Audrey Review: Benefit’s ‘They’re Real! Push Up Liner’

Written By: Brianna Frilay

In late May, beauty gurus the world over were abuzz with the news of a big innovation in the makeup world, specifically speaking – the eyeliner world. It’s common knowledge that almost every woman spends more time than they should trying to perfect a cat eye or even just a simple, equally thick line on both eyes. (The beauty web is literally filled with memes and infographics all dedicated to the pursuit of perfect eyeliner!)

To answer this problem (and as unbelievable as it may sound), a “push up eyeliner” has been developed in an attempt to solve this problem for women everywhere. After 5 years in the making, Benefit have released their push up liner, named (drum roll) They’re Real! Push Up Liner. Allow me to introduce you…

The ever-desired, “perfect winged liner”

So, let’s get into it – What is a push up liner? How will it change my morning routine? What does it do?

They’re Real! is a gel liner in the form of a pen. This liner is specifically made to hug the lash line, with the effect being of wider eyes and more pert lashes. It’s also designed to not smudge/budge/dry out – sounds amazing, right?  The finish is matte, black and (generally) precise. The liner itself is very waterproof – using a face wipe is not going to work for you – unless you have the time to scrub it off and waste a whole lot of wipes (no one has time for that) so you’ll definitely need to invest in an eye makeup remover that has the capability of removing waterproof products.

To work the product, you simply twist the bottom of the pen and the gel comes out of the top – by doing this you are controlling the amount of product that you are going to use. The liner has an angled edge otherwise known as the AccuFlex tip, the benefit of this is that it makes it easier to get the precise line you are going for. It’s very soft so you are not going to hurt the delicate skin on the lid. They’re Real! takes a lot of patience to get used to, and it’s quite difficult to wrap your head around when you first use the product as you’ve got to remember to a) keep moving the pen around so the angle is facing the correct way, b) remember to add more product if you find you need it. To make it easier, I suggest that you grab a mirror and place it in front of your face on a slight angle so you can see what you’re doing (if you’re looking down) and TAKE YOUR TIME.

Benefit’s ‘They’re Real! Pushup Liner’

Naturally, with any product there are always negatives! As new and “innovative” as the Push Up Liner is in terms of product design and colour, it does not automatically make you a professional at applying eye liner. Nor does it help as much as it is should, or potentially could. The tip of the pen is (like I said) very soft, which is quite hard to use if you have a heavy hand, and that’s a downfall. The product also has the tendency to dry out (and some say it flakes off) after a little while, but it definitely does not budge. We can’t forget the price  either ($25-30+ on most sites) Let’s face it, not many people have that kind of money to spend on an eyeliner.

So, do I Love, Like or Pass? I would only suggest you purchase this product if you really want to assess the hype and it for yourself. I didn’t see an improvement in the way that my liner applied, and for the price I am positive that there are other products that are much cheaper. (That’s a pass!)