Back when glass skin first caught our attention in the Western world (2017 – the year of Instagram stories and Beyoncé posting that now-iconic floral portrait to announce her pregnancy, for context), it came packaged as a meticulous 10-step routine we were meant to follow to the T. Remember those days?
We still all want smooth, hydrated, light-reflective skin, don’t get us wrong. But ten steps a night now feels more bizarre than aspirational, and it’s a nightmare to fit a 1-hour facial on a random workday. Thankfully, our beauty brands are working overtime to make sure we don’t have to (bye bye sleep masks!).
Two of our most loved brands – BYOMA and Glow Recipe – have just launched two very different products to give us the glass skin we so desperately want without the spreadsheet-level routine we so desperately don’t need. But before we get into the new launches, here’s all you need to know about achieving glowing skin, express:
How to achieve glowing skin faster
1. Gentle chemical exfoliants
Glowing skin comes down to surface smoothness and hydration. Dullness is often caused by a build-up of dead skin cells, which disrupt how light reflects off the skin. A gentle chemical exfoliant (such as a low-percentage AHA, PHA, or LHA) can quickly refine texture and boost radiance without causing irritation.
2. Hydration
When the outer layer of the skin is well hydrated, it appears plumper and smoother, which enhances natural luminosity. Serums with ingredients like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, panthenol, and aloe draw water into the skin and temporarily soften fine lines, creating that “lit-from-within” effect (make sure to apply your moisturiser and SPF after).
3. Antioxidants like Vit C
For an extra boost, vitamin C or niacinamide help improve tone and brightness. But avoid the temptation of endless layering – it’s best to choose targeted ingredients that smooth, hydrate, and enhance light reflection.
4. Bounce and barrier repair
If you want that truly instant shine and pillowy effect, you need to focus on bounce and barrier health – which, realistically, is what gives skin that healthier kind of glow. Lines like BYOMA’s Bio-Collagen range use vegan collagen-supporting complexes alongside peptides and barrier-strengthening ingredients.
The brand focuses heavily on ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids – the core components of the skin barrier. When the barrier is intact, skin holds onto moisture more effectively, reflects light better, and appears naturally luminous. And if you’re a fan of the brand, you’ll love this new product.
New in: BYOMA’s Bio-Collagen Radiance Facial Mask
BYOMA, the playful, fun-loving brand we can’t help but be drawn to, has launched its first-ever facial mask on the 9th of February. The adorable fuchsia cube houses its dry-to-peel Bio-Collagen Radiance Mask (£16.99), carefully developed and clinically proven to deliver glass skin in 20 minutes. Unlike the usual pre-soaked sheet masks, this goes on as a glossy pink gel and gradually sets into a clear, flexible film you can peel away once it dries.
It’s worth a try for the convenience alone: no awkward eye holes drifting toward your cheeks, or serum dripping down your neck. But the results are truly outstanding: aside from the visible glow, clinical trials also showed that a single use of this mask provides all-day hydration, strengthens the skin barrier by up to 36%, and reduces the appearance of wrinkles.
In chatting with BYOMA’s impressively knowledgeable science team, we ended up learning some eye-opening facts about topical collagen. In short, collagen molecules are simply too large to penetrate deeply into the skin. Which means, despite how often the word is thrown around and stamped across packaging, it is not rebuilding your skin’s collagen stores the way injectables or in-clinic treatments do.
Instead of selling the illusion of deep structural repair, BYOMA formulates its Bio-Collagen products to maximise what collagen can actually do: deliver intense surface hydration and reinforce the skin barrier.
So, what’s in this mask?
At the centre of the formula is biomimetic Bio-Collagen combined with BYOMA’s Tri-Ceramide Complex. The collagen element supports the look of firmness and smoothness, helping your skin appear more supple. Meanwhile, ceramides, which naturally occur in the skin, help reinforce the lipid barrier and reduce moisture loss.
The formula also includes Cica (Centella Asiatica), known for its calming properties, alongside Astaxanthin, an antioxidant used to help protect against environmental stress. These additions help balance the more active elements of the mask, aiming to improve radiance without irritation.
BYOMA’s Bio-Collagen won’t resurface texture the way an acid would, but it will deliver that soft-focus, hydrated sheen that reads as healthy and fresh. If your goal is immediate glow and bounce first thing in the morning or before an event, this is your go-to. It’s available at Boots, Space NK, Cult Beauty, or BYOMA.com.
New in: Glow Recipe’s new toner pads
Boots and K-beauty retailers expected toner pads to soar in 2025, signalling what we, as consumers, know already: we want products that are effective and time-saving.
And it’s in that vein that Glow Recipe has just launched its new toner pads – to give us a daily micro-facial that’s targeted, efficient, and fuss-free. And they’re offering us the full performance trifecta: three different types of toner pads for resurfacing, brightening and repairing. All the products are available at Sephora for £27.00 and each jar contains 60 pads.
Here are the full details:
1. LHA + AHA Exfoliating Toner Pads
These are meant for immediate refinement and longer-term texture improvement. The multi-acid blend – LHA, AHA, PHA and BHA – works across different molecular weights, meaning exfoliation occurs at varying depths. AHAs loosen surface dead cells; BHAs travel into pores; LHAs offer a gentler, lipid-soluble refinement suited to congestion-prone skin.
Then there’s watermelon enzyme and glacial water, centella and aloe vera for mineral-rich soothing support. The result is instant smoothness with a lower risk of post-exfoliation tightness. This is the pre-makeup skin smoother you can reach for when you want to make sure your foundation lands evenly on your face and can’t afford a double take.
2. Vitamin C Brightening Toner Pads
We know our Vitamin C serum is indispensable for brightening dull skin, but some higher concentrations can irritate sensitive areas (around the eyes, for example). These pads use five forms of vitamin C alongside glutathione to address dullness and uneven tone while remaining gentle enough for use under the eye area.
They also contain caffeine to reduce puffiness; the popular niacinamide for barrier reinforcement and improving elasticity over time; and guava leaf ferment, an antioxidant to enhance absorption.
This is your morning express facial – the toner pads that help disguise four hours of sleep, revive puffy eyes and dull skin after a 10-hour overnight flight with a child screaming their lungs out in the row behind you, or simply leave you feeling refreshed with a subtle morning glow-up and a confidence boost.
3. PDRN+ Repair + Soothe Toner Pads
Last but not least, there are the PDRN+ Repair + Soothe toner pads (clearly a workhorse) to address barrier repair and post-irritation recovery. Instead of animal-derived PDRN (this regenerative compound usually derived from salmon DNA), Glow Recipe uses a vegan alternative derived from white rice and prickly pear to promote a bouncy, revitalised appearance.
A calming centella complex delivers immediate hydration and supports collagen production, while panthenol and adenosine provide long-term nourishment and help improve elasticity. These toner pads are your SOS skin moment – made to calm skin that’s stressed, sensitised or over-exfoliated.