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Do you ever have those days in the middle of winter when your skin looks a little dry and weathered as if it needs a little plumping pick-me-up? This is exactly what happened to me last February after an unusually long bout of snow in my area. I walked into Sephora and asked the sales associate what I needed to manufacture some type of dewy glow. Without hesitation, she walked me over to Saie Glowy Super Gel Illuminator.
It comes in two sizes and shades, and after sampling it, I immediately went all in on the larger size in the Starglow shade. It was exactly what I was looking for. The liquid water-based luminizer gives you a radiant finish without making you look like a ’90s pop star with glitter specs stuck to your cheeks. It’s much more subtle than that.
It’s also created with good-for-the-skin ingredients like plant-based glycerin, which plumps up the skin, and rose hip seed oil and vitamin C to nourish and brighten, which I love. I cringe thinking about all the junk makeup I’ve used over the years, but now I’ve wised up and completely cleaned up my skincare and makeup regime. I try hard to only buy products that are deemed clean.
Currently, the 0.5-ounce size sells for $15.20 on Amazon, but the 1-ounce is a slightly better deal at $26.60-$28. It comes in two shades: Starglow and Sunglow. The Starglow is whiter while the slightly-more-expensive Sunglow has a golden brown tone.
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A few months after purchasing, while having wine with an old friend from high school, she leaned in and asked me what I was doing to make my skin look so good.
“How so?” I asked.
She said, “I know you are happy, but you’re practically glowing!” As any good friend would, I let her behind the Saie curtain and immediately texted her a link to the product so she could buy it later.
You can mix it with your face lotion or foundation, but I use it the most as a highlighter on my cheekbones. During the summer, I blend it into my body lotion to give my legs and collarbones a little shimmer on date nights. It’s lightweight and buildable. When I use it as a highlighter, I don’t even use a full pump. It’s more like a baby drop, so a large bottle will last you a very long time.
Not only is the Saie Glowy Super Gel Illuminator amazing 365 days a year, but it makes a great gift. My teenage daughter uses it too, and I’m thinking of gifting her a bottle for the new school year.
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Emily is a freelance writer who loves connecting the dots among facts and finding obscure little details to weave in throughout her work. Whether she's interviewing Olympic athletes, small business owners, dessert cookbook writers, or world-renowned architects, she's passionate about shining the spotlight on good people doing remarkable work. More.
