It's only February but I think Benefit have already possibly won the award for 'Biggest Hyped Up Launch of 2018' with their drop of their latest mascara offering - 'Bad Gal Bang'. From a big countdown, to rather ma-hoosive press trips for the launch itself and numerous features and reviews popping up ever since - it has been everywhere. Everyone has been talking about it and giving their thoughts and naturally, I became very intrigued and wanted to see what all the fuss was about for myself. So, in the end, I picked it up (as you would have seen in this post I did recently here) and it's safe to say I was pretty excited to give it a go. As I explained then, I actually bought the travel-sized version as the mascaras from Benefit are definitely more on the pricier side of things and combined with the fact that I've seen a mix of opinions so far - I thought it'd be the safest option to not go all-out just yet. So, what do I think? Just keep on reading to find out...
First of - this review is I suppose more of a 'First Impressions' as opposed to my usual 'Tried and Tested' as honestly, I have only used this mascara a handful of times so far and don't know if I can really give my full, full review just yet. However, first impressions certainly do count and I've certainly managed to gauge those from using this mascara so far. But, before all of that, what does it claim to do exactly? Well, it supposedly gives 'lashes that are out of this world'. I know, a pretty bold statement. Apparently it wears for a grand total of 36 HOURS (which, I doubt anyone would really require, but nevertheless, it should be long-wearing) and provide a tonne of volume to the lashes. The 'pitch black' formula contains 'aero-particles' that are one of the lightest known materials derived from space technology - giving a 'gravity-defying' effect - and the slim brush combs and coats that lashes evenly and allows you to layer product up to achieve even more impact. Basically, it sounds like a pretty awesome mascara if voluminous, thick, bold (but still separated and not clumpy) lashes are what you're after - which definitely applies to me.
So, it's safe to say I had pretty high hopes for this mascara going on those claims alone. But what did I actually think? Well, first off, going on appearances alone - the packaging is lovely. A matte black tube with pink lettering and a rubberised cap - it definitely fits in with the whole 'space' theme - and as always with Benefit - is pretty impressive. Taking the brush out for the first time, the wand is super wiggly and flexible and the brush itself is pretty long and slim. It's plastic (which isn't an issue for me as I usually find I get along with both plastic and bristle brushes) and has a 'comb'-like feel to it, with tonnes of short bristles all-over. On one side, the bristles are more curved and on the other, they're more straight - supposedly to enable you to really load up the product onto the lashes, whilst also curling and lifting them up at the same time. Very technical, I know. The wand itself is super lightweight and easy to use and the tapered end makes getting every single lash super easy too. So far, so good. Formula-wise, the mascara is very wet and 'liquidy', however I do find it to dry down well once applied to the lashes themselves and it does definitely last all day long without any smudging, transferring or flaking. Because of the super-wet formula, the brush comes out really well-loaded in product and at least right now, enables me to basically do both of my eyes in just one dip into the tube. Personally, I find one coat of this mascara is more that enough and I feel like that is where my feelings on this mascara start to change a little. Don't get me wrong, I love a mascara that really does the job and doesn't require a tonne of work and effort, but this one is so intense and full-on that you really do have to be careful with how much you apply to ensure you're not left with super-clumpy lashes. The first time I ever used this mascara I had to go back in with a lash separator to comb things through as they'd started to all stick together into one giant lash - and that was only using one coat. Admittedly, every time I've used it since then things haven't gotten that intense and I've been able to control how much I apply and get the sort of effect I want much easier, but it's certainly something to note anyway. I don't actually mind a bit of clump and thickness to my lashes, but if you don't want anything like that all all, this mascara certainly won't be for you. Apart from that, once I got it right, oh boy did this do a great job of properly transforming my lashes. They looked so much thicker, fuller and longer and really well-lifted and curled too, without me even using a lash curler beforehand. The supposed 'aero particles', while they might sound a little strange, might just be onto something as the finish was very lightweight considering how much product was on my lashes, the formula is super-duper pitch black and as I said, once applied, this mascara lasted and stayed in place all day long. So, I guess I'm sort of sitting somewhere in the middle in terms of my opinion. At least right now, it's a pretty good mascara, but it's not my favourite, favourite I've ever tried. There's others I've used that are just as good as this one, but with just a hint less of clump to them and so don't require as much work to get right. But I guess that's what 'First Impressions' are for, right? At the moment, I like it, but don't love it - so I will definitely have to keep you updated as to how I get on, long-term....
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