'This mascara is the first to make a difference'
Benefit has long enjoyed its status as a leader in the world of high-end mascaras. From its bestselling Roller Lash, £27, to the fan-favourite They’re Real!, £27, it’s not only adored by the likes of Serena Williams and Cynthia Erivo, but a brand I will always recommend for getting the most bang for your buck.
And that’s based not only on my experience as a beauty writer, but also dealing with tricky lashes myself – mine are notoriously disobedient, refusing to hold a curl and insisting on clumping together whenever I try to apply a second coat. Having experimented with hundreds of mascaras, Benefit’s latest launch now unsurprisingly sits very comfortably at the top of my list.
The idea with the new BADgal Bounce Mascara is long-lasting volume, lift and (as the name suggests) ‘bounce’. Benefit has carefully created a dual-sided brush to deliver just that, which is something I hadn’t seen before. When I first opened the lid, I was impressed to see that the bigger side holds flexible bristles to coat the lashes (similar to most of Benefit’s other mascaras), while the opposite side is a solid, fine-toothed comb, designed to separate each lash straight afterwards.
As for the formula, big claims of being smudge-proof, clump-proof and flake-proof meant that there was a lot to live up to – especially since Benefit’s trials showed a whopping 242% more volume after using the product, which supposedly lasts all day. So naturally, I set out to put the new BADgal Bounce to the test on one of my longer work days, and decide once and for all, if it met my expectations.
I applied the mascara in layers like I usually do, as the final step in my morning makeup routine. Immediately, I was convinced by the ‘bounce’ – the fluffier side of the brush really allowed me to be generous with running the product through my lashes, and especially added dimension at my lashline, which made my eyes instantly look bigger and fuller.
The comb side worked as expertly as expected, defining each of my individual lashes (and successfully eliminating any dreaded clumps!) but also adding the extra bit of length that I love. In short, I looked far more awake than I felt at 6:30am.
After a couple of hours of wear, I noticed how lightweight and hydrating the formula felt, considering it was doing some pretty heavy lifting with my lashes. It’s infused with provitamin B5 and castor oil for conditioning, and rice wax to help with defining, and I was certainly impressed. Maybe it’s the nourishing formula that tackles smudging and flakes, as I didn’t experience those either, even after accidentally rubbing my eyes a couple of times in the evening!
While I couldn’t quite commit to sleeping with mascara on, I did wear this for a solid 16 hours that day, especially since I was keen to test if the 24-hour longwear claim held up. And in truth, as convincing as the formula and brush were, the longevity wasn’t completely as promised. By the end of the day, there was definitely some nice length remaining, but the huge lift I’d enjoyed in the morning had fallen slightly, as you can see below.
But, for a more reasonable day of wear (and possibly with a midday touch-up), I will absolutely be incorporating this into my daily makeup routine. A hybrid brush, plus a buildable and conditioning formula makes this great choice for anyone in need of a volume boost, or also suffers with difficult lashes.
Better still, in true Benefit fashion, I suspect this full-size will last for a good while, making its £27 price tag all the more worth it.
Shop the Benefit BADgal Bounce Mascara below
BADgal Bounce Mascara
£27.00 at benefitcosmetics.com
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