5 Years ago no one had heard of Sheet Masks and now they are a skincare stable in most people's skincare routine. That was one of the big movements for Korean skincare but it has continued over the years and one of the latest imports is Glow Recipe which seems to have taken off quicker than anyone anticipated.
The first I heard of Glow Recipe was during a Jeffree Star video, I wasn't that bothered at first but then it sold out and everyone started raving about it. Most people commented on its strange texture and the gorgeous watermelon scent and if anything is going to sell a product to me, it involves a Watermelon scent. Is there a scent as refreshing as Watermelon?
The one thing that truly put me off buying this product, other than the fact it spends most of its time sold out, was the price. The 80ml tub is £41 which seemed far too much of a risk if I did not like it. Eventually they launched a smaller 30ml which I kept an eye on but quite often it was also sold out. I had sort of given up on it until I was scrolling through the new in page of Cult Beauty just before Christmas last year and they had a set which caught my eye instantly
Glow Baby Glow
Glow Recipe launched a few sets for Christmas but the one that had taken my fancy was the Glow Baby Glow set. Whereas all of the other sets were over £40, this set was only £25 and it had the two products I really wanted to try from the brand in it: the Watermelon Sleeping Mask and the newer Avocado Melt Sleeping Mask.
Not only did it have the two products I wanted to try in it but it also seemed really reasonable. Both of the products were in the 30ml size and both of these cost £20.50 individually so I was essentially only paying full price for one product and then £4.50 for the other. When you put it like that it seems crazy but this is what giftsets should give you, a discount! Brands seem to have forgotten that. Tiny rant aside, this set seemed like a great way of trying the brand for a first time so I placed an order and waited for my skincare to arrive.
The whole boxset was rather large for the size of the products inside but as well as the two products, you did get a little spatula as well, which actually came in handy because it was quite hard to try and get the product out just using your fingers as the jars are quite small. I hope that when you buy these smaller sizes, they also come with a spatula, otherwise good luck getting all of the product out especially when you get close to the end of the product.
Obviously you cannot buy this set anymore as it was for Christmas but it has taken me this long to get around to writing this review. In fact I have already finished the Watermelon mask and I am half way through the Avocado mask so I have definitely had enough time to gather my thoughts on these products and I am ready to review them!
Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask
Of course I started out by using the Watermelon Mask, I mean it was the one that I was most excited about and it was the mask that I had heard the most about. I think the most important thing to cover is the smell, because it is incredible. If you are not a fan of fragrance in your skincare, this is not going to be for you because as soon as you open the top of this product, the scent of watermelon hits you. It is so juicy smelling and refreshing that I feel like it tricks your mind into thinking your skin is plump and revived, just after smelling it. The scent is mouth-watering but also not the most important factor, its performance is more important.
As everyone had previously mentioned, this product has a really strange texture. It is definitely a gel but it is quite bouncy so when you take some of the gel out of the tub it sort of slips off the spatula in an almost runny but held together lump. Honestly it is so strange to describe but that is why you are better off with a scoop as it makes it easier to actually pick up the product which is hard to do with your finger. In addition this can separate a little bit so it is important to give this product a little stir before you start using it.
When you apply this onto your face it sort of melts a little bit so it spreads really easily and it feels quite liquid as you smooth it in your skin. It does leave your skin feeling slightly tacky but not sticky so you don't end up ruining your pillow overnight. I used this as an alternative to a moisturiser and it did leave my skin hydrated. I would wake up and my skin would look refreshed but I wouldn't say it added an incredible glow to my skin. In no way does this compare to the results of the Vitamin C I have been using recently. However this Watermelon mask does have different ingredients which wouldn't necessarily bring out a big glow but instead would help the texture of the skin.
The mask contains plenty of Hyaluronic acid, the ingredient of the moment. Hyaluronic Acid is going to help boost hydration in anyones skin and anyone can benefit from using it. However as well as containing HA, the mask also contains AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Acid) which help with texture. I am not sure which type of AHA it is but they all do a similar job, just at different strengths. The AHA content must be quite low because to be honest I didn't really see a difference in the texture of my skin after using this, even after sustained use. I think that aspect of the product is a bit of a non-starter but it definitely hydrates your skin.
I really enjoyed using this but I have to say I prefer the texture of a cream before I go to bed, I associate a gel texture with my morning routine so this did feel strange to put on during the evenings but I think I was using this at the wrong time of year. I was using this at the height of Winter when really this product is made for Summer; from the Summer time fragrance to the light texture. If you are the sort of person who hates something heavy on their skin and wants some refreshment during Summer (who doesn't) this product would be a good option.
Avocado Melt Sleeping Mask
The Watermelon mask might come into its own during the Summer but the Avocado Melt Mask is its perfect Winter counterpart. The Avocado Melt mask is a much thicker texture as it is a cream and as the name suggests it sort of melts into the skin. This one really does leave a residue on the skin and when you wake up your skin does look plump. I have to say I think I prefer the Avocado Melt Mask to the Watermelon mask purely because it seems to do more for my skin.
The one area in which the Avocado Melt Mask lets itself down is the scent, the Watermelon mask certainly wins that battle. It doesn't smell gross, I'll put that out there, but it is no where near as delicious smelling as the Watermelon mask. Instead, it smells a bit like an artificial avocado, it smells very creamy and it smells like I imagine Avocado does but I've never noticed a clear scent from Avocado so the strength of this scent leads me to think it is synthetic. I'm sure the Watermelon scent is synthetic too but this one smells more like perfume opposed to the Watermelon scent.
Other than that I think I prefer the Avocado mask. I definitely prefer the cream texture, especially for this time of year. There is something that feels more nourishing about a thicker product and in addition this product just seems to give me better results. It contains 4 different versions of Avocado (don't ask me how) but this makes it incredibly nourishing as Avocado is known for it's fatty properties which is why it is so popular within brunches. This makes it great for dull, or dry skin. I wouldn't say I have dry skin but this has certainly worked to help how dull my skin is. I have been using this in the evenings and a Vitamin C in the morning and the combination seems to have helped my skin so I actually have a glow!
As well as nourishing your skin, this also contains PHAs opposed to AHAs. PHA is sort of the unpopular sibling of AHAs and BHAs. I feel like you always hear about AHAs and BHAs but PHAs seem to be forgotten about. PHA stands for Poly-Hydroxy Acid and it is a chemical exfoliant which also helps to remove dead skin. The main difference between an AHA, BHA and a PHA is that the PHA molecules are much larger so they are unable to penetrate the skin as deeply. The effect of a PHA will not be as long lasting as an AHA or a BHA as it only really works on the surface skin but this is perfect for working overnight and does make it slightly more gentle. The PHA mixed with the nourishment of the avocado seems to be a winning combo.
I really like this product and out of the two, I would be more likely to purchase this one as I saw results and this feels quite luxurious when I use it which is what I want when I am using a more luxury priced product. Annoyingly the Avocado Melt only comes in the larger size and it is £41 which is really expensive but I would spend that on this product. It is rare I find a moisturiser that I really like and that makes such a difference so when I do find one, I am more willing to spend money on it.
The entire brand has been created with fruit in mind. Most skincare ingredients are a derivative of a fruit extract, especially acids so I appreciate what the brand have created and the products are nice but it is anything truly different? Yes the packaging is very millennal and the products are fun but the concept has existed for a long time. Would this stop me from buying more products from the brand? No. I definitely want to try more from the brand and especially the Watermelon products, my god does the Watermelon mask smell amazing.
I had a look at the Glow Recipe website and they actually ship to the UK (it is really expensive for shipping) but they do allow you to create your own set with a mini of either the Watermelon Mask or the Watermelon Mosituriser and 2 deluxe samples in a little pouch. I love this idea and I wish there was a way Cult Beauty would allow you to do this but I guess it would be too difficult for a distributer to be able to do this but it is such a great idea if you want to try some of the products.
Have you tried anything from Glow Recipe? Let me know your thoughts on the brand and the products!
Have you tried anything from Glow Recipe? Let me know your thoughts on the brand and the products!
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