Product Review: Benefit They're Real! Push-Up Liner

Hi pals! Can you believe it's already February? I feel like I was just in London ringing in the new year. Time seems to fly when you're keeping busy!

Today I have a little review of Benefit Cosmetics' They're Real! Push-Up Liner. I was actually conflicted about whether or not to purchase this product in the first place as I don't wear eyeliner often. But since I'm always on the hunt for something new to change up my makeup routine, I figured why not? My attention was first brought to this eyeliner when it won Allure's Best of Beauty and Breakthrough awards of 2014. However, it has extremely mixed reviews and only a 3/5 rating on both Benefit and Sephora's websites.


After using the eyeliner a few times, I can understand these mixed reviews. Firstly, the applicator isn't something I've ever seen before. The liner comes out of a tiny slit in a little, slanted nib. The nib is designed to hug your lashes so you can make the line as thin or as thick as you desire depending on the pressure applied. I really love this aspect of the product. The pen is easy to handle and the nib allows you to be really accurate.

Where this product falls short is with the liner itself. It's boasted as the first gel liner in a pen, but despite this neat feature it's definitely not the best quality gel liner I've used. To use it you twist the bottom of the pen until a bit of gel comes out of the nib, but the only problem is it seems like the gel drys up as soon as it comes in contact with air (almost too soon to actually apply the product). It also has a tendency to ball up and flake off my eyelid which is more than a little frustrating. However, I do have to say that the liner doesn't budge the few times I have managed to apply the product smoothly.

Overall I think I would give this eyeliner a 2/5. It's interesting since most of the reviews I've seen bring up problems with the design of the pen rather than the gel liner, but it's the other way around in my opinion. I find the pen quite easy to use and I think it would be the perfect eyeliner if Benefit improved the quality of the gel.

I'd love to hear your opinions if you've used this eyeliner before! If not, what's your favourite liner? Let me know in the comments!

Sarah xx

p.s. Unfortunately, I don't think I will be posting this Saturday. I have quite a bit on my plate with uni and I need to focus all my energy on that at the moment. I hope you all understand!