What it is: Benefit Gilded, a jumbo pencil which they call an eyeliner, but in reality is much more than that!

Price and packaging: At $20 per pencil, it’s not the cheapest thing out there – but in comparison, it’s definitely not obscenely priced. Yes, you’ll need a new sharpener for this, but I love the chubbiness! It makes it quite versitile, and yet because it’s a pencil and not a pot or something along those lines, it’s easy to keep clean and carry around (not to mention, it’s light! I love a heavy, luxe-feeling glass jar as much as the next girl, but I loathe carrying them around.)

Texture: don’t let the pencil form fool you – this feels dreamily creamy (that’s right, I said it) and very smooth. It glides on nicely for a flawless application!Lids: This might not work well for oilier-lidded gals, but has a ton of eye uses. You can use it as a thick gold liner, or layer it under a matte shadow to give some shimmer (this is the one that worries me – I haven’t tried it for more than an hour, so it may crease!). If you want a super-subtle eye, just smudge on a touch of this on its own, as a cream shadow! (again, I’m not sure of the staying power. It definitely does crease, though) You can also use this as a highlighter for the inner corners or your brow bone, but be sure to use it sparingly.

Cheeks: Used sparingly, this makes a great gold highlighter – just dot on and smudge, with your finger or a clean, fluffy, large eye brush. I’d recommend it for warmer ladies, though. I hate to be redundant, stating well-known facts, but I must say it: wamer tones tend to look better with golds, and cooler tones (like me!) tend to look better in silver. It isn’t super-warm, though, so most neutral/cool ladies could work this almost as well.

Lips: On well-moisturised lips, this can be a lippie on its own, just colour in your lips and go. Personally, I don’t love this one alone on my lips, but I’m absolutely positive that some ladies could rock this! Layer it under any matte or sheer lipstick for a gorgeous fine glitter (no chunky buisness here!) to give it a sophisticated edge, or dab a tiny bit in the middle of your lip over a stain and blend well for the 3-D effect, like you would with a shimmery gloss, but without the stickiness and with more staying power.

The verdict? If you have $20 to spend and you’re on the neutral/warm side, this was made for you. If you’re neutral/cool, or just plain out cool, I’d see it in person first – I’m not saying that you won’t love it, I’m just saying there’s a (TINY) possibility that it won’t work as well for you. Don’t think of this as a $20 eyeliner, think of it as a $20 CCB/multiple/highlighter. Becase, to be honest, that’s what it is!
Lastly, I have to say it: my product photo and swatches are a TON more accurate than those on Sephora and benefitcosmetics.com. If in doubt, check it out in person, but I promise – these are spot-on! The photos on Sephora and Benefit are much too light and peachy, so don’t be fooled!

Edit: want to see Benefit Gilded layered under a sheer wine-coloured lipstick? Check it out here!