After using Benefit’s Hello Flawless Powder Foundation for years I was so upset when they discontinued it. But fortunately, Benefit soon came out with Benefit Hello Happy Powder. From first impressions it looked exactly the same as the previous powder, and I wanted to try it out and see if it was the same as before.
Colour and Formula
My first step was getting the right shade in Benefit Hello Happy and as I’m very fair skinned, I normally choose the lightest shade available. For Benefit Hello Happy this was 1 – Fair Cool, which I was happy with immediately. For Benefit’s Hello Flawless I was “I Love Me” Ivory which has a warmer undertone but was the lightest shade. When using either product, they have “full coverage” for shade but blending does help a slightly darker colour blend better with your skin tone.
To be honest, both colours look very similar, although Fair Cool has a tinge less of that orange undertone. This was great for me as I hate looking orange, and before this was the lightest shade I could get. Hello Happy’s range of shade’s isn’t extensive, but it has grown to 12 whereas Hello Flawless had 9.
Looking at the ingredients between both powders also shows not much difference between them. The main part of the formula is the same, with Hello Happy having more. I assume this is to make the formula better for the skin and also improve the look of the powder.
The formula change doesn’t change how it looks on the skin. Hello Happy makes my skin look clear but natural for my everyday looks. I did a full review a few weeks ago about exactly why I loved it!
Packaging
The packaging is exactly the same. And I mean EXACTLY. I assume they knew they would be created a re-formulated powder product and must have kept the same supplier for the packaging.
The boxes are small and square, with a mirror and a pan which lifts up to have a small compartment. This compartment holds a small brush and sponge for ease of use when travelling with the product.
Design wise, the graphics changed from a minimal silver text focused design to a shade focused smiley face (with love heart eyes – how cute!). Plus the actual powder isn’t much different, except to start with the powder has the same smiley face for Hello Happy!
Ease of Use
With both using the same packaging and similar formulas, it’s no surprise that they’re so similar to use! Neither wins out for which is easier or faster to use because of this. Just grab a sponge or a brush and gently sweep the product over your face.
Neither of the powders have much fall out when using the product, and as you can tell from the Hello Flawless photo – they last a long time! A little product really does cover your whole face and these pans hold enough powder to last months. The only reason I bought Hello Happy this early was to test it compared to Hello Flawless, but I still have many uses out of it.
Pricing
Pricing is a tricky thing to judge against because I can’t find a clear price for what Hello Flawless was before it was discontinued. Hello Happy is currently £27.50 which is quite expensive for a powder, however it does last months. I think Hello Flawless was cheaper, but only by a few pounds.
The Verdict
If you loved Benefit Hello Flawless Powder Foundation then you will love Benefit Hello Happy Powder Foundation. I can’t say exactly why they changed it, but with a slightly wider shade range and it probably being a better formula – I think they did the right thing (despite my initial panic when they discontinued!).