Glow Recipe

Glow Recipe Blackberry Retinol Blemish Serum.

Retinoids

About this product

A lightweight retinoid serum combining multiple forms of retinol and retinal with blackberry extract, designed to address blemishes and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

Full ingredients

Water/Aqua/Eau, Glycerin, Squalane, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Ectoin, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Rubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract, Bisabolol, Retinyl Linoleate, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Retinal, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Fruit Extract, Retinol, Tocopherol, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Sorbitan Isostearate, Erythritol, Citric Acid, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Phytate, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Glycine Soja Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance/Parfum*

Guru Score

80%

Yay

Early verdict · Few reviews so far

What the gurus are saying

This serum's gentleness stands out; gurus found it tolerable enough for daily use even with sensitive or rosacea-prone skin, and one reviewer saw post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation fade within a week. The formula layers well with other products, though it does contain fragrance that may or may not suit you depending on your scent sensitivities. It's beginner-friendly for anyone starting retinol in their 20s or early 30s, though some note the price leans toward the premium side for what you get.

Synthesized from 3 expert reviews · most recent take March 2026

What they liked

Gentle enough for retinol beginners
Fruit fragrance that doesn't trigger sensitivity
Can be used daily without irritation

What they flagged

Pricey for what you're getting

Best for

Acne-prone skin Mature skin

Type

RetinoidsDrops & dropper

Key actives

RetinoidVitamin ESqualane

Formula notes

Contains fragranceNo drying alcohol

Where to buy

Sephora → Amazon → Google →

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What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

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No BS Beauty

89k subs

✓Yay

"It's lightweight. It's pretty easy to use. And I would say it's a little bit more on the gentle side compared to all of these."

All 4 takes from No BS Beauty

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"Glow Recipe has managed to be an exception to that. Although typically most of their stuff is pretty expensive and they're more about the cutesy packaging and the marketing, so you can probably get something very similar for much less without the fun packaging. [...] But some people love it, and [...] if it works for you, go for it. [...] So far this one fared better than the other retinol I bought recently, which [...] irritated my skin so much."

The Best Retinol Products This Year So Far - My Favorite Retinoids for Anti-Aging & Acne

"It's lightweight. It's pretty easy to use. And I would say it's a little bit more on the gentle side compared to all of these."

What Are the Newest & Best Anti-Aging Ingredients for Mature & Aging Skin? My Youthful Skin Faves

"The Glow Recipe Blackberry blemish busting serum, it's really nice actually. In my opinion this one will work great for acne-prone as well as aging skin because it contains [...] retinol and retinol ester in addition to the ectoin, so it's great for fighting acne as well as anti-aging. It does have a scent to it, it's very light and it dissipates very quickly."

Do You Need Ectoin in Your Skincare Routine? All About Ectoin's Benefits for Skin & Product Faves

"The Glow Recipe [...] Blackberry Retinol Blemish Serum is really nice. It's just a gentle retinoid serum, but it does contain ectoin in it. It does have a little bit of fragrance in it, but that's neither here nor there."

Nipun Kapur

412k subs

✓Yay

"It's a good formula. I've tested it out, I like to use it, it's very very gentle. Reviews are very good on Sephora. This is a good product, beginner friendly, and this is good if you're in your 20s, early 30s, or you're starting out with retinol."

James Welsh

1.58M subs

✓Yay

"I had literally just picked at my skin and within a week I started to see my post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation fading. [...] Being able to use this once a day in the evening daily as somebody with very easily triggered rosacea, this has been amazing. I'm very happy that I'm able to use this with no issues whatsoever."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Retinoids

Retinoids are among the best studied ingredients in dermatology, with solid evidence for acne and for the fine lines and rough texture that come from sun exposure. Dryness and flaking in the first few weeks are common and usually settle.

Source: DermNet

Humectants and emollients

Ingredients like these draw water into the surface layers and slow how fast it leaves. The evidence is for comfort, softness and hydration rather than for changing the structure of the skin.

Source: DermNet

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an antioxidant, and it is often in a formula to keep the other ingredients stable rather than as the active itself. It pairs well with vitamin C, though on its own the evidence for visible change is limited.

Source: NIH, National Library of Medicine

Frequently asked.

What is Glow Recipe Blackberry Retinol Blemish Serum?

A lightweight retinoid serum combining multiple forms of retinol and retinal with blackberry extract, designed to address blemishes and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

Is Glow Recipe Blackberry Retinol Blemish Serum worth it?

Yes. All 3 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 80%.

What is Glow Recipe Blackberry Retinol Blemish Serum's Guru Score?

Glow Recipe Blackberry Retinol Blemish Serum holds a Guru Score of 80%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 3 expert reviewers we have collected.