The ultimate mascara review! If you are even slightly a bit of a make up addict you probably have heard about both Benefit's They're Real and Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara. I have tested them both out and feel confident I can give you an honest review on both of these mascaras. To be upfront I'll tell you that I prefer lengthening mascara, black black black mascara, non-waterproof, and a product that isn't going to smudge or flake off! I also bought these mascaras thinking that if I didn't like one or both of them I am definitely going to return them. Twenty some dollars is way too much money to spend on a product that doesn't work.
So- here is how I tested the products:
I wore all the mascara without any other eye makeup to determine smudging, flaking, etc.
Day 1- I wore Too Faced Better Than Sex on both eyes
Day 2- I wore Benefit's They're Real! on both eyes
Day 3- I wore Too Faced on the left eye, Benefit on the right eye
Day 4- I wore Too Faced on both eyes again
Day 5- I wore Benefit on both eyes again
Benefit They're Real! - Black
I bought this mascara from Ulta for $24.00 for 8.5 g. I really prefer Ulta because their return policy is amazing, so I know if I really don't like a product that I can just return it without any issues. Also, a standard mascara is between 8 and 8.5 g of product. My thoughts on the price are: wow this is ridiculous it better be pure magic. The packaging is cute and simple. It looks like the rest of their "They're Real" line. The wand has plastic bristles with some what of a sphere shape on the end. The product looked very smooth on the wand! It does have a smell but you don't notice it unless you are trying to smell the product.
The claims on the box read: "94% saw dramatic length & volume" "90% saw base-to-tip curl" "94% saw visible lift" "100% saw long-wearing results". See the top left picture to see how the mascara lengthened and volumized my lashes.
Ok, so here are my thoughts- Initial application was just like any other mascara, I applied many coats to get the look that I liked best. I did find the product to create those little tiny balls at the end of my lashes. I didn't have a problem with clumping until I applied a lot of product. If I am going to spend $24 dollars on a tube of mascara it shouldn't clump, it shouldn't ball, and it should be magic.
Once I combed through the clumps and got the balls off I was satisfied with my look. I did wish that it had lengthened my lashes a bit more (I've gotten more length out of drug store products).
So, I wore it all day and here's what happened: SMUDGING and FLAKING. What? Okay so you're telling me a $24 mascara is exactly like some of the other drug store $8 mascara I've tried? Boo.
Where my lashes met my brow bone (mind you I have a very petite face) the product smudged off. It wasn't terrible at first but by the end of the day I had a black mark on my face no matter how much I tried to wipe it off. I do have somewhat oily skin so that could have contributed, but I have used drug store products that haven't done this to me. When it was time to take off my make up it turned into a black waxy sticky mess. It's not waterproof so I was assuming an easy removal... I find using make up remover wipes wasteful and I don't like scrubbing my eyes (they are extremely sensitive). I buy non-waterproof products for a reason, and this didn't seem to give me the ease of removal that other products have.
All in all, I say NOT WORTH YOUR MONEY! I will be returning Benefit's They're Real mascara and will pick up a few drug store ones to test next :)
Too Faced Better Than Sex- Carbon Black
I also bought this mascara from Ulta, it was $23 for 8 g. You get 0.5 g less in this product and it is a $1 cheaper. The packaging on this mascara is more glamours and it looks expensive (...it is expensive). The tubing itself is a baby pink metal and it's super heavy! That in some way annoyed me because I would rather have a cheaper product and not an expensive metal tube... It just didn't make sense to me because I would spend my money on a better product than a fancy tube. The applicator is bristle in an hourglass shape. The product looks extremely chunky when you take out of the tube on the applicator. It has a smell but again you don't smell it unless you are trying to smell the product.
The box reads (BTW you can tell these two companies compete because of the pricing and the boxes are nearly identical with different decorations- see pic)- "93% saw base-to-tip curl" "100% saw dramatic volume" "100% saw longer lashes" "90% saw dramatic look with one coat" See the top right picture to see how this mascara looked!
Side note- THESE MASCARAS NEARLY LOOKED IDENTICAL?! The day I wore one on each eye you couldn't really even tell a difference.
So my initial thoughts were- initial application, again, was like any other mascara. It was slightly more "volumizing" than the Benefit mascara BUT it was volumizing in not a good way. It was clumpy- but like in an on purpose clumpy way (for those who like that look). I was not satisfied with just one coat. But, with more coats I had more clumping and had to use a lash brush and tweezers to separate my lashes. I didn't feel like it gave me dramatic length either... Again I felt let down and like this mascara was pretty much the same as many drug store ones I've tried!
Wearing the mascara all day again left me with SMUDGING?! This one didn't flake which was nice, but I cannot deal with smudging. I want long lashes that can touch my skin and not rub off... And there is no way I am paying more than $24 dollars for that.
Removal of this mascara still needed a make up remover wipe because it just wouldn't all come off with cleanser but it was a lot easier to remove than Benefit's.
Okay, so I will be returning this product too. IT IS NOT BETTER THAN SEX. I am so disappointed.... I guess these products really are all hype and don't work for everyone.
I am still on the mission to find an affordable, long lasting, lengthening, non-waterproof mascara and I will let you guys know when I do! Please let me know if you have any questions about these products I'd be happy to talk to you! Side note- I do love other Benefit products and will not write off the whole brand because one thing didn't work for me.
Thanks for reading!
-K
❉ All reviews are my honest opinion and are not sponsored ❉
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