new foundation as the formula is impressive and also offers an SPF of 25. However, it just doesn’t do enough for that WoW factor and didn’t really stand out for me.

Have you tried Benefit’s Oxygen Wow foundation yet? What do you think?

Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Brightening Makeup ( $34 for 1 oz)  is available on Benefit’s website and also at Sephora.