You know when there is a product that it seems like everyone else loves that you really don't care for? It got to the point that I was worried for a while that mine was defective..

I feel like the beauty community is forever singing the praises of Benefit They're Real, but I just can't hang. I received this deluxe sample size as part of the Fast Train to Fabulous set - which had a full sized Benetint, full sized Porefessional, this and a small perfume sample for only $35! My goodness!

They're Real has a thin, tapered, rubbery brush with quite short bristles. I've tried nearly every wand shape on the mascara market, and these tiny ones are my least favorite to work with. Before delving into any claim, it is important to focus on how this mascara applies. Since the bristles are so short, I find them quite abrasive - when I get up close to the base of my lashes, it feels scratchy. I didn't have much trouble getting product on my lashes, however - which surprised me, because the bristles are literally that short. My average for mascara is one coat, give it a couple seconds to set and follow up with another - this was no different.

Benefit makes several claims about this mascara - that it "lengthens, curls, volumizes, lifts and separates" and that it is a "long wearing" formula. I saw no extraordinary change in the length or volume of my lashes and, without curling my lashes beforehand, I didn't notice that it curled my lashes all too much. I'm not entirely sure what they were going for in the "lift" claim - maybe that the application of the mascara made the eye look more awake? Doesn't all mascara do that?

The big downfall of this mascara falls on the "separates" claim. They're Real has quite a wet formula that never really dries down. If you're lucky enough to apply this to your lashes flawlessly, God forbid that you touch them later in the day (allergies, accidents, etc..you never know!) because this will clump together like you wouldn't have even believed. Its definitely not a "in a hurry" mascara either, or you are going to be met with some serious clumps. 

The one claim I can support is that it does have a long wear time. Its not going to flake or disappear at all - but keep in mind, this is going to be a pain in the rear end to remove, regardless of whatever holy grail makeup remover you use.

Overall;

Pros:

- Long wearing

- End of the brush is great for angles - inner corners, etc.

Cons:

- Wet formula - never completely dries.

- Easily clumpy

- Abrasive brush.

- Does not deliver on all claims.

A lot of my disappointment of this product could come from personal preference - I really don't like wet formula mascaras, as I find them taking longer to work with and fussy if put in the wrong situation. However, the one thing I can agree with across the board in terms of flaws is the abrasiveness of the brush. The eye area is so delicate and something as scratchy as this wand was feels detrimental to the sensitive eye. While They're Real is longwearing, the wet formula and abrasive brush are definitely deterring me from even considering picking up a full size of this for a whopping $23. 

5/10

Review - Benefit Sun Beam

I'm not usually one for bronzer, in all honesty. I own very few of them, primarily for contouring purposes and can probably count on one hand the amount of times I've actually used bronzer to, well, bronze.

Seeing as how fair my skin is, Benefit Sun Beam actually works as a golden, glowy bronzing product on my skin, rather than just a highlight.

Note - I purchased this as part of the Coral My World kit which retails for $12 and includes the mini of Sun Beam and Coralista. Sephora is currently sold out of this item.

The applicator of Sun Beam is akin to all of Benefits tints and liquid highlighters; it has a brush connected to the lid that is a lot like a nail polish. The brush is a touch too thin for my liking, but it gets the job done.

On the left is a built up, unblended swatch, while the right is blended out. Sun Beam is a glowy, golden bronze. I appreciate the strong golden quality of this, as it refuses to turn orange against my skin, as most bronzers do. It does have the dewy sheen of the average highlighter as well.

Sun Beam is marketed half as a highlighter and half as a bronzer. For fairer skin, such as mine, you're going to be able to get some bronze from this without looking unnatural. The finish this gave me was a lovely, natural sunkissed look (which was great minus the sun!). However, on deeper skin tones I feel like this is going to be much more successful as a highlighter, because it is definitely on the lighter end of the bronzer spectrum. 

The application of this product was average for the type of product it is. The liquid formula tends to have more slip to it, so I apply this in layers - 3 dots along the cheekbones, blend and repeat. I do wish it would be a touch less watery just so it was a tiny bit easier to apply.

In terms of longevity, I did not find that this wore neither longer or shorter than my powder products of the like. There was no patchiness as it faded, it rather faded all together.

Overall - 

Pros:

- Suitable bronzing option for fairer skin tones.

- Dewy finish.

Cons:

- Brush is too small.

- Consistency is a bit too thin

I really appreciate the fact that this gives my skin a very subtle faux tan that looks quite natural. However, it will take me forever and a day to get through the size I have right now - I don't use it all too much - but if I ever need another one I will probably buy it in a kit rather than $26 for a full size.

7/10