There are a few key factors that determine the success of any great beauty product nowadays: going viral on social media, attracting a flurry of celebrity fans and, of course, a truly hard-working, often trailblazing formula. Look to Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops, £32, as the archetype. The instant glow-giver has a proven track record on TikTok (check), has the backing of A-listers like Sienna Miller and Lizzo (check), and comes so highly rated that last year, one bottle of Dew Drops sold every 12 seconds globally and went on to become the best-selling serum at both Sephora and Cult Beauty for 2024 (check mate).
While Miller may have only recently discovered the serum thanks to her 11-year-old daughter, proving the cross generational popularity of the fast-becoming cult classic, beauty buffs have been under its spell for a number of years. The K-Beauty brand launched its category shaking product in 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when our retreat into skincare allowed brands like Glow Recipe to experience an unprecedented period of growth. Its Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops was key to that success during this time. The first of its kind, the highlighter/serum hybrid blurs the lines between skin care and make-up, and can be used both under or over make-up for an ultra-luminous finish.
Inspired by the tricks of Korean make-up artists, it packs a lightweight, buildable gel formula, sans mica, glitter, pearls or grey-cast, meaning its reflective power works across all skin types and tones. As with all K-Beauty buys, the focus on skin is integral. So much so, the serum is loaded with vitamin A and C-enriched watermelon to plump and smooth; antioxidant-rich niacinamide to combat hyperpigmentation and dullness; hyaluronic acid to quench dehydration; non-comodogenic moringa seed oil to hydrate without clogging pores; as well as native Korean false daisy to quell irritation. So, expect your skin to look and feel healthier over time.
Co-founded by beauty industry veterans Sarah Lee and Christine Chang in 2014, the brand is focused on innovative formulas that seamlessly blend education with what Glow Recipe calls 'skintertainment', to empower customers to find their glow in unexpected ways. It's the reason why the brand's Dew Drops can be used in five different ways: as a primer; mixed into make-up; dabbed onto eyelids; as a base for your powder highlighter; or tapped over your make-up.
Given the success of the original Dew Drops, it isn't so surprising that the brand has sought to further expand its glass skin-giving Watermelon Glow collection. Glow Recipe's Dew Drops are now available in a brand new hue, Rosy Glow, £32, while the Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Hue Drops, £32, function as the bronzy, tinted sister to the original and makes for a beautiful option for deeper skin tones chasing a sun-kissed glow. And then, there's the newest addition to the family. Not to be confused with blush, the Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dewy Flush, £32, is a tinted cheek serum that plumps, brightens and hydrates while coating the cheeks in a natural-looking flushed hue. Available in two shades, Berry Flush and Watermelon Flush, the hotly anticipated new make-up and skincare hybrid launches on 11th February 2025 and is already causing a stir online.
Our honest review of the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops
I need to preface this by saying that I am always a little cautious of glow giving products. Call me crazy, but while a covetable glow seems to be the enduring beauty standard of our times, my acne-prone, textured skin means I favour matte formulas over anything ultra-glossy. But, with its skin-first ethos, it wasn't hard to be swayed by the Dew Drops. First off the bat, the packaging is enough to have you – encased in a teardrop glass vessel stained in a holographic hue, the bottle itself is a precursor to the serious case of glow within.
The gel formula is light and refreshing, making the job of blending it light work. While I was expecting a megawatt level of glow, I was pleased to find the serum imparts something far more demure and natural, like your skin, just better. Think of it as a lit-from-within glow, rather than a streaky highlighter. It feels comfortable on the skin, too, and there is certainly a plumping, brightening effect which makes for the perfect make-up base. Sat under your favourite foundation, concealer and so on, the serum still manages to gently shine through, holding up throughout the day to maintain a healthy, believable glow. In a word? I'm hooked.
Shop: Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops
www.cultbeauty.co.uk
This first of its kind, hybrid highlighting serum blurs the lines between skin care and make-up, and can be used under or over make-up for an ultra-luminous finish.
Sameeha Shaikh is Grazia's beauty writer, working across all categories to bring you insights on the latest trends, industry news and the products you need to know about, viral or not (most probably viral).