Road test: They’re Real! Push-up Liner from Benefit
IT’S been hailed a “beauty game changer”, and in case you haven’t seen it all over your Instagram feed, Benefit’s They’re Real! Push-up Liner is now in Australia.
IT’S been labelled a “beauty game changer”, and in case you haven’t seen it all over your Instagram feed, Benefit’s They’re Real! Push-up Liner has launched today in Australia.
Known for its pursuit of innovation, Benefit spent five years perfecting the product, with months spent living in engineering labs and testing around the globe. Women’s Wear Daily recently reported that the liner is expected to generate $100 million in global retail sales in its first year alone. With that sort of a rap, we just had to put it to the test:
WHAT IT IS:
They’re Real! Push-up Liner from Benefit Cosmetics
WHAT IT SAYS:
“It’s the FIRST EVER lash-hugging gel liner in a pen! This matte black gel formula won’t smudge, budge or dry out, and the innovative soft AccuFlex Tip hugs your lashline from corner to corner. The closer the line, the bigger the eye!
There are three reasons why They’re Real! Push-up Liner is a true beauty breakthrough:
1) The matte, black gel formula is long-lasting and waterproof.
2) It’s a gel formula in a pen.
3) The innovative AccuFlex tip easily hugs your lash line from corner to corner. The soft AccuFlex tip is the only one that is wide, angled and flat!”
THE VERDICT: ALISON, THE EYELINER PRO
I desperately wanted this product to live up to the hype to make that little black line a breeze. As someone who wears liquid eyeliner every day, I consider myself somewhat of a devotee. But I have always found pencil liners too hard (let’s not even talk about the constant sharpening), pot gels too messy (I always lost the brush) and my felt tip was constantly drying out.
Enter the They’re Real! gel liner, with its revolutionary tip and promises of a long-lasting, easy-to-apply line. It looked a little intimidating at first, but as soon as you put the wand to eyelid, it glides effortlessly along the lashline leaving a nice bold black. In one of those all-too-rare wins, my eyeliner actually looked the same thickness and depth on BOTH eyes.
Ladies, this product does exactly what it promises, so much so that it is almost goof-proof. It hugs the lashline and delivers an even thickness along the eye without the telltale gap. At $35, it’s not the cheapest liner in town, so I’m hoping it lasts a good while because I think I may have just found my new favourite product.
THE VERDICT: KATE, THE EYELINER NOVICE
I have dabbled in eyeliner before, but I always have so much trouble. Pencils are too thick, pots can be perilous, I find my eyelashes always get in the way and it just takes so much time. So, I was excited to try this gel liner from Benefit, primarily because it’s been promoted as easy. And, it was.
Apart from my initial panic at nothing happening when I twisted the bottom (which FYI you have to do many times when you first open the product so don’t worry if this happens to you), I practised a few lines on my hand before going in for the kill. So far, so good.
I approached the mirror with trepidation, but the liner went on easily and much more smoothly than a pencil, and I like how inky the black colour is. The line I drew ended up being a little too thick, but I am sure I could ace a thinner line given more practice.
Bonus tip: For those who want to master the all-too-trendy cat-eye, makeup artist Mia Hawkswell advises using a light brown pencil to mark a finish point for the wing and then joining that mark to the eye line with your liner. Next, fill in the gap from wing tip to the corner of your eye to form a triangle shape. Too easy.
More: www.benefitcosmetics.com