Benefit Cosmetics

Have used this brow bar several times and always thought they have done a good job. The chat is fine, it’s often possible to get a walk-​in appointment and those are both things to consider when handing your eyebrows over to a stranger.
The reason I’ve knocked two stars off is that the last couple of times I’ve been in there, I’ve asked for a brow wax and they have also, unbeknownst to me, tinted them. I haven’t asked for a brow tint, they’ve just gone ahead and done it anyway, and thanks to their insistence on coating your face in thick foundation before you leave, it’s left me looking like a pantomime dame. To be fair, neither time this has happened have they charged me for the tint, just the wax, but that’s not really the point.
I’ve decamped to Silverburn instead, now. Sorry, Buchanan Street!

Very pushy staff, quite unprofessional and I prefer small talk thanks rather than pressing me about my personal life and giving me tmi about theirs. The two times I went for an eyebrow tint I was dragged over to a chair after and told they would put concealer on to «cover up your spots». Charming, I’m fine how I am thanks. The second time I had my face painted like a clown before I could object while they tried to push me into buying whatever they were coming at my spotty face with, I then was overcharged to top it off. I don’t deny they are good at doing eyebrows though.

I’ve been a life-​long fan of Benefit Make Up, however it was only last week I tried their Brow Bar service.
Although the girls can be notoriously hit and miss in terms of conversation, I found the women serving me and my friend on this particular visit pleasant and helpful. They didn’t try the usual trick of hard selling me products or extra services, and even combined two treatments in order to save me some money!
The waxing and shaping was quick, painless and the result is SO much better than the place I usually get them threaded. They’ve really changed my face! It’s quite astonishing!
What’s more, because I had the rest of my shopping trip ahead of me, they took me over to the make up counter and did the rest of my face for me, free of charge.
I would definitely go back, however I am aware that the service can be a little inconsistent. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a beautiful arched vintage brow!

I’m a huge fan of the eyebrow services and products. Probably the best on average eyebrow wax. I love the brow zings and the other brow wand stuff too. I’ve purchased other products such as the lip tint and blush powder but I’m not a big makeup girl so I wasn’t too keen. The lip tint does work by the way.
This benefit bar is crammed in the very back of the cosmetic section of house of frasers.

I do agree with Lisa & Eleanor, some of the products are not all that but I dont find the staff too pushy. I overindulge here… but I overindulge in most places so there we go.
The staff at the counter in Frasers and the Benefit counter in Boots are a bit more on my wavelength than other places. I can be a bit scruffy round the edges and generally a bit frantic looking, especially on my dinnertime make-​up counter missions, and do find that other counters wont give me the same customer service at the girl with the ‘it’ bag who looks like she has a much larger chunk of change to splash around.
Not so Benefit, they are always super nice and I have spent more there than any other make-​up counter. So even if I have had a couple of products that weren’t worth the money, I will always gravitate to their counter because they empathised with me when I said I couldnt apply eyeliner for toffee and they showed me a great way of getting a straight line.
The only products I would definately not get again is the ‘stay dont stray’ eye base which really didnt make the eyeshadow stay — the other being the cream to powder foundation, great finish, perfect shade, the compact has almost run out and ive only had it 2 months.

I have to agree with Eleanor that there are better quality make-​up brands out there than Benefit. The Benefit packaging is undeniably adorable but performance wise it’s a bit hit and miss. There are loads of products I have bought from this store and never used again, a very expensive mistake! However there are also a couple of Benefit products I couldn’t live without! The Bad Gal mascara for example is the best I have ever tried, and I have tried a LOT of mascara! Also I have unfortunately been cursed with really dark circles around my eyes which don’t go away no matter how much sleep I get or water I drink. The only products which cover these but don’t feel heavy or crease are Benefits Boi-​ing and Lemon Aid.
The staff in Benefit can be very annoying. As Eleanor mentioned, they work on commission so they can be quite pushy. They are very helpful at giving advice and letting you try products on but they don’t let you just buy what it is you came for and that’s it, they always push you for extra sales which is pretty irritating!

Benefit make-​up is one of the most popular brands around today, but recently i’ve come to realise that sometimes the quirky packaging is a lot better than the actual product itself.
Everything here is beautifully presented and you can get mini sets of all the full size products in a dinky little set which is perfect size for handbags! I usually get the odd Benefit product at Christmas time which is great. However, when I compare it to other brands such as MAC, Lancome and Bobbi Brown, Benefit just doesn’t cut it. Especially with foundation, there really isn’t a lot of coverage and i’ve found it goes quite patchy throughout the day which isn’t a good look. Perhaps it just doesn’t work aswell with my skin but i’ve found myself going off Benefit more and more recently.
I am also upset that they’ve decided to discontinue my favourite «Maybe Baby» fragrance, instead replacing it with the new «Crescent Row» range which is beautifully designed with the packaging more appealing than the actual fragrance. The outer packaging being a little house and the perfume bottle looks like a little cocktail shaker, very cute but the main thing you’re paying for is a box.
They have also made the mistake of having a very poor range of shades of foundation and claiming one shade matches every skintone — absolute nonsense!
The staff are always friendly, but they all work on commission so no matter what you try on, it’s always going to look fabulous. Funny that.
I have to admit, their «That Gal» primer is one of the best i’ve used and it smells amazing, I’m also a fan of «High Beam».
I think Benefit is a case of style over substance and it kind of reminds me of The Emperors New Clothes. I used to be a huge fan of Benefit but feel I have been deceived and suckered in by the pretty packaging disguising average quality make-​up and paying a hefty price for it to boot.