Review: Benefit's "They're Real" Mascara

Benefit's "They're Real" mascara has been the buzzword all over YouTube, makeup blogs, and magazines for a while now.  Having been wanting to pick it up for a while now, I never have because of the $23 price tag.  Ouch.  I couldn't justify spending that much on a high-end mascara when there were good enough ones for under $10 at the drugstore.  Recently, though, I received a 20% off coupon from Ulta and originally went in there for some bright new lip colors and a BB cream for my Caribbean cruise.  Didn't find a BB cream that sounded like it would be good for my oily skin but that's beside the point.  I did pick up a tube of the mascara, though, and was so excited to try it and see if it lives up to the hype.  

The brush is pretty standard and is used like a normal mascara wand but has a spiky ball on the tip, used vertically to help separate the lashes and reach the small ones in the inner and outer corners.  

Before

Before 

The formula itself seems somewhat watery upon just opening (but really any mascara does in my opinion) and then thickens up later.  I didn't curl my lashes beforehand, as I wanted to see how the mascara would do in that department on it's own and it passed the test!  After a day of running around with the mascara on, my lashes held their curl.  However, I do have to say that my lashes are pretty curled naturally.  In addition, the mascara doesn't flake or smudge either, which is a big deal as almost every mascara I try ends up flaking on me after a long day. 

After

After

You can layer this while still wet but don't try to layer once the first coat is dry, I tried that.  After a day of wear, I attempted to add a few more coats when going out at night, which resulted in clumps.  I do have to say that the formula is tough to get off at the end of the day.  Water-based eye makeup remover is normally sufficient for me but this one definitely needs an oil-based one, which I found strange because this mascara is not marketed as being waterproof.

Overall, this mascara is a huge hit for me, but the price tag is just too high for regular repurchasing.  I can see myself buying "They're Real" periodically but not as my everyday go-to mascara.  Only taking two coats to achieve my desired lash intensity is a plus and I'm glad I've found something that doesn't flake.  It will be interesting to see how it holds up as my bottle dries out a little more.  Let me know if you guys want a second review on Benefit's "They're Real" mascara.  Also, what mascaras work well for you for adding both volume and length?