Last updated on 23rd November 2025 by Sarah Sarsby
I love glowy beauty products. Whether it’s a dewy serum, sparkly duochrome eyeshadow, or luminous complexion product, I’m here for it all.
The recently launched Perricone MD No Makeup Radiant Glow Balm promises to deliver radiance and a sheer wash of colour to the complexion. I’ve tried lots of products from Perricone MD’s No Makeup line, including blushes, bronzers, mascaras, primers, and lip oils. They’re fantastic for creating effortless and natural makeup looks. I had high hopes for the new Glow Balm, as it looked and sounded amazing.
In this review, I share my thoughts on the Perricone MD Glow Balm, including the formula, how long-wearing it is, the shade range, and how easy it is to work with.
Get 20% off Perricone MD products with PMDM20. Shop today!
*This post contains some affiliate links. This means, at no extra cost to you, I earn some commission if you purchase a product through my link. All thoughts are my own, though, as always. If you want to find out more, visit my affiliate disclosure page*
About the Perricone MD Glow Balm
The Perricone MD No Makeup Radiant Glow Balm is a multi-use complexion balm that delivers a sheer wash of colour with a dewy, luminous finish. It comes in 3 shades – Pearl, Cool Rose and Bronze – each adding a soft tint that brightens the skin while still looking natural. It’s fragrance-free, vegan, and cruelty-free.
The formula blends skincare with makeup, featuring vitamin C ester to help brighten and smooth skin, niacinamide to even out skin tone and reduce dullness, and shea butter to nourish skin. With regular use, it’s designed to visibly improve dullness and discolouration over time.
It’s easy to apply. Warm the surface of the balm with your fingertip on first use and tap it onto the cheeks, high points of the face, or anywhere you want extra glow. It works well on bare skin, over makeup, or under makeup, and the shades can be mixed for a customised finish.
The balm normally costs £35 for 35g. Use PMDM20 for 20% off, making the Perricone MD Glow Balm just £28! Shop here.
Perricone MD Radiant Glow Balm swatches
I’ve swatched all 3 shades of the Perricone MD Glow Balm so you can see the depth of colour, differences in colours, radiance, and shimmer. These swatches were done on my bare arm.
Pearl is described as having natural sheer luminosity with opal shimmer. Cool Rose is described as a cool sheen of pink with silver shimmer. Bronze is described as a natural, sheer bronze tint with golden shimmer. See the swatches below.
There isn’t much variation in each shade, as they impart a subtle and soft tint. Pearl is the most shimmery of the 3. The shimmer particles look natural and aren’t big chunks of glitter. Instead, they capture the light beautifully.
Makeup look using the balm highlighter
I created a makeup look using the Perricone MD Glow Balm. I applied Pearl on top of my skincare, but before any makeup products, to add some luminosity to my base. Then I mixed the shades Cool Rose and Bronze and applied them on top of my blush as a tinted highlighter. Here’s how the look turned out:
I’m really pleased with this look. I stuck to autumnal tones and used a blonzer so that the balm could be tapped on top.
In the section below, I delve into more detail as to how easy the balms were to work with, how well they wore throughout the day, and whether they’re must-have products in your makeup collection.
Get 20% off Perricone MD products with PMDM20. Shop today!
Honest Perricone MD Glow Balm review
I’m thoroughly impressed with the Perricone MD Glow Balm.
Firstly, I like the packaging. The balms feel sturdy and luxurious, and the pots mean the accompanying Perricone MD Makeup Brush fits into them perfectly.
I like the texture of the balms. They’re quite solid and not greasy. Instead, when you tap your brush or fingers into the balms and apply them to your face, they don’t slip around.
The formula is hydrating, smoothing, and applies effortlessly. On my skin, the balms feel creamy and non-sticky. Even on the oily areas of my face, the Perricone MD balm is comfortable. They glide over the skin with a moisturising finish.
I swirled the Perricone MD Makeup Brush into the balms and tapped them onto my skin. Initially, I was concerned that this method might lift the blush and foundation underneath, but it didn’t. My complexion products stayed put.
Having said that, even with multiple layers, you can’t build much colour payoff. These balms are very sheer. To say that these balms provide a wash of colour is a stretch. You wouldn’t be able to wear any of these shades alone in place of a blush or bronzer. Instead, I’d view these balms as purely highlighters, glow boosters, or blush/bronzer toppers.
All 3 shades are pretty, but as the tint is so subtle, you don’t need the entire collection. Pearl is my favourite shade, as it’s the most light reflective, so it looks glowier on the skin. It’s also the most versatile colour.
As a highlighter, I’m obsessed. They’re shimmery, without looking chunky, as the particles are tiny. This means they’ve got a gorgeous reflective quality. The luminosity is soft, healthy, and so pretty.
Most impressively, the Perricone MD Glow Balm is pretty long-wearing. After 10 hours, my skin had become a bit greasier, but I didn’t look like a sweaty mess. A little translucent powder would fix any excess shine. On my cheeks, the highlighter was still glowy and hadn’t budged.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Overall, I love these glow balms. They’re easy to apply and give skin a healthy glow. The Perricone MD No Makeup Radiant Glow Balm is a better version of the Jones Road Beauty Miracle Balm IMO. It’s less greasy, provides soft light-reflecting shimmer, and is more long-wearing.
If you love radiant balm highlighters that aren’t greasy, the Perricone MD Glow Balm is excellent.
Get 20% off Perricone MD products with PMDM20. Shop today!
Sarah Sarsby is the owner of A Woman's Confidence. With over 7 years' experience of writing in the fields of beauty and lifestyle, Sarah is passionate about all things content, makeup, skincare, wellness, and lifestyle. She has combination skin, is obsessed with lip gloss, and loves cookie dough.