Lots and lots of love for Ben Nye makeup
Disclaimer: Not affiliated, and neither am I a professional makeup artist.
About 10 years ago, I read about Ben Nye's Fireworks wheel in an issue of Elle, where MUA Charlie Green talked about using the wheel for fashion week shows etc. I immediately went to Screenface in London, got myself one of those wheels, as well as their concealer wheel (6 colours in one). I used them everyday for 2 years.
For some reason I went back to Screenface again yesterday, and repurchased the concealer wheel and the cream rouge wheel. OMG. First of all, here in the UK, Ben Nye isn't cheap. I paid like £25.50 for the concealer wheel, but given that 2 weeks ago, I also bought Becca's compact concealer for £30, this was a BARGAIN. There are 6 shades, and you get 28g of product. Becca's compact has 1 shade in 2 formulas, and you get a whopping.....3g of product.
Let me just say that I will be getting rid of the Becca, as well as any other supposedly "full coverage" concealers like MUFE Full Coverage, MAC Studio Finish, and will be using BN exclusively. I can't believe how pigmented the concealer is. It covers everything WITH ONE DAB. I hate how I have to layer and layer my MAC, MUFE and Becca concealers and still they don't cover my discolourations and minor scars. I can use a brush to gently pat the BN on, or use a finger to just lightly touch the area I want to cover and VOILA, scar/discolouration is GONE. I am so crazy about this product I went to order the other colour selection in SK 100 (The one I have now is SK 200 for fairest skin).
Now for the cream rouge wheel. 10 years ago, this product did not exist, so I'm thinking it's a relatively recent invention. The colours look really bright in the pot: crimson, light fuschia, coral, rose pink, neutral pink, and rose-coral. But I can't believe how easy it is to use, either. You only need a bit, given how pigmented they are. But they are ridiculously easy to blend out with a brush (I use the MAC 192), compared to my MAC Blushcremes and Stila CCs. No greasy feel, and you can also use them on lips. I haven't been able to use the Stila CCs on my lips - they look like I attacked my lips with crayon. I dabbed the crimson rouge on my lips, and it works like a lip stain. You can add lip balm to soften up the look, and then for an even more natural look, you can blot your lips AFTER lip balm and the remaining stain on your lip looks lovely.
I noticed at Screenface yesterday that there is also a lip gloss wheel. I am kicking myself for not getting that. There were testers. I played, and was stunned at how soft and gel-like they were, but yet so pigmented. I expected something harder and frostier, since BN is all stage-makeup like. But I was pleasantly surprised. I think I will go back and get the lip gloss wheel as well.
Has anyone else used the concealer and cream rouge wheels? What was your experience with these products? What other great things from Ben Nye have you discovered?
