Emmie Reviews – Benefit Fanfest Mascara

I hate Benefit mascaras. Shocking intro, I know. But long before Emmie’s Beauty Life was a glimmer in my eye, I have hated Benefit mascaras. They were either impossible to take off (They’re Real) had a wand that was reminiscent of a torture device (also They’re Real), irritating to my eyes (Roller Lash), or a smudgy nightmare (Bad Gal Bang, which I reviewed when it first launched). What can I say, I’m a hater. Suffice it to say, a new Benefit mascara launch is low on my excitement list. But then you all started bombing my DM’s, asking me to review the new Fanfest mascara which launched a few months back.

Now, I might be a Taurus, but I’m also a total pushover, so I picked it up a little while ago to give it the ole review treatment. And let me tell you, I have so many thoughts on this one. So, let’s get into the review!

BENEFIT COSMETICS FANFEST FANNING VOLUMISING MASCARA – $48.00 – sephora.com.au

Let’s kickstart this review with the packaging. The Fanfest Mascara is housed in a sleek, shiny black tube. There is blush pink detail for the writing on the tube. And the handle part of the tube is covered in ridges, giving it a fan effect. It’s simple packaging for Benefit, but I like it. The Fanfest Mascara contains 8.5g of product.

The brush for the Fanfest Mascara is actually a first for Benefit. The three previous mascaras that I mentioned in the intro all have molded, rubberised brushes. Whereas the Fanfest Mascara uses synthetic fiber bristles. Keeping with the fan theme, the wand has a curve, tapering towards the top to a point. This is what actually got me excited to try this mascara because this is the precise kind of wand that I love. It’s a great one to really grip onto the lashes, allowing the formula to evenly coat each lash.

The one positive that I will always give a Benefit mascara is that they are super rich in black pigment. And the Fanfest Mascara is right there with the rest of them. The formula has a nice creaminess to it and works well with the wand. Ingredient wise, this is a wax heavy formula. The big ingredient they are spruking is the Rice Wax, which helps define and separate the lashes. There is also Cranberry Extract and Panthenol to help nourish and condition the lashes.

It’s been a minute since a mascara has really impressed me upon first application. So colour me shocked when I first used the Fanfest Mascara. The first thing I noticed was how lightweight this mascara felt on my lashes. I could build this up quite a bit and it would still feel like nothing. It also ticked the boxes for length, separation, and lift. But the thing that impressed me the most was how full my lashes looked without looking overly voluminous. This mascara said full fan effect and I saw that in action. It even picked up lashes I didn’t know were there. Yeah, I was that impressed.

Which brings us to the 9 hour wear test. And full disclosure, I was probably much tougher in testing this mascara than I normally would be. The day I took these pictures, it was well over 40 degrees and I was mulching garden beds at work. So, for this mascara to look as good as it did at 5pm? Yeah, I was blown away. Yes, I did lose the lift. But that is the worst thing I could say about it here. Well, that and you definitely need an oil based cleanser to remove it from your lashes. But that’s it!

Y’all, I know people hate this saying. But I did not have ‘Me Loving A Benefit Mascara’ on my 2023 bingo card. The Fanfest Mascara is an absolute thumbs up, a contender for my best of the year list, and is one that I recommend you try as soon as a Sephora sale hits (yeah, the price tag made me wince too). Have you tried the Benefit Fanfest Mascara? Let me know in the comments.

Cheers and love
Emily xo