I Tried a Watermelon Skincare Routine for a Month—Here’s What Happened

You’d be hard-pressed to find a summer treat more universally beloved than watermelon. Aside from the fact that it’s basically nature’s candy (the taste! The smell! The color!) the water-rich food hydrates your body from the inside out while also offering antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. And though our days of poolside snacking may be numbered, we can continue to reap watermelon’s benefits all year long by adding the superstar ingredient into our skincare routines.

“Irritated, red, or dry skin can benefit greatly from watermelon as it helps heal the moisture barrier,” Michele Farber, M.D., a New York City-based dermatologist told me back in 2018, the first time I tested this product. “It is also good for acne-prone skin and aging skin because of its calming and antioxidant properties.”

As a 31-year-old with combination skin that can’t seem to decide whether it wants to be oily or dry, finding a daily routine that hydrates my skin and offers anti-aging benefits without making me break out can be complicated — especially in sweltering August heat.

Miraculously, the Watermelon Glow collection has done exactly that. I’ve been testing five of the brand’s pink-fruit products nonstop for the past four weeks, and based on the success I’ve seen so far, I’ll be using them to keep my summer glow alive long after watermelon season is over.

My A.M. Routine

In the morning, my routine is all about protection. After gently cleansing my skin with micellar water, it’s time for Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops — which help to defend my skin from environmental stressors like pollution and UV damage. Niacinamide is a derm-beloved antioxidant known to protect against these environmental stressors without causing any irritation (vitamin C, the other derm-fave antioxidant, can lead to sensitivities on certain skin types), and comes with the added bonus of being able to reduce redness and brighten skin. These benefits are amped up in the Dew Drops formula with the inclusion of watermelon, which comes with its own antioxidant powers.

The first thing I noticed about the Drops was that they gave my complexion an instant boost of radiance — it leaves behind a glowy, dewy finish that feels perfectly in line with the product’s name and doesn’t look sparkly or shimmery. It’s super-light and doesn’t have any sort of greasy texture, which can be hard to come by in an active serum. Over time, I could tell that my skin took on a sort of “lit from within” look, which can likely be attributed to niacinamide’s brightening abilities.

Next comes Watermelon Glow Pink Juice Moisturizer, which is the perfect lightweight moisturizing option for sweaty, sweltering days. Because my skin tends to have dry, patchy spots, I usually opt for heavy, cream-based moisturizers — but the thought of slathering on something thick and goopy on my face this time of year sounds highly unappealing, especially because these types of formulas tend to trap the sweat and bacteria under my skin and cause me to break out. Though this moisturizer is ultra-light — it’s got a clear, jelly texture that melts seamlessly into skin — it packs a whole lot of hydrating punch thanks to the fact that it features watermelon as its star ingredient.

It’s also got hyaluronic acid, which ups its hydrating properties even further (the ingredient is famous for being able to hold 1,000 times its weight in water), and antioxidants to help stave off damage from the environmental stressors (like pollution) that lead to signs of aging. I like to keep my bottle of “pink juice” in the fridge right alongside all of my actual juices, which allows for a luxurious, cooling experience every time I apply. The lotion keeps my complexion hydrated for hours after I put it on, and I haven’t seen a single pimple in the four weeks that I’ve been using it.

The final step is, of course, Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Sunscreen SPF 50. Dermatologists often preach that the “best” sunscreen is the one you’ll wear every day, and for me, this one fits the bill. It’s got two different types of filters — mineral, which deflect UV rays, and chemical, which absorb them — which means you’ll get double the defense, and has SPF 50 to ensure you’re properly protected. It can admittedly be tough to find a mineral formula that doesn’t leave a white cast (since the main ingredients in these types of products are zinc and titanium dioxide, which are white by nature), but this stuff blends to near-invisibility.

In addition to staving off sun damage, it also contains a few other skin-nourishing ingredients, including hydrating hyaluronic acid, antioxidant-rich niacinamide, and calming aloe vera. This combination of actives means that while the UV filters are working to protect my skin against future sun damage, the formula is simultaneously working to reduce the appearance of past sun damage by evening out hyperpigmentation.

My P.M. Routine

At night, skin switches into “rest and repair” mode, which is why I like to stack my nighttime routine with active ingredients that will help even out my skin tone and texture.

After removing my makeup with a cleansing balm and washing my face with a milky cleanser (I’m a sucker for a double cleanse, especially on days when I’m sweating a lot) I go in with the Watermelon Glow PHA+BHA Pore-Tight Toner. Unlike the harsh, alcohol-based toners of yore, this one is gentle and hydrating thanks to the inclusion of watermelon extract, hyaluronic acid, and cactus water — it’s like a tall drink of water for my complexion. (And gentle enough that you can use it A.M. and P.M. if you want, too.) Plus, the combination of PHAs (which melt away dead skin cells) and BHAs (which get way down deep into my pores to clear away gunk, grime, and bacteria from the inside out) work together to resurface my skin, leaving my skin brighter and unclogged.

Next, I apply a layer of my go-to Pink Juice moisturizer. Because it’s so light, I was worried that using it at night would mean my skin would feel parched by morning, but that hasn’t been the case at all (thank you, watermelon). In fact, it’s kept me from waking up with the usual dry-cheeks-oily-T-zone combination that I’m used to dealing with every a.m.

The final step of my p.m. routine is the most active one of all: the Watermelon Glow AHA Night Treatment. Alpha-hydroxy acids — which serve as the star ingredient in the formula — are known to be the most effective exfoliating ingredients money can buy. Because of this, they can be irritating to some skin types (including, in some cases, mine). But thanks to the fact that these aggressive actives are paired with watermelon, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and quinoa peptides, the treatment is gentle enough to be used on all skin types.

I’ve been able to use the mask every night for a month, and haven’t experienced any sort of sensitivities — which is no small feat for a formula that packs such a serious skin-resurfacing punch. After the first few nights, my skin was noticeably bouncier and my discoloration looked more even — and things have only gotten better from there.

Keep reading about what watermelon can do:

• Meet Watermelon Glow AHA Night Treatment
• A Look Back at Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask
• Why Watermelon Should Be a Part of Your Skincare Routine