Merit Beauty’s New Great Skin Serum Gave Me the Lit-From-Within Glow I’d Been Searching For

My skincare routine shifts with the season—my acne-prone oily-combo skin needs a lot more hydration and attention during the colder months. Choosing which beauty and face care brands are worth your time and money can be tough with the oversaturated market and so many newcomers still popping up. Luckily, it's part of my job description to filter through the noise to discover the products that are worth the hype. My obsession with Merit Beauty's Bronze Balm is still going strong, so when I heard the minimalist brand was launching its first-ever skincare serum, I was very curious to see how it would compare.

The Merit Beauty Great Skin Instant Glow Serum officially dropped on October 6, but I was one of the lucky few who got to test it out ahead of the game with a sample from the brand. The pH-balanced serum consists of four types of hyaluronic acids for intense hydration, niacinamide for smoothing and brightening, caffeine-rich cacao seed extract for an instant plumping effect, and Japanese goldthread root to soothe your skin. Over time, the seamless blend is meant to help support a healthy skin barrier.

To buy: $38; meritbeauty.com.

Merit Beauty didn't disappoint with its foray into skincare; the serum took nearly five years to refine and was reformulated 52 times before it was released, according to the brand. As with all of the intentional brand's products, it is also clean, vegan, and cruelty-free, and was developed in partnership with celebrity esthetician Biba de Sousa to ensure that it’s safe to use on acne-prone skin.

The bi-phase formula separates when sitting, so I shake vigorously before every use. The fluidity of the formula initially puzzled me, but the nozzle carefully ejected out precisely what I needed to cover my face and neck with just two pumps, and without a mess. As I applied it, I noticed how easily my skin drank up the lightweight serum, leaving my face instantly hydrated and plumped. The dewy finish caught my attention first—it gave me a lit-from-within glow that no highlighter could replicate.

The delicate glow persisted even when I used the serum as a primer under my powder and liquid foundations. (I've also never received so many compliments on my skin.) I have blithely worked the Great Skin Serum into my morning and night routine every day for the last few weeks, and I can confidently say it's here to stay. It also doesn’t hurt that it’s the prettiest product sitting on my nightstand.

If you're searching for a multi-functional serum to simplify your skincare routine, the Merit Beauty Great Skin Instant Glow Serum may be the solution you're looking for. You can shop it for $38 at Merit Beauty.