Glowy Cheeks with Benefit High Beam
Searching for that dewy, glowy look? Benefit High Beam has you covered!
Benefit High Beam ($24.00) is a liquid highlighter that comes in a small bottle. Twist the cap and you’ll see a brush applicator–all in all, the packaging and application system looks very much like nail polish. I’ve found the best application method is to take the brush and dot it on the areas you want to highlight. I usually dotted two or three small-sized dots on my cheek bones, and then I blended it in with MAC’s 188 brush.
High Beam can act as a highlighter or illuminizer, which makes it a great, multi-tasking product to keep in your makeup bag. (Because of the packaging, it also makes a nice travel companion!) To use it as an illuminizer, mix a drop or two with your favorite foundation or moisturizer and apply all over to face. If you’ve used Strobe Cream, it’s kind of like that, but you’re able to mix to your desired level of lumination. As a highlighter, you use it on the traditional areas where you’d want light to reflect off your face (cheek bones, forehead, nose, chin, and so on). You can also use this on your brow bone — it is especially nice when you’re just wearing mascara, because it helps to brighten and wake-up tired eyes with minimal effort.
The best part about High Beam is that it isn’t noticeable that you’re wearing makeup. It’s subtle, soft, and has just this beautiful dewy, glowy finish that looks incredibly natural and yet adds so much more to your complexion. It doesn’t look or feel like a typical shimmery highlighter; it feels more like a radiant highlighter, where the luminous feel comes from a soft sheen instead of sparkles or glitter. I’ve had both my mom (older than me) and sister (deeper skintone) try this, and it looked equally lovely on them.
- Product: 8/10
- Value: 9/10
- Ease of Use: 7/10
- Packaging: 7/10
Recommendation: If you love dewy skin and are looking for a new highlighting option, consider Benefit High Beam. The product itself is high-quality, they give you plenty of it, and it’s fairly easy to use. The packaging is functional and cute, though the applicator system could use improvement. Overall, it’s a solid product and worth purchasing.
Availability: BenefitCosmetics.com, Sephora.com
Have you tried Benefit’s High Beam? Yay or nay?
See a swatch…
Benefit High Beam
Love this product, been using this for years! I even got my mom hooked on this product! This is an instant skin wake up for young and mature skin, great buy!
Yayyy!!
I tried this out over the weekend. At first I thought it was nail polish! I did notice my skin was glowy but I didn’t love it enough to purchase it.
LOL! I know, it’s totally in polish packaging.
I will have to try this out. Really glowy looking.
I love it!
I also love this product, I’ve been using it for like 4 years or so. Small bottle, but a little really goes a long way.
Wow! That is a lot of product!
I had this product ages ago, and ended up throwing it out after maybe 10 or so uses. It made my normally dry skin look so greasy! Also it started to get really thick/globby after a while. I like highlight – not greasy looking shine!
Wow! Throwing it out, really? You should have returned it 🙁
I don’t like this product. It goes on thick and doesn’t blend well and it majorly clumps over time. I wouldn’t ever purchase it again.
Really? Mine isn’t thick or clumpy at all! That sucks that yours was 🙁
Threw mine away. It looks metallic and fluorescent on darker skin.
Try Moon Beam instead!
I have darker skin and the moonbeam is amazing. Christine is right.
I never tried it because I worried it would enhance redness (like Strobe Cream and Estee Lauder’s old Spotlight Creme)
I also much prefer to use a powder for highlighting- otherwise the highlight gets covered under my blush and setting powder. Any suggestions? (I usually just use a white shimmer shadow, since I’m exceedingly fair!)
you could try MAC’s mineralize skin finish. they are limited edition so get it now. you could try porcelain pink or triple fusion or their permanent in soft and gentle. they look great on any skintone
True!
i bought it recently and i LOVE it 🙂
works great for highlighting the nose bridge.
i believe the ‘moon beam’ is for darker skin tones while ‘high beam’ is for lighter skin tones?
Yayy!
I think that’s the way it goes, though it’ll depend – I’m sure there are exceptions!
I have often thought about trying this one but its pricey. I did pick up the MAC lustre drops and I am liking those so far.
Which lustre drops did you get?
High Beam is my HG highlighter. My concern at first was that it might shift all my foundation and concealer and remove all the hard work I did for covering red cheeks & blemishes. I learnt that the trick is to place a few drops and ‘push’ the product in with a finger, rather than buff/blending in with a brush. Unlike MSF/shimmer powders, High Beam stays all day long. I have an oily skin, but this doesn’t ‘add’ the shine on. It just makes my face look younger! lol
So glad to hear you like it, Natalie! I thought this was a very popular product, so I was *so* surprised to hear others who didn’t like it at all. I was like, “OMG! What’s wrong with me?”
I have used this mixed with foundation for years and cannot find a better product than this. I receive compliments every time.
Ohh! So glad it works that well for you, Aeman 😀
There’s a dupe by Manhattan (“Liquid Glow”) which is cheaper! (only ~3€)
Thanks for the heads up!
I just use Strobe Cream.
That works too 🙂
My favorite highlighters are actually shadows (same with contouring). As a makeup artist I try to use as many multi-use products as possible to keep my kit down. Favorite highlighter: Shore Leave from MAC’s Naughty Nautical collection! A tiny, tiny bit goes a long way!
I really like this new rating-type system thing, Christine. Gives me a pretty good understanding of the product and stuff.
Thanks, MC 🙂
I haven’t used High Beam because it looks a bit ashen on my skin tone, but I love Benefit’s Moon Beam though because it is the perfect golden highlight with just a bit of pink! I had my one little bottle for a few years now and I still have at least half a bottle left. I actually forgot I still have Moon Beam until this review. Time to bring out and use a lost gem!
I’m glad to hear that Moon Beam works better on you!
I’ve been meaning to pick this up for the longest time, but I havent because I worry that it’ll make my skin look greasy 🙁
Aww!! I don’t think it will…
I love this product! I got it as a gift and I’ve been using it all the time. I mainly use it mixed with my foundation and moisturizer for an overall dewy look.
Nice! I knew there were fans 😉
This is a yay for me, I like how you can use it to highlight cheekbones, under eyebrows etc. and also use it mixed with moisturiser for an all over glow. I prefer moon beam over this, but love it nontheless =)
Could you tell me what made you prefer Moon Beam over it? I haven’t tried Moon Beam!
This product works wonders for me! Love it on my NW 20 skin. i give me the nices healthiest glow ever and i always gets nice remarks on my healthy glowing skin. I just dab it on with my finders on my cheek bones and under my eyebrow. i have had my bottle for almost 4 years and it’s still going strong. I only use it in the spring and summer trough, since i like a more matte look for the fall/winter.
I would defiantly repurchase this product again!
Can anyone tell me the difference between this one and Moon beam?
Benefit girl told me Moon Beam is for the dark skin and High Beam is for the lighter skin. I am NC20 and Moon Beam doesn’t show up on me at all.
Interesting that Moon Beam doesn’t show up on you though…
Yay! I haven’t tried Moon Beam, so I couldn’t tell you myself.
I’m glad you posted about this because just the other day I was trying to figure out if it’s a replacement for the discontinued STAPLE of mine called Benefit Hollywood Glo. =(
I hope that product gets re-released! I lost my old makeup kit, and that bottle was in there. hmmph
I need a dupe or something asap!
Oh no 🙁 I’ve never heard of it, so it must have been before my time!
Try Strawberrynet.com They have it online at the moment, and seem to be shipping pretty well everywhere ! 🙂
I love high beam and I used it for a long time. I love Bad Gal too from Benefit. Bad Gal with my day cream and High Beam near my eyes when I’m tired or if I go out.
So happy to hear it, Yael!
Hi christine, i’m nw 15 and i’m looking for a powder highlighter, do you recommemd any ??? thanks 🙂
My favorites are Dior’s Skin Shimmers – Rose would be nice on you.
Thank you ;D
i want to try this product but im wondering which best suits to my skin mooon beam or high beam..i got tan skin
Moon Beam!
where can i buy the high beam highlight for glowy look? i want to try, but im afraid it might not turn out the way i want to on my skin tone. im light skin, but that light skin. can somebody reply to my comment? im really interested having that glowy, highlight look.
Benefit Cosmetics!
WOW, this product is fantastic! I tried it and it really made my skin look glowy =)
i love this, i think many people do not like it because they use too much product. I recommend using a very small amount, you can always add more!
This product is really really glittery and sparkly. I just did a swatch on my hand and it looks nothing like that picture. I look like a glitter-disco face when I use this, and so does my glitter-disco hand right now. I know exactly how to use it(it’s not me, it’s the product). You might as well go to a childrens craft store and buy glitter glue and smudge it on your face. Worse product ever, wait no…Drfeelgood is. I am pissed off that I have to ALL the way back to the darn store to return it.
Hi Christine, do you think nars albatross is better than this?
They’re so different, it’s hard to say… on a more minimal day, I like High Beam, but if I’m doing a full face, I prefer powder products like Albatross.
i just wanted to know your take on this product, im thinking about buying the mac lustre drops fromt he marine life collection. how do the two products compare? what would you reach more?
They’re kind of different, though High Beam and Pink Rebel are similar in color. High Beam is more silvery-pink, Pink Rebel more medium pink with gold shimmer. High Beam is thinner, more like a nail polish, whereas Pink Rebel is creamier.
where can I buy this?
I am from Indonesia..
where i can buy that? i’m at indonesia and there’s benefit.com, and they tell it’s safe buy from them and delivery international,really love benefit produk, but hard to find it at my place
Benefit.com is their website & they do ship internationally.