little white truths

I have tried so hard to love this mascara as much as everyone else does, and I just don't. This is now the third travel sized item I've wound up with via subscription boxes, and it didn't get any better for me this time around. FOO!


This is one of those cult products that so many people rave about, but that just doesn't work for me. This seems to be something of a theme with Benefit products - I've tried quite a few now and, in my opinion, only High Beam lives up to the hype.


Benefit claims/product details:

• Lengthens, curls, volumises, lifts and separates
• Jet black, long-wearing formula that won’t smudge or dry out
• A specially designed brush reveals lashes you never knew you had
• 94% saw dramatic length and volume
• 90% saw base-to-tip curl
• 94% saw visible lift
• 100% saw long-wearing results
• RRP $24USD for 8.5g ($38 in Australia, but do shop around)

The main problem for me with this mascara is the brush. I like it in theory, but I have puffy eyes and it's so not designed for people with that issue. It's too wide. Not once have I applied it and not had to remove some that I've accidentally managed to get on my upper lashline and/or eye area.

Also, I can't use it on my lower lashline because it goes everywhere and I don't think the brush is well-suited to lower lashes, so I have to have another mascara on the go to use for the bottom half. Annoying!

There's me with no mascara:


There's me with mascara below. It does lengthen and thicken but it doesn't look very natural at all. (No, they're not real. Clearly.)


There are my puffy eyes below (with product). I'm sure you can imagine that mascara application would be tough without a very delicate brush, and this mascara doesn't provide that. But I can see how it might be ok if you don't have that issue.


Verdict

Obviously I'm underwhelmed by this mascara, and I'm surprised that so many people love it.

It's not just the brush I have trouble using due to my eye shape - it's also the fact that it rubs off. I had a quick rest earlier today after feeding my daughter and I got up to find little black mascara dots all under my eyes from product that had shed itself, and I'd only had the mascara on for about an hour. This is not the first time that's happened.

Another problem I have with this mascara is that it really doesn't stand up well to a second coat. If you do add a second coat, I find that your lashes go all clumpy and stick together, and the whole 'They're Real' concept is thrown out the window.

Indeed, the whole 'They're Real' idea doesn't work for me with this product. It's not a natural-looking mascara (whether you double-coat or not) and it completely announces itself ('yes, this girl is wearing mascara') from the first swipe.

As mentioned, I don't think the brush is suitable for lower lashes, and you'll see from the above shot of the brush that product pools on the bristles at the end, meaning you're bound to wind up with a gunky application unless you wipe that bit off with a tissue (what a waste) because you can't easily scrape it on the mouth of the tube to dislodge it (the angle's all wrong), as you might a normal wand that has picked up too much product.

Low marks from me I'm afraid. I realise I'm in the minority there, but I'd suggest testing this first before committing because I do think there are much better (and cheaper!) products on the market.