Did you know Benefit Cosmetics gave their entire blush collection an overhaul last year? They did, which in a way makes sense as the old line had been around for a while. However, that does mean that my beloved Coralista and Gold Rush blushes are no longer available. Not one to be too sad for too long, I decided to buy one of their new blushes to try it out. Meet: Willa.
Willa is one of 12 new shades but one of them seems to have made a comeback: Dandelion. There is overlap between some of the blushes they do now and the line that used to be around, but there is also a nice extension esp. aimed at deeper skin tones. Given this is a new line I decided to go for something new as well.
Review: Benefit Cosmetics Willa Box Blush
Benefit has never been a cheap brand and once upon a time it was my favorite makeup brand. The branding, packaging and the way the products sat on my skin made it one of the first high end brands I really got into. Back in the day most of my makeup bag consisted of Benefit products. They still do some good staples but for the price point I feel there are other things out there just as good or even better. At €28.80 for 6 grams of product I feel this is quite expensive for what it is.
What does this blush have to offer?
When I bought this blush, I decided to go in store to have a good look at the shades. Of all the offerings Willa was the one that spoke to me the most: a neutral rosy tone with a hint of pearl for some glow that seems like enough but was neither too warm or too cool. It is one thing I always loved about Coralista: it just went with everything and I had pan in mine when it got too old (and too difficult to use) so I had to toss it. Willa is my 2024 replacement for sure: this goes with every makeup look and looks very pretty on as you can see below.
What does this blush look like in a swatch?
So one thing you need to know about this blush: I had forgotten I owned this. I bought it but never really registered it in my brain that this was part of my collection and when I look at this swatch I think: why? Why did I forget about this?
And I can explain why: in the pan this looks so dark and intimidating that I think it won’t look right. But now that I have rolled it in a Shop My Stash I can’t stop reaching for it. It is a fun shade that goes with everything in a super lightweight blendable formula with a hint of glow that lasts all day. What’s not to love?
What does this look like on the cheeks?
Here you can see how pretty this looks on. As dark as this looks in the pan that’s how natural this looks once applied to the face. It sheers out beautifully and it has a very pretty pink undertone that truly makes it looks like my skin’s natural flush. In fact, I feel that in the pan this reminds me a lot of Coralista as it looks quite like a warm rose shade. But on my skin, it def has that cooler pink coming through.
Should you buy the Benefit blush in Willa?
As much as I now know I love this blush on my cheeks, I do not feel you need to run out to get this. I do think this is a very universally flattering shade on people with lighter skin tones and I can see why the brand would extend their shade range to make it more inclusive. Other than that, this new blush line from Benefit isn’t revolutionary.
The formula definitely reminds me of the old formula Benefit used to have, but to be fair: there are so many blushes out there that are not as expensive as this and very good as well. In fact, there are blushes in my collection that are from the drugstore that look like this (hello Catrice Oil-Infused blush in Blooming Hibiscus) and that cost me a fraction of the price.
So is this a much have in your collection? It most certainly is not. It is expensive for what it is and as good as these were 15 years ago when I first got into makeup, it’s just no longer the cream of the crop of powder blushes. However if you want a go to blush shade for everyday this can be a great option to look into if you are willing to spend a bit more.
You can buy the Benefit Willa blush here *.
*Link is affiliated.
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