Review: Benefit Cosmetics 'They're Real' Push Up Liner
Apparently there has been a shitload of hype about this new Benefit eyeliner contraption. Ever since I admitted that I had missed the hype due to literally never checking my email (apologies to literally anyone who has ever sent me an email), friends have been sending me photos of giant billboards and shit advertising this new gel liner.
Well, I own it. So I guess I should tell you about it.
I find the name a little bit baffling since it doesn't make any sense in the context of an eyeliner. The idea behind the name for Benefit's "They're Real" mascara is "I am not wearing falsies. These are my real eyelashes that have been manually made more evident by mascara, but nothing is glued to my face." 'They're real' because they are not false eyelashes.
This eyeliner really shines, though, in giving you a decent-looking cat eye. I don't know what a "fake" cat eye would be, since all attempts to glue eyeliner to my face have ended in tragedy.
The reason this eyeliner has attracted so much attention is because the concept is relatively unique. Liquid liner pens are a godsend to anyone who can barely draw a straight line or who wants their eyeliner to be as similar to using a Sharpie as possible. Someone at Benefit's product development said, "Hm. I wonder if we could shove gel eyeliner into a similar gizmo and it could kind of ooze out and you could shape it a little or something." So, that's what they made.
When you get the pen, the tip is stopped up by a little traffic-cone orange plug. You pull the fucker out and twist the back a crapload and stop when you finally see some eyeliner coming out.
The tip of the eyeliner is a slanted, rubbery edge and the liner comes out straight from the enter in an incredibly phallic way, like some black, demonic pre-cum.
I found that, once the product hit the tip, it came out at a really reasonable, controllable rate.
The gel itself is softer than a traditional gel liner by necessity. It's the consistency of a pudding that has been sitting out in the sun for a while. I did not have any issues applying it. I thought the process was really easy and that it gave a great effect.
It does have the classic, matte black gel liner look. It stays on quite nicely, also. It's a "I need makeup remover to get rid of these swatches" kind of liner.
I am not sure it was easier to apply than a traditional gel liner, and I don't think it would be for anyone who doesn't fall to pieces at the thought of using a brush. I do appreciate that it saves me a washing, however.
Here's how it looks on my face:
…THE BETTER TO EAT YOU WITH.
Although it certainly gives a nice winged liner effect, I have actually been using it most frequently for tightlining. I find that gel eyeliner gives the most dramatic, quick-to-apply tightline look, and that this format saves me approximately four seconds in the morning when tightlining compared to conventional gel liner.
I'm not necessarily sure that four seconds per day is worth $24 for most people, though, especially since everything in pen form is teensy tiny. At 0.04oz, this eyeliner is a steep $600 per ounce. Oof.
There are definitely some people who will adore this product. If you are the kind of person who likes things in pen form, you probably will like this, too. I also think it would be AWESOME for carrying with you to do touch-ups, if you are the type of person who leaves the house for reasons other than work. Finally, if you are really lusting after it and you have the cash to justify it, I would probably lean on the "go ahead and buy the damn thing" side. It's a good eyeliner. It works well. The biggest flaw is simply that you don't get a lot of product for your dollar.
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