For me, it was a moment in June that inspired me to pursue Glow Recipe for perfect skin, giving me a review my new boss, Tess, would be proud of.
Rewind, let’s set the scene: The date is June 20th, and it is my best friend Hannah’s golden birthday (21 BABY). As we take our seats on the luxurious Long Island Rail Road, getting ready to celebrate legally, I am distracted by the euphoric glow emanating off of my friend’s face.
“Hannah,” I say. “Your face, it’s absolutely glowing. It looks like you have been blessed by the skin GODS.”
She smiles and blushes (brightening her already flawless skin, may I add) and bashfully admits, “This brand blew up on TikTok, it’s called Glow Recipe.”
Glow Recipe: the name even sounds dazzling. I made a mental note to conduct some research and share this magical brand with my (super cool) boss, Tess. After Hannah’s and my day in the big city, I got right to work, googling what sorcery these products contained. What I found was a gold mine.
Instead of skin products promising perfection, Glow Recipe specializes in providing the consumer with the key to skin satisfaction. “We know that skin changes daily & we want to empower you to love and treat your skin based on its ever-changing needs. (Because that’s life!)” they state.
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By using vegan and sustainable ingredients, Glow Recipe gladly touts it is Leaping Bunny certified, aka certifiably cruelty free! This is a major win, especially for a company that has reached viral status; having an honest skin care brand capture national attention (establishing a chokehold on us Gen Z-ers) can help the environment — even if that isn’t the consumer’s main intention.
I knew I needed to review Glow Recipe, so with Tess’ stamp of approval, I happily went shopping, looking out for the perfect three products.
What I Looked For
First, I was on the lookout for a cleanser; specifically one with hyaluronic acid, which helps heal wounds quicker and reduce scarring. Lo and behold, I found my one true love, the Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser, ripe (see what I did there) with blueberry extract, hyaluronic acid, and hydrating suds.
I then began to look for my second necessity, a pore-targeted toner, because those puppies are HUGE. Specifically, I was searching for one that wouldn’t be so harsh or drying on my skin. To my surprise, their signature (and only) toner promoted its pore tightening abilities by using watermelon extract. Entitled Watermelon Glow PHA+BHA Pore-Tight Toner, the liquid contains polyhydroxy acid (PHA) and beta hydroxy acid (BHA) which smooths skin, removes dead skin cells and decongests pores, respectively. Absolutely, add to cart.
Finally, it was time to find my show-stopper, a serum that hydrates and tackles my lovable acne prone skin. I was looking for Glow Recipe’s hero product to top off this review, and I didn’t want to wait ‘til the end of the night to find it. BUT just then, I saw it, brand new and calling out to me. The Strawberry Smooth BHA + AHA Salicylic Serum popped up on my screen. It’s good for all skin types, featuring strawberry extract to reduce the production of oil, azelaic acid liposome to help enact the salicylic acid (which calms reactive skin), and my personal favorite, allantoin to moisturize and protect skin.
And with that, I was sold. Adding that final item to my bag, I thanked my bank account and checked out.
Five days later, after patiently waiting, I received the notification that it had arrived. Giddy, I ran to the mailbox.
I opened the package and took out my three items (plus my two complimentary sample products). Beautiful, the packaging was sleek and cute and of all different colors (each representing which fruit was part of the ingredients). Curious, I uncapped each bottle to smell what all the hype was about.
Let me tell you, when I say these products smell delicious… I mean, if it were a hot summer’s day and each scent were an overpriced drink, I sure as hell would buy each and slurp ’em up.
I did no such thing, but did begin using all three before I went to bed that night.
My Nighttime Routine
First step: Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser
Within one use, my skin felt like a clean slate, as if my entire day were washed off from one rinse and lather. Immediately, I noticed a natural shine after drying, which never happens with my usual Cetaphil. Although my face was clean, it did not feel stiff and dry, which is a direct result of the hydrating properties in the cleanser. As I continue to use the wash (now at week three), the hydrating benefits are what are most impressive. I maintain a natural glow without an oily sheen — a wonderful change for my combination skin.
Second Step: Watermelon Glow PHA+BHA Pore-Tight Toner
When I began using this toner I was a little thrown off by the consistency, a bit thicker than my typical Burt’s Bees. The smell, as I mentioned before, was wonderful, but made me question how effective it would be on my face. The combination of cactus water and watermelon extract lead me to believe this toner may irritate the acne on my face. Upon application, the product left a bit of a sticky residue, and the places where pimples were present became a bit sore and red (which eventually did subside after a few minutes). My skepticism remained, so I decided to only use the toner once a day, instead of twice. This method proved effective because at the three week mark, my ever present pores seem to be minimized after use.
Third Step: Strawberry Smooth BHA + AHA Salicylic Serum
It seemed as if my gut instinct to purchase this serum served me well. Light and magical, as soon as I pumped some of the contents on the back of my hand my spidey senses tingle (okay maybe it was really the hyaluronic acid). Rubbing the serum into my face instantly brightened my complexion, making me look awake even if I did not feel quite there yet. Putting it on before bed was another miracle, because in those 8 hours (okay maybe 6) of rest the azelaic acid liposome went to work reducing the dark marks where pimples once were. In love.
The Verdict
SO, is Glow Recipe really worth the hype? Honestly, yes. Not only does the aesthetically pleasing packaging match the aesthetically pleasing results, it is a company with a mission. This is especially seen through their Glow for Good pledge, which helps develop diversity and inclusion, environmental preservation, and women owned businesses. They do this by pledging to donate $1M to organizations that embody these causes in hopes to elevate organizations who fight for humanity instead of the almighty dollar. Consumers pay attention to brands who stay true to their philanthropic roots, and will support brands that not only look out for themselves, but others too.
If you didn’t gather from my review’s takeaway by now, Glow Recipe has a shining, shimmering, gleaming, yes from me. From now on, I will never underestimate the power of a TikTok sensation (maybe, don’t quote me on that).
We hope you liked Tara’s Glow Recipe review! Have you added Glow Recipe’s products to your skincare routine?? Do you think they’re worth the hype? Let us know down below!
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