My favorite mascara, by far, is Benefit's "They're Real!" Mascara. I purchased my first tube at Ulta under the advice of one of their makeup artists because, frankly, I had no idea what to look for in a mascara. I know that my lashes are relatively decent but I wanted that sort of false, fluttery look without gooping on eyelash glue (frankly, I don't have that kind of time, patience, nor finesse to accomplish it). I had tried Maybelline's Falsies mascara, but I couldn't wear it due to whatever fragrance they add into their mascara. It irritated my eyes, made them itch and run, and the raccoon look is never in style. Anyway, frustrated by this prospect I went to the makeup artist and said, "I need a good, reliable mascara. What do you suggest?" Without missing a beat she suggest Benefit's "They're Real!" mascara. I looked at the package, looked back at her with skepticism, and said: "Seriously? They expect you to believe these claims?" She said she would never use another mascara after trying that one.
I figured I had nothing to lose except cash in my wallet, so I decided to buy it and give it a shot. I was very skeptical of the statistics they give on the box:
94% saw dramatic length & volume*
90% saw base-to-tip curl*
94% saw visible lift*
100% saw long-wearing results*
*Results observed in a consumer panel survey
And in the back of my mind I figured: I'm a scientist. I know how statistics work. This has to be too good to be true.
Boy was I wrong!
Without lash primer on, I used this mascara and found my lashes went from 0 to awesome in a few seconds flat! The mascara went on smoothly with a sleek, jet-black color that coated my lashed from root to tip. Thankfully Benefit gives you instructions on how to use the nifty wand inside the tube: the barrel of the wand looks like a normal mascara brush but the tip of the wand has a ball with spikes on the end...it made me think of a mace. The little ball is meant to separate and find those teeny-tiny corner lashes that we miss. Works like a charm. I don't need to use primer or an eyelash curler with this miracle-in-a-tube. It works just fine as-is and my eyes don't get watery and weird like they did with Maybelline's mascara. I have literally received compliments on my lashes and how my eyes look when I wear it. It was worth the price and worth the try. My only complaint: the bristles are spikey and hard. This is not a normal fiber brush like you have in some mascara tubes. If I'm bleary in the morning chances are I will poke myself in the eye, and I will certainly feel it. That being said, use with caution. Otherwise, you won't go wrong with this beauty find! Price point: $23 at Benefit's website or at other beauty retailers who carry Benefit cosmetics.
