Cream blush was having a moment and Benefit Cosmetics really said, “No, we won’t allow you to take the spotlight.” So the brand, known for its pink aesthetic, Box O’ Powder blushes, and iconic brow products, revamped its blush collection and called the new one Wanderful World Collection.

First, Benefit made the boxes wider and thinner. Second, they got rid of the flat brush that came with every blush. Personally, we loved that brush but most people just threw that away. Third, they said goodbye to Dallas (a favorite) and Georgia but came out with 11 new shades (they retained Dandelion, which is globally popular).

The new boxes are now made with 20 percent less paper than the previous ones but you get the same amount of product.

For the new blushes, Benefit also created a new formula that’s silkier, applies smoother, blends better, and lasts longer. We are not copy pasting these off a brand press release based it from actual use for two weeks.

When you open the box, you’ll be welcomed by the pleasant smell of Benefit’s power blushes. As for the formula, it feels soft and springy, thanks to the powder being so ultra-fine.

The shades range from pinks to neutrals to deeper, berry tones. Some have a shimmery finish, thanks to freshwater pearl and synthetic sapphire and they are glowy and not sparkly (we’ll talk about that later).

We’ll talk about the five shades we own and how they fared on our skin:

Pompom (pomegranate rose blush in a natural matte finish)

This shade is the bestseller on Lazada and here’s why: It’s universally flattering on any skin tone. For reference, we have a medium warm skin tone and it looked darkish pink on the skin.

Willa (soft neutral rose blush in a satin finish)

If you’re the type who likes to combine blushes, then Willa and Pompom work so well together, both being in the rose shad spectrum. On its own, Willa is beautiful and is slightly brighter than Pompom. This is also a Lazada bestseller.

Shellie (warm seashell pink blush in a soft shimmer finish)

Shellie is surprisingly bright but in a good way. Think NARS’ famous Orgasm but more pigmented. The color is very buildable and, surprisingly, the shimmer is not in-your-face but very subtle.

Sunny (warm coral blush in a natural matte finish)

This blush would be perfect for summer and the beach! It’s a beautiful coral that would look great under Shellie.

Terra (golden brick-red blush in soft shimmer finish)

This looks great on morena skin and the shimmer is so lovely. It also makes you look subtly sunburnt.

The other shades are Crystah (strawberry pink blush in a soft shimmer finish), Butterfly (golden orange blush in a soft shimmer finish), Java (rosy mocha blush in a natural matte finish), Starlaa (rosy bronze blush in a satin finish), Moone (rich berry blush in a satin finish), and Peachin’ (golden peach blush in a soft shimmer finish).

By the way, Benefit also released a retractable brush that you can use for applying the new blushes and Benefit’s other powder products.

Here’s what we loved about Benefit’s new blushes:

They are triple-milled so they’re very fine

Even though they are powders, these blushes are never powdery

They last long and stay on even when you sweat and wear a mask

The shimmers are very subtle and do not emphasize texture

The finish is airbrushed. There are no patches, unlike with many powder blushes

The colors are beautiful and can be used alone or with each other. Our favorite combos are Willa and Pompom and Shellie and Sunny

What we don’t like

The blushes are powdery when you pick them up so there’s a lot of waste

At Php1,930, the blushes are a bit expensive but considering makeup prices these days, this price is acceptable at its range. You can get the blushes here.

All photos are from Benefit Cosmetics Philippines