Benefit's They're Real! Push-Up Liner

Benefit's They're Real! Push-Up Liner

I picked this up a few days ago and have been wearing it everyday since. I think that's enough wear for me to form an opinion, but if things change I will always update you! So jumping right in, the description on Sephora reads: "the first fool-proof and budge-proof gel liner in a pen. A gorgeous way to open up eyes, this matte black gel formula won’t dry out, and its cutting-edge tip ensures a precise line every time." It boasts an innovative, flexible tip which they call the AccuFlex tip. 

AccuFlex tip

I'm not a big gel eyeliner fan; I don't think that any pot of gel liner and brush will ever give me a clear, sharp, defined line, so the allure of a gel formula liner in a handy pen was strong. Now keep in mind that my main love is liquid liner with a tiny brush tip. I've just about mastered that type of eyeliner so this completely different formula and packaging was quite daunting.

This product has a twist off cap which is nice to keep this product from really drying out. I swatched it in store and found the formula to be incredibly creamy and smooth, and I could smudge it right away. If I let it dry, it was virtually budge proof. Since I was out and about and had this big smudge of eyeliner on my hand that soap wasn't clearing up, I put a bit of hand sanitizer on the line and it just about completely dissolved it off. Now obviously I'm not recommending using sanitizer to take it off your eyes, but there is a way for it to come off! 

If you've seen any promos for this product, you'll know they came out with a They're Real Remover. After using my Clinique Cleansing Balm as usual, it seemed to come off easier than my liquid liner in the shower. I had less of a panda eye when I got out. I just used my normal Maybelline eye makeup remover and that did the trick just fine which makes me feel like the Benefit remover isn't completely necessary. 

Maybelline Clean Express! Makeup Remover

Just holding the cotton pad with remover on my eye. No wiping.

Almost all of the eyeliner came off with no wiping.

fool-proofness:
Using this product for the first time, I had bare eyelids. So no primer, no shadow, nothing. The line I created was a bit thick for my taste but quite sharp for a gel liner. Then I went ahead and did a simple eyeshadow look with eye primer, a neutral shade on my lid, and a darker neutral in my crease. I found the ease-of use to be a little harder, as having a shadow makes it tug a little more than a bare lid. The same was true for a more intensive eyeshadow look-- harder to glide a clean line. Now using primer and a cream shadow, I had a bit more success. It was easier to create a cleaner line, but it did end up being way too thick for my taste. I also have to tug on my eyelid more so that my skin is a flatter smoother surface for the liner to glide over. If you don't like doing that or have sensitive eyes, you might not like this.

Too much product, but you get the idea

cat-eye precision:
I found that the first time I used this product on bare lids, I got the most precise cat-eye flick. It was much harder the more shadow I had on the lid. When I first clicked the product out of the pen, it formed in a little bead shape at the bottom of the opening of the AccuFlex tip. This to me, helped create a better cat-eye, since the product was free to taper off at the end-- if that makes sense. Now that I've used it, the product has taken the shape of the tip opening which is shaped like an angled line. You could basically stamp the cat-eye line on your outer corners, but I feel that the formula is too dry to do that cleanly. My wings have ended up being quite fat and not so wing-like. Today I actually used a liquid brush eyeliner over the They're Real liner to end my wing in a sharp point.

Me tugging at my eyelid. This eye turned out better than the other.

Overall draggy sort of dryness

Not a precise wing. It was too thick that I could flake a chunk off.

opacity:
Since, with use, I feel that this liner is a bit dry, the line is kind of foggy which also means that it's not a deep dark black right away. I do have to go over the edges again, which leaves room for error. I ended up building it up too high, and having to fix the foggy edges so much that my line became too thick. Some days I've been lucky enough to get it right on the first try, while others I haven't. The color, once you get it on right, is very very black. I also prefer a matte finish and this is definitely matte. But with any matte formula, there's always a chance of dryness.

VERY black and matte! Exactly what I like.

Dryness

longevity: 
I absolutely hate when any eyeliner transfers to my eyelid when I blink. This did not transfer. As we know, I have oily eyelids. When I used this on bare lids and with a cream shadow, I saw a bit of transfer. With shadows I didn't really see any transferring. I rubbed on the line gently after it had set and had no smudging. If you build this product up too much, I did notice a bit of flaking. I also saw that it wore off slightly in the inner corner; I always end up touching that area because of eye gunk (ew) or itchiness so eyeliner always ends up wearing off here and the They're Real liner did the same thing. 

Here's how it turned out. Thicker than I like. I also cheated and fixed the wing point with liquid liner.

SO overall I like the dark blackness of this liner once you get it right and the matte finish. I don't like how it's a bit too dry to get a ridiculously sharp line, and I don't like how hard it is to get a nice clean cat-eye flick, because we all know I'm about that cat-eye! I like the AccuFlex tip and it's obvious flexibility, and I do love how they found a way to stick a traditional pot and brush product that is gel liner, and put it in an easier package.  I also think, in my opinion, that I cannot by any means get a precise line every time, nor do I believe that this product does not dry out. I'm not going to give up on this product! Once I get fully used to it, I'll be able to master it, but it is in no way a fool-proof beginners eyeliner.

If this review has helped you, or if you have tried it and want to share your thoughts, please comment below! I'd love to hear your experiences and opinions. What's your favorite eyeliner? What's your least favorite? Is it impossible for you to get a clean cat-eye?

As always, thanks for reading!