Product Review: Benefit - "They're Real" Mascara, Gimme Brows & Fake Up

Hey Guys, today I will be reviewing some products that I recently started using from Benefit.  Aside from their cute names, Benefit has some really great products and over the years I've had a chance to try a lot of them.  Recently, I've been reaching for these 3 products quite often. 

Benefit - They're Real Mascara in Black

So many people have been raving about this mascara and after using it, I can see why.  My favorite part about this mascara is the brush. The thing that usually grabs my attention about mascaras in general is the formulation of the product, but this time it was definitely the brush.  It is so stiff yet flexible and combs through my lashes beautifully.  I don't even have to use a lash comb to separate my lashes afterwards, which is a total time saver!  I also love that the tip of the brush has bristles as well, (kind of reminds me of a Givenchy and Dior brush).  This really allows you to get into the inner and outer corner lashes.  As for the volume factor of the mascara, I would have to say it gives very good volume, even without a primer.  As for length and curl, I feel like you have to curl your lashes before as it doesn't curl, but it does give a decent amount of length for sure.  (Doesn't beat my Diorshow Iconic Overcurl in terms of length and curl).  

The best way to use this mascara is to go from root to tip of lash without wiggling the brush from side to side.  The formulation is a bit dry and a tad tacky and I found wiggling the brush makes your lashes stick together.  The other thing I found was it takes a lot longer to dry than my other mascaras that I have tried. (Even though it is a dry formulation).  So make sure you wait a little while to dry before you close your eyes completely or before your open your eyes really wide.  I sneezed after applying the mascara once and I looked like twiggy afterwards lol.

1 & 2: No Mascara
2 & 3: One coat of They're Real Mascara

Top: One coat of They're Real Mascara
Bottom: One coat of Estee Lauder Lash Primer and one coat of They're Real Mascara

Brows are so important because they frame your face.  That's why I love trying and using new brow products.  I've tried many different brow mascaras before, so I really wanted to try "Gimme Brow" from Benefit to see what was so different about this one.  

Benefit - Gimme Brow in Medium/Dark

It comes it 2 different colours, Light/Medium and Medium/Dark.  I think medium/dark works best for most people.  The light medium would work best for blondes.  It's quite ashy so looks great on lighter eyebrows.

In order to find any benefits from this product, you have to have hairs on your eyebrows.  The main purpose of this product is to make your eyebrows appear fuller.  I have to say that the formulation is great!  It's on the drier side, so really helps build volume on your brows.  Other brands that have a product like this ends up being too liquidy, which separates your brows rather than building volume.This product does not fill in sparse areas like a pencil or shadow would, but it really does add volume and texture to my brows.  
I found that the best way to use Gimme Brow is to use it before I fill in my brows with a shadow or pencil.  If I use too much product and it gets too dark, I always have a clean spoolie (like a mascara brush) handy to brush off excess.
So in conclusion, I do have to use something else to fill in my brows after using Gimme Brow, but it does a great job adding volume and texture to my brows.

1 & 2: Natural Brows
2 & 3: With one coat of Gimme Brow

My good friend at Benefit convinced me to try Fake Up.  Well, to be honest she didn't have to convince me too much lol.  After I swatched it on my hand, I was instantly intrigued.

Benefit - Fake Up Concealer in 03 Dark 

As you may be able to tell by the picture above, the concealer is in the centre and is surrounded by a creamy treatment which contains Vitamin E and apple seed extract. It comes in 3 different shades 01 Light, 02 Medium and 03 Dark. 

I found that the concealer is not pigmented enough for my dark circles, but I love using it over my Nars concealer to brighten up my eye area.  It really helps freshen and brighten up my overall look.  It has a very shiny finish, so if you have oily skin, you might hate it, but nothing a little finishing powder wont fix.  In terms of creasing, it does crease, but not as much as I expected since it is so creamy along with the treatment.  If you use the product sparlingly, and on it's own without another concealer you might find it doesn't crease at all.  

The great thing about this concealer is that it is not ashy or grey at all.  For darker skin, it's so hard to find concealers and foundations that do not appear ashy or grey, so I really appreciated that about Fake Up.  I love the packaging.  It's so convenient to carry around, it's a twist up just like a traditional lipstick.  Also I love the fact that I can put it on top of my makeup at any point in the day if I feel like I need a pick-me-up.

Left Side: Without Fake UpRight Side: With Fake Up

Finished Look