If you follow viral beauty products—or skin-care phenomena in general—you’re likely familiar with the Glow Recipe Watermelon Face Mask. If not, I’ll refresh your memory: After first launching in 2017, the K-beauty product sold out and amassed a 5,000-person waitlist, cementing its status as a skin-care staple. Five years later, Glow Recipe has unfortunately discontinued the popular product, but only because they’ve launched something even better: The Watermelon AHA Glow Sleeping Mask. As expected, it became an immediate hit on TikTok, racking up nearly 10 million views after just one day of being on the market.
What makes Glow Recipe’s updated formula so special—or different than the original—you ask? For one, it’s formulated with AHAs (alpha-hydroxy acids; lactic and glycolic acids in particular), which gently exfoliate and buff dead skin cells from the surface of the skin, allowing newer and healthier cells to surface. But don’t let that scare you off if your skin is sensitive. It also contains soothing antioxidant peony root, skin-quenching hyaluronic acid, and anti-inflammatory watermelon extract, to ensure the new-and-improved iteration is just as gentle and hydrating as its predecessor. How do I know? I’ve been using it for three weeks.
I’m honestly surprised by my willingness to try this in the first place. I usually stay away from products with exfoliants: my skin is super sensitive (and oily, and acne-prone), so almost everything irritates it, and inevitably breaks me out. I also steer clear of overnight products, since I’ve found most of them too thick and fragrant for my taste (and my silk pillowcases‘ wellbeing). But since I’d tried and loved so many Glow Recipe products in the past, I thought I’d give their new mask a try. I’m so glad I did.
The first night after wearing the Watermelon AHA Glow Sleeping Mask, I woke up with noticeably smoother, brighter, and much more supple skin. I wasn’t irritated or dry in the slightest, and since I loved my results so much, decided to try it again. And again. I ended up using it three times a week, though it’s gentle enough to use nightly. (The brand recommends using it two to three times a week.)
