Benefit partners with local brand Solique to create the perfect holiday nails!
No matter how old I get, the sight of something cute, pink, and sparkly never fails to catch my eye! Benefit Cosmetics has this down pat, with packaging designs that are both adorable and quirky. I especially love watching for their Christmas gift sets, which often feature minis of their bestsellers.
This year, Benefit decided to shake things up and surprised us with their first ever nail polish collection! They teamed up with Solique Gel Polish by Girl Stuff to create Gorgeous Goodies. This news is doubly exciting as this is the very first time Benefit has released a nail polish, and I was thrilled that they chose a local brand to collaborate with!
The collection features 4 sweet shades to get you ready for all the upcoming holiday parties. Whimsy is a naked pink shade with a touch of blush. Charmed is a sheer pearlescent pink with lavender tones. Dream is a pale ballerina pink creme. Finally, Twinkle is a chunky silver, pink, and orange glitter blend that quickly amps any manicure into party mode.
You can’t go wrong with Whimsy’s wearability plus the formula was the easiest to apply of the four shades. I was immediately drawn to Dream though because of its modern minimalist vibe, but like most white-based shades, it takes a bit of mastery to apply without streaking. I think the translucent quality of Charmed is prettiest when used as a single coat - it gives just the slightest hint of color! Twinkle is super fun to play with, as you can apply it in full to create a sparkly statement nail, or lightly for a more gradient look.
The nail technician also taught me the proper way to apply nail polish when it has large flecks of glitter. She applies the polish onto a sponge (both dishwashing sponges and latex makeup wedges can work!) to absorb the excess liquid, then lightly dabs the sponge on the nail, building up to the desired effect. This nifty trick keeps the nail polish from getting too thick, and the patting down motion ensures that the glitter lays flat and applies as smoothly as possible.
What I love about Solique’s formula is that there’s no need to use a UV lamp to “cure” the gel polish. After applying the recommended 2 to 3 coats of color, simply seal everything with the UV Glow Gel Top Coat! Solique polishes work as a system, and the UV Glow affixes and strengthens the nail color. And it works really well, too! My manicure lasted about 5 days before getting a chip - mostly I had to remove it only because the new nail growth was showing. Crystal, who tried the polishes when she visited me, even messaged me later to say that her manicure was surprisingly still intact despite all the dishwashing she had been doing.
The full Gorgeous Goodies collection includes all 4 shades, plus a base coat and the top coat that Solique is famous for. The 6-in-1 set costs P1,300, which is a really good price considering all that you get. There is also a 2-piece set available consisting of one limited edition shade and one gel top coat for just P450! You can also purchase the polishes individually for P250 each.
I’ve been enjoying painting my nails with these polishes and while the colors are “safe”, I appreciate that they’re very wearable. Made in France, they match well with everyday outfits but offer a little extra polish (pun intended). They also come off pretty easily with any nail polish remover and feature a 5-free formula that doesn’t contain toluene, formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate, camphor, and formaldehyde-resins. That’s what it’s safe for kids to use!
What do you think of Benefit’s new collab? Have you tried Solique polishes before?