var json_comments = new Array("
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nybiker
July 3, 2009 3:37 AM
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I'm guessing that the OP wasn't trying to tighten the cap with a torque wrench, so I suspect that's some weak lid.

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EndlessMike
July 7, 2009 1:06 PM
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@nybiker: Actually, if she was tightening it with a torque wrench, it would less likely to crack, assuming she knows the proper closure torque.

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bobert
July 3, 2009 3:39 AM
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\"Laughter is the best cosmetic, so grin and wear it.\"

WTF? That's how Benefit responds to an unhappy customer? Brianna is supposed to yuk it up about $28 in the trash can?

Amazing. Simply amazing.

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11 replies
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adria.richards
July 5, 2009 10:30 PM
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@bobert: That is screwed up and I have purchased this exact product which I used for my lips.

The lack of true customer service from Benetint is horrible and certainly makes me think twice about buying any more of their products.

Actually, I like Mac makeup for the very fact that if you have a problem with their makeup, they work to resolve it.

I bought blush and powder brushes at Mac which set me back about $30 each. I began to notice the hairs were falling out. I asked a makeup artist about this and she said that should never happen. I went into Mac, told them what the makeup artist had said. We talked about how I cleaned them (shampoo) and how I stored them to determine why this was happening. Not only did they suggest how I could resolve this by changing the cleaner I was using, they said \"Bring em back and we'll replace them!\".

Now that's customer service!

I can't understand why companies pay people to respond like Benetint did. yuck!

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mazzic1083
July 3, 2009 1:30 PM
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@bobert: Yea that closing line might be a generic e-mail signature but definitely not going to help with the whole \"professionalism\" thing

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Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!)
July 3, 2009 12:41 PM
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@bobert: \"Laughter is the best cosmetic, so grin and wear it.\"

Translation: You don't need to buy our products because they're clearly inferior to a chortle! (And a belly laugh is five times more effective!)

Thanks for letting me know, Benefit!

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katstermonster
July 3, 2009 1:36 PM
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@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): Exactly! They're not being jerks, they're just giving her the best advice: don't buy our product (or any other makeup) ever again!

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LeahReindeer
July 3, 2009 12:32 PM
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@bobert: The letter would make sense and be appropriate only if a coupon for a free product were enclosed.

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halo969
July 4, 2009 5:48 PM
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@LeahReindeer: That's exactly what I was thinking. If they had included a coupon, I would have been happy with the reply. Otherwise, they are just jerks and deserve to lose customers.

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600Followers_GitEmSteveDave
July 3, 2009 12:13 PM
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@bobert: @Shoelace: It's apparently the company's motto/slogan, judging by the ~28,000 results when you search for the phrase and benefit: [www.google.com]

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ceriphim
July 3, 2009 3:57 PM
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@WarOperationPlanResponse_GitEmSteveDave: Figured as much, it's pretty jarringly inconsistent with the rest of the email. I suppose it could be part of a sig, but in the context it *does* kinda come off like a big \"eff you\".

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Shoelace
July 3, 2009 5:21 AM
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@bobert: I think the OP should grin and tell them to shove it, regardless of whether she gets a refund. If I were treated like that I'd never buy any of their products again.

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dow24
July 3, 2009 4:27 AM
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@bobert: That's a pretty rotten way to end such an email. I was already appalled at the \"we're sorry, but we aren't going to do anything about it\" garbage. And then when I read that last line, it was like they had mailed a dead fish head with their response, which smacked me in the face upon opening the envelope.

I have purchased a variety of Benefit products over the years, but given their extremely rude response, I don't know that I'll be buying them anymore. There are plenty of other cosmetic retailers I can purchase personal beauty products and Christmas gifts from.

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twonewfs
July 3, 2009 2:44 PM
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@dow24: Well put, girlfriend. Me too! Lorac's concealer beats LemonAid, anyhow. The best things about Benefit were the product names - and that's pretty lame for such an expensive purchase.

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hills
July 3, 2009 3:39 AM
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I'm guessing that Angelica isn't laughing now that their less than stellar customer service is on the Consumerist...

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Anonymous
July 3, 2009 3:49 AM
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Benefit is notorious for over-hyped and over-priced products. Check out Makeup Alley's independent user reviews of their products. I fell for the hype a few times and wound up with dried-out \"cream\" eyeshadow and an eye pencil that broke (the color snapped and then slid out of the wooden pencil). Sephora has its own dupe of Benetint for a fraction of the price, and Tarte also makes a similar product that has a spongy applicator. Hope that helps.

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alternatestory
July 3, 2009 3:53 AM
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Sephora usually has pretty good customer service; I know their return policy for cosmetics is good. Definitely contact the folks at Sephora and see if they can do anything for you.

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5 replies
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PinkBox
July 3, 2009 11:07 AM
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@alternatestory: Agreed. I've never had a problem with Sephora.com's customer service.

The OP should try contacting them as well.

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corkdork
July 3, 2009 9:04 AM
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@alternatestory: Interesting; the only CS experiences I've had at my local Sephora (trying to shop for my fiancee there last Christmas, off her Sephora wishlist) were... well, miserable. Employees who ignored me because I was apparently too male to shop there, being told that they can't access the online wishlist in the store, and being told by the store manager via email \"I'm sorry, please come in and get a skin/makeup consult for yourself (that we do for free anyhow, and that you don't need, being a non-makeup-wearing guy),\" when I let their head office know about it.

Anyhow, good luck to the OP -- I hope she gets better satisfaction out of Sephora than I did.

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BustangBetty
July 3, 2009 3:59 PM
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@corkdork: I went in to Sephora last Christmas looking for gifts for family in Canada, I was met with reps that were rude and others that ignored me. When I went to talk to someone at the cashier's I was ignored then told to move aside for PAYING customers. I would have gladly paid for a product had I received any help what so ever. According to a customer, I didn't fit the \"sephora\" look and therefore they would ignore me unless I came back dressed for success. What kind of garbage is that? I just wanted to buy gifts! Anyway, gave up on that pipe dream and just sent my family members cash. FU Sephora!

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italianscallion33
July 7, 2009 2:43 AM
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@BustangBetty: Well if you cut in front of paying customers to ask a question, I can see how they might want you to move.

I see where you're coming from, but I've worked during the holidays in retail and it's just so busy you can't possibly help EVERYONE and be nice to EVERYONE when you've been on your feet dealing with nasty customers for 8 hours (not saying you're nasty).

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pax
July 3, 2009 12:50 PM
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@corkdork: That's weird--I think it must have been an off day, because my husband is always relieved when he goes to Sephora and one of the reps comes over to walk him through the store. In my experience, they love male shoppers and are very helpful to them, even if only because they're gift-giving and likely to drop a lot of coin.

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Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!)
July 3, 2009 12:43 PM
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@corkdork: That's too bad; I find Sephora a kind-of bizarre store (really? that many cosmetics? really?), but I've always had good service there.

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Vanilla5
July 3, 2009 4:04 AM
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Ok - I think Benefit's reponse of \"grin and wear it\" was pretty unnecessary but it does say that they forwarded her issue to the appropriate department for consideration. Perhaps she will hear back from them.

If she doesn't, I would take that email into Sephora (with the original receipt although you probably don't need it) and tell them, \"Hey - these caps have a problem and Benefit knows about it. I'd like a replacement.\"

Also - she shouldn't worry about letters rubbing off of a bottle of blush. That's what happens when a bottle gets jostled around in purses and bags. It also happens to eyeliner the more you use it. That part's not defective packaging.

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italianscallion33
July 7, 2009 2:43 AM
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@Vanilla5: I think the grin and wear it thing is their slogan so it automatically goes in their signature. Form letters yay.

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Vanilla5
July 3, 2009 4:13 AM
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Also, I think Benefit's products themselves are overrated. I've purchased quite a few from Sephora and I'm glad that that store has practically a no-questions return policy. You can practically bring back an empty bottle/package and say, \"I don't like it.\" and they'll take it back.

The only product of theirs that I kept was the Lipscription lip exfoliant + balm. That helped out when I had sunburned lips.

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MyDarlin
July 3, 2009 4:47 PM
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@Vanilla5:


Print rubbing off the bottle \"within a few days\" is NOT normal. I've traveled had products and traveled/moved w/ them and they've only had slight scratching. I think that is defective, but not enough for a refund as it doesn't hinder the use of this product in this instance.


I think the grin and bear it comment...is more like 'get over it' and I would be offended!

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Vanilla5
July 3, 2009 6:26 PM
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@MyDarlin: The \"Grin and Wear It\" comment is the company's tagline. Albeit inappropriatly placed for this particular application.

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whereismyrobot
July 3, 2009 2:07 PM
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@Vanilla5:
Their products are pretty awful and their service is just as bad. Sephora, however is known for great customer service, although I am not sure if they could do much with no package.

This is why I am a MAC girl all the way.

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Vanilla5
July 3, 2009 4:20 AM
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I do like the art direction/design of their packaging though. =)

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JulesNoctambule
July 3, 2009 4:22 AM
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I've been interested in a few of their products lately, but if this is their level of customer service I'll stick with Aveda.

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dahlink_natasha
July 3, 2009 4:30 AM
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At least I know of one brand to stay away from now. I'll buy high dollar cosmetics, but I have a very small makeup kit (I only buy what I need, and use it till it runs out).

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Robobot
July 3, 2009 4:48 AM
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Like several other people have mentioned, the OP really should take this up with Sephora. They're pretty awesome about returns and defective products.

And as a side note: I wish cosmetic products would realize that packaging is nearly as important as the product itself. Covergirl and Mark are the worst offenders when it comes to defective packaging and just about all the drugstore brands have annoying design flaws.

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Jason Giglio
July 6, 2009 1:16 AM
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@Robobot: @SalenaBabblerash: You have successfully raised the geek quotient to the minimum level. For a minute, the consumerist had gotten all mushy on us.

eSATA kind of sucks anyway, even though it's hot pluggable in theory, on most motherboards and chipsets and OS distros so far, you have to reboot to get it to pick up the drive.

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catastrophegirl chooses not to fly
July 3, 2009 4:53 AM
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@Robobot: yeah, if lipstick was made with a screw on top, i might just wear it. as it is, i gave up on lipstick back in high school when i kept finding it capless, dirty and broken, staining everything in my bag. lipstick doesn't last on me and i hate the sticky nastiness of the long wearing lip goops so i just wear lip stain instead. it lasts long enough that i don't have to carry it around [or waste my time reapplying it later]

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Vanilla5
July 3, 2009 4:49 AM
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@Robobot: Sometimes I honestly wonder if they're looking forward to \"purse spillage\".

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wellfleet
July 3, 2009 4:48 AM
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Lame-o Benefit... I have owned three bottles of this stuff over last several years, it lasts forever. I love the product but the packaging on it does suck. The lettering rubbing off is poor design. You would think that as a company you would want your brand and logo visible every time to the customer and to potential customers around her.
I would strongly suggest going to Sephora and talking to them. I wish the OP had kept the broken bottle after emptying it. Sephora has an amazing return policy, I;'ve always bought things there with confidence.
Come on Sephora, make me proud!

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WorldHarmony
July 3, 2009 4:52 AM
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\"Laughter is the best cosmetic, so grin and wear it.\"
That has got to be some of the worst customer service I have ever seen. The company should be ashamed and the CSR should be reprimanded. Since this problem was already known to them, they should have refunded her money. I will not become a customer of Benefit Cosmetics.

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italianscallion33
July 7, 2009 2:46 AM
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@WorldHarmony: I really don't think it was a sarcastic remark from the CSR. It's one of those signature things, probably their slogan.

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kbrook
July 3, 2009 11:10 AM
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@WorldHarmony: That bit fells like a sig line that goes out on every email, but that's something the rep should have been aware of. I know I'm very careful about what sig goes out on what email...

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Kogenta
July 3, 2009 2:07 PM
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@kbrook: Depends on company policy. Some places have mandated signatures that they have to use on any external email that may be read by non-employees (thought it's ussually a disclaimer or something).

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D'Ola Phair
July 3, 2009 5:22 AM
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@WorldHarmony: You know what? They're right! Since \"laughter is the best cosmetic,\" save your money and don't bother buying their products!

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femaleconsumerist
July 3, 2009 4:54 AM
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I have to say, I'm really happy to see an article on the Consumerist about makeup. It seems Consumerist always steered clear of such topics (maybe of some fear to not to alienate the male readership), which bothered me in the first place, but also because the cosmetics industry is a HUGE offender of consumerists' rights. Their advertisements are almost always misleading or outright lies, their horrendously inflated prices are shameful, their \"anti-diversion\" organizations to keep their products off the shelves of retailers who they fear will taint their image (with the weakly backed defenses of \"it's to protect consumers so we can recall a product if it's defective\" when has a mascara ever been recalled?) are completely intended to misguide consumers and make them believe major big box stores like Target are selling you COUNTERFEIT Bumble & Bumble shampoo, all so they can turn more product for themselves. Sigh. Anyway, I'm not surprised by the treatment this reader received. Next time I'd suggest she call the company directly. Most will send a check refund, if not a manufacturer's coupon for a product of equal value.

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whereismyrobot
July 3, 2009 2:10 PM
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@femaleconsumerist:
Agreed. I would like to see a post with the best and worse customer service in the cosmetics field.

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HogwartsAlum
July 3, 2009 1:38 PM
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@femaleconsumerist:

Yeah, read this: \"Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me.\" It has reviews of every product out there and tells you all about the lies the companies are telling so you'll buy their product. I have an older edition.

Here's a link
[www.paulaschoice.com]

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femaleconsumerist
July 3, 2009 3:34 PM
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@HogwartsAlum: I do like Paula, I just wish she didn't own her own cosmetics line, it makes her opinions biased, especially for her \"Best of\" lists. And she has so many products with the same ingredients she declares are irritants and pore-clogging. But yes, she does address other company's advertising lies which is good...

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JuliB
July 4, 2009 6:31 AM
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@femaleconsumerist:

I read her years and years ago, and thought then that she should just make her own stuff so we could know it was good. I was so happy to find out that she started to do so. I use some of her products now.

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femaleconsumerist
July 4, 2009 2:43 PM
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@JuliB: Have you ever tried to contact the company asking for what % there is of a certain ingredient? Their response is always \"we can't disclose, it's trade secrets\" which is interesting for a woman who has spent her life defaming companies that refuse to give out such information!

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oneandone
July 3, 2009 2:45 PM
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@HogwartsAlum: Thanks for the link. Looks interesting.

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Garbanzo
July 3, 2009 8:01 AM
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@femaleconsumerist: I suspect that historically Consumerist didn't cover cosmetics much because when they were in the Gawker family that was Jezebel's beat. I seem to recall a lot more cross-posting on this sort of topic with Jezebel back in the day. They likely carried over the habit of not paying attention to the cosmetic industry with them when they moved. You could drop them a note at tips@consumerist.com (in case they don't read *every* comment) to draw their attention to this lapse.

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twonewfs
July 3, 2009 2:48 PM
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@Garbanzo: Remember the \"Sephora Spy\" feature on Jezebel? Notes on her work day from a Sephora employee. That always cracked me up!

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Vanilla5
July 3, 2009 5:09 AM
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@femaleconsumerist: Yeah, I don't see mascara being recalled either. It generally does contain guano after all.

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femaleconsumerist
July 3, 2009 4:56 AM
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and by \"consumerists' rights\" I meant \"consumer's rights\" and by \"product\" I mean \"profit.\" No more posting after midnight for me!

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j3s
July 3, 2009 7:35 AM
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As others have suggested, since contacting Benefit obviously proved to be very unbeneficial, you should consider bringing the issue up with Sephora directly. I would be surprised if they didn't offer to replace the product themselves, especially if you were to show them a copy of the e-mail from Benefit that essentially reads, \"Yeah, we are aware of the problem with this product. So what? F you and buy some more!\"

If they offer a replacement in lieu of a refund, which would be understandable given the lack of anything being returned, just take it and your receipt to another Sephora, get your money back, and direct it towards a company who doesn't have its head up its ass when it comes to customer service.

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italianscallion33
July 7, 2009 2:50 AM
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@j3s: The receipt will probably say that it was an exchange or replacement or whatever. That plan might not work. But maybe investing in some sort of case for a couple bucks, or screwing the cap on extra carefully, could prevent it from happening on the replacement product if that's what Sephora provides.

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dropkickninjas
July 3, 2009 7:39 AM
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Not to undermine the bad response emails from Benefit but how does one rub off all the lettering on the bottle? I've gone through about 3-4 of these and not once have they done that.


Ditto with cap breaking. I've had it tip over and fall onto the floor, spilling half of its precious+expensive contents but the bottle and cap were solid.


Also instead of just throwing the whole thing away just because of the cap, the OP could have gone to CVS and gotten a mini travel bottle to save and continue using it. It's just liquid.


I'm not an uber Benefit fan but I do like Benetint & Posietint, as well as their boxed powders like Dandelion. Other things underperform and are far too overpriced but from everything I've tried their packaging is solid.

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Deborah Gray
July 6, 2009 5:10 PM
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@ayaka: Chances are that they use several different packaging manufacturers or they were taking a shot at using inferior materials. Most companies use several different manufacturers, so your experience could be different from someone else's. And they obviously knew about the problem.

I'm not sure why the OP should spend even more money to buy a travel bottle when she had already spent $28 on a defective one. That's unacceptable.

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dropkickninjas
July 3, 2009 7:40 AM
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@ayaka: It fell from eye level btw. My dresser was a shelf in my closet. Benetint everywhere - do not recommend, since it stains like nothing in a couple of seconds flat.

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Stephmo
July 3, 2009 1:47 PM
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@ayaka: It could be that they've switched packaging vendors in an effort to save money - looks the same, but cheaper materials. Considering the e-mail acknowledges that the cap problem is a \"known problem,\" I don't think the OP did anything wrong.

The more likely explanation is that you've been very fortunate.

When it comes to failure rates, the percentages are generally a low percentage, which means that there are plenty of stories like yours. At the same time, your positive experience does not negate a negative experience.

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oneandone
July 3, 2009 2:49 PM
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@Stephmo: It could be that they've switched packaging vendors in an effort to save money - looks the same, but cheaper materials.

That's just what I was thinking. I've noticed with cosmetics and other items that I use regularly but that last for a while that when I go to replace them, if the packaging is different, it is inferior. I'd hope that high-end cosmetics would be immune to that trend, but it seems like luxury / designer items tend to get just as shoddy. It makes me very cynical about spending more for so-called quality products. I'd buy it if they'd make it.

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DrRonster
July 3, 2009 9:23 AM
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I had a similar situation with Thermaltake, a very reputable high end computer parts manufacturer. I sent an email to them stating how disappointed I was with Thermaltake Corp for the eSATA cable to the hard drive docking station. It connects to the PC 1 of 2 ways USB or eSATA. The USB cable was 6 feet. The eSATA was 18\" and first turn of the base unit the cable's connector broke. Thermaltake wanted me to RMA it. Why, I had already ordered a 6 foot cable and I wasnt going to waste my time and effort over a worthless cable. A week later an 18\" eSATA cable arrived. Still useless but great customer service.

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microguy07828
July 3, 2009 11:45 AM
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A few years ago, I worked as a Manager in the Quality Assurance Department of a manufacturer of creams, lotions and shampoos. We manufactured everything from OTC drugs to little bottles of shampoo and lotions for hotels.


There is an enormous mark-up on cosmetic products. For example, the cost to buy all of the raw materials and manufacture/package an 8 oz bottle of body lotion for a high-end specialty store in the mall was less than 25 cents. It was common to see these bottles selling for $9 during the holidays.


What was funny was that the same lotion base was being used to make products for discount stores and hotels right in the same facility. That means that you could buy the same \"luxurious\" lotion at a high-end specialty store in the mall for $9 or down the street at a discount store for around $1 to $2. The only difference was the color and fragrance. Still, no matter what you paid for it, it costs less than 25 cents to make.


Although cosmetics range in price and quality, it would probably have cost almost nothing for that company to replace that defective bottle of make-up and keep a loyal customer.

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Ben Edwards
July 4, 2009 4:59 AM
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@microguy07828: Yes, the difference is only perfume. That's why all the cheap stuff is watery with a nasty coarse texture when compared to the expensive stuff, which is typically rich and creamy and not a dash of flour in a gallon of water.

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microguy07828
July 6, 2009 1:31 AM
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@Ben Edwards: Just because you found a few cheaply made brands of lotions doesn't mean my company made them or that all private label brands of lotions are of poor quality.


I have been in the cosmetic and OTC drug manufacturing business for over 16 years. It is very common for the manufacturers of \"name brand\" products to make very similar products as an \"off brand\".


Sure, some discount stores and dollar stores sell some cheaply-made lotions that are mostly water and thickeners, but there are also some very good private label brands out there that are as good as the top brands.


My comments are based on over 16 years of industry experience in Manufacturing and Quality Assurance.

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Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!)
July 3, 2009 12:51 PM
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@microguy07828: And women DO tend to be pretty brand-loyal to cosmetics they like ... and they tend to pimp those products to their friends. And cosmetics are replaced CONSTANTLY, so there's definitely a good return-on-investment for keeping a loyal customer.

I don't even WEAR make-up except for special occasions and I'll spring the $37 for a NARS 3-in-1 face stick because that thing is THE BOMB even though I never get through one before it \"expires.\" (Before that magical cut-off date when your make-up is officially gross from bacteria according to women's magazines.) Which means I'll spring the $30 for NARS eyeshadow because I like their face stick so much. And I'm wearing this, what, six times a year? Even I'm brand-loyal.

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alternatestory
July 4, 2009 4:01 AM
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@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): Yeah, the Nars \"multiple\" is pretty great. Nars powder blush in Orgasm is also amazing -- ridiculous name, fantastic product.

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MsAnthropy
July 4, 2009 12:25 AM
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@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!):

I love my Nars 3-in-1 stick. I'm putting on makeup to go out to dinner and had to stop short (about to apply said stick - the \"Maldives\" one) in order to comment here!

Those things are expensive, but I've had mine since 2005 and it's still going strong. Yeah, I'm sure Cosmopolitan would NOT approve of the fact I'm still tinting my cheeks with such bacteria-infested products, but... well, it works just as well as the day I bought it.

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Vanilla5
July 3, 2009 2:59 PM
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@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): I've heard good things about the NARS 3-in-1 but could never bring myself to drop the money on it, especially since I'm sans make-up 97% of the days in a year. I don't even own foundation.

I also tend to ignore that \"expiration\" stuff, depending on what the product is. Since I use clear brow/lash gel instead of mascara, I will usually get rid of that quicker b/c I can see it getting cloudy after so many months.

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pax
July 3, 2009 2:53 PM
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@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): Particularly we tend to be brand-loyal with what we wear most frequently. Unlike you, I wear makeup almost every day, and I've been crawling back to Cover Girl for my pressed powder since I was in high school. You'll pry Creamy Natural from my cold, dead hands!

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600Followers_GitEmSteveDave
July 3, 2009 12:10 PM
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\"Laughter is the best cosmetic, so grin and wear it.\"

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600Followers_GitEmSteveDave
July 3, 2009 12:15 PM
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@600Followers_GitEmSteveDave: Dangnabit! OK, hit the wrong button. OK, I did a search for \"Laughter is the best cosmetic, so grin and wear it\" and benefit. I cam up with ~28,000 hits, and it appears to be the companies motto/slogan, and I am guessing it's added to all emails.

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HogwartsAlum
July 3, 2009 1:41 PM
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This company sucks. I'll stick with Lancome for the few times I buy pricey cosmetics. I like their products and I always get good service when I go to their counters.

Their lipsticks are $27 but I love them. :) Dang my sister for sending me samples!

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cynicgrl
July 3, 2009 3:25 PM
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That happened to me with Benetint too. Too bad, because I generally really like their stuff. Their response here sucks.

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juniper
July 3, 2009 3:31 PM
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I'm sure this reiterates comments from above, but wanted to make sure Briana knows that Sephora, where she bought it, will give her a refund or an exchange. They may even be able to look up her receipt, if she used a credit card.

Good folks, liberal return policy. I've brought in a used eyeshadow wand back, saying, this looked fine in your store's lights when I tried it on but when I put it on at home it looked awful. Refund, no questions asked.

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twonewfs
July 3, 2009 4:51 PM
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@juniper: Or, at Sephora, try the Vincent Longo liquid stains. Not rose-scented like Benetint, but packed in a plastic, unbreakable tube with a wand that's easier to use than the cheesey nail brush in Benetint. Or, look at the gel stains from Tarte, or other companies: you can dig out a little bit for travel, gels don't spill, and they last forever.

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twerp
July 3, 2009 3:48 PM
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Benefit is a subsidiary of LVMH..yes, as in Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessey. Contact corporate for Sephora, explain how 'loyal' a customer you WERE and what happened/how you were treated. Make sure you put that all you would like is a replacement or store credit for the obviously known defective cap. Then once you are a satisfied customer, you will be happy to \"grin and wear it\".

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PenelopeDarnified
July 3, 2009 4:38 PM
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Or just go to the Body Shop, where they have a comparable product in a handy-dandy tube for about $15 - that works beautifully, and never breaks or leaks. I've been using it for years, and it's delightful.

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ohsoxx
July 3, 2009 4:55 PM
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Sephora will pretty much take anything back.

Also, try Pocket Pal, it's Benetint and clear gloss in one package, it's designed a little bit better since it's meant for travel.

And the quote that you are all in a tizzy about is their company motto. It does read like a little jab at the customer, so their rep probably should have put it in italics or quotes.

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barb95
July 3, 2009 4:57 PM
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I had a similar email problem with Kodak a few weeks ago. I ordered some prints but when I received the package, 100 prints were missing. I emailed them to resend my pictures and I got an email on how to RETURN my order. I emailed them back in all caps letting them know I needed my prints. That got a response, and I got a credit to re-order them.

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Alicia Johnson
July 3, 2009 5:54 PM
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The same, exact thing happened to me with the very same Benefit product. I tossed it and never purchased anything else from their brand. The product itself wasn't fantastic, anyhow.

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Anonymous
July 3, 2009 6:40 PM
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I used to use Benetint, until I had the cap break on me a couple of times. The product evaporates once the cap is broken, and of course cannot be used while traveling. I had better luck with their purse-sized version that includes a small amount of Benetint on one end, and lip gloss on the other. But eventually, the poor quality of their packaging simply makes the product unusable. Benefit has lost many customers this way.

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Anonymous
July 3, 2009 7:16 PM
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Sephora is great.....I imagine going directly to Sephora and voicing her concern - Sephora will replace it or give her store credit. I bought powder from Sephora.com that had opened and a bit spilled during transit. I emailed Sephora.com and within 5 days I had a brand new powder. At $35 per powder, it was worth me contacting them! Going to the retailer always makes more sense versus going to the manufacturer. Then, if that doesn't work, simply file a dispute with your credit card (if you used a credit card). American Express has always been great to me for this reason. I buy nothing with cash (except groceries)

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rwalford79
July 3, 2009 9:08 PM
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1. Ziplock bag


2. Sephora


3. Write a letter about product


4. Follow up

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MissPiss
July 3, 2009 10:49 PM
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Benetint sucks...it spilled everywhere for me too. Last time I ever bought it. Not only that but I dont think its made for anyone with any kind of pigmentation to their skin.

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Anonymous
July 4, 2009 12:17 AM
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The exact same thing happened to me; I was a trip and was forced to throw out a bottle of it that was 90+% full. Their emailed response was the same dismissive \"we're sorry, tough noogies\" sort of thing. NOT happy.

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BayardMozie
July 4, 2009 5:24 AM
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Similar experience with Fine Art Photography magazine - after never getting most of the issues I paid for, and after all my efforts to contact them (email, postal mail, fax, phone) were fruitless, I finally got PayPal to give me a refund via a tip here on Consumerist. Well, 6 months later I get a spam email from the magazine to its subscribers, so on a whim I reply saying basically \"I don't consider myself a subscriber anymore because I never got most of my issues and got a refund\", and amazingly enough, I get an *immediate* response from the publisher himself. Was it an apology? No. Was it an offer to send me some free issues or make up for their poor customer service in any way? No again. The actual response was: \"Good help is not easy to find. You are welcome to subscribe again.\" My response back was \"Not a chance.\"

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Anonymous
July 4, 2009 5:51 AM
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As a cosmetics junkie, I've never been a fan of Benetint, but I'm surprised that Benefit says that there is a known issue with the packaging. Benetint is the trademark product of he Benefit line, and is usually the first product many people buy from them - if someone has a poor experience with it I would think they won't be making any further Benefit purchases. It would be in their best interest to fix it.That being said, I would reiterate, like many others here, to try and get a refund from Sephora - I have had nothing but stellar customer service from them.

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Anonymous
July 4, 2009 4:43 PM
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I think this post must have scared Benefit. My Benetint cap broke just yesterday morning. I found this post, emailed them and showed them this link. They are now sending me a replacement cap. That wouldn't help this person who had to throw it away because she was traveling, but at least it seems they aren't being super jerky anymore...just minorly stupid.

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Anonymous
July 6, 2009 4:16 PM
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The same thing happened to me a few months ago with the exact same product. I brought it back to a Benefit counter in a department store, explained the issue, and was immediately given a new bottle of the product. In and out in less than five minutes. The packaging is terrible, however.

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sarkathstic
July 6, 2009 6:32 PM
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If she's got a Sephora store nearby, she should take it in. I had a Murad lip balm that was defective and they exchanged it for me, no questions asked. I've bought all my makeup from them since then because I know if there's a quality issue, they'll take care of it.

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Anonymous
July 6, 2009 7:50 PM
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Oh, Benefit. Bad form.

Normally, I'd recommend that the customer take the item directly back to the retailer, not contact the manufacturer. It just seems like common consumer logic. But, if you're buying from Sephora and travelling, it is not a good situation. So many places don't have Sephoras or even Sephora @ JCPenney's. Nordstrom and its kin are not going to take a product they didn't sell, so she's basically stuck with contacting Benefit directly.

It's really easy to just say, \"I'm sorry about what happened to you, but we do not have coupons and cannot authorize refunds without proof of purchase/damage from benefitcosmetics.com. Please contact the retailer if possible.\"

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Viciouspixie
July 8, 2009 1:29 PM
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If you purchased your product as Sephora bringing it back within a reasonable time frame and having a receipt will get you a product replacement without any hassle.


I'm not sure how long you've had the product for before the cap broke - but it never hurts to try to go back to the store and raise your concerns.


I've returned a faulty product there once as I couldn't use it after shelling out $23 bucks myself.. (packaging was defective preventing access to the product) and the lady at the counter gave me no attitude just scanned my bill, labeled the defective product with a sticker and gave me a new one.


With the price we pay for cosmetics at that store - good service is a must otherwise there would be mobs of us angry women picketing outside ^_^

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