Fashion & Beauty

Review: Good Ship Benefit

My name is Tegan LeBon and I am addicted to Benefit products. So much so that Facebook automatically notifies me when new products are released, there is a sale or the opening of an exciting collaboration with R.S Hispaniola located at Victoria Embankment. Benefit has taken over this charming ship docked at Embankment and turned it in to the coolest place to drink, dine or get your brows on fleek! For the next five months, Good Ship Benefit floors are dedicated to all things brows, ‘Hoola’, ‘POREfessional’ and Benefit’s best-selling mascara, ‘they’re Real!’

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Entering the ship is a bit steep at low tide and my friend and I were worried we’d end up in the Thames before getting to enjoy our dinner. Managing to get safely on board, we was escorted into the The Pinkton Parlour. Benefit’s signature pink colour is everywhere, so it’s not hard to see how the Pinkton Parlour got its name. The views of the London Eye and the Thames while we enjoyed a glass a Pimm’s in comfy pink chairs were gorgeous. It really is a lovely place to enjoy a cocktail or afternoon tea. Prices for the cocktails are a bit above average for London, starting at £8.00 for a short cocktail to £12.50 for a long cocktail, but not unaffordable.  On the first deck, in the Brow Lounge guests can also get their brows waxed or a mini makeover at the Benefit Makeup Counter.

Lashitude 1

After finishing our cocktail and exploring the first deck, we were lead to the Upper Deck to the Lashitude restaurant. More amazing views of the London Eye and the Houses of Parliament were visible while we sat at our table sipping cocktails and waiting for our dinner to arrive. The menu at Lashitude is based on San Francisco Cuisine and staff informed us that it is the only San Francisco themed menu in all of London. Having struggling to decide what we wanted to order as everything on the menu sounds delicious, my friend opted for ‘Smoked Gressingham Duck Breast with Textures of Raspberries’ for a starter while I decided to have a dessert instead of a starter. My friend’s starter looked lovely and she found it ‘nice and juicy’. She did like the raspberry sauce the duck was served with, yet found the raspberries and meringue it was served with a bit strange.

sea bass

Our mains arrived shortly after my friend had finished her stater. I ordered the ‘Slow Braised Pork Belly, Sauteed King Prawns, Peas and Creamed Potatoes’ and my friend opted for ‘Pan Seared Stone Bass, Pepper Essence, Ratatouille and Herbed Potatoes’.

pork belly

The sign of a good meal is when friends who never stop talking barely speak while eating their food. We definitely inhaled our meals, they were fantastic. I could spend all day raving about my dinner as it was absolutely sensational. The Pork Belly was cooked to perfection and accompanying sauce it was served with utter perfection. My friend also enjoyed her Sea Bass and Ratatouille, wishing there was more of it. The serving size of her dinner compared to mine did appear a bit disproportionate, yet that just left more room for us to fit in dessert. We shared the ‘California Cheesecake with Jack Daniels Reduction and Caramel’. It was the flawless end to our meal.

cheesecake

After finishing dinner we decided to finish exploring the Good Ship Benefit and enjoy some more cocktails. We found our way down to the POREfessional Vault, a secret martini bar on the ship. Designed like a cool 1960s spy room, the room has a very James Bond feel to it. We didn’t stay long down here as all the action was happening upstairs due to a festival that was happening that day, but we stayed for a Martini each.

Given the horrible weather of the day we didn’t get to venture up to the Hoola Decks were it was promised that the deck brings the beach to the boat. I’m definitely going to have to head back to the Good Ship Benefit to check it out as the luxury decks are said to come complete with Tiki huts and cabanas where girls will be able to sip cocktails from the beach bar, all served from one of Benefit’s Hoola hunks. Fitness classes also take place on the Hoola decks.

All five rooms are currently open with more exciting rooms, new products and exclusive experiences to be revealed throughout the five months. During this time, Benefit will be spreading its feel-good approach to beauty by offering guests the opportunity to donate to charities Look Good Feel Better and Refuge, who help women and girls facing times of adversity. Guests who climb on board during the month of May and have their brows waxed can donate via text and will receive a complimentary Gimme Brow (worth £18.50).

We had a fabulous time on deck and I’m looking forward to going again to sample more of the cocktail menu, have another lovely dinner on board and checking out the Afternoon Tea special. Make sure you head down to the Good Ship Benefit as it really is time for London guys and girls to live the San Francisco dream and come aboard for five months of cocktails, cuisine and cosmetics, brows, bubbles and beauty!

Reporter: Tegan LeBon ¦ @Toogs1

Good Ship Benefit

Victoria Embankment

WC2N 5DJ

Monday – Thursday – 11am – 11pm

Friday – Saturday – 11am – Midnight

Sunday – 11am – 11pm

Websitegoodshipbenefit.com

Facebook/BenefitCosmeticsUK

Twitter@benefituk

Instgram: @benefitcosmeticsuk