Benefit Introduces the Beauty Blockbuster of the Summer

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Benefit They’re Real! Push-Up Liner, Mascara and Remover Review

This is my kind of reality show! Produced and directed by Benefit Cosmetics, this carefully crafted blockbuster isn’t appearing on television; it’s a real life feature starring a trio of eye enhancers.

All three products are part of the They’re Real! franchise, and all should be making headlines (or lashlines) from coast to coast. The top-billed product is Benefit’s brand new They’re Real! Push-Up Liner, cast in a star-making role.

I love gel liner, but who wants to carry around a little pot and a brush? Benefit Cosmetics, always one step ahead of the game, figured out a way to deliver the smoothness and quick-drying qualities of gel in a twist-up pen.

Five years in development, with a reported 70 modifications along the way, has led to this: the They’re Real! Push-Up Liner ($24) – an innovative creation that is vastly different and remarkably precise.

The unique, rubbery Accuflex tip plays a triple role with three carefully designed features:

• Soft, angled tip makes it easy to draw wings
• Flat guard gets close to lashline, pushing lashes aside
• Wide base gives a stable application

So how does gel liner get to the tip? A few turns on the bottom of the pen (similar to twist-up lipgloss) brings up a “micro control dose” of the black gel liner. When using it for the first time it will take a number of clicks before you’ll get to the gel.

all these lines came from one dose!

Benefit recommends one click per application, but that was iffy for me. Sometimes one click was enough, other times it took two or even three. The gel is extremely fast-drying, and does not flake or smear at all. The line is dramatic matte black.

All things considered, Benefit has combined a budge-proof gel liner with a new take on the applicator that really does balance flexibility and stability for the perfect line. Talk about star quality!

Supporting cast might not get the glory, but they hold a production together. Benefit’s They’re Real! Mascara ($23) is already a proven player, garnering raves since its introduction. The cocktail shaker shaped packaging tells my lashes it’s party time every time I pick it up.

The formula is an easily buildable, glossy black, with a generously-sized brush. I love the little extra bristles at the tip, useful for getting to every tiny lash. My lashes look long and lush, with a curling effect that lasts all day. Absolutely no flaking or smearing, but easy removal when it’s time.

Speaking of removal, They’re Real! Remover ($18) is the hardworking cleanup crew of this show, and I’m happy to report it works like a champ. While the mascara is washable, the liner is anything but. After I washed my face with ordinary cleanser, I was still wearing perfectly applied liner.

Benefit’s latest makeup remover was formulated to “erases waterproof eye makeup without tugging the delicate eye area”. The gel formula is nice to work with and dispenses from a squeezable tube.

Trying to move the They’re Real! Push-Up Liner with a water-based cleanser was pointless. But a few swipes of creamy They’re Real! Remover whisked away all traces of the waterproof liner. And when used on a cotton swab, it’s also great if you flub your lines – I mean liner.

Pros:

• Brush is wide, angled and flat; can create a thick or thin line, whatever you desire
• Combination of flexibility and stability gives optimum control of the line
• Formula is smooth, dark, and extremely fast drying
• Although They’re Real! Remover is oil-based, it’s suitable for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers

Cons:

• Twist up delivery method is a little tricky; not enough makes for a spotty line, but it’s also easy to dispense too much.

we heartsters – for real, have you tried any products in this Benefit They’re Real trio?

photos: we heart this