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In 2020, I discovered Milk Makeup Kush Mascara. A special tiny mini size was my birthday gift from Sephora.
It’s a volumizing mascara that’s different from what I usually reach for. It has a larger wand with bristles. Nevertheless, at first I liked it so much, that when I used up the tiny Sephora Milk Mascara, I bought a travel size that’s call “mini” but is larger than the tiny one. But as time went on, I realized that it required a little too much work to separate my lashes that stick together when I use Milk Kush Mascara. It may have less to do with the Milk Mascara formula than it does the placement of my lashes on my downturned eyes. But sadly, it’s not a match made in heaven because of that.
So when I saw that Benefit has introduced a new mascara, I wanted to try it. Benefit mascaras work the best for my eyes and lashes. Because their wands have plastic teeth rather than bristles, they help separate my lashes. And their formulas are usually billed as “lengthening” or “lengthening and volumizing” rather than just volumizing. Their formulas are usually a good compromise between wet and dry.
I was so focused on the fact that this is a new mascara from my favorite mascara brand, Benefit, that I didn’t even consider what might make this one different. And frankly, after working in advertising for so many years, I assumed that the “Magnet Extreme Lengthening” aspect was just an marketing positioning. But here’s what Benefit says about their new mascara:
They’re Real! Magnet is a 36-hour lengthening* mascara with a magnetic force that draws out lashes to EXTREME LENGTHS, making them look 40% longer**. The innovative Extender Brush with magnetically charged core pulls the Magnetic Mineral Enriched Formula up & OUT BEYOND the tips of lashes for extreme length & powerful lift. Custom-designed ZigZag bristles are strategically positioned to fan out, separate & define lashes.
But even after reading the hyperbole above (advertising copywriting!), I don’t really believe that a magnetic core in the wand is pulling magnetic minerals in the formula to make my lashes longer. Maybe you’ll think so. I don’t.
Because recently I’ve been trying out so many mascaras that I’ve received in my Ipsy Plus bags or through Influenster and failing, I bought the Benefit Magnet Mascara travel size from Ulta for $15. The full size is $27.
It is decidedly mini, I must say: 4.5 g/0.16 oz., but I guess it’s not that different than the Milk Makeup Kush Mascara that is priced at $13 for 4 ml/0.13 fl. oz.
The wand is just the kind of love: plastic teeth arranged in a straight line, smaller toward the tip but the same length toward the handle. And the wand seems to have even more teeth than most wands of this type have. Yay!
The formula seems drier than how I remember the other Benefit formulas like RollerLash, BadGal Bang, even the original They’re Real. But it isn’t difficult to apply. Two to three coats are a must. My lashes get separated by the plastic teeth.
It doesn’t flake or smudge. In fact, the photos below were taken after an hour and a half of strenuous snowshoe hiking and lots of sweating.
It comes in Super Black only, and to me, it looks very, very black. The original They’re Real comes in brown and navy in addition to black, and RollerLash comes in black and brown.
Is it “Extreme Lengthening” mascara? Not really. It’s about the same as most others.
I think this new SKU from Benefit is decent. I think it’s as good as their other mascaras, and I like the wand better than RollerLash with the curved wand. I could see myself purchasing it again in the future because it’s a good everyday mascara formula with a terrific wand. Plus, I don’t have to separate my lashes with a separate wand or a comb like I have to with Milk Mascara.
Do you need to drop everything and buy Benefit They’re Real Magnet Extreme Lengthening Lash Mascara? I can’t say. I have decided that what might work for me may not work for you and vice versa. The new Benefit Magnet Mascara is a good one, but is it exceptional? Probably not. Does it have some magic magnetic particles in the formula that are attracted to the magnet in the core of the wand? Nah.
This definitely sounds as though it has promise. Your lashes look great, Allison!
Lola Seicento recently posted…Last Day for the Erno Laszlo 25% Off Friends & Family Sale!
Your lashes are amazing after snowshoeing!! I am impressed. I will probably pass on these, I am paranoid about magnetic particles being near my eye, just doesn’t seem safe.
Kristi V BeginNails recently posted…Beauty Spotlight Team February 14 – February 19
Kristi, after working in advertising and marketing for more than 20 years, I just assumed that Magnet Extreme Lengthening Mascara was an advertising/strategic marketing positioning. Many if not almost all mascaras have minerals in the formula. I think the copywriters or the strategist came up with a gimmick of putting a tiny magnet in the wand and just said that it attracts the minerals in the formula and makes the lashes longer. Truly bogus, most likely.
I just became aware of the mascara about a week ago. I don’t understand how the magnetic part works though. I have so many mascaras to use before I can think of buying a new one but I’m glad that if I decide to try it that there’s a mini.
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I think the magnetic part, Marcia, is just an advertising/marketing positioning concept. A new way to say “lengthening” and “curling”. They say that the formula has “magnetic minerals”. Just about all mascaras have minerals in the formula. This one has a tiny magnet in the core of the wand. Benefit says that the magnet in the wand attracts the magnetic minerals in the mascara and makes them longer. Frankly, it’s the fact that the wand has about a zillion plastic teeth. I didn’t pay any attention to the magnet part. For me, it was just another new mascara from Benefit, and all their mascaras work for me because of their wands with the plastic teeth 😉
Hah a magnet?! Although one thing I didn’t realize was that people use more than 1 coat on their lashes… I had no idea!
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I really appreciate this review. It’s so hard wading through all the mascara hype!
So, I do think that Benefit Magnet Extreme Lengthening Mascara may be hype, but if you like an extremely black mascara with a good size wand with plastic teeth to separate lashes, it’s worth a try. Thank goodness for minis!
I like Benefits mascaras but since I found several Maybelline mascaras work for me I don’t buy anything but drugstore.
That’s great that Maybelline mascaras work for you. A few years ago, I fell in love with one of L’Oreal’s Voluminous Butterly mascaras, but of course, they discontinued it, and the other ones they replaced it with just weren’t the same for me.
I love the original Benefit It’s Real! It is one of my favorites and the other is Lancome’s Definicil. I would say that the Lancome is first and then the Benefit.
That’s great, Bella, that you have found two mascaras that work well for you! I don’t think I’ve tried Lancome’s Definicil, but I know lots of people love it. I tried Lancome’s Monsieur Big a couple of years ago, and though it was out of my traditional mascara wheelhouse, I liked it. I just clicked over to look at Definicils, and I like the look of the wand. I think I should try it because it seems to give the results that I like: serious lengthening with a natural look to the lashes. The original Benefit They’re Real continues to be one of my absolute favorites. That incredible wand has not yet been surpassed in terms of its effectiveness for my wonky lashes. The new Benefit Magnet Extreme is different from the original in that it is more volumizing and it is one of the blackest blacks I have come across, especially within the Benefit family. I can’t say that I like Magnet more than the original, but it’s fun to try new things 🙂 Thank you for weighing in, and for introducing me to a mascara I should try.