Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops Review

My foundation tends to look dry and powdery no matter what I apply beforehand, thanks to my dry skin. This caused me grief on a multiple-times-a-week basis (admittedly less earlier on in the COVID-19 pandemic, because why wear makeup if no one sees you in real life?). Even if my skin looked glowy—my preferred finish—when I first applied my liquid foundation, it turned cakey and patchy after several hours of wear.

But this changed when I saw Mikayla Nogeuira, a TikTok-famous makeup wizard, say that she reaches for the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops to give her skin a fresh, dewy look that shines through makeup. When she then came out with a trio of her favorite Glow Recipe products, including a full-size of the Dew Drops, I hit “add to cart” on Sephora right away.

What are the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops?

The Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops is a gel-like serum that comes in a 1.35-ounce, teardrop-shaped pump bottle for $34. The product contains watermelon extracts, which provide vitamins A and C, amino acids to plump, and “phytonutrient lycopene”—which together claim to “help moisturize, plump, soothe, and treat fine lines and wrinkles.” Niacinamide acts as a source of antioxidants that should even out the skin tone, soothe the skin, and reduce the look of pores. Lastly, the serum contains hyaluronic acid to hydrate and plump the skin and moringa seed oil to moisturize and soothe.

The drops can serve multiple purposes in your routine: If you use them for the brightening and hydrating effects and want a subtle glow to your skin, the brand recommends applying one pump before moisturizer in the morning. To maximize its dewy finish, apply one to two pumps after your skincare and before makeup as a primer. If your sole focus is to give your skin a luminous finish, it recommends applying two drops as a final step after skincare on no-makeup days. You can also mix the solution with your moisturizer or foundation for added sheen or tap the serum onto the high points of your face to finish off your makeup with some glow.

What I like about the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops

It makes my skin look extra dewy

Dryness? What dryness? My skin looks smooth, plump, and hydrated with a noticeable sheen after I apply the drops to my skin over the SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic serum and under sunscreen. I realize that any form of shininess is not an attribute everyone is looking for, but when the alternative is flaky or powdery looking skin, a sheen looks glorious.

It acts like a makeup primer

The sheen and tackiness that the Glow Recipe drops provide make it work well as a makeup primer, so I can worry less about every product that comes after it looking dry or patchy on my skin. I still use a sunscreen for the SPF protection it provides my skin, but I don’t have to reach for my fave shimmery one, Supergoop Glowscreen, in order to see my preferred sheen. Also, foundations that can look dry on my skin, like the Kosas Revealer Skin-Improving Foundation, look smoother with an even coat of one pump of the watermelon serum applied first.

What I don’t like about the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops

It may irritate sensitive skin

I integrated the product into my daily makeup routine with zero issues. But I’d be remiss to not mention that it has a watermelon fragrance that, while light and pleasing, may irritate those with sensitive skin or noses. Of course, adding in any new skincare ingredients, even including soothing ones like niacinamide and hyaluronic acid, could cause irritation, too. If you’re worried about how your skin may react, consider applying a small amount to your forearm for a patch test and then integrating it gradually—say, every other day—into your face routine to see how you react.

Are the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops worth the hype?

If dewy skin is what you’re after, 100% yes

This is the product I didn’t know I needed for my dry skin. While I purchased it with the intention to give my skin a beautiful sheen prior to makeup, I like that it contains hydrating, soothing ingredients that (hopefully) benefit my skin throughout the day, too. However, if you have oily skin, you would probably want to get those ingredients in another formula, as this one may be too shine-inducing for you. But anyone with normal to dry skin wanting a smooth, dewy finish will adore this the way I do.