REVIEW: Benefit They're Real Push Up Gel Liner Pen

I am obsessed with gel liners, and I love any product that comes in the ease of a pen. So when Benefit sent out their press email announcing the "They're Real!" Push Up Liner, I had to have it! I remember hearing about the Maybelline version of this a while back, but it wasn't released in the US, so I got even more excited knowing that finally a brand would sell a gel liner pen in the US.

Let's start with packaging.

The box is very similar to Benefit's best selling "They're Real!" Mascara, with claims that read:

• "91% said it was long wearing"
• "81% said it was waterproof"
• "86% said it hugged the lashline"
• "84% said eyes looked visibly larger"

The product comes in a  pen with a screw-on cap, which means that the cap won't accidentally pop off and make a mess. This makes this liner perfect for your on-the-go makeup bag! To dispense the product, you twist the bottom until product comes out. The first time I used this pen, it took probably 10 clicks to get the product out. After that, it takes 3-5 clicks to get product out.

On the box, you can find a description of their AccuFlex tip. It says "Custom soft, angled tip gets the matte black, smudge-proof liner close to your lash line." That's debatable. While I do like the softness of the tip, I struggled to get close to my lash line. When I dispensed the product, it would ball up on the end, and getting just the right amount of product was a bit of a challenge. 

I also really struggled to get a precise line with the applicator. When you first apply the liner after clicking a few times, it really just kind of clumps onto your lash line, and I often felt that I was just smearing it around with the silicone tip. It wasn't until there was almost no product on the tip that I could finally get a precise line, but then it wasn't exactly opaque.

In terms of longevity, it's pretty average, in my opinion. It is water resistant, but definitely not water proof. When rubbed with a wet finger, it did smudge, but it didn't completely come off. When using my Garnier Cleansing Micellar Water, it began to come off with little effort, which makes it seem quite silly that they are also selling an $18 remover gel to go with the "They're Real!" line. I've taken naps while wearing this liner (I know, bad Danielle), and it smudged like nobody's business, significantly worse than a lot of drugstore liners that I have slept in before.

Another thing I've noticed with this formula is that is flakes. A lot. After wearing this liner for maybe 3 hours, I would have friends come up to me to clean black chunks off my cheeks. While it does stay black and generally opaque all day, it tends to get a bit patchy due to the flakiness of the product.

Final Thoughts? I'm really disappointed that I dislike this product so much. I wanted to love it, I really did. But for $24, I can't really recommend this product. There are drugstore liners that do a much better job for a third of the price. I really wanted to be able to rave about this liner, but, once again, the "They're Real!" line has let me down. I feel like this liner is incredibly gimmicky, and honestly, it's going straight back to Sephora.

However, I will mention something. I received the "They're Real!" Remover as a sample when I purchased this liner, and I actually really like it. While I don't think I can justify paying $18 for a makeup remover, it does a beautiful job of removing waterproof makeup! Since it's summer and I've been super busy, I've switched to a waterproof mascara, and it makes my lashes look like I was never wearing mascara at all. 

What a bummer, huh? Do you have any products you just really wanted to love, but couldn't?

- D.