We Know When Glow Recipe's Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Hue Drops Are Coming Out

You may have heard about Glow Recipe's upcoming launch on TikTok from a handful of beauty influencers without context, but it's not new to Allure. In fact, I've been secretly testing this product behind the scenes long before creators started sharing their slightly confusing first impressions.

Thanks to the perks of working for Allure, I first discovered this bronzed bottle of Watermelon Hue Drops inside my Beauty of Beauty 2024 product-testing box a few weeks ago. Meaning, I've given these Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Hue Drops a few go-arounds this winter, and I'm here to drop all the tea… including a launch date.

Think, Glow Recipe's original (and extremely viral) Watermelon Dew Drops, but with an illuminating tint of pearly golden bronze that gives your skin just the right amount of warmth and glow. Like many of the TikTok commenters on the feeds of the influencers that got Hue Drops samples this week, I was curious how this product compares to the Dew Drops, especially on my olive-toned skin.

• The Ingredients
• How To Apply
• My First Impression
• More Allure Reviews
• Pricing and Value

Turns out, the ingredient list of the new Hue Drops is almost identical to that of the OG Dew Drops. This means you're still receiving the skin-care benefits found in the Dew Drop's multiuse formula, like niacinamide and hyaluronic acid. But to create the perfect, bronzed skin-care formula that wasn't too glittery or sparkly took time. "It truly had to be a skin-care base, so combining the two took a long time," Glow Recipe cofounder Christine Chang tells Allure. Recalling the formulation process, she says it took her and her team well over a year to perfect.

What's new in Hue Drops? An antioxidant called Centella asiatica, also known as tiger grass. Ellen Marmur, MD, a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist, previously told Allure that this ingredient, one typically found in Korean beauty products, is believed to "soothe and repair irritated skin," which includes treating acne and calming sensitive skin. Making this serum suitable for all skin types.

Speaking of sensitive skin types, niacinamide is another standout ingredient in Hue Drops — so much so that it's included within the product name. This versatile antioxidant holds a handful of benefits for the skin, according to New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Marisa Garshick, MD. Some of these include evening hyperpigmentation, brightening, and my personal favorite: balancing sebum production.

Chang suggests starting with two pumps of Hue Drops to completely prime your face for makeup (it should be applied after sunscreen). For best results, in true skin-care fashion, she recommends using your fingers to blend Hue Drops into the skin. The formula is buildable, so you can go up to three or four or even five pumps if you want more color payoff.

If you fall into more of a fair to medium skin tone family, you can also use it as a subtle contour, like on the hollows of the cheek, to add depth and a touch of shine. You can also extend Hue Drops to your eyelids (as an eye shadow) and your lips (to contour the cupid's bow) to create more dimension and glow. On darker skin tones, the finish will be more of a glimmering glow, like highlighter, as opposed to a slight contour.

First, let me just say that it's the middle of winter, which means I've officially hit my slump era. I've just felt meh, even with a bouncy blowout. Since I can rule out my hair being the root cause and I can't change the weather, I've concluded it must be my dull, wintertime complexion that has me feeling some type of way.

So the day after watching TikTokers start to chatter over their mystery Glow Recipe delivery, I pulled out the same bronzed bottle of Watermelon Hue Drops from my Best of Beauty testing stash and decided to give the formula a full-day wear test.

Starting with a clean, freshly washed face, I applied moisturizer and sunscreen. Then I dispensed one pump of the Watermelon Hue Drops onto the back of my hand. Yes, I know Glow Recipe founder Chang suggested two pumps — but the golden, shimmery product that comes out of the bottle is somewhat intimidating, if I'm being honest. I wanted to start slow.

Using my fingertips, I spread the product across my cheeks, and then the rest of my face with an additional pump of product. Based on my final results, someone with my complexion, or a deeper skin tone, is going to be left with a dewy bronzed hue more than a golden finish.

After that second pump, I had a bit of product left on my hand. In the summer when strapless and tank tops become my uniform, I can definitely see myself bringing that bit of excess formula down my neck to my décolleté to add a sultry subtle shimmer to my collarbones and shoulders.

I tread lightly when it comes to adding steps to my skin-care routine, mainly because I cannot stand the feeling of gunky, thick product on my face. But this formula is an extra layer I can get behind. I wore it all day and it never felt sticky or thick.

Right off the bat, editor in chief Jessica Cruel noted how nice and whipped the Hue Drops' texture is as she pumped the product straight onto her cheekbone for the first time. Similar to my experience, Cruel did not see much of a color difference after blending in the product with her fingertips but appreciated the warm glow it gave to the high points of her face.

"I'd use the Hue Drops as a primer before makeup or mixed into my foundation to add dewiness," Cruel says. But as a highlighter alone? Cruel prefers a thicker formula, like a powder.

"I love the uber-soft pearly formula," says Hunter Lacey, associate special projects director, who used the Hue Drops as a primer under his foundation. "A lot of 'bronzed products' pull super orange on my complexion, but this gave the faintest whisper of a skin-kissed tint." Even on Lacey's very fair skin, the color payoff was minimal.

While these drops are not the first bronzing liquid on the market, what makes this serum truly unique to the Glow Recipe brand is its bonus of being a skin-care hybrid. Think of it as a "one-and-done" illuminator with a touch of color that doesn't need to be mixed with additional skin-care products to potion up warm, lightweight color.

You can get your hands on the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Hue Drops by placing an order on Sephora.com starting February 23 and at your nearest Sephora store on March 1 for $35. Similar to its predecessor, I can only guess how fast this one's going to sell out, so let Allure be the first to tell you, mark your calendars, and stock up on your Dew Drops!