I was born and raised in sunny, hot and exceptionally humid South Florida. Back then my skin care goals were sun protection, oil (and sweat) control and a healthy dose of hydration. Those goals, and the products I used, hardly changed because the weather rarely did. (There’s the hot and humid season and then the hotter and more humid season.) I moved to New York City four years ago, and (somewhat frustratingly) my skin is still adjusting to the drastic change in climate.
Unsurprising, winter is the most brutal. Like clockwork, the cold, dry air outside and the warm, dry air inside cause my skin to feel tight and dehydrated. (Yes, even after swapping in a rich moisturizer. Mists have become by best beauty friend.) As my winter skin-care journey continued, there is one beauty category that almost felt impossible to wear: makeup. Concealer, foundation, blush… nothing sat comfortably or looked right—until I discovered Merit Beauty’s Great Skin Instant Glow Serum ($38).
This skin serum is a makeup must-have.
You’ve likely heard about Great Skin before because it seems like almost every celebrity uses Merit’s clean, high-quality products. I first used Great Skin last winter after hearing about it from my sister-in-law whose radiant, healthy skin I am always envious of. After using Great Skin just once, I have never worn any kind of makeup without this bi-phase serum under it.
Great Skin combines four types of hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, caffeine-rich cacao seed extract and Japanese goldthread that deeply hydrates, brightens, smooths, plumps and soothes. It absorbs in seconds, and the result is your glowiest skin ever. One reviewer on the brand’s website sums it up perfectly: “It gives you the glazed donut look without looking greasy!”
“My makeup goes on much smoother and wears better throughout the day,” reads one of the thousands of five-star reviews. A 72-year-old shopper shares Great Skin “works perfect with my makeup,” while crediting it for making their skin look “younger.” It’s the “skin thirst quencher I needed to stop my makeup from looking dry and crusty at the end of the day” shares a 37-year-old fan. Other reviewers describe Great Skin as “light,” “nourishing,” “effective,” “hydrating,” and “gorgeous.”
I will shout it off the rooftops that not only is Merit Beauty’s Great Skin Instant Glow Serum my favorite serum, but the makeup step I will never skip. If you’re into a lit-from-within-glow with or without makeup, get Great Skin here.
