When you feel it’s time to try a new mascara, you could do a lot worse than putting your faith in one of the best Benefit mascaras. Perhaps second only to the brand's iconic brow products, mascaras feature heavily on Benefit’s bestsellers list and it's one of the go-to names for enhancing natural lashes around the world.
Of course, everyone has their own specific criteria for what makes the best mascara, based on their natural lashes and finish preferences. But this Californian-born brand has options for those who want to achieve the longest lashes possible, those who like standout dramatic volume and even those who need one of the best waterproof mascaras.
So, you’ve cottoned on to Benefit mascaras’ brilliance, but you still aren’t sure which is the best one for you. Luckily enough, our contributing editor has tested every single one of the best Benefit mascaras to help you weigh up the pros and cons of them all. Spoiler alert: there's a Benefit mascara for everyone...
The best Benefit mascaras, reviewed by a beauty editor
Why you can trust Woman & Home Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
An international bestseller, one of Benefit’s oldest and most popular mascaras is They’re Real!, which promises to tick all of the boxes that a good mascara should – that is, lengthened, lifted, separated and volumised lashes that last. The brush is pretty unique in that it’s narrow enough to easily fit into the roots of your lashes, but the tip also features tiny bristles, which we found are ideal for catching shorter lashes at the inner and outer corners of the eyes.
As for how it actually looks and wears, we love it, which is why it's also on our list of the best lengthening mascaras. The end results are pretty, defined lashes with a nice amount of volume, lift and length, making it a great all-rounder for those who like to enhance all three. If you like very dramatic volume, you may want to look for something punchier, like Badgal BANG!, but it’s a crowd-pleaser for a reason.
Read our Benefit They're Real! Mascara review for a full, in-depth guide
If your preference is for the best volumising mascaras, look no further than Benefit Badgal BANG!. This mascara is all about volume and yields results that look as punchy as its name sounds. It promises to last for up to 36 hours and, while we can’t claim we have ever worn it for quite that long, it certainly lasted a full day without smudging all over the place.
The comb brush builds a lot of volume and length for a standout, almost spidery finish, while the tapered shape is great for getting into the inner corners of the eye while simultaneously maximising the outer lashes. We also found the formula to be quite buildable, not clumpy, though your lashes do become thick with volume quite quickly as you apply. No doubt about it, this mascara is for those who like a dramatic lash look, so if you like natural and understated lashes, we'd recommend something like They're Real! Magnet instead. But if not, you'll enjoy the drama – and if you’re feeling extra bold, try the cobalt option, which we deem one of the best blue mascares on the market.
Read our Benefit Badgal BANG! Mascara review for a full, in-depth guide
You may have noticed that this mascara looks rather similar to another Benefit bestseller, but the twist here is that it incorporates magnetic technology, which works to lift lashes to make them look even longer – up to 40% longer, to be precise. We can report that it feels nice and flexible on the lashes, separates them out, and takes their length to visibly impressive heights.
Our tester did notice that the volume from this mascara is far more natural-looking than with the original They’re Real, which is something to bear in mind if you usually lean towards volumising formulas. The focus here is definitely on building natural-looking (but noticeably enhanced) length. One quibble is that the brush isn’t quite the same as the original They’re Real! mascara – it’s larger and doesn’t have the rounded, bristled tip that’s great for enhancing tiny lashes – and so it doesn’t feel quite as precise as its predecessor. But thankfully this doesn’t cause any clumping and the results aren't dissimilar to a pair of the best false eyelashes.
Roller Lash is something of an antidote for stubborn and/or shorter lashes that require a strong bit of encouragement to lift and hold a curl. The curved wand fits nicely into the root of the lashes to really lift them and open up the eyes; it also builds lashes for a fluttery and defined end result. Not only that, but our tester found it was probably the most buildable of Benefit’s mascaras for length.
We always advocate for curling your lashes (with one of the best eyelash curlers, of course) before you apply mascara. But even without doing so, Roller Lash does a good job of getting lashes to curl and stay that way – no dropping within the first hour here, as it’s able to hold its results for up to 12 hours. Without question, this is one of the best mascaras for straight lashes or for those whose go-to lash look is pretty and fluttery.
Read our Benefit Roller Lash Mascara review for a full, in-depth guide
The most recent addition to Benefit's mascara portfolio is Fan Fest, whose USP is that it "fans out" your lashes for separated volume. It manages to achieve this with a brush that's angled at 40º so that it can fit right into the root of your lashes to get separating and lengthening. On top of that, the formula also packs in naturally-derived fibres to really boost your lashes, while promising smudge- and flake-free wear.
Our tester found that Fan Fest was nice and buildable, even if the formula itself was on the dry side, and struck just the right balance between well-lengthened and nicely volumised. She also reported that it did indeed deliver on its promise of separated lashes – there was no clumping in sight. All in all, a brilliant addition to the already excellent best Benefit mascaras line-up.
The only of Benefit’s mascaras that also comes in a waterproof edition is Badgal BANG!, meaning you can still achieve those punchy lashes on your sea-filled summer holiday or on occasions you think you might be prone to a few tears. Housed in the same tube, it looks identical to the original, save for a different color scheme to set it apart at a glance (you would not want to reach for the original on a day that required waterproof mascara!).
Still very buildable in terms of length and volume, we found that the results are ever so slightly less punchy than its non-waterproof counterpart, but the overall effect is very similar. So if you often find waterproof mascaras are functional but a bit underwhelming in terms of the results, give this a go. We can speak from experience that it gives a great lifted, volumised look that stays put even when you’ve got your lashes wet.
How we tested the best Benefit mascaras
Between them, the woman&home team has tested (and regularly used) all of the best Benefit mascaras over the years. But to ensure our guide was based on recent testing, our contributing beauty editor re-tested them all to compare and contrast. During said testing process, she judged each mascara based on all of the following factors.
- Packaging
- Number of shades available
- Size and shape of the brush
- If it's available in a mini version
- Ease of application
- Effect on lashes
- How it wore throughout the day
- How easily it removed
- Price and value for money
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