Wednesday, March 12, 2014

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

12 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness Galileo looks amazingly fluffy and handsome :) I don't really have trouble with dark circles myself, but using Boscia's Amino Eye Treatment has helped correct some of the grey and I think it's really helped with the under eye crinkles!

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    1. Haha yes indeed he's grown into a very handsome man cat ^__^ But OOO I am a huge Boscia lover so I may have to try out that eye treatment you mentioned… sounds wonderful!

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  2. Oh wow that seems to do wonders! I've never even heard of the Lemon Aid before. I don't have super bad dark circles under my eyes, but on my "I'm too tired to open my eyes" days...I have been loving my NYX HD Photogenic Concealer in Porcelain. I'm pretty white, but that concealer is even brighter! It definitely makes you have that awake look :)

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    1. It really does work well if you know how to use it!! I feel like I've heard of that NYX Concealer… I think someone recommended it to me recently? Now that you're mentioning it again I may have to run out and buy it so thank you :D

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  3. I was just looking at this a few days ago. Fo' Realz! It looks to work very well. Gally (my name for him) cutie cute cute is looking so handsome all zzzz'd out! Thanks for the review.

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    1. Oh yay well good timing!! I really do enjoy this stuff and think it's great if you know how to use it correctly (haha so punny). And aw yay for some Galileo love!! <3

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  4. Looks like it works really well to brighten up the area and give good coverage, even though the yellow tone might not be the most natural and you have to go in again with a separate concealer. Also, your eye colour is so so pretty! :)

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    1. It really does work well under the eyes!! Yeah it's a shame that there's an extra step(s) involved but for now it's working great since I'm using up that Maybelline concealer anyways :) And shucks thank you!!

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  5. I had Lemon-Aid back in the day, and I just couldn't get it to work for me, it was too dense, if that makes sense? I just bought a Mary Kay concealer in yellow and I love it because it has a liquid consistency, I too follow up with regular concealer.

    I love the feel of my cats laying on me, their weight and heat make me all sleepy and happy. Your fluff muffin is beyond adorable.

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    1. Yeah I get that, it's definitely a denser/thicker cream so it makes sense that some people wouldn't like it!! Glad to hear you found a different corrector that works for you though :) And yes it really is the best feeling in the world to have a big fluffy love ball cuddled up on you… ahhh if only those moments could last forever!!

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  6. I used Lemon Aid a few years ago I think... I can't quite remember but it didn't work to well for me : (

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    1. Aw sorry to hear that Liss! Hopefully you found something else that works for you though <3

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