Review: NYX Born To Glow Liquid Illuminator in Sunbeam

Press Sample 

With summer literally right around the corner, I thought it fitting to kick off this mini-series with the new-for-2013 Born To Glow Liquid Illuminator. Summer's the time when many of us want that extra glow to the skin, so let's see if this product can give you what you crave!

I received an assortment of the new NYX products for review a while back and I've been eagerly testing and evaluating them. If you like NYX, you might want to check back soon because I have many more reviews coming in the days and weeks ahead.

So let's start this mini-series with the new Liquid Illuminator in Sunbeam:

NYX Born To Glow Liquid Illuminator in Sunbeam

(retail: $7, 0.5 oz)

NYX describes Sunbeam as a "pale pink pearl." It's also available in the shade Gleam which is a "golden peach pearl."  From the NYX website:

Enrich your lovely features with a touch of the Liquid Illuminator that will give your skin a hint of a pink or peach tone. A light application will give your skin that luminous and healthy goddess glow.

I've seen this proudct compared to Benefit High Beam (retail: $26, 0.45 oz), but instead of a coming in a bottle with a brush (like Benefit's product), this liquid illuminator comes in a squeeze tube:

 

This product isn't so much a liquid as it is a lightweight cream when you dispense it from the tube:

Before blending, it has a very pearlescent, almost metallic look:

Once blended, the color becomes a bit more white and less pink. It's very shimmery--here it is at a few different angles:

Here I have applied it to my the top of my cheekbone, around the outside corner of my eye and up above my brow:

Looking at the pic above, you can see that this product does not work well on skin with larger pores, as it tends to accentuate imperfections. I would suggest avoiding the areas of your skin that have larger pores (that goes for most highlighters and illuminators) and focusing on smoother areas. 

Here is a photo taken in lower lighting--you can see that this product also contains some sparse, irridescent sparkle:

There isn't a ton of sparkle in this formula, but it's definitely there and the glitter is more apparent at certain angles (less so at others). 

Texture and consistency: As I mentioned earlier, this product isn't so much a liquid as it is a lightweight cream. It's not heavy, oily or greasy but it's definitely thicker than a liquid, which is nice because it's not runny or hard to handle. I like the consistency very much--it glides on the skin smoothly and a little drop goes a very long way. This helps to justify the price ($7 for half an ounce) because unless you're applying this to larger areas of the body (which you could do, of course), one tube should last you a pretty long time. To put it into perspective, a pea-sized amount would be too much for me to use on my cheekbones and above my brows. I need less than half that amount because, once you start blending, you'll see that there's a lot of shimmer packed into this product. 

Staying power: Here's the part that some of you will love, while others might find a bit challenging. This product sets very quickly, so you don't have a lot of time for blending. I've applied this product (I like to use my fingers for application, by the way) over liquid foundation, bare skin and also on top of setting powder, and it sets quickly all three way. You have to put it exactly where you want it on the first try because once it sets, it's ON and not going anywhere. Since I have very oily skin (especially in the summertime) I like this feature very much because this product tends to have excellent staying power on my skin--I can get upwards of six hours of wear even in warm weather, which is pretty great when it comes to my skin and highlighters. More emollient illuminators do allow for more blending time but they usually doesn't tend to stick around on my skin for long, so I find this a very fair trade-off.  But for those with drier skin who don't have problems with staying power when it comes to face products, you might find the quick setting time a challenge when it comes to blending or sheering out this product. 

Finish: As you can see in my pics, this product is extremely shimmery and it also contains sparse bits of irridescent sparkle that are more apparent when viewed at certain angles. The color goes from pale pink to more of a white-ish color on my skintone once I've blended.

Fragrance: The scent of this product is very mild and reminds me of unscented facial moisturizer. There's no floral, fruity, etc. notes to it at all and it shouldn't bother those who are sensitive to fragrance.

FINAL VERDICT: Because of the sparkle that's in this product, it's not something I would reach for when it comes to everyday use. That said, I think it's excellent for nighttime and/or special occasions because it gives a very glowy, shimmery look to the skin, in addition to giving the skin some pretty, iridescent sparkle. Once applied, this product sets very quickly, so apply it exactly where you want it and start your blending ASAP. I would suggest starting with just a tiny amount because once you blend, you'll see that a little goes a long way. For $7, I think this one's a good investment if you're looking for a special illuminator for nighttime or special occasions. It's got excellent staying power even on my oily skin, which also makes it a good choice for hot summer evenings. The only people I can see this not working for are those who are looking for a more subtle illuminator or those who like to take their time with blending. 

You can purchase this product on the NYX website and at Ulta (both in-store and online). As of the time of this post, NYX Cosmetics are BOGO1/2OFF at Ulta (online and in-store). 

Do you own either of the NYX Born To Glow Liquid Illuminators? If so, I'd love to know how they're working for you! And if not, do you think these might be a good fit for you?

A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.Blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews. For more information, click here.