Claiming to provide gravity-defying lift and volume, Benefit’s new mascara could be its biggest yet. Is it worth the buzz? We put it to the test
When it comes to product launches, Benefit has garnered a reputation for holding some of the most exciting and extravagant around. However, last night’s was probably their biggest, (and most literal), yet, with its new Badgal Bang Mascara being heralded by the arrival of a spaceship at the Cochrane Theatre. Yes, the brand’s newest eye-opening launch has landed and its space-age formula and suits-all brush look ready to take the market by storm.
What makes it different to its predecessors?
Benefit’s reputation in the mascara department is already pretty stellar with its They’re Real! and Roller Lash mascaras holding the number 1 and 2 spots respectively in the prestige market. With the first known for lengthening , the second for curl, the newest addition to the line-up looks to fill the gap for volume. But not the clumpy, heavy kind. Its formula features aero-particles (which the brand claims are derived from space technology - hence the rocket), cited as one of the lightest raw materials known to man to provide a featherweight feel so lashes don’t feel weighed down. It also contains provitamin B5 to strengthen and thicken lashes in the long-term and is a pitch black colour for added impact. Additionally, it claims to provide water-resistant 36-hour wear too.
As for its wand, it took 75 prototypes to reach the finished product - a conical-shaped brush designed to help any eye shape achieve greater volume and a more fanned out flutter. Containing over 300 soft cone-shaped bristles that have flat and curved surfaces to maximise its volumising reach, it also features a special wiper to keep your efforts mess and wastage-free.
What’s it like to use?
Its bendy conical wand and its dense forest of slimline bristles provided a welcome degree of precision that I’ve often found can be missing from other volumising mascaras . Proving that bigger isn’t always better, I was able to target each individual lash from root to tip with greater ease and was especially impressed by the separation and definition I was able to achieve on my lower lash lines.
I was particularly wowed by the mascara’s ability to provide lightweight lift and volume that was easy to layer and build. I tried it on one of my eyes at the launch, leaving my usual mascara on my other and the difference between the two was definitely noticeable. My lashes looked both longer and thicker and it had a greater eye-opening effect than my usual go-to.
The verdict?
Out of the full Benefit mascara line-up, this new addition is my favourite. Lift and volume are the two qualities that influence my shopping habits most and Badgal Bang provides an ample serving of each. If you’re looking for curl though, you’re best sticking to Roller Lash or using a separate eyelash curler.
I can’t comment as to whether it lasts for 36 hours as keeping it on for that long may well bring my personal hygiene habits into question, but I can report that it stays put all day without smudging or flaking and withstands the stumbling blocks of rain and sweat. Its lightweight formula felt comfortable and the definition it gave to my lower lash lines was of particular note.
Providing high impact without the heaviness, it looks primed to give its predecessors a battle for the top spots of the prestige mascara charts due to its more universal appeal and lash lifting capabilities. It’s arrived with a bang that’s worthy of the buzz in my opinion.
Benefit Badgal Bang Mascara is £21.50 and is available to buy online here .