What is glass skin?
Glass skin refers to skin that reflects light evenly across the surface – creating a luminous, almost translucent appearance that resembles polished glass.
The term comes from K-beauty, where routines prioritise layered hydration, gentle exfoliation, and targeted treatments to keep the surface clear and balanced. Unlike matte finishes, glass skin celebrates visible moisture and that coveted dewy, glowing skin look.
Why use a serum for glass skin?
Serums are lightweight, high-concentration formulas designed to deliver active ingredients directly into the skin, rather than sitting on the surface like heavier creams.
Why does this matter? Well, glass skin isn't accidental. It requires even hydration, crystal-clear tone, and a texture so smooth it reflects light like a mirror. Serums can hit all three targets with accuracy, which is why they're non-negotiable in any glass skin routine.
That said, if you’re looking for a glass skin look, you’re not limited to serums. Our Revitalift Filler Glass Skin Liquid Cream, for instance, is actually a moisturiser, but is as lightweight as a serum that absorbs quickly into the skin – our first-ever transformative liquid cream to deliver a lasting glass skin effect. Formulated with a unique blend of hyaluronic acids – plus vitamins B3, B5, and C – the cream penetrates 10 skin layers deep to deliver deep hydration and help visibly reduce the appearance of visible fine lines and wrinkles.
Ingredients to look for in a glass skin serum
Serums for glowing skin can be used on their own or layered to target different skincare concerns. The best serums for glass skin will include one or more of the ingredients below:
- Hyaluronic acid pulls water into the skin's surface, helping it look plump and reflective. Holding up to 1,000 times its weight in water, it’s essential for that dewy bounce.
- Niacinamide helps even out tone and manage oil production for a more uniform surface. It also strengthens the skin’s moisture barrier and minimises the appearance of pores.
- Exfoliating acids clear away dead skin cells that create uneven texture, revealing smoother, more light-reflective skin underneath.
- Vitamin C reduces dullness from environmental damage while fading dark spots and supporting collagen for a brighter, more luminous complexion.
- Peptides are short chains of amino acids that signal cells to produce collagen and elastin, helping maintain skin structure and firmness.
The best serums to achieve glass skin
Serums are essential to glass skin because they deliver skin hydration without weight, shaping how light moves across your complexion.
Below, explore the best serums for glass skin, chosen for the results you can see on the surface.
For clearer tone: Bright Reveal Dark Spot Serum
Dark spots can feel irreversible. Once they settle in, they catch the light and pull focus away from the clear, even look glass skin is known for. That’s why our Bright Reveal 10% [Niacinamide + Melasyl + Amino-Sulfonic Acid] Dark Spot Serum is designed to work through that issue, not cover it up.
Niacinamide helps slow excess pigment – the colour your skin produces in response to sun exposure – before it reaches the surface. Melasyl™ targets visible discolouration as it forms, while amino-sulfonic acid gently clears built-up surface cells, so darker areas soften and blend back into the surrounding skin.
For visible brightness: Revitalift Vitamin C Serum
Our Revitalift Vitamin C 12% Pure Brightening Face Serum keeps things simple by focusing on one ingredient: vitamin C.
Each day, UV, pollution, and environmental particles create oxidative stress in the skin. That stress slows cell turnover: allowing dull surface cells to hang around longer than they should and stopping light from reflecting cleanly. With 12% pure vitamin C, this formula steps in early, helping neutralise that stress before it interferes with renewal. As older cells shed more consistently, the surface clears, and skin starts reflecting light again – the stage at which all glass skin looks originate.
Better still, our Revitalift Vitamin C Serum’s formula is lightweight and non-greasy, meaning it sits well under makeup and doubles as a primer for a natural glowy look.
For smoother texture: Bright Reveal Dark Spot Exfoliant Peel
Glass skin is achieved when light can travel across the skin’s surface without interruption. When dead skin cells build up, that surface becomes uneven – and light is scattered, rather than reflected.
Bright Reveal Dark Spot 25% [AHA + BHA + PHA] + Niacinamide Exfoliant Peel helps clear this barrier by lifting surface buildup gradually, allowing the skin to renew in a controlled way. Its layered exfoliation works at different depths of the skin to address both compacted surface cells and congestion below.
Combining exfoliating acids that work on different levels of the skin:
- Polyhydroxy Acids (PHAs): work at the outermost layer to loosen buildup
- Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHAs): help manage oil within pores
- Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs): support longer-term improvements in texture and tone.
Niacinamide’s benefits then help keep skin balanced as renewal increases, reducing the risk of uneven results. Exfoliating your face at this stage also helps keep the surface of the skin smooth, which is what gives glass skin its signature reflective look.
For supporting firmness: Revitalift Laser X3 Tri-Peptides Age Correcting Serum
Revitalift Laser X3 Tri-Peptides Age-Correcting Serum supports mature skin by empowering its ability to reflect light. As collagen – the protein that supports skin structure – declines, the surface no longer sits evenly. Fine dips and creases form, breaking up light reflection (even when hydration is present).
Tri-peptides support collagen activity beneath the surface, helping restore internal density so skin holds its shape evenly. Hyaluronic acid draws water into fine surface lines, reducing the shadows that disrupt light reflection. Vitamin C then helps prevent the dull cast that can appear as structural support shifts.
For plump, hydrated skin: Revitalift Filler Glass Skin Liquid Cream
While neither qualifies strictly as a glass skin serum, there are two products which can give you that coveted dewy look in an effective, fast-acting way that mirrors your busy life.
Our Revitalift Filler Glass Skin Liquid Cream will give you a glass skin look that lasts – absorbing in just 10 seconds and penetrating as many layers of the skin to give you an instant glass skin glow, with 100 hours of glowing hydration.
Similarly, the Revitalift Glass Skin Hydrogel Glow Mask delivers that refreshed, plumped look in just 90 minutes. Formulated with hyaluronic acid for hydration, glycerin for its moisture-attracting properties, and adenosine – which contributes to smoother-looking skin – the mask has been clinically tested on all skin types. Use it as the first step in your glass skin routine, before the Revitalift Filler Glass Skin Liquid Cream, for best results.
Curious about glass skin, but not sure where to start? Learn how to use serums on your face, how to layer them, and which formulas suit your skin.
