Benefit They're Real Push Up Liner

I was able to get on the Line to Fine list for the chance to buy Benefit's They're Real Push Up Liner early. Of course I did! (I just didn't get a chance to write this review until now... a couple days after it was released worldwide).

It came in this overly large box, but it still fit in my mom's mailbox.

Lots of packing peanuts! But really... for that little box... waste of packaging.

Just like every other Benefit product, it comes with a little instruction booklet.

It also came with this little orange stopper in the top. I've heard it's a good idea to keep this, but I don't use it personally.

Here is the slanted tip with some of the product coming out. 

Very first attempt.

Second time applying.

Second time, eyes open.

Another time. Picture edited for Instagram.

One more time.

The packaging is really nice. What I mean by that is the pen is very easy to hold. It is more square near the top where you'd hold it, and rounder as you get near the base. It is a little weird trying to get the right angle on your eye, but you get used to it.

Starting out, you need to turn it a LOT. I wasn't counting, but it's way more than the 10 or 15 clicks the instructions say. Maybe 10 or 15 full turns! After that, they say you only need 1 or 2 clicks to do both eyes. I don't know about that either. I've tried, but I feel like I'm always wiping a little off the tip, then clicking again. Do whatever you need to do.

There is a learning curve to this. Know that it's not as easy and foolproof as they advertise, but don't get frustrated! I definitely am not great at eyeliner. I prefer my Ben Nye liner because it's smooth and smudgy on it's own, and super easy. I also don't do the "little flick" at the edge. But with this new liner, it's much easier. It is possible to get a very thin line, like I like. I don't think it gets right to the lash line all the time, but it's possible to go over it and get closer. It does seem to dry quickly and flake a tiny bit, especially if you layer it too thick. I have noticed it will start coming off where my eyelid moves on the edge, where I extend the line.

I had a problem with the liner not being as dark as usual and not applying very well. I figured out that it was drying out inside the tip. They suggest you always click a little extra out and wipe it off each time, but I think I hadn't used it in a long enough amount of time where it dried further down the tip. All I had to do was click more out and then it worked just fine.

If you read the reviews, they are very mixed. Some people absolutely hate it, but a lot of people love it. I've never used a gel liner in a pot with a brush, but I know I don't like using liquid liner - though it's a bit easier with a marker tip. So this new gel in a pen liner is something new and I really like it. If you're a pro at eyeliner, this would probably be amazing for you, and super quick. If you're not that experienced, like me, then this is a nice change, but will take a little longer to apply and get used to.

At the time of this posting, there is a promo code for Sephora for a deluxe sample of this liner (I think with a $25 purchase). Use PUSHUP in the promo code area to get one!