I've been meaning to talk about this mascara for a while now.
Benefit They're Real mascara is apparently the UK's best selling mascara - but does it live up to the hype?
I got my sample sized 'They're Real' from a Latest in Beauty collection a couple of months ago and have been chewing over my thoughts on it since.
It has a silicon brush with a little spiky 'orb' on the end to enable you to get those little hairs in the corner of our eyes which otherwise get missed.
Benefit say:
They're real! is the UK's No.1 best-selling mascara!*
They're real! lengthens, curls, volumizes, lifts & separates. Our jet black, long-wearing formula won’t smudge or dry out. A specially designed brush reveals lashes you never knew you had!
My eyelashes are long, sparse and spindly with very little natural curl. Curling them makes virtually no difference at all, as seen in the photos below. If I'm to get any curl help at all, it's from mascara.
I applied three coats of They're Real mascara in all.
I didn't use a lash comb between coats so you can see how the mascara clumps. I really like the look of one coat of this mascara. I normally only wear one coat of mascara, two at a push if I'm going for a night out. Two coats as you can see above still looks quite good, and would be grand when gone through with a lash comb. Three coats and we're going into scary spider lashes territory with clumping from hell. I couldn't stand the look or feel of my lashes with three coats on. Having my eyelashes feel crispy and weighed down with product isn't at all enjoyable for me.
Now, to the removal. This mascara is renowned for it's lengthy wear and that means removal HELL! It isn't described as a waterproof mascara per se, but it removes like one. My normal eye makeup remover doesn't touch it. The only thing which removes it (without much eye rubbing and soreness) is micellar water. If you've never heard of micellar waters, they are cleansing solutions with tiny particles of oil in them which make make up removal a walk in the park. They aren't greasy at all and are safe for use all over the face, as well as the delicate eye area. They tend to be a little more expensive than normal make up removers, but they usually do a better job so fair 'nuff.
(In another post I have coming up in a couple of days I'm going to talk about the use of micellar waters to remove stubborn make up. I'll also be comparing a high end VS high street micellar, and showing you some photos of before and after removal.)
The verdict:
This mascara costs £19.50 from the Benefit website, department stores and other selected beauty websites. I think currently when you buy the full size mascara you get a free sample size (the same size I have.)
Would I repurchase? No. It's a good mascara, but in my opinion it isn't a great one. I hate the uber dry 'crispy' feeling my lashes have while wearing this, and having to use micellar water to remove it is a bit of a ball ache, too. Also, Benefit aren't cruelty free (they sell in China, where testing on animals is mandatory by law.) On the plus side, it doesn't make my terribly sensitive eyes sore.
I recently reviewed MUA's Extreme Curl mascara which is a much better fit for me, and it only costs £2 (it's also cruelty free.) I think it makes my lashes look longer and more separated than the Benefit one, (and it feels moisturising rather than drying) but here's a comparison photo so you can see for yourself.
Have you tried They're Real? If so, what do you think of it?
What's your favourite mascara?
Thanks for reading!
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