Beauty Without Fuss

Tuesday 7 September 2010

Review - Benefit Girl Meets Pearl


I have a love-hate relationship with Benefit.  When the products are good (and very many of them are), they're very good, but when they're bad, they're dreadful.  Add in the hard sell at the counter, the freaky makeovers you get, and then look at the frankly rather limited range of foundation shades, they can be difficult to love at times .... also, please don't get me started on the cheap and rather undurable cardboard packaging that drives me nuts ... but hey.

But, when they get things right, they tend to get things really right.  Their Creaseless Cream eyeshadows are a work of genius and I never miss an opportunity to recommend them, and I've been using You Rebel ever since it was called "I am Rebel" (even if these days, I do prefer the "lite" version, I don't enjoy being orange now!).

They're bringing out some new products at the moment (and I hear exciting things about a possible skin-care launch in the near future too), and I've had a chance to try them.  I'll talk more about Porefessional soon,  but Girl Meets Pearl launches in the next couple of weeks and it's really very pretty indeed.

A cool pink with gold pearl, this is a cooling liquid highlighter that you can use to "spotlight" individual areas of your face, or use all over your face (under your foundation) to give your skin a sheeny glow. It's not a shimmer, or a glitter - thank goodness - but it just lights your skin up a little in a delightfully natural fashion.


Here you can see it on my skin, it's largely translucent, but it blends remarkably well, and gives you a buildable effect, you can apply it lightly for a light sheen, or apply more for a more glow-y effect.






Here you can see it catching the light whilst I was blending it in.  It dries a lot more matte though:








Can you see the difference?  I like to use this on my cheekbones (over a tinted moisturiser, and under a powder foundation), and I love the very subtle effect.

But, there is one dreadful thing about this product - the scent.  It's like smearing Hubba Bubba on your cheeks.  Not nice, and, to make things worse, the smell lingers a long time.  Your mileage on the scent may vary, of course!  I do find Benefit products a little over-perfumed at times, and I have to admit that this isn't nearly as bad as the smell of Dr Feelgood (which always smells like curry to me), but I thought you should know!

How do you get along with Benefit?

The Fine Print: I was visited on my sickbed by a very lovely Benefit PR recently, and she left me a sample of this.  PRs are people too, people! 
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12 comments

  1. Isn't this just another Benefit highlighter? I do love the brand, but they do tend to have 5 of everything, bringing out fail-safes rather than something completely new. And I know what you mean about the scents...! xx

    www.londonbeautyqueen.blogspot.com

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  2. I have to agree with you here. Benefit are so hit and miss. I love the Creaseless Cream eyeshadows aswell, i have a few of the boxed blushes which are nice but i dont find them amazing. I would be quite interested to try this when it is released x

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  3. Hit and miss for me too. I love the Creaseless Cream shadows, and I don't mind Erase Paste and Lemon Aid, but I hate their foundation, and not overly thrilled with their lipstick and perfumes. I am keen to try The Pore-miniser or whatever that new thing is called, though!

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  4. Yes, the make-overs always make me look strange and a bit jaundice!
    I like realness of concealness and used to like Dr Feelgood when I was at school but haven't tried it in ages.

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  5. I totally agree, when they're good they're very good. I also like the creaseless shadows, I own three. I also love their BadGal black mascara and eyeliner. But that's about it. I've been conned into buying many things from them that I really don't like and have just ended up throwing away.

    Amy
    makeupnovice

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  6. Benefit sold me a blue mascara. Not navy blue, or blue black. Bright electric blue. I can't remember why I bought it. But I have eyed them with suspicion ever since.

    Blue. Mascara. And it wasn't even the 80s.

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  7. I totally agree- some products they do so well and some are just average. My personal faves are the Erase Paste, Boi-ing and High Beam. All are my essentials!

    This product looks just like one I would like! x

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  8. Definitely a mixed bag. I really like erase paste, Eye Bright and the Body So fine moisturiser. Bad Gal mascara on the other hand is just a complete fail for me. I keep meaning to pick up one of the blushers but avoid the counters after a bad 'my face but orange' experience!

    I like the sound of this, I've yet to find a highlighter that I really love. I'd be interested to do the smell test.

    Thanks for the great review as always,
    Jane x

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  9. I like the look of this product- the smell sounds like a little much though.

    Currently, I'm loving their Stay, Don't Stray primer- I used to love their face scrub but it's getting v hard to find.

    Love the blog!

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  10. Is there any difference between That Gal and this product?! Looks to me like it might be a combination of That Gal and High Beam... nothing truly new, for sure!

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  11. I bought it few days ago and i am really happy with it. Frankly, i do not feel any bad smell or sticky feeling and the glow it creates i gorgeous...probably the product is comparable to NARS multiple in orgasm. I cannot say it is super long lasting, but while it lasts it is beautiful :)

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  12. I bought the Porefessional primer/pore minimiser today and decided to go for the Porefessionally Pretty set (for the same price!)
    In it is a great trial size of Girl meets Pearl and a little pot of Erase Paste. Actually I think its really nice- It's particularly good mixed with Porefessional if you fancy a day of radiance without the clarted make-up look! :) x

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