You Could Use Glow Recipe’s New Hue Drops In The Dark & Still Come Out Perfectly Bronzed

As a beauty editor, I’ve developed a sense for products that are going to be a big deal — even before I try them. Some of the signs? It’s a launch in a new category from a brand that has already gone viral. It promises super glowy skin — and fast. And sometimes, the packaging is just plain cute. The new Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Hue Drops Sun Glow Serum happens to hit the trifecta, so it’s no surprise that it’s already getting major buzz on TikTok even though you can’t shop the product until Feb. 23.

But the path to the beauty-product graveyard is paved with good intentions (and social-media buzz). That’s why we had to investigate whether the new Hue Drops Serum is worth the viral hype. Ahead of the official launch, NYLON got hold of a sample — here are our honest thoughts.

Fast Facts:

• Brand: Glow Recipe
• What’s the new product? Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Hue Drops Sun Glow Serum
• Price: $35
• Specs? Leaping Bunny certified cruelty-free
• Who is it for? All skin types and tones
• When does it launch? Launching on sephora.com Feb. 23 and in Sephora stores on Mar. 1

The Product:

How To Use:

Because it’s skin care, the Hue Drops Serum is meant to be applied with your hands as the last step of your routine like a glowy primer — about two pumps should cover your entire face and neck. But it’s truly a choose-your-own-adventure kind of product. You can use it as a body highlighter, mix a pump in with foundation, or even focus-apply it as a bronze contour or a wash of color on your eyelids.

The Results & First Impressions:

Straight out of the bottle, the Hue Drops Serum does look extreme (it reminds me of the Iconic London Illuminator Liquid Highlight), but it sheers out very quickly to a thin, almost watery texture, which makes it easy to cover your whole face with just one pump. But I couldn’t stop after the recommended two pumps and went straight for three, and honestly, I could have put on more — because of the light serum consistency, the color builds gradually, making it hard to overdo. It feels and smells the same as the original product (like watermelon), which made the experience feel like putting on skin care and not makeup.

To see what the Hue Drops Serum really could do, I tested it on my bare skin, which has been a bit red and irritated lately. Although the serum didn’t cover anything up per se, I did think it instantly softened the redness and spots with the bronze sheen.

Final Verdict:

I’m in love with the new Glow Recipe Hue Drops Sun Glow Serum — I think I was always going to because of my love of all things bronze — but I also believe this is a bronzer (and a skin care product) anyone can love. It looks good if it’s the only thing you put on your face, but it also still delivers some warmth if you’re the kind of person who never skips foundation.

The Hue Drops Serum definitely helps camouflage minor discoloration, so I can see myself wearing it alone on better skin days — but I think it also works brilliantly when you use it with concealer on trouble spots. The consistency plays well with makeup, so it doesn’t look like you’re putting beige concealer on top of bronzer.

I also prefer the all-in-one serum to mixing bronzer drops into moisturizer, which comes with the risk of getting the ratio wrong. With Hue Drops Serum, you could use it in a dark room and it would still give you an even glow.