5 Korean Skincare Hacks You’ll Want to Steal from Glow Recipe

Glow Recipe knows a thing or two about chasing that lit-from-within glow, and they’ve bottled up all kinds of K-beauty secrets your skin will thank you for. Co-founders Sarah Lee and Christine Chang grew up on beauty wisdom passed down from their mums and grandmothers, like pressing chilled watermelon rind onto sun-flushed skin to cool and calm it. Today, they’ve turned those little moments into products with serious cult status.

Cue their Watermelon Glow Pore Tight Toner: one of those formulas you end up hoarding. Packed with 62% watermelon and cactus extract plus skin-smoothing PHA and BHA, it’s essentially hydration, exfoliation, and glow in one step. Here’s how to make the most of it, straight from the K-beauty playbook.

1. The 3-Skin Method for Glass-Skin Magic

The 7-skin method is a K-beauty classic, where toner is patted into the skin repeatedly until it’s drenched in hydration, but Glow Recipe’s Watermelon Glow Pore Tight Toner makes the same glass-skin magic happen in just three layers. Packed with 62% watermelon and cactus extract plus glycerin, it floods skin with moisture while gently refining texture, so each layer sinks in without stickiness. 

Apply to slightly damp skin and press it in with your fingertips, letting it absorb fully before moving to the next round. By the third layer, skin feels plump, looks luminous, and has that bouncy, cushiony finish that makes makeup glide on effortlessly.

2. Mini Masking Pads - DIY Masking with a Glassy Glow 

Think of this as a five-minute facial you can do while scrolling on your phone. Soak a few cotton pads with the Watermelon Glow Pore Tight Toner and press them onto areas that need extra love: cheeks, forehead, or anywhere that feels a little rough or dehydrated. The toner’s blend of watermelon, cactus extract, and gentle acids works double time, infusing skin with hydration while smoothing away uneven texture. After five minutes, swipe the pads across your face for a final polish and watch your skin catch the light with that glassy, just-had-a-facial glow.

3. Pre-Makeup Glow Boost

If your foundation never seems to sit quite right, this trick might just change the way you prep. Before reaching for your makeup bag, sweep toner-soaked cotton pads across your face to smooth out any dry patches and refine texture. The Watermelon Glow Pore Tight Toner’s gentle PHA and BHA work quietly in the background, whisking away dead skin cells while its hydrating base plumps and softens. The result is a perfectly prepped canvas so your base blends in seamlessly and catches the light in all the right places.

4. Aqua Peel Vibes Without the Appointment

Inspired by the Korean Aqua Peel Facial, a spa treatment that’s part exfoliation, part hydration therapy, this toner delivers a similar pore-tightening, skin-smoothing effect without leaving your bathroom. The formula’s gentle PHA and BHA mimic the clarifying step of the facial, whisking away build-up, while watermelon and cactus extract flood skin with moisture so it feels fresh and bouncy, not stripped. In just a few swipes, your complexion looks clearer, feels softer, and has that post-treatment glow that usually requires a booking, a robe, and an afternoon off.

5. Less Moisturiser, More Glow - Perfect for Singapore

When your toner is this hydrating, you can give heavy creams a night off. The Watermelon Glow Pore Tight Toner is loaded with moisture-binding ingredients like glycerin and cactus extract, which help keep skin’s water levels topped up long after you’ve applied it. That means in humid climates such as Singapore, you can follow it with just a serum or SPF and still feel comfortably hydrated. The bonus? Skin looks fresh and radiant instead of weighed down, making this an easy glow hack for anyone who hates layering too many products.

There you have it. From embracing the 3-Skin Method, turning it into a quick masking treatment, or using it to perfect your pre-makeup base, Glow Recipe’s Watermelon Glow Pore Tight Toner is proof that toner can be so much more than a forgettable first step. It’s skincare that works hard in the background while making your routine feel just a little more indulgent. Did we say it comes in a TSA-approved mini size, too? 

Glow Recipe’s Watermelon Glow Pore Tight Toner is available at Sephora stores and online at Sephora.sg.