Benefit 'They're Real' | Push-Up Liner and Remover

I might be a beauty blogger but I'll be the first to admit that I'm absolutely bloomin' useless when it comes to eyeliner. Let's face it, it's the devil of the makeup world isn't it? Many a time I've found myself rushing to be somewhere on time simply because I had a bit of a kerfuffle getting my 'flicks' even.  Yes. I hold my hands up.  To all of my dear friends who I know read this blog, it's never the bus that's to blame for my shoddy time-keeping despite what I might tell you - i think it's time to come clean... It's not the number 44. It's the eyeliner.  So when Benefit released their 'Push-Up' Liner as part of the 'They're Real' family, said to help make applying gel-liner a little bit more of a doddle, I was interested to give it a whirl...

Firstly, I love the concept.  As someone who has never dabbled in gel liner before, (I favour the more simple option of a pencil or felt-tip styled product) I thought it was a spiffing idea to combine the long-lasting quality of a gel liner and the convenience of a pen into one - essentially making application quicker, easier and much less of a faff.  You simply twist the bottom of the pen and you're good to go.  However, don't expect this to solve all of your eyeliner woes. It won't.  It has taken me a good few tries in order to nail the application of this stuff - it can be quite tricky at first to know how much to twist the pen, how much pressure to apply and exactly which angle to hold it at in order to get it right.  On the occasions where I have got it right, the effect has been great.  The pigmentation is amazing - the strong, matte black is long-lasting and has that lovely 'vintage' quality to it that compliments the 'cat flick' look. It stays put all day, and I haven't noticed any smudging or transferring onto the lids whatsoever.  You do have to be fairly quick to apply this - I've noticed it dries quite quickly so it's definitely a product for those of you who are already rather nifty with the eyeliner. The 'They're Real' remover is a great product to have in my bathroom cabinet.  As a fan of the 'They're Real' mascara (featured on my blog here and here) , which can be notoriously difficult to remove, it's handy to have and it does do the job very well. It doesn't feel greasy or heavy and removes all traces of makeup without having to scrub away for ages.

Overall, I wouldn't say I'm blown away at the moment.  At £18.50*, the Push-Up Liner isn't cheap and as someone who never really goes beyond a simple flick here and there, I can achieve my desired look with cheaper options on the market and I think I personally favour a liquid liner or 'felt tip' style.  If you love gel liner, are really are big on creating flicks and dramatic eyeliner looks, and want something that's going to stay put and resist fading, it's well worth looking in to - I won't deny it's incredible pigmentation and staying power! I just think, at the moment, it might be a little too hit and miss for me to use on a daily basis.  If you're going to buy anything from the They're Real range, I'd go for the mascara. It's honestly one of the best ones I've ever used (considering I usually hate splashing out on mascaras this is saying something!). 'Push Up' is indeed a fabulous product, and yet again Benefit have hit the nail on the head with the idea and concept, but for the time being, I think I'll stick to my trusty felt-tips! Watch this space though, I'm persevering with it... You can read up more about it and the rest of the range on the website here.

Have you tried anything from the 'They're Real' range?