This Iconic Benefit Product Just Had An Update – And It's Better Than Ever
Cementing its iconic status, the brand has teamed up with Desi Perkins, mega influencer and founder of @deziskin, to create the DEZI X Benetint Dark Cherry Sunglasses and Lip & Cheek Stain Set, which includes a pair of cherry-pink coated Dezi sunglasses, a custom pink case, and a full-size Benetint Lip & Cheek Stain in the new Dark Cherry hue. While the $95 limited edition kit is exclusively available at Sephora USA, the collaboration has already helped to ensure that Dark Cherry is a sell-out success.
Sameeha Shaikh, beauty writer, using Dark Cherry
The new colour expansion welcomes hues of ruddy brown in Dark Cherry, and berry pink for Raspberry, giving us a whole new way to enjoy the cult classic. Unlike other Benetint iterations like the Floratint and Playtint, the two newcomers share the same well-loved formula as the original, that being a natural-looking flush of long-lasting, non-drying colour that is smudge, transfer, water and humidity-proof. If you're into a monochrome make-up moment (guilty as charged), the multitasker can be swiftly swiped across lips and cheeks for a lightweight sheer look that can be built up all while guaranteeing a believable second-skin finish, thanks to its barely-there watercolour-resembling stain.
Jean and Jane Ford, the twin founders of Benefit, actually created the Benefit Benetint as a nipple enhancer for exotic dancers, but almost 50 years on it's the secret to perking up our complexions. A flurry of A-listers including Winona Ryder, Nicole Kidman and even Rachel Zegler are known to love it, the latter of whom used it to create Snow White's classic red-lipped look in the 2025 live-action remake of the Disney classic.
Swatches of Benefit's new Benetint in Raspberry (top) and Dark Cherry (bottom)
Sameeha Shaikh, beauty writer, says: 'I am quite serious about blush; I often forgo all cheek products (like bronzer and contour) but will never complete my make-up without a stippling of something flesh-toned across my cheeks, nose, lids, temples and chin. I did say serious, didn't I? To feed my addiction while avoiding blush blindness – there's a fine line, I know – I have long held on to clever formulas that lend a breathable, buildable, natural skin finish, and that's where Benefit's original Benetint comes in. I've used it years and was doubtful that the OG stain could get any better, but I'm happy to report I stand corrected. While the original Benetint promises to stain cheeks with a perky rosey red colour that is perfect for summer, the new shades offer deeper, muted hues that I will likely lean on year-round. I've taken to Dark Cherry, a ruddy brown that works beautifully against my medium, olive complexion. It packs all the staying power of the original, meaning one application in the morning is enough to last me through most of the day, but offers up more options that will work across a plethora of skin tones and make-up moods.' 1.
Benefit Benetint
Price: £19.10
What the brand says: The long-lasting, non-drying lip and cheek stain promises a smudge-, transfer-, water-, and humidity-proof formula that lends a lightweight, sheer, and natural-looking flush that can be built up.
Sameeha Shaikh, beauty writer, says: 'I've used Benefit's original Benetint for years and was doubtful that the OG stain could get any better, but am happy to report I stand corrected. While the original Benetint promises to stain cheeks with a perky rosy red colour that is perfect for summer, the new shades offer deeper, more muted hues that I will likely lean on year-round. I've taken to Dark Cherry, a ruddy brown that works beautifully against my medium, olive complexion. It packs all the staying power of the original, meaning one application in the morning is enough to last me through most of the day, but offers up more options that will work across a plethora of skin tones and make-up moods.' Pros Long-lasting
Non-comedogenic Cons Budge-proof, quick-dry formula means there is less play time
Sameeha Shaikh is Grazia's beauty writer, covering all categories to bring you insights on the latest trends, industry news and the products you need to know about, viral or not (most probably viral).
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Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. after newsletter promotion Lowther believes more musical theatre hopefuls will turn to social media. In June, it was announced that TikTok star Maddie Grace Jepson, who has 1.9 million followers, will make her West End debut in Back to the Future: The Musical, while Love Island winner Amber Davies (1.2 million followers on Instagram) has since starred in countless shows, including the current run of The Great Gatsby. This is a marked change from the more traditional path actors usually take: many will spend years working their way up through off-West End roles, understudying and attending endless auditions before getting a big break. Today, casting directors and producers increasingly see a strong online following as part of a performer's value: their fans, it is assumed, are a ready-made audience. For some, this is a welcome levelling of the playing field that helps regional or working-class performers who lack industry connections. But there are concerns. If you're expected to perform in an eight-show week, proper training and stamina are essential – and not always something guaranteed by social media popularity. And this all arguably creates a hierarchy of another kind. Actors have spoken out against being asked about their follower count in the smallest non-speaking roles. In 2019, a casting call for a commercial asked actors to have 'more than 5,000 followers on Instagram' went viral, leading to broader criticism in the industry. Everybody's Talking About Jamie star Hayley Tamaddon said she was asked, at the end of a West End audition, about the number of followers she had on X (the role went to someone with 20,000 more followers). Despite her time at drama school, it is clear that it's TikTok that has opened doors for Lowther. She now hosts a theatre podcast, How Very Hannah (the podcast's own TikTok account has more than 52,800 followers) which is going on a UK tour this autumn. 'We play silly games, I give advice to people who send in questions, I chat with guests and try to remove any snootiness around theatre,' she says. That personal audience gives Lowther something many other young actors don't have: leverage. She doesn't have to wait to be cast to engage an audience, promote her work or generate income; she has built her own stage. It's a powerful position. Does creating a public-facing brand ever get in the way of being taken seriously as a stage actor? 'By trade, I am an actress,' she says cautiously, but she reveals that some people in the industry have initially turned up their noses at her influencer life. Why does Lowther think people are so keen to follow her life? She pauses. 'It's a weird one. As cheesy as it is to say, I try to be as authentic as possible … I try to show the lows, the highs and all the bits in between.' Lowther's appeal does seem to be rooted in her honesty. She posts videos of her crying after failed auditions, hosts chats from her dressing room, and answers questions about how much actors really get paid. Part of the draw is that she isn't too flashy or aloof. Her relatability offers other young performers a sense of hope: maybe, if they throw themselves into social media, they could have a career like hers too. Of course, out of the many people who post on TikTok, only a few will end up in the spotlight. Lowther is more than aware of this, and is determined not to fall behind. She still posts regularly on TikTok and feels a responsibility to make content that's honest, joyful and rooted in her love of musical theatre. She has big dreams of being in a movie musical – 'something like the Wicked movie' – but, ultimately, the theatre has her heart. 'I really love being on stage. I feel like it is where I'm meant to be.' How Very Hannah Live! tours the UK to 29 November; tour starts Edinburgh.
