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.

"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.

I'm guessing that Angelica isn't laughing now that their less than stellar customer service is on the Consumerist...

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.

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.

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.

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.

I do like the art direction/design of their packaging though. =)

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.

@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.

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).

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.

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!

@Robobot: Sometimes I honestly wonder if they're looking forward to "purse spillage".

"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.

@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]

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.

and by "consumerists' rights" I meant "consumer's rights" and by "product" I mean "profit." No more posting after midnight for me!

@femaleconsumerist: Yeah, I don't see mascara being recalled either. It generally does contain guano after all.

@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.

@WorldHarmony: You know what? They're right! Since "laughter is the best cosmetic," save your money and don't bother buying their products!

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.

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.

@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.

@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.

@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.

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.

@alternatestory: Agreed. I've never had a problem with Sephora.com's customer service.

The OP should try contacting them as well.

@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...

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.

"Laughter is the best cosmetic, so grin and wear it."

@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]

@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.

@bobert: The letter would make sense and be appropriate only if a coupon for a free product were enclosed.

@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!

@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.

@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.

@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.

@bobert: Yea that closing line might be a generic e-mail signature but definitely not going to help with the whole "professionalism" thing

@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!

@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]

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!

@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.

@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).

@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.

@femaleconsumerist:
Agreed. I would like to see a post with the best and worse customer service in the cosmetics field.

@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.

@HogwartsAlum: Thanks for the link. Looks interesting.

@Garbanzo: Remember the "Sephora Spy" feature on Jezebel? Notes on her work day from a Sephora employee. That always cracked me up!