The Benefit they’re real range has been around for a while now. Starting out with the bestselling mascara which took the blogging world by storm. The range now extends to items such eyeshadow and even lipstick! I was lucky to receive some of the line from Debenhams to take for a test drive and share my thoughts with you today.
They’re Real – Push Up Liner
This is a gel liner housed in a twist up pen. The product is said to have an “accuflex” tip. This basically allows you to make more precise application and get the product really close to your lash line.
It took me a little while to get the hang of using this eyeliner, I kept twisting the pen too eagerly so way too much product was coming out of the top. After a while I adapted to the “less is more” approach and very gently twisted the bottom of the pen to achieve the desired amount of eyeliner on the nib.
The angled tip was really easy to use and I found it effortlessly distributed product across my eyelid. The colour was really intense and I didn’t feel the need to keep going back and forth applying more to get an darker effect.
Once applied I am pleased to report it didn’t smudge! I suffer with fairly oily eyelids and I will often experience the transfer of eyeliner onto the space below my eyebrow when using some eyeliner products. Benefit’s option was long-wearing – so much so that it took quite a good amount of cleansing to get if off later that day!
They’re Real – Double The Lip
This product is said to save you time and produce fuller looking lips! It’s a lip liner and lipstick combination featuring a custom teardrop tip. You have the darker lip liner shade at the top followed by the lipstick shade underneath which combine together to create a subtle definition on the lip. The shades are very complimentary so you shouldn’t end up with super harsh lines that make it look like you’ve just stepped out of the early 90s!
I tried the shade “lusty rose” and found it very easy to apply. The darker shade or the pointing tip should always face the outside of your lips to create that “outline” that lip liner would give. The texture is creamy and non-drying, you can see from the pictures below that my lips look outlined but the shades are nicely complimentary and more full in appearance.
The lipstick didn’t last for that long without reapplication. I tend to talk a lot (lol) or am constantly drinking or eating something so no lipstick ever lasts that long for me, unless it’s a dry down matte. I was definitely a fan of this lipstick and just loved the rose colour. One I will be reaching for to on a day to day basis.
They’re Real – Duo Eyeshadow Blender
I was instantly drawn to this eye product – nude eyeshadow – woohoo! To use this duo eyeshadow blender you take the sponge blender back and forth across the shadow colours and then sweep it across your eyelid.
The shade shown above is “naughty neutral” and both shadow options are really pretty. They work very well together. The only problem I have with this product is the sponge. I haven’t applied eyeshadow with a sponge since I was about 13! I found it really difficult to use. It’s quite fat and round. I couldn’t be precise enough with it and get into the inner corners of my eye!
Don’t get me wrong I think the shadows are great quality. They’ve a lovely soft consistency and apply smoothly (with a brush!). I think I’ll be using this with my favourite eyeshadow brushes in the future. A cute idea but maybe a bit of a gimmick with the sponge!
They’re Real Mascara and Tinted Primer
I tried the original they’re real mascara years ago when it first came out. I wasn’t 100% impressed as I found it was quite a “wet” formula and it smudged under my eyes. After speaking to my mum and saying I had another chance to try it she urged me to give it another go. She said it was her favourite mascara and that it separated and lifted her lashes really well.
The brush features short and long rubber bristles. It has a domed tip with bristles which allows you to catch smaller lashes in your inner and outer corners.
I found that the key to getting this mascara to look its best was to not be too liberal with my application. I used a light hand and gently applied the formula. After that I gave it time to dry down properly before I continued with any make up application. It does definitely lengthen the lashes and although I experienced a bit of smudging halfway through the day it definitely performed better than what I remembered.
The real star of the show for me here was this lovely tinted primer though. You can wear it alone to give lashes a really natural look, or as a primer to help boost the they’re real mascara’s performance!
I found myself wearing it alone most of the time. It really helped to define my lashes and produced no clumps at all. It didn’t smudge and produced a “my lashes but better” look. For days when I’m really not feeling like wearing much make up, this is the best thing to reach for to help me feel more put-together.
You can browse the Benefit they’re real eye makeup options at Debenhams here.
Have you ever tried any products from this range? – let me know your thoughts!
