ELLE Beauty Intern Competition Entry...

I spent all night writing this competition entry for ELLE magazine as the deadline was today, the 1st of November. But my photo wouldn't upload as it was the wrong size and I couldn't resize it in time for the competition deadline :( The prize was a year-long internship in the beauty industry, spending four months at a beauty company, four months working in beauty PR and finally the last four months on the beauty desk at ELLE magazine. It would have been a dream to be considered, but I guess it just wasn't meant to be :(Anyways, never one to let a blog go to waste, here is the entry that I was going to send. In 500 words we had to describe why our favorite beauty brand was our favorite. I chose benefit. Here goes...

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As a student with a measly loan and a massive beauty habit it is absolutely imperative to me to spend only if it is totally worth it. This is why benefit cosmetics are by far my absolute, second-to-none favourite beauty brand around right now.

In a time of recession, we don’t want to just be paying for a product; we want an experience. I want my rich Rush Hour lipstick to be wrapped in pretty pink tissue-paper, sealed with a branded sticker then placed lovingly into a big, brightly-coloured beauty box for passers-by on the high street to ogle at with envy. I want the assistant at the shop counter to sit me down and treat me to an impromptu makeover, or offer me a free pot full of POREfessional primer just because she has so much confidence in the brand and their product that she knows I’ll soon be back for more. I want a brand that caters to my every need, before even I’m aware that I need it! I want benefit. Always and forever.

From the moment my heart skips a beat when I spot a benefit counter across the department store, to the second when I’m dashing out of the door with one last spritz of my favourite sweetly-scented So Hooked On Carmella perfume, I am a happier version of me! It may be something to do with the beautiful, eye-catching, vintage-style packaging which presents the smiling faces of pretty girls with even prettier make-up applied... Or maybe it’s down to the fact that my e-newsletter almost always provides a variety of discounts, just when I’m having to scrimp and save yet find myself in desperate need of a (hello) flawless foundation. No, it has got to be the frequent introduction of brand new products when I need them most (b.right! Radiant Skincare arrived on shelves during the same week my skin broke out, whilst their Prima Donna lashes are available in stores just in time for the festive season... exactly as I need them!) Of course, it could just be due to my penchant for the yummy smell of their Coralista blush; who knew a blush could smell like Love Hearts???

The most stand-out feature which I feel benefit cosmetics has as a brand is that it feels warm perhaps due to the fact that the company is primarily a family business started by two aspiring models who simply wanted to put their best faces forward... The attention to detail, value for money and interest in the customer are three personable qualities rarely found in globally-recognised companies, and yet benefit manages to achieve all this whilst making hundreds of thousands of women world-wide feel confident, comfortable and (most importantly) beautiful with respect. This is where benefit cosmetic’s success lies. This is why I always hot-foot it over to the counter to chat to the assistant like she’s my best friend about the latest products. And this is why my favourite foundation look is “(hello) flawless!”

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Seriously, I must have the worst luck ever that this didn't send. Never mind. Hope you liked it, and let me know if you hear of any similar competitions as I would love to win such an awesome prize!

Love as always

gabriellasofia x