Just because it’s winter (for most of us) and our calendars are flipped to January doesn’t mean we can’t talk about spring, sunshine and sunbeams — or Sun Beams, if we’re talking highlighters — because when it comes to makeup seasons, cosmetics companies dance to the beat of a different drummer.
Benefit says their new Sun Beam liquid highlighter ($26) is like sunshine in a bottle, and while I’ve heard that about other products a time or two before, when I wear this warm bronzed gold along my upper cheekbones and beneath my brow bones, I think I do look like I’ve just returned from a tropical vacation.
A great highlighter can do for faces what a great bra can do for an outfit (a lot), so I’m always on the market for great ones. Great, though, is a relative term, and one gal’s great is another gal’s mediocre.
As luck would have it, that’s where Sun Beam stands out. I think its flexibility is what sets it apart. When I want a soft, radiant glow, like that look after a good facial, I’ll dab a couple dots and blend, but I can also add a few extra drops for more dramatic shimmer.
And speaking of shimmer, Sun Beam’s is gold, and so it might be a better fit for gals who like warmer shades and golds. Ladies who love cooler colors, however, might still fall for Sun Beam, but if not, there’s always Benefit’s other highlighters, like High Beam or Watt’s Up.
Sun Beam unblended
Benefit comparison swatches from the left: Sun Beam, High Beam, Moon Beam, Watt’s Up and Girl Meets Pearl
Wearing Sun Beam on my upper cheekbones and brow bones
I love the way Sun Beam works with some of the warmer cheek/face products from the Benefit line, like Coralista, Hoola, Dallas and Cha Cha Tint, giving all of them a casual, sunny glow.
As for the packaging, it’s cute (albeit a tad bulky for travel)! 🙂 And it’s also consistent with Benefit High Beam and Moon Beam.
PRICE: $26
AVAILABILITY: Available now at Benefit counters and also online
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A-
A cat lady cry for help!
Gah! Tabs has a new annoying habit that’s interfering with my sleep…and tearing up my mattress. At 5 every morning (like clockwork), he stretches his back, drawing his claws down the side of the mattress until I react, which is usually to yell, “TABS!” Then, knowing he’s been caught, he sprints out of the room, only to return a few minutes later to do it again.
I guess it’s better than when he was launching off my bladder first thing in the morning, but not by much…
I keep hoping he’s going to grow out of it, but so far, no such luck. 🙁
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Oh baby! I think I’ll have to pick that up next time!
Oh, and for Tabs, BAD BOY!
Try keeping a spray bottle with water in it, and when he does it give him a light sprits!
Hi Shannon,
It’s so pretty on cheeks, especially with the warmer Benefit Box powders. I’ve also tried mixing it with my face lotion and it looks nice that way too.
Thanks for the idea of keeping the spray bottle near the bed… with my luck, though, I’d probably accidentally spray myself, haha! 😀
It’s funny that you should mention spraying Tabs with water to deter him. One of my old cats, Tiger, was in love with water – it was weird.
We tried to spray water on him to deter him from scratching the sofa, but he would literally run TOWARDS the spray bottle! Haha! And when my dad used to try to spray him, Tiger would often dodge (like it was a game), but still run toward the water. He was cool like that. 😛
I’ve heard of kitties like that! My friend’s cat loves water so much that she’ll only drink when it comes fresh out of the sink. So weird!
Tiger sounds like he was a cool kitty. 🙂
Wow, haha, what a discerning cat – she demands fresh water!
(Sorry if this is slightly random, but I’m now wondering what JLo would be like as a cat. I’ve heard about how she asks for a white room, white flowers, and other specific requests when she’s a guest on a show…If she were a cat, she probably would only eat out of a crystal dish. :P)
Tiger was a very lovable and really patient cat! 🙂 It was good that my first cat was such a great cat. If I ended up with a little terror, haha, it might’ve changed my mind about felines.
Haha, oh, Tabs is such a naughty cat! 😛 When I was still living at home, my mom’s cat used to do that to me every single night. It was so annoying, especially when I was tired and needed to sleep. (If you see my old bed, you’ll notice it’s all shredded at the bottom because Pingu was naughty!)
I have no idea what’s gotten into him! Usually he’s such a good boy, but lately he’s really been acting out.
That’s cool that your mom is a cat lady. 🙂
I own High Beam and Girl Meets Pearl Deluxe samples and ive been lusting for this!I was afraid it would be too dark but it looks perfect! Aw. I’m sure he’ll stop soon.
Hi Gabi,
I hope it works for ya! The golden glow is so nice for spring.
BTW, love High Beam. Have you ever tried mixing it with Benetint? So pretty!
I must pick this up! It’s gorgeous! And darn Tabs. Hope you get better sleep soon!
Hi Melli,
You’ve gotta get it! Do you happen to have either Dallas or Coralista? It’s super pretty with those colors.
LOL! Shannon’s comment was funny. I can just imagine Karen at 5am trying to hit the spray bottle like a snooze button in attempts to spray down Tabs. =D
This highlighter does look uber pretty. Makes me almost wanna buy high beam. I don’t own any cosmetics from the Benefit line. Looks like I’ll be stopping by my local Ulta store soon!!
LOL, Angela! I can see it going very, very wrong… I’d end up spraying myself or El Hub, for sure!
Ooh, so you’re a Benefit newbie. Check out their Box blushes and Creaseless Cream Shadows. Both are fabulous.
Cats don’t know what we’re saying, they just want to interact with us. When Tabs misbehaves, use either the spray bottle or shake a soda can with pennies in it. Don’t look at him or say anythig to him, just stop his unpleasant behavior. And consistency is key. Do the same thing, each time, and he’ll hopefully stop tearing up your bed.
Does he have a scratching post in the bedroom? Maybe he needs another outlet. Good luck!!
Hi Chaeriste,
Thanks for the ideas. I’m going to try the spray bottle. I also have an extra scratching post that I plan to move upstairs (maybe next to the bed?) as well. 🙂
This looks so pretty on you! I’m far too pale/cool-toned to pull this off – gonna stick to High Beam!
Hi Audrey,
High Beam is a great color and one of my old school Benefit faves. Have you ever tried it with Benetint? The two go great together.
I have! It’s my go-to combo, it looks very natural. Love it!
What lip gloss are you wearing Karen!? Loves it! Please let me know!
Hey Elwoods!
That’s good old Benefit Sugar Cookie. I always bring it with me on trips. Here’s a review:
https://www.makeupandbeautyblog.com/product-reviews/unsung-makeup-heroes-have-a-cookie-sugar-with-benefit-sugar-cookie-lipstick/
such a pretty highlighter! love it, and i hope it comes out in the “to go” version too! i find it easier to use!
our catkids’ annoying habit is meowling at our door at 445 am … they are banned from the bedroom now because they actually had a three way fight on the bed and ended up scratching my thighs pretty bad.
weve learned to ignore them … but the hubs’ is a firm believer of the powers of the spray bottle … a quick spritz and a few days will actually train the naughty behaviour out …
Hi Nina,
I hope they do too. Gonna keep my fingers crossed!
Oh no… when did the fight happen? 🙁 Are they all getting along now? You’re not the only cat lady out there with torn up thighs, btw. Tabs has got me good a few times (bad kitty!).
the fight was around summery last year, and was more of a big ruckus than anything. theyve always been friends, and still are. i guess that time of the day drives them a little bit battier than usual!
i think kitties think humans are pincushions LOL!
Ahhh look at you, all glowy and radiant! I’m pretty sure Sun Beam is my thing because the color is nice and warm 🙂
Would you consider keeping Tabs out of your bedroom (God forbid it, I know)? Does he do this because he gets hungry or wants attention? Mine usually don’t bother me unless they get hungry, but for Tango that means 6AM or earlier regardless of when I gave him his late-night snack before going to bed. Cats are really pretty quirky though, and even after being with them for more than 5 years they still do things that are surprising and incomprehensible all the time. I actually woke up at 10 to 6 this morning because Tango was asking for food (by meowing incessantly right out of the bedroom door). Sometimes I can go back to sleep afterwards, but sometimes I fail.
Well, good for me. More time to work (and browse beauty blogs) lol
Thanks for the review!! Looks fantastic, will definitely pick this up this spring – and maybe one of their box blushes 🙂
I can’t believe that I still haven’t tried Moon Beam! As for Sun Beam – it looks beautiful on you. Not sure I could use it now but in summer (or adter fake tan :P) it should look nice.
Added to the “Oh my goodness I think I need this!” List!!! Beautiful <3
Sun beam looks really pretty. I haven’t quite cotton on to the highlighter side of makeup. I think it’s coz I have oily skin and feel that there’s enough “natural highlighting” on my face 🙂
That said, sunbeam does look beautiful. Like molten gold!
I love, love, love this new highlighter! I love the glow its given you in those pics!! I’m thinking that when I get it, it will help get me out of my winter blues! hehe
Tabs is just like our cats! We try to use the squirt bottle when they’re being bad and try to leave scratching posts everywhere to help but it’s not really working well 🙁
This one is so on the wishlist!
Hey Karen,
This looks super similar to their old “Gilded” highlighting pencil, which it looks like they’re NOT CARRYING ANYMORE! gah!! I loved that stuff!! Hopefully they keep this on shelves for a while… I love that golden glow! Does it say anything on the box about using it on lips?
Hmm, looks so pretty but wondering how it would look on pale skin tones. Cats can be such buggers in the morning. If my cat Sprint wants his breakfast and we’re ignoring him, he’ll start knocking stuff off of our endstands. It especially amuses him to crash the tv remote onto the hardwood floor. He’s relentless until we feed the beast!
Looove! This might be too warm for my fair-fair skin though.
Cats always have to be annoying in the mornings, don’t they?! And why do they always wake up so darn early!
Wow! â¤
I Love love Love Love this Sun Beamâ¤
Pretty!! Come on summer! I just got a simular one.. only way cheaper.
This is gorgeous! I love gold based highlighter and recently picked up Girl Meets Pearl, love it!
highlighters*
That’s a beautiful, subtle color and not as white as a lot of highlighters.
Sparky does that to the corner of our mattress, and he only now does it less frequently because we just ignore him. I mean, we’re both awake and fuming, but we stay still and quiet until he stops. Then he’ll cry a little and give up. At least that way we don’t have to spray him more than usual…
i wanted to suggest to keep a water spray bottle at the side of the bed and spray him, too.. LOL at the cat that ran towards the water!! most hate it, really, mine does like hell! i heard you should try to spray him without him noticing really its you (tricky, I know). its more of a deterrent, apparently knowing some evil source of water sprays him when he does that (he knows already you hate it, and it does not do much 😉 )
I love sunbeam.. I m a little concerned it may be similar to the dark mac lustre drops.. anyone owns both?