benefit lemon aid: Swatches + Review!

I'm truly surprised that it has taken until now for me to write about this little compact with quite possibly the cutest name ever. This very "lemon aid" was one of the first things I purchased when I started devoting the majority of my paychecks to Sephora. The first thing I knew I needed (insert exaggerated guffaw here) was something to combat my under eye circles; I was near the end of my undergraduate studies and mornings spent in lectures, days spent in chem/bio labs, evenings reading and writing history papers for advanced classes I took 'for the fun of it' (throw in more guffaws here), and sleepless nights spent in the art building were definitely showing. 

So when my concealer (I think it was something from Clinique that I only bought because it was called an under eye concealer… you can laugh, I do too looking back on it) wasn't cutting it I decided to try a corrector. To this day I still love my lemon aid (beverage or cosmetic, now that I think about it) and figure it's about time I pimped it out here on my blog and give it the lovin' it deserves!

Now I know this is called an "eyelid primer", which apparently most people (at least from what I can tell looking at other reviews out in the beauty blogosphere) take to mean it's meant to be used on the top lid only. I personally can't even imagine using this on my upper lids because of how utterly creamy and crease-prone it is but hey whatever floats your boat. The place I use benefit's lemon aid is exclusively on my under eyes… which are also a part of your "eyelid", it's just your lower half and for whatever reason we don't call it as such (unless you're a bonafide eye doctor). 

Annoying english/language problems aside, this really does work a charm at concealing darkness under your eyes and is a treat paired with a sheer-ish concealer.

(click on the photo for a better look at lemon aid in action!)

Rumor also has it that some people use benefit's lemon aid on its own, and while that's all fine and good I also find it to be a little… cray (for lack of a better term). Unless your skin has a very heavy yellow undertone and/or is the exact same canary yellow shade as this product, it's going to be quite obvious that you smeared some corrector under your eyes that morning. However, you can see in the photos above that it really does a wonderful job of correcting darkness because of the thick, creamy, and pigmented formula. Grab your favorite semi-sheer concealer (I'm currently using the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles), slap in on top of lemon aid, blend it together and you're left with brighter looking eyes and the illusion of a good night's sleep!

Though unfortunately it also leaves you with some pretty prominent creasing.

Luckily enough I've found that the creasing caused by lemon aid (as well as the Maybelline concealer whose name I refuse to type out again) is easily erased with the swipe of a dense brush. I personally use the COVER FX #170 Precision Foundation Brush to do this. Yes it's a pricey brush but truly is worth the investment; I've had it for as long as I've had this lemon aid and have yet to see one hair shed, it's still extremely soft, and is just plain old wonderful all around for blending in tight areas of the face (eyes, nose, etc.).

This lucky fluff booger doesn't have to worry about dark circles… he gets plenty of zzz's in my lap throughout the day.

Have you tried benefit's lemon aid?
Love it? Hate it?
What are you currently using to combat under eye darkness?
Do share!!

xoxo - Cassie