After Elle stumbled across the outrageous advertising of Estée Lauder, I started checking into my favorite brands’ advertising tactics, crossing my fingers that I wouldn’t have to toss my favorite glosses, powders and stains.  (Because seriously, I don’t have the money for that sort of thing.)

Luckily, the results of my search were far from disappointing: my favorite cosmetics company, benefit, met and exceeded my expectations.  Just look at their San Francisco store front:

“laughter is the best cosmetic…so grin and wear it”! [from About-Face.org]

Since I first found benefit, it has had that effect on me: I feel so comfortable wearing it that I don’t always need to wear it.  Makeup should be optional, and when you choose to wear it, it should be fun, sexy, and sometimes even a little over-the-top.  The founders of benefit, identical twins Jean and Jane, used that premise to open the first benefit storefront in 1976, with the motto, “Who says makeup has to be serious to be good?”

Not me, ladies.  Not me.

And really, that’s what makup has always been about: playing with your features, adding a little sex appeal, and making it all work for you, the way you want it to.  Benefit has figured out how to bottle the idea, and their advertising has followed suit.

Here’s the honest truth: if you want to feel sexy with or without makeup, you should buy the brands that let you do that – not the ones that put you down.  Some might say it’s “just advertising,” but if that’s the case, then it’s advertising I can get behind. Benefit may just be trying to sell me a product, but they’re doing it in a way that makes sense, ethically and emotionally.  I’m happy to reward them for it.

The cool thing is, benefit has a full-on history of empowerment and acceptance.  Case in point: one of their best-selling products started out as something a little more risque than a cheek and lip tint:

Our legendary rise-tinted lip & cheek stain, benetint, was originally concocted in 1977 for an exotic dancer who requested something to make her nipples look pretty & pink.  “The sexiest flush you can get from a bottle” soared to cult fave status…today it endures as a favorite of celebrities, makeup artists & gals all over the world!

I can just imagine some sassy burlesque dancer totally owning her body and spirit…and a bottle of nipple tint.  Sexy!

If you’re looking for a replacement for your Estee Lauder products, I recommend benefit highly.  In fact, I’ve got eye-con, benetint and california kissin’ (which you get free with any $35 order – no coupon code needed) in my purse right now.  You can get all three in their justine case makeup kit, which I reviewed – while deathly ill - at Awakened Aesthetic:

You can also get free US standard shipping – just use the promo code PRETTY50 at checkout.

Which makeup brands make you feel good about who you are?  What are your favorite products for feeling sexy at any age?

To contact Jennifer Nicole, the author of this post, please send e-mails to jen@thedemoiselles.com or use our contact form.

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