I’m going to ask you for a favor, young lady, and I’d like you to just do it for me as a friend. Please? I need you to channel Elmer J. Fudd while you speak the name of Benefit’s new highlighter out loud.
Are you ready? Okay, it’s called Girl Meets Pearl ($30).
Ha ha! 🙂
Okay, so maybe I’m too easily amused, but at least my skin’s glowing while I laugh maniacally by myself in the corner. Viva la Girl Meets Pearl!
New for fall, it’s a creamy highlighter that contains light-reflective pigments to give skin a pearly shimmer.
Application’s a cinch — easier than downing a pint of Haagen Daz on the couch. Using either my fingertips or a skunk brush with synthetic fibers (more absorbent natural fibers could produce a heavier look), I’ll apply it to bare skin or atop makeup for a warm, golden pink glow.
Doesn’t it remind you of Benefit’s That Gal? If it does, that’s because they’re both wearing similar outfits (party foul!).
Despite outward appearances, however, they do different things. That Gal is a brightening primer and gives skin a subtle cool-toned pink sheen while it extends the wear time of face makeup; Girl Meets Pearl is a more shimmery warm-toned highlighter.
Oh, and if you think Girl Meets Pearl looks a little like Benefit Moon Beam, then jinx! — you owe me a Coke. I think so, too, but Moon Beam has a pink iridescence that’s missing in Girl Meets Pearl.
Swatch of Girl Meets Pearl on NC35 skin
Swatches from left: Benefit Moon Beam, Girl Meets Pearl, That Gal
Wearing Girl Meets Pearl on my cheeks, at my temples, down the bridge of my nose and beneath the arch of my eyebrows
Thankfully, because the tube costs $30, a little goes a long way. Twisting the click-turn bottom dispenses the product, which comes out of the small holes at the top, and I think the design provides a great deal of control over the amount of product used.
For an easy peasy glow, twist the tube, and swipe the head of your brush across the holes to load the fibers. Then, lightly pat Girl Meets Pearl on cheeks, temples and down the bridge of the nose. Next, work a dab of product below the apex in the arch of the eyebrows with a finger.
Tada! Whole process takes less than a minute to do. 🙂
Not only is Girl Meets Pearl a cinch to use, it’s also fairly flexible. I’ve worn it on bare skin, atop tinted moisturizer and foundation, and I’ve also worn it on plain powder.
The icing on the cake? I think it smells great! — like raspberry iced tea, probably because it contains raspberry. It also contains chamomile and sweet almond extracts, perhaps to help it soften and soothe the skin.
It’s kinda pricey, but a tube should last a while. If you like warm-toned golden highlighters, I think you should meet this pearl, girl. Available at Sephora stores and online at benefitcosmetics.com. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Ooooh! I think I need this! You look beautiful! How’s the lasting power on it?
It’s great. It stays on all day without fading or slipping off my skin.
Its pretty!
Yes it is!
I’ve always wanted to try Benefit’s highlighters but I never knew if they were worth it!
You’re in for a treat. Definitely try High Beam! Here’s a post with a tutorial on how to use ’em, just in case you’re interested:
Get Glowy, Fast, with Benefit High Beam and Moon Beam
Okay, Girl Meets Pearl is *seriously* cute. I doubt it would work with my colouring (pale and cold, but with yellow undertones. I look like a zombie without the right products!) but it’s definitely pretty nonetheless.
Now, that swatch of Moon Beam, on the other hand… 😀
Sounds like Moon Beam might be a good fit. Have you ever tried That Gal? Methinks that would look great on you!
I really like both Benefit That Gal and Moon Beam, so I will have to try this!
Awesome! I bet it would look great on you. 🙂
Oh I thought this would look like Benefit’s High Beam (which I love!) but it doesn’t, so yay! Will have to go check this out 🙂
Oh, it looks completely different from High Beam! Do you have Moon Beam? You might like that too.
You look great Karen!! i like this effect! but i can’t get it here 🙁
Thanks, Latetitia! Bummer this isn’t available where you’re at. What country do you live in? Benefit does ship internationally.
Really?!! I’m frm Morocco! I usually shop when i’m outside morocco, but i prefer to shop from the net! more comfortable! i will take a look on the website! Thx karen <3
hi karen!
i’m a pretty pale girl with rosy cheeks and i’m cool-toned, i have High Beam but it’s gettin a little old and on the thick side :/ sad face. is Moon Beam/Girl Meets Pearl more for warm-toned, bronze ladies, or do you think one of those would be pretty on my fair cough albino cough skin? 🙂 thank you, love the blog!!
Yay for pale to albino skin tones! I’m with you there 🙂
ha ha! i feel like this may be a little too gold/yellowy for my naturally pink toned skin..ya know? but moon beam looks awfully pinkish in the swatch here so maybe i’ll try that instead of replacing my high beam…hmm…decisions decisions!!
Hi Cady,
Hmm, this might be too gold for ya, but try it anyway. Your skin may pick up the pink tones more than mine does.
Also — I’m thinking Moon Beam or That Gal might look great on you. Or maybe even the “10” powder:
Benefit 10
I have a friend who’s a pale princess who swears by the stuff!
What a lovely glow, I need to try this asap!
It is a lovely glow! Are you a fan of any other Benefit highlighters? 🙂 I love High Beam myself.
I’m too easily amused too 🙂 How do you think it would work with oily skin? Or, should someone with oily skin put the highlighter away? Hmm..
Hmm, I think you could get away with it if you’ve got a good blotting powder on hand. Have you tried MAC Blot?
Well, I am sold. You look so fab here! 🙂 Love it.
Thanks! I hope it works for ya. 🙂
WANT!
LOL… I’m guessing you like the color? 🙂
omg your skin looks flawless in that picture! I’ll have to pick up a sample of this next time I’m at Sephora, I really want to try it out 🙂
I think you’ll like it! Let me know what you think after you give it a go.
Hey Karen. Do you think this is worth the time for an NC45?
Hey, Shontay. I think this could easily work on an NC45. The contrast of the gold would look dramatic, but very pretty!
Thanks. I just wanted to know if it would even show up!
I was worried about that too… but it does show up!
i SO need this. im a self confessed benefit addict, and although i dont have moon beam, i have that gal and LOVE it. do you by any chance know when itll come out in the uk?
Not sure if/when, but I do know that the Benefit website ships to Europe, so if you’re itching to get your hands on it now you can.
great!! 🙂
thinking of getting this! my tiny sample of High Beam is almost out and the packaging and scent and gold glow of this is drawing me like moth to flame! and after prowl was disapointing ( 🙁 ) this looks like the Fall Makeup Product For Me!
You should try this! I think that you’ll like it… especially if gold highligheters are your thang.
this is right up my alley! thanks for the review – I’m def gonna order it!
Yay! It might look pretty with your coral blushes.
Did your Femme Metale set arrive yet?
Lovely, as always! I think I’d be more of a That Girl myself, but I’m a bit shiny already so I should probably be investing in mattifying products instead of a highlighter. Oh, and sorry for making up words. Mattifying is kind of making me cringe.
LOL, no worries. I’m guilty of throwing mattifying into the ring here and there.
If you’re shiny, you might want to check out MAC Blot powder. It’s frickin’ great at sucking up oil!
This and fluidline (and really needing some brush upgrades) is making it impossible to put off that hour drive to the MAC store! Oh, and also to check out your wine-colored shadow recs. I’d better pack a snack; it’s shaping up to be quite a field trip! 🙂
That is pretty! Well hello there, Girl Meets Pearl! 🙂
LOL! Glad you two got the chance to meet. 🙂
Thank you for introducing us, Karen!
I like the twist up packaging that Benefit uses.
thanks!!
i was looking for a review like this on this product like crazy!!
but i still have a question: do you think it looks natural? i mean, are the glitters showing too much?
and I am starving for a comparison between girl meets pearl and eyeko cream. do you think they are similar??
(ok, i had more than one question!!)
i´m reading you from brazil!!
That looks good on you! I’m glad it’s not as big of a disappointment as the Prrrowl.
Karen,
How does it comprare to High Beam? Im just curious! i love High Beam
Hi CinCin,
They look nothing alike. High Beam’s a cool, pearly pink. See swatches of it here:
Get Glowy, Fast, with Benefit High Beam and Moon Beam
This is a must-have for every girls beauty bag. I LOVE it.
Hey Karen,
Do you think this would look good on yellow-toned skin? I’m an asian chick (and loving it). Do you think it’d look okay?
Thanks!
I am glad asked that question about Hi beam. But how about Bronzer ? Put that away for now?
Michele
Why does you skin look absolutely FLAWLESS in the last pick?? Did you sell your soul to the devil?? Skin does not look that great without a high price!
that looks gorgeous! Benefit sure is coming up with loads of new products!
oh that looks perfect! i wanted to love high beam as much as i loved benetint, but it didn’t work with my tan. so i’m crossing my fingers for this one, especially with the packaging!
though this looks like it’ll work! now if i could only convince benefit to begin distribution here in manila!
way to many exclamation points. so here’s a question, have you tried their perfumes?
Thanks a lot for comparing with Moon Beam and That Girl because I have them too..
I may be picking it up after reading this..
=)
It looks great on you Karen! 😉 The comparison with the other 2 was very useful !
Hi Stavroula,
So glad you found it useful. Do you think you might pick it up?
I’m thinking about it! What’s your skintype? I’m oily!
I’m oily/dry and acne-prone. You could probably pull this off… I would keep it onto specific places on the skin though, like the upper cheekbones, to avoid looking too oily, ya know?
I’m oily with dry skin around the mouth and on the sides of the nose! Trust me, I definitely know what you mean with looking too oily lol! I might try this! 🙂
I suffer from the same dry patches! Which moisturizer do you use? I’ve been hopelessly addicted to Clarins Hydraquench. I ran out a few days ago and the flakes around my nose and mouth are in frickin’ overdrive.
I use a couple of Avene moisturizers, Matifying Fluid Moisturizer and Hydrance Legere Light Hydrating Cream! I’ve noticed that exfoliating my face with a mix of lemon juice and sugar really helps with the dry and flaky skin on these areas! 😉
oh, darn darn darn!!!!!
i only just glanced at it and im being pulled in with its shiny beam!! daaaaarn!!!
its so preeeetty. oh, god. Benefit hates me. But i loooove your blog!
oxox
This looks like my kinda thing. Surprisingly my Moonbeam is not like yours. Yours look pretty in pink…mine looks weird….???