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We tried the viral L'Oreal Lumi 'Glotion' that Martha Stewart loves — here's what it looks like on women with different skin tones
Celebs like Martha Stewart and Bethenny Frankel rave about L'Oreal's bestselling Lumi Glotion. Does it live up to the hype? We put it to the test.
Beauty products that go viral on social media are pretty much a dime a dozen these days. Few items, however, have garnered quite as much hype as L'Oreal's Lumi "Glotion." Touted as a "natural glow enhancer," this drugstore steal has more than 36,000 reviews on Amazon, millions of views on TikTok and has won over famous fans like Martha Stewart and Bethenny Frankel.
This affordable L'Oreal product is a No. 1 bestseller on Amazon; more than 30,000 have been purchased in the last month alone! The shade range isn't massive, but the five colors it's currently available in do complement a wide range of complexions.
With so many people raving about it, we decided the Lumi Glotion was worth further investigation. Could an under-$20 beauty product really do all it claimed? According to the description, it hydrates and luminizes to give you "a healthy, sunkissed glow with no sun." It's made with glycerin and shea butter to offer moisture, and each of the five shades has a just hint of shimmer to deliver maximum glow factor. Below, four women with different skin tones share their honest thoughts on using Lumi Glotion.
L'Oreal Lumi Glotion Review
Zainab Akande, 905 - Rich
Was this product easy to apply?
"This product was incredibly easy to apply. It's very smooth and silky to the touch. I used my fingers to apply it. After trying with a brush and sponge, I found that this was the easiest and most efficient way for me, in order to get the most natural-looking finish. I can see how mixing Lumi Glotion into moisturizer might be a thing people do, but honestly the formula is so easy to work with that I found that I didn't need to mix it in with anything else."
Did this product complement your skin tone?
"I love shade 905 for my skin! Usually, I find that products like this tend to be way too 'bright' on me, or overly sparkly. The Lumi Glotion truly gives me a 'glow from within' that looks natural. I used a very small amount across my entire face and found the coverage to be just perfect for a 'your skin but better' vibe."
Would you use this product every day?
"I'd definitely use it every day while I'm out and about since it gives you that sun-kissed look and is very light in terms of coverage. I also love that this can be used as an all-over solution or just as a highlight on my cheekbones."
Would you buy this product again?
"I would! I love that it's light on the skin, doesn't really have a scent and is budget-friendly. A little goes a long way, so it's definitely going to last for a good while too."
Jeanine Edwards, 40, 904 - Deep
Was this product easy to apply?
"I saw some TikTok videos of people having trouble applying the Lumi Glotion, so I was nervous. I never wear foundation or concealer, so this kind of product was totally new to me. To apply it, I squeezed a little blob on the top of my left hand, then used the fingers on my right hand to pick up a bit of the product and massage it on my face. I was surprised by how smooth the application was — not scary at all!"
Did this product complement your skin tone?
"Let's just say I was, umm, heavy-handed. I used a lot because I wanted the full Lumi Glotion experience and I will admit that maybe I went a little overboard. The color looks really intense — borderline too bronzey — in the pics above, but I promise it looked much better in real life. The shade I used worked really well for my skin tone, so much so that I actually got a new passport photo taken the day I tested the Glotion. Next time, I'll probably use a little less so I don't look like I fell asleep in the sun."
Would you use this product every day?
"I'm not a 'full face' makeup person on a daily basis, but I could see myself wearing Lumi Glotion a few times a week when I wanted to look and feel a bit more 'made up.' It didn't feel heavy or sticky on my skin; I honestly I forgot I even had it on until I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. It took me less than three minutes to apply it with my fingertips all over my entire face, so it's not a huge time commitment, and the end result was a smoother, more even complexion with a really subtle glow. Who doesn't want that?"
Would you buy this product again?
"Like I said earlier, I don't like the idea of covering my whole face in makeup every day, but I will admit that this product grew on me. Initially, I didn't think I'd pay full price for a product I'd only use once in a while, but after I got three compliments from strangers while wearing the Glotion, I decided I'd 100% be buying a new one when this one runs out."
Janelle Randazza, 903 - Medium
Was this product easy to apply?
"I’m all about finger application and the Glotion lends itself well to that. I squeezed out two generous dollops on my fingers and it spread quickly and evenly across my skin without streaking. I also loved that I could layer this product: I could give myself a little highlight or I could have a light-coverage base, depending on my mood. It also works great with a brush when I want it to be a highlighter on top of foundation."
Would you use this product every day?
"As of now, I do use this every day. I work from home; while I don't need a full face of makeup, I do like to have something on my face for those unexpected video calls. It helps me look awake and healthy in seconds. It lightly smoothes out my complexion, giving me a dewy glow. And because it's illuminating, it seems to give my face contours. I suddenly have cheekbones when I wear it! I think I’m going to love this during summer travel, when I’ll want to look put together at the beach, but without a full face of makeup."
Would you buy this product again?
"Definitely. This is true no-makeup makeup. It feels light, it goes on effortlessly and I get a lot of impact from one product. It looks like me, only with an excellent exfoliation and exercise routine."
Katelyn Mullen, 39, 902 - Light
Was this product easy to apply?
"The Lumi Glotion was fairly simple to apply, and the skinny tip of the tube made it easy to dot across my face to help keep it evenly distributed. Most notably, it had absolutely no scent which is a plus for me as some ill-scented lotions can be a deal breaker for me and my face creams. I used the tube to apply and then my hands to gently rub in like a typical face cream."
Did this product complement your skin tone?
"The color was subtle and only really noticed a glisten when the light hit me. In the days following my initial test, I added a little more Glotion to my cheekbones throughout the day when I felt like it wasn't as noticeable and I noticed it gave a little brightened look to my face. I liked that despite the lotion being applied all over my face, the slight glisten only really showed on where I'd want to see highlighter. I didn't feel like I was glistening all over, but rather had a shimmer on my cheekbones."
Would you use this product every day?
"One thing I didn't love about the coverage is that my face was left feeling a bit tacky and not the hydrated smooth feel that my typical daily moisturizer leaves me feeling. I won't continue to use this product every day, but I will keep it for special occasions. For special occasions, I can see myself using the Lumi Glotion for times when I need the highlighter to last for extended periods, and the powder version I currently use might not last."
Would you buy this product again?
"Probably not. It didn't wow me enough to replace my everyday liquid highlighter or the powder I currently use."
Amanda Garrity, 30, 901 - Fair
Was this product easy to apply?
"It's super easy, especially for someone (like me) who doesn't like to spend a lot of time getting ready in the morning. I applied it with my fingers and with a Beauty Blender. It seemed more natural — my skin, but glowier — when I applied it with my fingers so that was my preferred method."
Did this product complement your skin tone?
"I found it to be too glowy on its own, but I liked applying it underneath my tinted moisturizer. My favorite way was wearing it underneath my Tower 28 tinted sunscreen — it provided a subtle glow, but didn't make me look like a disco ball (which isn't the look I'm going for). It worked well with my fair complexion, but I didn't notice any color payoff."
Would you use this product every day?
"I wouldn't turn to this for coverage, but I would combine it with a tinted moisturizer or foundation if I wanted a more dewy finish. When I'm doing a full face of makeup (I'm typically a sunscreen and concealer kind of girl), I wear the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter underneath Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint for a from-within glow. I think the Lumi Lotion could replace the pricey (yet reliable) Charlotte Tilbury product — at almost 1/4 of the price!"
Would you buy this product again?
"It takes me a while to work my way through a bottle of the Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter, but when it runs out I'll consider buying the Lumi Lotion instead. I have seen some TikTokers mention that the Lumi Lotion made them break out after regular use and while I didn't experience that during this trial, I'm weary to fully commit to it since I have more sensitive, acne-prone skin."
Shoppers on Amazon give L'Oreal's Lumi Glotion 4.6 out of 5 stars. If you're still on the fence about trying this product for yourself, consider this clever application trick from one customer. "I love this product. It adds some luminosity to the skin. I mix it half and half with my foundation and it goes on so smooth and keeps my skin moisturized all day. Really brightens up the face," they wrote.
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
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