Monday 17 November 2014

Benefit Vs Maybelline Gel Liner Pens

Maybelline Gel Liner pen
 I was intrigued when I saw the Benefit They're Real Push Up Liner which is gel liner in a flexible nib.  It's quite expensive at £18.50 and I was pretty sure it was just a gimmick so wasn't willing to splurge.  Enter the Maybelline dupe, the Lasting Drama Black Shock Gel Liner (why all the long names?) which at £8.99 I was willing to try.  

Last month Elle magazine was giving away free samples of the Benefit liner so I dashed out to get it so I could compare the two.  The Benefit full-size one, like the Maybelline, has a bit that you twist until the product comes up to the top of the nib.  The mini one however doesn't have this function and you have to squeeze the gel up the nib yourself; a bit awkward especially as you have to keep doing it.

Maybelline and Benefit Gel Liner pens
The packaging on the liners are very similar, a black tube with orange/red writing.  As for the nib, the Maybelline one is a bit rounder where as the Benefit one is more elongated and a bit better at getting a smooth line straight off.  The Maybelline takes slightly more effort but is normally fine if you're using a finger to stretch out the corner of your eye to give a smooth surface.

My Benefit liner was a lot drier/thicker than the Maybelline one so I found I had to warm it up quite a lot.  This may just be a problem with the sample size.

Maybelline Gel Liner pen
Benefit They're Real Push Up Liner
 Sorry about the extremely messy swatches, without a lash line to guide me I can't do a remotely straight line.  Ooops.  Anyway, in the pictures below the two lines on the left are the Maybelline gel liner and the two on the right are Benefit.  The Benefit one is ever so slightly darker.

First two: Maybelline, Second two: Benefit
 It took a lot of effort but I eventually got the liners to smudge. They both smudged about the same.

First two: Maybelline, Second two: Benefit
I tried to wash the liners off with Bioderma and a cotton pad. After about 20 rubs they looks like this.  The Benefit one is darker but I think that's due to my one being quite dry so big lumps of it were coming off in the swatch.  They both washed off completely at the same time, very long-wearing formulas.

First two: Maybelline, Second two: Benefit
Maybelline Lasting Lasting Drama Black Shock gel liner
Verdict: I would recommend the Maybelline liner every time as I found the results were so similar it wouldn't be worth paying more than double to have your liner look exactly the same.  I think these pens are a good idea for those just starting out with gel liner and maybe aren't very confident using a pot and a brush.  I don't think I would buy either again, though I will use them up, even if it's scooping the gel out with a brush! I like to have slightly more control than the nibs allow.

Have you tried either of these liners? What do you think?

Rachel

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