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I admit that the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops had me confused for a long time. I just couldn’t figure out fro the claims what they were supposed to be – skincare or makeup? Or maybe a hybrid, aiming to do both?
According to the website they are a hybrid product, both skincare and a highlighter serum, but one without the regulars you would come to expect: No mica, no glitter, no pearl. After using it for several weeks though, I feel like it is more skincare, just one that leaves a dewy finish. Why? Let’s talk.
And if you want to learn more about Glow Recipe skincare, here is a video review discussing the products I have tried:
What the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops claim
Reveal a dewy glow instantly and over time with this niacinamide-infused highlighting serum.
Facts about the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops
Prize and size
One full size bottle contains 40 ml and is available for 34 $ on the website here. It is vegan.
Texture and smell
The texture is more of a gel than a watery serum and it has a dusty pink color. Like all products from the Watermelon line it has the fake melon scent I absolutely can’t stand and that lingers a bit after application before it disappears.
How to use the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops
According to the website it can be used both as part of your skincare regime in the mornings, as primer before makeup or as highlighter throughout the day dabbed on the high points of the face. As it stays tacky for a few minutes, so I can imagine it working well as primer, and as it gives a lot of dewiness and shine to the face that only diminishes slowly over the course of the day, it is probably great for those that want that glass skin effect. I also noticed it has a blurring effect on the pores I appreciate.
Only going by ingredients I don’t see a reason why it shouldn’t be used at night, but doing that you will obviously not benefit from the dewy finish as much. That wouldn’t have been an issue for me, I don’t want dewy skin anyway, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the gelish texture. I prefer my serums to be a little more watery.
Ingredients of the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops
sii|h 0 0, Niacinamide cci|sb|aacne|h, 2,3-Butanediol h|solv, 1,2-Hexanediol solv, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate emo, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract 
aox, Sodium Hyaluronate sii|h 0 0, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate emu, Tromethamine buff, Glyceryl Stearate emo|emu 0 1–2, Carbomer vc 0 1, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer vc, Ethylhexylglycerin pres, Xanthan Gum vc, Polyquaternium-51 h, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil emo, Fragrance/Parfum 
perf, Benzyl Benzoate solv|perf|amicHover the mouse over an ingredient for short explanation. Read more on INCIDecoder.
Looking at the ingredient list, I can’t say what is responsible for this glowy, blurring effect, as there is Glycerin and Sodium Hyaluronate as humectants, Niacinamide with its many beneficial effects on the skin and a bunch of plant extracts as well as Moringa Seed Oil. (More info: The benefits of Hyaluronic Acid in skincare and: The benefits of Niacinamide in skincare)
You will also find Fragrance in the list, which is, according to the website, used at less than 0,5%. (More info: Is fragrance in your skincare dangerous?)
Does it live up to its claims?
Yes.
Despite me still being unsure where the hybrid claim comes from – to me it is skincare with a dewy finish – it gives instant glow and, due to the added Niacinamide, has the potential to even out the skin and increase the glow.
How does it compare to…
… the Geek and Gorgeous B-Bomb 10% Niacinamide Serum
First of all, Geek and Gorgeous B-Bomb is much more affordable, 30 ml cost 8,50 € on the website here and it is also scentless and less firm than the Glow Recipe version. Still not watery, but not as much of a gel texture. It has a defined amount of Niacinamide, 10% (which is a little much, as the beneficial effects have been shown to happen at 5% already) opposed to the Glow Recipe one that doesn’t share the percentage, and also comes with less humectants and additional Zinc PCA. Zinc can be good for acne prone skin as it is antiinflammatory and can help with excess sebum, but it can also be a little drying if your don’t have an oily skin type.
Overall I’d say that Glow Recipes version is more hydrating and obviously gives more glow, but that I prefer the texture of Geek and Gorgeous. I’d say if it is hydration and immediate glow you are after, Glow Recipe is the better choice, but if you are acne-prone and oily and want the Niacinamide longterm effects, Geek and Gorgeous is the better option.
You can read my full review of the Geek and Gorgeous B-Bomb 10% Niacinamide Serum here.
… The Odinary 10% Niacinamide + 1% Zinc Serum
The most talked about Niacinamide Serum surely is the version from The Ordinary with 10% Niacinamide (again, 5% is where the benefits have been shown) and 1% Zinc (good for blemishes and oily skin). It is very affordable, 30 ml are available for 5,90 € on the website here, and is in texture not watery, but still less of a gel that the Glow Recipe version. It also has no scent.
In formulation it has less humectants and the Zinc PCA, so again is on its own more suitable for oily and blemish probe skin than for skin that is dry and craves hydration, and it doesn’t have a highlighting effect, but I prefer the texture and the defined amount of actives.
You can read my full review of The Ordinary 10% Niacinamide + 1% Zinc Serum here.
… The Inkey List Niacinamide Serum
If you are a longtime reader, you know how much I love The Inkey Lists products, but their Niacinamide Serum was one of the few exceptions. It is more affordable than Glow Recipe, 30 ml are available for 8,49 € on the website here, It has no scent and again a slightly firmer texture that is less of a gel than the version from Glow Recipe. What both have in common though is the tackiness they leave behind.
The Inkey List has additional fermented ingredients, Panthenol and Allantoin for additional soothing, so is better suited at dehydrated skin (More info: The benefits of fermented ingredients in skincare and The benefits of Panthenol in skincare). Overall I am not a fan of both this and the Glow Recipe version, but if I had to pick one, I would go for The Inkey List as it is more affordable.
You can read my full review of The Inkey List Niacinamide Serum here.
Would I repurchase and which skin types do I recommend it to?
You might already have guessed it: I would not repurchase. I am not a fan of the texture, the glow it gives and I think it is quite expensive for what it is. If you want the glass skin effect with additional skincare benefits from Niacinamide, it might be worth trying, but if it is just the skincare benefits you want I suggest choosing a more affordable option. While it will work on all skin types, I don’t think oily skins will like the intense glow.
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