I feel like I’m going through a bit of a beauty revolution at the moment, what with losing my lipstick virginity and now this recent discovery – mascara that actually works. I’ve been a huge Benefit fan since a uni trip to New York where the pretty packaging, a friendly make-up artist and a temporary loss of senses led me to spending half my student loan on scrubs, glosses, mascara and everything in-between.
Since then my costly love affair has been satisfied by Christmas presents (thanks Mum) and magazine samples (thanks Glamour!) and my mascara of choice has been Benefit’s Bad Gal. It does the job but to be honest I’ve never understood what friends and fashion magazines were banging on about when a new mascara launched. I despise the television ads, most of which use ‘post production enhancement’ or ‘dramatisations’ to make inflated claims. Of course I would like darker, thicker, longer lashes as much as the next girl but it’s never been that high on my to-do list.
So when I was accosted in the beauty department of Oxford Street’s Debenhams by Benefit make-up artist Charity, I was surprised to find the US cosmetics brand’s latest mascara offering, They’re Real, actually lives up to its claims.
Advertised as a ‘beyond belief mascara’ They’re Real promises to increase curl, length and volume without smudging or drying out. These are common claims for most mascaras which often translates to clumpy, spider-like lashes – while this look might be in-keeping with this season’s 60s trend I prefer more natural looking lashes.
Just one coat of Benefit’s They’re Real gave me long, realistic but enhanced lashes and two or three coats gives a very ‘va-va-voom’ look perfect for a more dramatic look. The wand has a rounded end which allows you to work the mascara into your corner lashes and the ‘no smudge’ claims were true – it took ages to remove the stuff with my usual make-up wipes.
I’d post a piccy on here but I’ don’t think I’d do the shiny tube of wonderstuff justice so here is another review by Sarah from I Heart Cosmetics. Do you have a mascara that rivals They’re Real? If so let me know by posting a comment below.