They’re Real! by Benefit is definitely one of the most hyped up mascaras that I haven’t tried…that is, up until recently. I snagged this sample a while back and opened it up for the first time a few weeks ago. I was excited to swipe this on my lashes and have instant falsies! Unfortunately, it wasn’t love at first swipe. I found it incredibly clumpy when applying more than 1 coat. I was bummed out at first, but then I had the brilliant idea to layer it over Covergirl Clump Crusher, which was a stellar combo for a while, until I wanted to use it by itself again.

Just look at this brush…the bristles grip the lashes very well. It’s a plastic/silicone bristled brush, which I have found that I actually really like. It has a unique domed tip with extra bristles to curl and separate lashes as well, but I hate using it. I find that the domed tip holds way too much mascara to use without wiping it off, so I do without. It’s a cool brush with a nod to Givenchy Phenomen’Eyes mascara, but I’m not sure it was well executed. Thankfully, it doesn’t mess up regular mascara application, just don’t use the brush vertically to stray away from getting too much mascara on those lashes!

Here is what it looks like on my lashes. This is definitely one of the blackest mascaras I’ve encountered, I love it! I also find that it holds a curl exceptionally well. The only thing I wouldn’t recommend it is for the cry factor. If you shed a few tears, your lashes are going bye-bye. I shed a few gray tears, and then once I looked in the mirror, my lashes were all clumped together, making it look like I had about 5 lashes. Less than ideal, but if you know you’re not going to be a crybaby like me, you’ll be fine!

Overall, I really recommend this mascara if you’re on the market for a new one. I typically prefer drugstore mascaras, but I haven’t tried one that performs this well! It’s a bit pricy, at $23, but you can get a mini size for $10, which is what I’d recommend, because by the time it dries out, you will still have a lot left in the tube!

**This post contains products that I have received for free– for more information, please read my Disclosure Policy**