Benefit Cosmetics - Deluxe Samples vs. Full-Size

I've recently become a fan of Benefit cosmetics - I always thought their packaging was cute, but that isn't good enough reason to upgrade from drugstore makeup. However, after getting some free samples from Ulta, I realized I liked their product formulations on their own merit.

So far, I've only purchased kits, which are generally a great deal products-wise, and have additional cute tin/box packaging.

Show Me the Love - $36

Value: $61
Benetint, $30
They're Real, $23
The Porefessional Deluxe Sample, $8

How to Look the Best at Everything - $30

Value: $55.32
The Porefessional Deluxe Sample, $8
0.23 oz Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow at $36/1 oz = $8.28
2 x 0.05 oz Boi-ing at $20/0.1 oz = $20
0.14 oz "Hello Flawless!" at $34/0.25 oz = $19.04

World Famous Neutrals: Most Glamorous Nudes Ever - $30

Value: $56.59
4 x 0.04 oz longwear powder shadows at $20/0.11oz, $29.09
2 x 0.11 oz creaseless cream shadows at $20/0.16oz, $27.50

While calculating the value of these kits, I realized something odd - namely, that some of the deluxe sample sizes sold by Benefit are a better deal than buying the full sizes. All the deluxe sample sizes sold by Benefit are $8/ea (with the exception of They're Real, which is currently available in both $10 and $8 deluxe sample sizes, but the $8 size is relatively new, so I have a feeling the $10 will be phased out).

The better deal is shown in green, and products are arranged in order of "buy full size" to "buy sample size" (based on % discount buying one size or the other). Of course, there are plenty other reasons to buy a larger/smaller size, and the Creaseless Cream Shadow deluxe sample only comes in one color. Personally, I'm a fan of small sizes because I tend to change my makeup routine and rarely use up full sizes of anything other than foundation.

Product	Full Size Price/Size	Deluxe Sample Price/Size
Sun Beam	$26/13.0mL ($2.00/mL)	$8/2.5mL ($3.20/mL)
Tints (Benetint, Posietint, Cha Cha Tint)	$30/12.5 mL ($2.40/mL)	$8/2.5 mL ($3.20/mL)
Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow	$36/30.0 mL ($1.20/mL)	$8/5.0 mL ($1.6/mL)
Stay Don't Stray	$26/10mL ($2.60/mL)	$8/2.5mL ($3.20/mL)
Sugarbomb Ultra Plush Lipgloss	$16/15.0mL ($1.07/mL)	$8/6.5mL ($1.23/mL)
They're Real!	$23/8.5g ($2.71/g)	$8/3g or $10/4 g ($2.67/g or $2.50/g)
Watt's Up!	$30/9.4g ($3.19/g)	$8/2.5g ($3.20/g)
BADgal Lash	$19/8.5g ($2.24/g)	$8/4g ($2/g)
The POREfessional*	$42/44.0mL ($0.95/mL) $30/22.0mL ($1.36/mL)	$8/7.5mL ($1.07/mL)
Sugarbomb Face Powder	$28/8.0g ($3.50/g)	$8/3.0g ($2.67/g)
Creaseless Cream Shadow	$20/4.5g ($4.44/g)	$7/3.2g ($2.50/g)
That Gal	$29/11.0mL ($2.64/mL)	$8/7.5mL ($1.07/mL)

*Buy either the jumbo 44 mL size or the sample 7.5 mL size - either is a better deal than the standard "full size."

Unfortunately, as far as I know the deluxe sample sizes are only available for purchase directly from Benefit - if I could buy them at my local Sephora/ULTA, I'd definitely pick up deluxe samples of the Sugarbomb face powder and the Creaseless Cream Shadow. If I'm going to pay $5.95 for shipping (or spend $50 to get free shipping), I'll buy from Sephora or ULTA and get some rewards points/GWPs.