Is This Glow Recipe Favourite the Perfect Hot Weather Moisturiser?

Main Image – Live That Glow

Now summer is *finally* here properly, my normally dry, sensitive skin has switched up to its normal default mode during the hotter months; hydrated yet occasionally oily (read: sweaty).

And while my favourite winter cleansers still do the job once July rolls around, my moisturiser is the main place I make a change in my skincare routine.

Because during summer humidity levels tend to rise, meaning skin receives some of the hydration it needs from the ambient air. Meanwhile, hotter temperatures can also send oil production into overdrive, making my normally rich face creams too heavy.

So picking a moisturiser that lightly supports moisture levels without clogging pores or being so heavy you end up with the dreaded summer sweat face (been there my friend) can make the difference between glowing or just straight out sweating in the heat.

I actually have a lot of favourite lightweight cream formulas I still turn to, but for sheer instant absorption and cooling ease of use, I really like a gel moisturiser in summer.

Cue a fruit-scented cult classic; Glow Recipe’s Watermelon Glow Pink Juice Moisturizer

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Pink Juice Moisturizer

This follow-up to the brand’s cult classic Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask will already be familiar to just about anyone who has ever spent more than 30 seconds on Instagram- but was a new one for me until last autumn.

For my full thoughts on Glow Recipe’s Sleeping Mask, browse my review.

As a fan of the Sleeping Mask (despite its slightly silicone feel), I was intrigued by the sound of a light moisturising gel which I could use on days when my skin doesn’t want anything too rich.

Like the sleeping mask, this has a pleasing pink jelly texture (bringing out my inner three-year-old) and an uplifting watermelon scent. Unlike the mask though, this moisturiser contains no silicones or potentially irritating alcohols (whoop whoop!).

In fact, its main ingredient is watermelon fruit extract- a hydrating and brightening antioxidant suited to most skin types that contains “Vitamins A, B6, and C” to “help your skin stay soft, smooth, and supple,” says WebMD.

Meanwhile, soy and wheat proteins (two of my favourite ingredients) offer an immediate plumping and firming effect.

Finally, glycerin softens while liquorice root extract helps to brighten and even skin tone.  The entire formula is completely oil-free.

Housed in a glass bottle, Glow Pink Juice is also phthalate, mineral oil, sulphate and synthetic colour-free, as well as vegan and cruelty-free.

The Full List of Ingredients

Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Aqua, Cetyl Alcohol, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Glycerin, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Cetearyl Olivate, Glutamic Acid, Sorbitan Olivate, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum, Xanthan Gum, Apricot Kernel Amino Acids, Alkanna Tinctoria Root Extract, Beta-Glucan, Jasminum Sambac Flower Wax, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract, Ipomoea Batatas Root Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Benzyl Benzoate, Limonene, Parfum

 

On the Skin

On my skin this is cooling and hydrating- and certainly better suited to the warmer months or humid weather more than dry winter skin (although oilier types might love this in cooler weather too).

I haven’t noticed any longer-term benefits than immediate hydration, however, but sometimes that’s all you need- and for any more advanced pigmentation tackling/anti-ageing benefits then I can just turn to my trusty roster of serums.

Absorbed in seconds, this keeps my skin comfortable (and glowing) throughout the day, while it also feels good applied last thing to sun-sizzled skin (hydrating ingredients are best on recent sunburn since emollients can trap heat in).

How to Use it

I like applying this straight onto dry, cleansed skin without layering any other serums in between (purely because I find this tends to dramatically increase the chances of a sweaty face in the heat).  I’ve found Pink Glow Juice does layer well over serums too though.

It can also be used mixed with a little foundation (not oil or powder formulas) for a dewy, natural-looking colour which works really well for no-makeup-makeup days.

Finally, at a push, this can also work as a light after sun lotion due to its high levels of soothing and hydrating ingredients.  Very sensitive skin types should be aware that this does contain artificial fragrance though, so patch test first.

The Takeaway

While this is a fairly basic moisturiser, it’s also (to my mind) a pretty high-quality one- delivering on its claims of hydration and skin-soothing benefits.

With enough softening, moisturising ingredients that even quite dry skin will probably appreciate this in summer, oilier types will probably appreciate this fuss-free, non-clogging formula year-round. And anyone who likes the smell of watermelon (me, me!) will also be a fan.

For a cheaper dupe, consider checking out a lightweight hydrating moisturiser like The Inkey List’s Multi-Biotic.

Great for: Those who like their hydration on the lighter side and summer moisturising. Watermelon fans.

Not-so-great for: Very dry skin types, who might find this too lightweight. Also, very sensitive types might not enjoy the artificial fragrance here.

Glow Recipe’s Watermelon Glow Pink Juice Moisturizer is from £19.50 for 20 ml, Cult Beauty and from $21 for 0.85 oz/ 20 ml, Sephora