I Can’t Stop Batting My Lashes After Trying Benefit’s New Fan Fest Mascara
Jas is the former Senior Content Specialist at Adore Beauty. A beauty admirer turned certified addict, she brings a sharp editorial eye and pop-culture pulse to everything she creates. Her words have appeared in The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, and Broadsheet. When she’s not producing viral content or podcasting about skincare, you’ll find her thrifting for vintage treasures or binging Bravo (strictly for research, of course).
In the world of beauty, where each stroke of a brush can transform our face, few products hold the power to captivate quite like mascara.
If our eyes are the portals to our souls, mascara is the elegant curtain that invites the world in.
A single sweep can add definition, length and volume–like an exclamation point for your eyes, making them instantly bigger, brighter and bolder.
When it comes to finding the perfect mascara for your peepers, there are many, many, many options on offer. from tubing to curling, waterproof, volumising etc etc.
I’m fortunate enough to have fairly decent lashes; one of the few genes I’m grateful to have inherited (lol).
You see, my dad’s one of those guys with stupidly long, dark, thick lashes.
And while my lashes aren’t as picture-perfect as his (years of product application do take their toll), I did luck out in the latter two categories.
So, any mascara that takes on the challenge of lengthening and separating my lashes automatically gets a closer look from me.
Enter, Benefit Fan Fest Mascara.
The latest instalment from the brand that brought us cult-favourite formulas like Benefit They're Real! Lengthening Mascara and Benefit BADGal Bang Volumising Mascara 8.5g, the new mascara promises to amplify and multiply lashes, fanning them out for 24 hours.
Almost sounds too good to be true… but is it? Keep scrolling to find out.
What Is the New Benefit Fan Fest Mascara?
What: Benefit Fan Fest Mascara
As the name suggests, the Benefit Fan Fest Mascara is all about living the wide-eyed, full-fanned fantasy of your (and your lashes’) dreams.
Stepping into the broader Benefit lineup, Fan Fest makes its mark as the brand’s first-ever long-wearing fanning and volumising mascara.
But that’s not all that’s unique about Fan Fest, the brush is pretty cool, too.
A curved design armed with wavy, flexible fibres ensures that your lashes are treated to an even coat of its buildable, weightless formula, sans any unwanted clump.
Here are some other fast facts:
- Long-wearing: 24-hour full-fan effect.
- Ophthalmologist's seal of approval: tested by the pros, safe for your eyes.
- Smudge-proof, humidity-proof and sweat-proof: this mascara scoffs at the elements.
- Cares for your lashes: nourishes and conditions with provitamin B5, cranberry extract and rice wax.
This mascara's a real workhorse, which might explain why TikTok's losing its mind over it.
But does it live up to the hype? Let's investigate.
My Benefit Fan Fest Mascara Review.
First thing first: can we all pls take a moment to appreciate the packaging–STUN-NING.
OK, moving on.
I’m a loyal Benefit They're Real! Lengthening Mascara wearer, but since trying Fan Fest, I honestly haven’t worn anything else.
Unlike the OG mascara, Fan Fest has a curved brush and natural fibres that make it easy to reach every single lash (even the corner ones!). Plus, it avoids those dreaded accidental clumps from excess product.
Where I’d usually require a few coats to achieve long, fluttery lashes, with Fan Fest, I only need a single sweep for the same effect.
Exhibit A:
A hot tip here: I found the formula dries fast. So, if you're planning to double-coat, move swiftly to avoid clumps.
The upside? Its quick-drying texture translates to impressive staying power, staying intact from sunup to sundown.
Now, when it's time to take the day off, be patient; Fan Fest takes a little more effort to remove. But don't worry, a trusty micellar water, cleansing balm, or oil cleanser will do the trick just fine.
Finally, onto the great mascara debate: length versus volume.
While Benefit's Fan Fest Mascara promises both, in my opinion, it skews more towards length. So, if your heart beats for dramatic volume, you might want to explore other options.
Curling-wise, it's not a standout either, but starting out with a lash curler can easily solve that.
Final Verdict.
It's taking everything in me right now to not say I'm a fan…
While Benefit Fan Fest might dig a bit deeper into your pocket, boy oh boy does it deliver.
The full-fanned effect is practically like wearing falsies, and to top it off, even my partner noticed, offering a "you look pretty”, which I’m crediting to the mascara.
Had I not been kindly given a sample for free, I’d say the mascara is money well spent.
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