Benefit They're Real! Push Up Liner and They're Real! Remover

Benefit have made their iconic They're Real mascara the centre of a new mini-brand - meet the new additions, They're Real Push Up Liner, and They're Real Remover.  Granted, neither are really directly related to the They're Real phrase - false lashes, yes, false liner, no - but they do form a bit of an eye powerhouse alongside the original mascara.

They're Real Push Up Liner promises a lash-hugging gel liner in a pen, with a matte black finish which won't budge - the formula is waterproof, hence the need for a special remover.  The packaging basically dispenses liner through a teardrop shaped gap in what Benefit are calling the AccuFlex tip - this is where the lash hugging, easy application action comes from.  And indeed, it is super bendy and flexible, which gives you great maneuverability along the lashline.

Once the liner is flowing, you can easily achieve a thick or thin line.  The liner itself is a rich, dark black which goes on smoothly with intense pigmentation - so long as enough of the liner is available near the nib, of course.  You'll know when to twist the end of the pen to dispense more, as the line will stop being rich and opaque.

On the eyes, it has a definite framing effect - with a good volume building mascara, the combo of black liner and black lashes really opens up the eye area.  The effect is no different from lining your eyes with a traditional black gel liner and a brush - but it is a hell of a lot easier, particularly if you have shaky hands, and there's less faffing around with loading up a brush before you start.

The downsides, then?  The applicator is unique, and does make application easy, but it's very frustrating when the liner stops flowing in the middle of a line.  Once you twist to dispense more product, you'll get a mini-product explosion on the nib, so you do need to be careful to wipe carefully before starting again on your eyes.  There is a fair bit of wastage, too - it's near impossible to keep the gel flowing without sometimes needing to wipe up a great big glob of it.

All in all, though, this is an excellent way to achieve even, perfectly lined eyes without a lot of fuss.  Every claim on longevity is true - I had to scrub my swatches off my hand, and I've had to spend plenty of time massaging in my oil cleanser to remove it from my lashline.  On that note, the remover is nice enough but not essential - any oil cleanser will do just as thorough a job, and for less than They're Real! Remover's £14.50 pricetag.

At £18.50, this is a great product to try if you want an easy way to line your lids with colour that lasts all day.  You'll find it on Benefit counters, and at their UK website.

Disclosure: PR sample

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