The Glow Recipe toner range recently expanded with the launch of the Cloudberry Toner Essence – but which toner is best for you and your skin type?
UPDATE: Glow Recipe has jumped onto the bronzing drops bandwagon and released a tinted version of its Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Drops.
Part of the wider Watermelon range, which includes the Glow Recipe Watermelon toner, the new product is officially called Hue Drops.
A 40ml bottle costs £33 and promises to leave your skin glowing, inside and out. This is because it contains the same ingredients in the Watermelon Glow drops – niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and soothing watermelon extract – but brings what the brand calls a “sun-kissed wash of colour across your complexion.”
Niacinamide brightens and evens out skin tone while minimise the appearance of pores over time. Centella’s antioxidant properties help to protect the skin from free radicals, hyaluronic acid hydrates the skin, and watermelon extract calms and soothes.
You can mix these drops with your foundation, or use as a highlighter.
The launch is part of a growing number of bronzing drops releases in recent months, notably the Drunk Elephant Bronzing Drops. They’re designed to flush the skin with colour and they’re different from face tanners – like the new Charlotte Tilbury face Tanning Drops – because you can wash it off at the end of the day.
This is great for people who don’t want to commit to fake tan, or are nervous about the results, but still want sun-kissed, glowy skin. You can learn more about the new Glow Recipe Bronzing Drops here, or by clicking the button below, or keep reading to learn more about the best Glow Recipe toner.
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Glow Recipe, known for its fruit-inspired skincare, has become a cult favourite among people of all ages.
It sells a wide range of cleansers, moisturisers, serums, and more yet its most popular range is undoubtedly its toners. It’s so popular, that there are more than 33,000 searches every month for Glow Recipe toner alone.
For a long time, there was only one Glow Recipe toner choice – the Watermelon toner. Or to give it its full name, the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow PHA + BHA Pore-Tight Toner.
However, Glow Recipe recently launched its Cloudberry Toner Essence. It also sells a Watermelon mist which a number of people across social media have been known to use in place of a toner.
So, with this expanding range in mind, we wanted to outline what each of the Glow Recipe toners does, plus their differences, similarities and which one is best for you and your skin type.
FURTHER READING: What does face toner do – and why is it so important? | Best toner UK: Discover which face toner best suits your skin type and budget
mamabella | mamabella There are three toners in the Glow Recipe range. One is technically a toner-essence, and the other is a face mist. We explain more about why these distinctions are important below.
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Glow Recipe Part essence, part toner, this Glow Recipe product contains Vitamins C and E, which come from the Cloudberry concentrate, as well as CoQ10 and rice water.
It’s not as watery as a standard toner, but it’s not as sticky as an essence.
Essences usually contain active ingredients and, like serums, are designed to address specific skin concerns such as dullness, wrinkles, or uneven skin tone.
The Glow Recipe toner essence promises to brighten, hydrate, and boost how well the rest of your skincare routine works.
It’s a particularly good toner for mature skin because Vitamin C helps with dark spots, and the CoQ10 and collagen amino acids help with the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Key ingredients: Cloudberry concentrate, CoQ10, rice water, glycerin, oat and collagen amino acids
Key skin benefits: Brightens, hydrates, and supports skin’s structure and elasticity.
Best for: Mature skin; dry skin
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Glow Recipe The Glow Recipe Watermelon toner combines the hydrating properties of watermelon extract with the gentle exfoliation of PHA and the deep pore-cleansing abilities of BHA.
It’s designed to smooth skin texture, tighten pores, and hydrate, making it a great choice for people with combination and oily skin. Especially skin prone to blackheads and enlarged pores.
We explain more about how to unclog pores here, as well as the science of skin pores in our guide on the hard truth about pores.
Due to the use of acids, we recommend only using this toner at night and wearing SPF the day after as your skin will be most sensitive to the sun.
You can read more about acids in skincare here.
Key ingredients: Watermelon extract, PHA, BHA (willow bark and betaine salicylate), hyaluronic acid, cactus water.
Key skin benefits: Hydrates, refines pores, gently exfoliates, and soothes the skin.
Best for: Combination skin; oily skin.
FURTHER READING: The best The Ordinary products for all your skincare concerns
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Glow Recipe This fine mist is part of Glow Recipe’s wider Watermelon range and is a multi-tasker that hydrates the skin, refreshes your complexion, and even sets makeup.
It contains watermelon, hyaluronic acid, and hibiscus AHAs.
You can use it as a toner both morning or night or use it as a midday pick-me-up or as a hydrating base for makeup.
It works for all skin types but its hydrating properties make it good for dehydrated skin, while the dewy finish it creates is great for mature skin that’s looking a little lacklustre or dull.
Due to the fact it contains AHAs, it’s worth introducing this toner-mist gradually and making sure you’re wearing SPF as acids can leave your skin sensitive to the sun.
We explain more about the differences between dry vs dehydrated skin here.
Key ingredients: Watermelon extract, hyaluronic acid, hibiscus AHAs, rice germ oil.
Key skin benefits: Hydrates, soothes, and helps keep the skin barrier healthy. Adds a dewy finish.
Best for: Dehydrated skin; mature skin.
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Determining the best Glow Recipe toner ultimately depends on your skin concerns and type, however, based on our tests we believe the best toner, that will suit most people and which brings the most benefits, is the Cloudberry Toner Essence. It’s particularly good for mature skin.
If you’ve got large pores, oily skin, or congestion, we recommend the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow PHA + BHA Pore-Tight Toner, or if hydration and a dewy finish are what you’re after, go for the Watermelon Glow Ultra-Fine Mist.
Below we’ve listed the most common skin concerns and the best Glow Recipe toner to suit each one.
That said, each Glow Recipe toner brings its own benefits so this should be used as a guide only. Also, bear in mind that these products contain actives and acids which can cause sensitivity so make sure you do a patch test first.
Victoria is founder and editor-in-chief of mamabella, freelance journalist and Mum. She has a passion for empowering people to feel beautiful whatever their age, size, skin type and budget
