A wise woman in the beauty industry once told me mascaras are like bananas.
Some people like them ripe. Others purposefully wait until they're on the way out to make banana bread. Same goes with mascaras, and no matter your preference, there's a very short window in which a mascara is everything you want it to be.
Not too runny. Not too gluggy. Not too wet, but not dry and flaky. Then, there's the people who don't even like bananas. It's complicated.
Back to mascaras. I have a love-hate relationship with this beloved beauty product (I prefer to get regular lash lifts and tints), but when I do reach for a mascara, I'm picky. It has to make my lashes look long, defined, glossy and super black.
This is exactly what I got when I tried Benefit's new magnetic mascara for the first time. So good is this mascara, precisely 12 people asked me about it on Instagram when I posted this photo.
Intrigued? Keep scrolling to find out why you're seeing this fancy new mascara everywhere on your feed.
What is the Benefit Magnetic Mascara?
Benefit They're Real Magnet Mascara is the newest mascara launch from the brand known for making cult mascaras.
They've got They're Real! for length, Roller Lash for curl, BadGal Bang if you're after volume, and now, They're Real! Magnet for extreme length. Basically, this is the mascara for people who want dramatic length, lift and separation (that's me!).
OK cool, but what actually makes this magnetic mascara... magnetic?
Two things: The mineral-enriched formula combined with the wand's magnetic core and zig-zag bristles help to extend the mascara beyond the tips of your natural lashes for that 'are those lash extensions?!' effect.
The brand also reckons their Benefit They're Real! Magnet Mascara can lengthen lashes by 40 per cent and last up to 36 hours, no flaking or smudging.
Impressive stats, but does it deliver?