The Viral TikTok Glowy Skin Routine That *Actually* Works
Sadaf Razi is Adore Beauty's Senior Beauty Editor.
She's a former fashion editor (who worked at various glossy mags) and stylist-turned digital beauty and lifestyle writer. She has been in the lifestyle/media industry for over 10 years and her work has also been featured on international covers like Elle France and Vanity Fair Mexico.
Some of her fave Adore Beauty products include Cicaplast B5, CeraVe Cleansing Oil and Lancôme Renergie Triple Serum.
Fact: Not all TikTok beauty trends are amazing for your skin.
But every now and again, you stumble across a really great hack or tip.
So, when my editor asked me to investigate a 'glowy skin' video going viral on TikTok - it has over 12 million views and three million likes at the time of publishing - I had two thoughts:
1) I’m a glow-getter, so I’m in.
And 2) I guess... I finally have to get TikTok, don't I?
The video in question is this one from makeup artist and TikTok creator @mikaylanogueira, who road-tested a skin routine from another creator @glamzilla below.
@mikaylanogueira I WILL BE DOING THIS FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. #makeup #beauty #glowyskin #glow @glamzillaxo ♬ original sound - Mikayla Nogueira
Using just a few products and steps, Mikayla ended up with a super glassy, dewy, glowy face that resulted in "the best foundation application" she'd ever had in her life.
It honestly looked like she'd just walked through a juicy waterfall.
So uh-mazing were her results, one of the mentioned products legitimately sold out globally.
This viral routine is perfect if you're into makeup so blinding, you need sunnies to check out your reflection.
It was made for the ring light world of social media, but I wanted to see if I could recreate that skin routine for more of a real world, natural-looking radiance.
Spoiler: It actually works. See that glow??
Our version of this TikTok glowy skin routine uses four similar products with radiance-boosting ingredients:
Together, these simple steps delivered me an instant no-makeup glow that looked lovely and luminous under makeup.
And now, our clever friends at Adore Beauty have bundled them into a limited edition value pack so you can save while you glow.
4 Step Glowy Skin Routine Bundle saves you 15% and a sweet $26 on all four products, meaning you basically get the Laneige glowy lip balm for free!
But don't snooze on this, because once it's gone, it's gone.
Now, let's get into how each of them work to give you your glowiest skin, ever.
Step 1. An Exfoliating Toner.
SOME BY MI Miracle Toner is a low pH liquid toner and chemical exfoliant hybrid (or as I like to call it, a multi-tasking show off).
It's made from a bunch of exfoliating and brightening ingredients to reveal smoother, more radiant-looking skin.
Main ingredients:
- AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) exfoliate dead skin cells on the skin's surface, therefore improving the appearance of skin tone and texture.
- Salicylic acid, a BHA (beta hydroxy acid), can exfoliate deeper within the pores to refine oily skin and balance excess sebum/oil production - I can personally vouch for how it reduces the appearance of the sebum around my nose!
- PHAs (polyhydroxy acids) are gentler and make for a sensitised skin suitable exfoliant.
- Fruit enzyme papaya extract also has gentle exfoliating, antioxidant and antibacterial properties.
- Niacinamide or vitamin B3 has a multitude of skin benefits such as smoothing the appearance of skin tone and texture, reducing sebum production and fighting free radicals.
How to use it and why I loved it:
After cleansing my face, I soaked half a cotton round in the product and swept it across my face.
This toner didn't feel stripping at all. It did a stellar job of taking off that extra grime and leaving me with a clean glow. No wonder one of these is sold every three seconds in Korea!
Only con is the witch hazel and tea tree water extract (that also gives it a fresh minty smell) may not be favourable for super sensitive skin.
Step 2. A Juicy Skin Serum.
Sand&Sky's Glow Drops serum is a nourishing, hydrating superhero.
The lightweight oil serum hybrid also comes in a really cute pink and purple bottle, just sayin.
Main ingredients:
- Kakadu plum is an antioxidant-rich ingredient full of vitamin C to brighten the appearance of hyperpigmentation and leave skin with an unreal glow.
- Australian Emu Apple and Glow Berries are also rich in antioxidants, and fight free radicals, enhance brightness and promote hyaluronic acid production within your own skin.
- Five variations of super hydrator hyaluronic acid reduce the appearance of fine lines, and make your skin look juicy and plump.
- An ultra light blend of jojoba, almond and olive oils to nourish and replenish dry skin.
How to use it and why I loved it:
I’m gonna go ahead and say this vegan, alcohol-free, Australian-made serum is the star of this whole glow show.
The formula is part-oil, part-water, so I gave the bottle a shake before squeezing three droplets into my hand and patting gently into my face. You get the benefits of a serum and oil in one product, and my dull, winter skin just drank this stuff up.
It imparted a gorgeous, subtle yet very visible glow immediately. Win!
Step 3. *That* Viral Korean Skincare Moisturiser.
This innisfree Cherry Blossom Jelly Cream keeps selling out everywhere (including on Adore Beauty).
The lightweight, refreshing moisturiser delivers intense moisture, without the feeling of a heavy cream.
Main ingredients:
- Jeju Cherry Blossom extract has a brightening effect that revitalises dull skin.
- Again, we have the all-rounder healthy skin ingredient niacinamide aka vitamin B3.
- Tocopherol or vitamin E is a hydrating antioxidant that helps support your skin barrier, which is your skin's way of keeping good things in and bad things out.
How to use it and why I loved it:
This moisturiser comes with a handy applicator, and you only need to apply the tiniest amount to cover the face generously.
The jelly texture absorbs nicely into the skin and doesn't feel sticky.
What I noticed instantly is how it made my skin look really luminous. It enhanced the glow from the serum - I couldn’t stop moving my face from side-to-side in the mirror to observe the gleam on my cheeks!
Oily skin types who want something lighter in texture but still need hydration would love this.
4. A Glossy Lip Balm.
Think of this glowy lip balm as the daytime cousin of Laneige’s wildly popular Lip Sleeping Mask.
Not too sticky or heavy, the shea butter formula is the perfect nourishing balm for dry lips.
Plus, it comes in five flavours: Berry, grapefruit, pear, peach and gummy bear.
How to use it and why I love it:
My dry lips are constantly crying out for attention, so this yummy, pocket-sized balm couldn’t of come at a better time to save my pout.
It glides on smoothly and leaves a very subtle tint that I find mainly brings out my own natural lip colour. I was expecting a strong berry scent but got a soft candle-like one instead.
Slick this on at the start of your makeup to hydrate your lips pre-lipstick. You can also pop some on top of matte lipstick or lip liner for a glossy shine.
To see all of these products in action, you can watch my glowy skin routine video below!
And there you have it!
You’re now even more of a glowing goddess.
Thank you TikTok for the inspiration and one-way ticket to glow town.
And the dog videos.
This article was first published in May 2021 and has since been updated.
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