Glowy Makeup Serum, a new primer from Laneige, claims to hydrate the skin while keeping oil levels in check. In addition, “diamond mineral powder creates a healthy, reflective glow, while Light Fit Prep Technology comfortably adheres to skin for extended makeup wear.” Wait, diamond mineral powder? And some Technology that helps makeup last longer? Consider me intrigued.
Price: $32
Find it HERE
Tested May 2020
Although the Glowy Makeup Serum is only the second product I’ve tried from Laneige, I had very high hopes it would be good because I really love their Lip Glowy Balm (I reviewed that here). Housed in a shimmery pink bottle with 1 fl. oz. of product that’s applied with a dropper, this primer serum is supposed to be applied after skincare and before makeup.
The liquid that dispenses from the dropper is almost gel-like. It also has tiny pink flecks in it. Is this the so-called “diamond mineral powder” that’s supposed to make my skin glow? I’m still not really sure. In fact, I don’t notice a glowy effect when I apply this to clean, moisturized skin. Maybe there’s a slight sheen as I blend it in, but once it dries I just don’t see it. I even tried to get a before and after photo to post, but couldn’t see a difference! So there’s that.
I would be remiss if I didn’t talk a little more about the packaging of this product. I don’t love it. It looks lovely sitting on my vanity, but I can’t actually see the product inside and, for some reason, this annoys me. How will I ever know if I’m almost out of this? Normally, even with a bottle I can’t see through, there’s a lid I can screw off to peer in and see how much might be left. The opening of this bottle is so tiny I can’t tell what’s in there.
It’s also hard to get enough control with the applicator to release one drop at a time, and it can glob out all at once if I squeeze the dropper too hard. Plus, it seems impossible that the short dropper can actually reach the base of the bottle to pick up every drop. The dropper has no ability to angle into the bottle to take up product from the sides or corners. I can already tell that most people (especially people who aren’t as obsessed with getting every bit of product out of bottles like I am) will probably waste a lot of serum because they can’t get to it with the dropper and will think it’s all gone. To me, that’s money in the trash. Sidenote: if you are like me, welcome, and don’t forget to try the Ulta Beauty Smarts Makeup Spatulas, which I reviewed here and use all the time to get product out of tricky containers.
I will say that I do like how the serum feels on the skin once it’s applied and dries down: smooth, hydrating and a little tacky. I tried a few different foundations on top of this, and all of them went on evenly and maintained their texture and finish. In terms of the “long-lasting makeup wear” claim that Laneige has printed on the bottle, I think I got the same amount of wear I would get with any decent primer.
I’m still a little on the fence about this product. It’s probably not worth the price, but it’s not totally useless or ineffective. My makeup does last a little longer with it than without it, but I don’t notice a glowy effect at all once everything is said and done. The bottle is cute, but I think it will drive me nuts once I use more product and begin to struggle getting the rest of it out. I suppose I’ll just leave you with my general feeling about the Glowy Makeup Serum: meh.
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