#BLOGMAS DAY 8

Today I’m going to be reviewing something that has taken the beauty world by storm, the Benefit Air Patrol BB Cream Eyelid Primer.

This is one of those products that people would either love or hate, with rarely any in-betweeners. I honestly disliked this product when I first got it, but then I ended up loving it! It’s all in the application method.

Read on for my Benefit Air Patrol review and how I apply it!

This product release confused me at first because Benefit Cosmetics already has a primer, and it’s really, really good. In fact, it was my first eyelid primer ever and it will forever hold a special place in my heart, the Stay Don’t Stray.

So I wasn’t sure why they had to release yet another primer. The only differences between this and the Stay Don’t Stray is that the Air Patrol contains SPF 20, has color correcting capabilities, and also contains the EnviroDefend complex known to help guard your delicate eyelids against sun, smoke and pollutants.

All these claims sound gimmicky and I chose not to worry about the claims and just focus on how good it is at keeping my shadows vibrant and crease-free all day.

Packaging

Their claims about their packaging is unfortunately of a “gimmicky” nature too.

The tip that dispenses the product is called a CushionCalm™ tip and is an angled plastic, gel-like tip with a hole in the middle. I think the softness is modelled after our fingers and it’s supposed to make application “stress-free, pressure-free…softer than your pinkie!”

Sadly, it actually tugs on the skin and makes application patchy. I usually just swipe up the product with my finger and apply it as I would any other eyelid primers.

To dispense the product, you’d have to twist the bottom of the pen. The annoying this about this is that it dispenses the products very slowly, so I would very often over-twist and get overflown by excess product. Minutes after I’ve stopped twisting, product would slowly keep being dispensed through the hole and it won’t stop until I close the lid. Thankfully, the inside of the cap has a pin that would be inserted into the hole when it’s closed, stopping the hole from dispensing anymore product.

So I’m honestly not a big fan of the packaging, they could’ve just gone with a packaging like the Stay Don’t Stray with a good ‘ol doe-foot applicator. It looks really fancy and cute though!

Product

The product is thinner in consistency than the Stay Don’t Stray but it becomes rather tacky when it settles into the skin. Eyeshadow application in dabbing/pressing motions is a bliss because they immediately stick onto the lids, but blending is a disaster! So I really disliked this when I first tried it out because my crease color blended very patchily.

That was until I found a great way to solve this problem…

Application

…which is to apply white/cream-colored shadows or even translucent setting powder on top of the primer all over the lids before applying any colored shadows. This provides a smooth and even surface for any other shadows that will go on top of it and it’s perfect because the white shadows actually intensifies the colored shadows. The colors pop so much brighter on top of a white/cream base. This also makes eyeshadow blending even easier and smoother!

The product is very yellow-toned, and it’s because people often have blue veins appear on their eyelids, and yellow neutralizes blue.

Longevity

Longevity-wise, I’m very impressed.

I used the primer in the makeup I wore below and by the end of the day, after about 8 hours outside in the unberable heat and humidity of a tropical country (I’m currently in Jakarta), the colors were just as vivid and intense as when I first applied them.

Indonesia’s weather is currently at its worse – it’s rainy season and the humidity level is just beyooond. My body gets sticky in just 5 seconds when I walk out the door. And the heat? Don’t even get me started.

So I’m really impressed at how my shadows can remain crease free and super intense after all the heat and humidity it had to go through. I find that even the NARS and Urban Decay eyelid primers can’t hold eyeshadow intensities for that long.

Price

This retails for US$29 before tax (approx. AU$40) at Sephora US, and AU$50 in Sephora Australia.

The Stay Don’t Stray retails for US$26 before tax (approx. AU$36) at Sephora US, and AU$45 in Sephora Australia.

Overall

All in all, I’m really conflicted about this product – the packaging is a bummer, but the product itself is amazing.

Will I repurchase? I think. This isn’t something I can’t live without, but it sure is nice to have especially when I need something to ensure all-day longevity and quality.

This is one of those products that once I run out, I’ll probably try to live without it for a while but will eventually feel incomplete without it and come running back to Sephora to get one. LOL.

What do you think of this product? Have you ever tried it? Let me know what you think!