Glow Recipe Review: Is It Worth the Hype?

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In today’s market, skincare brands are a dime a dozen.

Amidst the sea of options, a brand has emerged as a game changer in the beauty industry: Glow Recipe. 

It’s taking the skincare industry by storm! 

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow PHA + BHA Pore-Tight Toner and Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops bottles on top of a marble table

Taking inspiration from the main principles of K-beauty, this U.S.-based brand has managed to let people from all over the world access nature-derived skincare and cosmetics. 

But what makes Glow Recipe stand out from the rest? Are their products worthy of the hype they get? That’s what this Glow Recipe review will be about!

We’ll discuss how Glow Recipe combines innovation, natural ingredients, and a delightful sensorial experience to create top-notch products that have become synonymous with achieving a radiant, healthy complexion.

Read on to learn more about this brand and its top products!

Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops
Best Overall
  • Formulated with watermelon extract and niacinamide
  • Contains hyaluronic acid and moringa oil
  • Can double as a makeup primer
Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser
Budget Pick
  • Formulated with blueberry extract for cleansing and gentle exfoliation
  • Also contains hyaluronic acid for moisturization
  • Gentle enough for all skin types
Pineapple C-Bright Serum
Premium Pick
  • Contains vitamin C to brighten skin
  • Formulated with pineapple extract that contains bromelain enzymes and AHAs
  • Has additional hyaluronic acid to keep the skin hydrated

What Is Glow Recipe?

In 2014, Christine Chang and Sarah Lee launched Glow Recipe, a U.S.-based skincare brand.

While it was launched in the West, it’s heavily inspired by the principles and practices of K-beauty or South Korean skincare. 

This brand’s claim to fame is its fruit-themed product lines, all of which use fruit-derived, effective, and skin-friendly ingredients for the products they sell on the market. 

These products help address a wide range of skincare needs and target many different skincare goals using their hydrating, anti-aging, anti-acne, and skin-soothing properties. 

Is Glow Recipe a Good Brand?

To start this Glow Recipe review, we’re here to answer the most important question right off the bat: Is Glow Recipe any good as a skincare brand? 

Yes, it is! It constantly produces effective skincare products that are well-equipped to deliver on their promises and gentle enough for anyone to use. 

Many of its products are non-irritating, given that their formulas are made up of natural ingredients and free of common irritants like parabens, sulfates, and phthalates.

There’s one drawback to Glow Recipe, though: it has a mid-tier price range. 

While the brand’s prices are not at the level of luxury skincare, some shoppers on a budget may not be able to afford its products’ price tags. 

Glow Recipe Reviews: 13 Must-Have Products

Ready to get to know the best Glow Recipe products up close? Here’s what we have to say about their top items!

1.
Watermelon + AHA Glow Sleeping Mask

We think this sleeping mask is worth the buy because of its moisturizing and nourishing benefits.

Key Benefits: Hydrates and moisturizes skin; helps brighten and tighten skin; makes the skin’s texture smoother

Features:

  • Formulated with 2.5% AHA for exfoliation
  • Contains niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, watermelon enzymes, and quinoa peptides for nourishment 
  • Vegan and free of irritants

Pamper your skin while you sleep with the Glow Recipe Watermelon + AHA Glow Sleeping Mask

Let’s start off this Glow Recipe review with one of the best products in the Watermelon line. This Sleeping Mask impressed us right from the get-go. 

After applying it and leaving it on overnight, it makes the skin feel smoother and more moisturized.

And it’s effective at exfoliation and loaded with skin-brightening benefits. 

With regular use, this Glow Recipe product yields amazing before-and-after results, transforming dull, rough, and uneven skin with enlarged pores into soft, radiant, and even skin with a poreless finish.

So if you need a reliable sleeping mask, this one is the product to get!

2.
Watermelon Pink Juice Oil-Free Moisturizer

We just can’t let go of this moisturizer for its rich hydration and soothing effects.

Key Benefits: Hydrates skin; provides a calming effect; helps maintain skin’s plumpness and firmness

Features:

  • Can double as a primer 
  • Contains watermelon extract, peony extract, and hyaluronic acid for superior hydration
  • Best suited for dry skin

Keep your parched skin moisturized with Glow Recipe’s Watermelon Pink Juice Oil Free Moisturizer. 

Let’s keep the ball rolling with this Glow Recipe watermelon moisturizer review. Color us impressed — this product is worthy of all the hype it gets. 

It definitely helps calm the skin and provides it with just the right levels of hydration, thanks to the watermelon extract it contains.  

What’s more, it also works well as a base or primer for makeup.

Because it moisturizes the skin, it provides a smooth base for your cosmetics to glide on effortlessly. 

In the market for an incredible two-in-one moisturizer and primer? Check this product out!

3.
Watermelon Glow PHA+BHA Pore-Tight Toner

We love this toner for its ability to deliver gentle exfoliation and potent hydration!

Key Benefits: Delivers great exfoliation; tightens pores; soothes, hydrates, and nourishes the skin; combats signs of aging 

Features:

  • Formulated with watermelon extract that helps hydrate and moisturize skin
  • Contains PHA and BHA for exfoliation
  • Also has cactus water and hyaluronic acid for superior moisturizing action

Worry less about clogged pores with Glow Recipe’s Watermelon Glow PHA+BHA Pore-Tight Toner.

Do you need an exfoliating toner that doesn’t dry out your skin? This Glow Recipe skincare product is for you! 

It contains gluconolactone (a polyhydroxy acid or PHA) and willow bark extract (a source of beta hydroxy acid or BHA) as exfoliants, which help eliminate dead skin cells.

This toner also features watermelon extract for hydration, like others in this product line. To help with that, the formula also contains cactus water and hyaluronic acid

This makes it effective at preventing clogged pores. Why?

Your skin overproduces oil when it lacks moisture, which may lead to excess oil building up inside your pores.

So by keeping the skin’s moisture and hydration at optimal levels, it helps prevent the overproduction of oil, which consequently keeps your pores from getting clogged up and helps you avoid potential acne breakouts. 

4.
Watermelon Glow Ultra-Fine Mist

This face mist refreshes your skin throughout the day and keeps your makeup looking incredible!

Key Benefits: Helps set and enhance makeup; hydrates skin; keeps skin looking radiant

Features:

  • Contains watermelon extract
  • Formulated with hibiscus flower and hyaluronic acid
  • Fine mist with lightweight texture

Up your makeup game by using the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Ultra Fine Mist!

Another Glow Recipe product to try is this ultra-fine mist. It helps refresh your skin while enhancing the appearance of your makeup by providing instant hydration in mist form. 

Thanks to the watermelon extract in its formula, it provides hydration and nourishment for your skin. 

It contains amino acids and vitamins A and C that come packed with antioxidants, which are proven to help protect your skin against dullness, dryness, and UV damage. 

Even better, by keeping your skin well-hydrated, it creates a cleaner and smoother base for your makeup that allows for easier blending and application. 

Effective and lightweight, this product is a must-have for your makeup routine!

5.
Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops

Reviews of the Glow Recipe Watermelon Dew Drops review say it’s a fave because of its effectiveness in helping every user achieve glowing skin!

Key Benefits: Reduces dark spots; gives the skin a lovely glow; helps protect against free radicals; hydrates and nourishes skin

Features:

  • Formulated with watermelon extract and niacinamide to improve dull, uneven skin tone
  • Contains hyaluronic acid and moringa oil to combat dryness
  • Can double as a makeup primer

It’s time to show off the best your skin can be with this impressive Glow Recipe product. 

Up next is our review of the Glow Recipe Dew Drops. It’s another popular serum from the brand, and we now understand why it’s so beloved. 

We found that it helps the skin stay hydrated and fades pesky dark spots quickly. 

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops product with a white background on a marble table

This is due to its combination of watermelon extract and niacinamide, which are both well-known for their ability to even out the skin tone and moisturize parched skin.

Other than hydration, the watermelon extract also provides antioxidants like vitamins A and C to brighten the skin and fight free radicals that contribute to skin aging.

6.
Watermelon Glow Pink Dream Body Cream

We love getting our hands on this body cream on days when we need added hydration.

Key Benefits: Hydrates the skin; helps skin texture stay smooth; gently exfoliates the skin

Features:

  • Contains watermelon seed butter and bacuri butter to leave the skin glowing
  • Also formulated with hibiscus as an AHA for a skin-brightening effect
  • Has a non-greasy and lightweight texture

It’s time to pamper your skin with the ultimate moisturizer — Glow Recipe’s Watermelon Glow Pink Dream Body Cream!

Glow Recipe cares not just for the face but also for the entire body. We tried this product, and we are obsessed with it.

So here’s our Glow Recipe skin cream review!

When you apply this body cream, you can feel the hydration and nutrients enter your skin without feeling sticky. It’s very lightweight and highly moisturizing!

It contains watermelon extract and bacuri butter to deliver excellent hydration and nourishment to your skin. 

On top of that, the added hibiscus extract acts as a gentle AHA exfoliator, helping shed dead skin cells to reveal smoother, more radiant skin. 

7.
Avocado Ceramide Recovery Serum

We highly suggest using this serum for its soothing and hydrating properties

Key Benefits: Calms down red, irritated skin; moisturizes and nourishes skin; helps restore skin and maintain skin health

Features:

  • Formulated with ceramides and rice milk for optimal skin barrier health
  • Also contains avocado butter and extract for moisturization
  • Vegan and cruelty-free

Soothe and restore troubled skin with Glow Recipe’s Avocado Ceramide Recovery Serum!

Next on our Glow Recipe skincare review is a recovery serum that soothes, nourishes, and hydrates your skin. 

This is the Glow Recipe Avocado Ceramide Recovery Serum, which is the best product for those who are tired of suffering from redness and irritation. 

The avocado-derived ingredients and rice milk in its formula moisturize and help soothe irritated skin. 

It’s also formulated with five ceramides that lock moisture and nourishment into your skin to prevent irritation from occurring in the first place.

8.
Guava Vitamin C Dark Spot Treatment Serum

We can’t get enough of this serum because of its potent anti-aging benefits.

Key Benefits: Helps prevent signs of premature skin aging; fades dark spots; helps even out skin tone; helps reduce dullness

Features:

  • Contains five sources of vitamin C, including guava extract
  • Uses stable, slow-release vitamin C in the formula
  • Lightweight feel and refreshing scent

Keep your skin looking youthful and healthy with this Glow Recipe Guava Vitamin C serum!

Do you need an effective vitamin C serum that can brighten your skin and stop skin aging in its tracks?

We highly recommend the Guava Vitamin C Serum from Glow Recipe. 

This Glow Recipe product contains guava extract that serves as a source of stable vitamin C, which means it won’t destabilize and consequently lose its effectiveness when exposed to heat, air, and light. 

As a result, it helps improve the appearance of dark spots on the skin and fights free radical damage effectively.

It’s also formulated to release vitamin C into the skin gradually to ensure your skin receives all its benefits throughout the day. 

Also, other than vitamin C, it also contains tranexamic acid, an ingredient that helps reduce hyperpigmentation.  

9.
Banana Soufflé Moisture Cream

This cream is a mainstay in our skincare arsenal as it provides the right moisture levels for acne-prone skin.

Key Benefits: Provides moisture and hydration for acne-prone skin; calms and re-balances skin; reinforces skin’s protective barrier

Features:

  • Has a lightweight texture that won’t irritate and cause acne breakouts
  • Contains banana, which is chock-full of magnesium and potassium
  • Also contains turmeric for soothing skin

Need an incredible moisturizer for acne-prone skin? Try out Glow Recipe’s Banana Souffle Moisture Cream!

We understand that finding a moisturizer that works well with acne-prone skin can be difficult. But believe us, this moisturizing cream is worth the shot. 

This product has a thin, lightweight texture, so it’s less likely to clog your pores.

It contains magnesium and potassium from bananas, which helps calm down acne-prone skin. 

On top of this, the formula provides just the right moisture levels to keep your skin healthy and protected. 

10.
Plum Plump Hyaluronic Acid Serum

This serum is a must-try for its effective hydration and anti-aging effects!

Key Benefits: Hydrates and moisturizes skin; helps maintain skin firmness; fights against free radicals; rejuvenates and maintains skin barrier

Features:

  • Formulated with vitamin C- and antioxidant-rich Kakadu plum
  • Contains multi-weight hyaluronic acid, collagen, and silk proteins
  • Also has vitamin B5 that provides antioxidant benefits

To rejuvenate and protect your skin from free radical damage, try out Glow Recipe’s Plum Plump Hyaluronic Acid Serum!

For extremely parched skin, we can easily recommend Glow Recipe’s Plum Plump Hyaluronic Serum.

It contains hyaluronic acid for rich hydration, but its benefits don’t stop there. 

This serum also has vitamins B5 and C, two antioxidants that help protect the skin from free radical damage, fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation. 

On top of that, it has collagen and silk proteins that enhance its anti-aging properties!

11.
Pineapple C-Bright Serum

We love this amazing vitamin C serum for keeping our skin looking bright and radiant!

Key Benefits: Brightens and hydrates the skin; evens out skin texture and pigmentation; helps fade scarring

Features:

  • Contains vitamin C to brighten the skin
  • Formulated with pineapple extract that contains bromelain enzymes, AHAs, and vitamin C
  • Has additional hyaluronic acid to keep the skin hydrated

Achieve luminous, glowing skin by using Glow Recipe’s Pineapple C-Bright Serum!

If you need a vitamin C serum that’s a bit more potent to address more serious pigmentation or scarring issues, the Pineapple C-Bright Serum is the one to get. 

It has vitamin C from pineapples and ascorbic acid, making it a potent helper for fading age spots, dark spots, and acne scars while keeping the skin smooth, poreless, and radiant.

It also keeps your skin’s hydration at optimal levels, thanks to the hyaluronic acid in its formula. 

For a powerful serum with vitamin C, don’t miss out on trying this one!

12.
Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Cream

This is a must-have for your skincare bag because it’s effective in helping calm down puffiness around the eyes.

Key Benefits: Depuffs the under-eye area; hydrates and nourishes the skin; keeps the skin firm; helps prevent and minimize signs of skin aging

Features:

  • Contains avocado extract and coffeeberry
  • Formulated with encapsulated retinol, vitamin C, and vitamin E
  • Cruelty-free

Depuff your under-eye area and keep your skin looking young with this Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask!

Suffering from puffy eyes all the time? Check out our review of the Glow Recipe Avocado Eye Cream to find out why it can help you with this problem! 

The avocado helps moisturize the sensitive skin in the under-eye area, while the coffeeberry helps minimize its puffiness. However, this eye cream’s benefits don’t stop there.

This eye cream has slow-release retinol along with vitamins C and E that help slow down skin aging and minimize any physical signs of it.

Maintain that youthful look using this Glow Recipe eye cream!

13.
Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser

We need this cleanser in our lineup since it’s so effective in breaking down and getting rid of dirt, excess oils, makeup residue, and other impurities.

Key Benefits: Cleanses skin and removes makeup without overstripping the skin; offers amazing hydration; gently exfoliates the skin

Features:

  • Formulated with blueberry extract for cleansing and gentle exfoliation
  • Also contains hyaluronic acid to keep the skin hydrated
  • Gentle enough for all skin types

Keep your skin clean and hydrated with Glow Recipe’s Bounce Gentle Cleanser

Looking for a gentle cleanser to use daily?

The Blueberry Bounce Cleanser is one effective item to add to your routine. 

Not only can it clean the skin of impurities and get rid of all traces of makeup residue, but it also contains blueberry extract that helps exfoliate the skin. 

The best part? Even though it has an exfoliant, it’s gentle enough for all skin types.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Glow Recipe Famous For?

The brand’s primary claim to fame is its line of watermelon-infused products.

Given these products’ effectiveness and cute pink packaging, they quickly became viral, and many Glow product reviews have hyped them up!

And based on what we’ve experienced using them, the hype is warranted!

Is Glow Recipe Good for Sensitive Skin?

In general, yes, this brand produces items that are safe for those with sensitive skin. 

Many of them have gentle formulations that can easily be used by those who have skin prone to irritation. 

For products with a higher potential of irritation because of their potent active ingredients like vitamin C or retinol, they use encapsulated or slow-release versions of each ingredient to avoid any harsh reactions. 

The brand also never fails to remind customers to do a patch test for such products, just in case. 

Is Glow Recipe a Korean brand?

While it’s K-beauty inspired, Glow Recipe is not a South Korean brand. Its main office is based in New York City. 

Fruity Skin Care That Makes You Glow

Who said skincare products have to look drab and boring? When you first see Glow Recipe products, it’s easy to think that the packaging is the only thing that makes the brand famous. 

Think again! 

The brand offers fruit-themed, nature-derived skincare that is also effective. Many of its products, we believe, deserve a place in any K-beauty fan’s skincare routine. 

Hopefully, this Glow Recipe review has helped you decide whether you’d try this wonderful brand. Want to understand the hype? Try out Glow Recipe today!

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Author

  • Ashley Pena

    Ashley Pena brings over 13 years of seasoned writing and editing expertise, fortified by her Bachelor of Science in Management. Esteemed in the beauty domain, her content captivates readers with its depth and authenticity. While she navigates a broad spectrum of beauty trends, Ashley shines particularly as our resident K-beauty guru. Her articles are a harmonious blend of passion and profound knowledge, inspiring readers on their unique beauty journeys.

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