Glow Lab has quietly built a reputation for blending credible science with plant powered formulas, the kind of brand that often pops up in a friend’s bathroom cabinet just before you start seeing it everywhere. Its understated packaging hides some surprisingly sophisticated ingredient lists and that alone earns a nod of respect.
Enter the rather literal sounding Vitamin C Brightening Night Cream, a name that reads like a checklist of everything we hope for by sunrise. Glow Lab says the cream drenches skin in hydration while a Kakadu Plum derived form of vitamin C lifts radiance and ProRenew Complex CLR supports overnight renewal, all with the promise of a complexion that looks up to thirty percent more luminous after a month.
To see if those bold claims translate to real life I rotated the jar into my evening routine for a full two weeks, using it exactly as directed and resisting the urge to sneak in any other brightening treatments.
This is not a paid or sponsored review and the opinions below are entirely my own. Skincare is personal so your results may differ.
What Is Vitamin C Brightening Night Cream?
This cream sits in the overnight treatment category, a group of products designed to work while skin enters its natural repair mode during sleep. The idea is simple: apply a richer formula before bed so active ingredients can stay undisturbed for several hours and do their job more effectively than a quick daytime layer might allow.
Glow Lab’s take on the concept pairs a Kakadu Plum–derived vitamin C called SUPEROX-C with a probiotic ferment known as ProRenew Complex CLR. Vitamin C is included for its ability to encourage a more even looking tone and increased luminosity, while the ferment is there to support the skin’s barrier and renewal cycle. Shea butter, apricot kernel oil and glycerin provide the emollient base that locks hydration in place overnight.
The brand points to a study showing up to a thirty percent boost in skin luminosity after 30 days when SUPEROX-C is used at the same concentration found in the formula. No direct claims are made about wrinkle depth or firmness but the presence of antioxidants and barrier-supporting ingredients suggests a focus on overall radiance and comfort rather than dramatic anti-ageing effects.
Did It Work?
In the name of science I benched my usual overnight treatment for three full nights before starting this test, which felt wildly professional given the experiment consisted of me in pyjamas massaging cream into my face. Fourteen days seems a fair window to gauge results so each evening after cleansing I applied a grape sized blob to my face and neck, skipping any other actives to give the formula a clear playing field.
Night one delivered instant satisfaction in the form of a cushy, balmy layer that melted in without the heavy residue shea butter can leave behind. By morning my skin felt comfortable, but the promised luminosity showed up as a subtle softness rather than a visible glow. The next few nights followed the same pattern: good hydration, no irritation, yet nothing that made me bolt to the mirror in excitement.
Midway through the fortnight I noticed a small brightening shift around my cheekbones, like the way skin looks after a beach weekend but without the sun damage. Texture felt smoother, likely thanks to the probiotic ferment, and makeup sat more evenly across the day. Still, the change was incremental, the kind a friend who sees you daily might not clock.
By day fourteen my complexion was undeniably well moisturised and marginally more even, though nowhere near the thirty percent luminosity headline. Fine lines remained exactly as they were, and a lingering post blemish mark on my chin looked only slightly lighter. Overall the cream performed solidly as an overnight moisturiser but fell short of game changing radiance. Will I slot it into my permanent line up? Probably not, but if your skin is craving gentle nourishment with a hint of brightness this jar could earn its keep.
Main Ingredients Explained
The star of the show is SUPEROX-C Kakadu Plum extract, a remarkably stable water-soluble form of vitamin C that clocks in with some of the highest recorded natural ascorbic acid levels. Its job is to neutralise free radicals, slow the appearance of dark spots and nudge collagen production while remaining gentle enough for nightly use. Sidekick number two is ProRenew Complex CLR, a lysate of good-for-skin bacteria that helps smooth texture by teaching skin cells to renew more efficiently, almost like a probiotic pep talk while you sleep. Shea butter, apricot kernel oil and caprylic/capric triglyceride create the plush feel you notice straight away, sealing in hydration so the actives can stay on task until morning.
If you read ingredient lists the way some people read wine labels you will spot plenty of plant oils and zero animal derivatives, so vegans and vegetarians can use the cream with a clear conscience. The formula avoids silicones, mineral oil and drying alcohols yet it is not entirely without caveats. Shea butter and apricot kernel oil both sit around the middle of the comedogenic scale, meaning they have a moderate chance of clogging pores in acne-prone or very oily skin types. If breakouts tend to crash your skincare party, patch test first or reserve this jar for dry areas only.
Expecting or nursing? The vitamin C itself is widely regarded as pregnancy friendly but the blend does contain an undisclosed essential oil fragrance plus preservatives like benzyl alcohol. Out of an abundance of caution I would still run the ingredient list past a medical professional before slathering it on nightly. Fragrance lovers will enjoy the subtle citrus-meets-floral scent although anyone with a sensitive nose or easily irritated skin should be aware that essential oils can trigger redness or itching.
One final note on formulating integrity: Glow Lab lists sodium phytate, a chelating agent that keeps hard water minerals from destabilising the actives, and tocopheryl acetate, a form of vitamin E that partners with vitamin C to recycle free radical scavenging power. It is a thoughtful touch that suggests the brand has invested in stability as much as marketing claims, which in my book is worth at least half a point on the scoreboard.
What I Liked/Didn’t Like
Here is the straight-up rundown after two weeks of nightly use
What Works Well:
- Cushy balm-like texture locks in moisture without feeling greasy by morning
- Gentle vitamin C and probiotic combo delivers a gradual bump in brightness with zero sting or redness
- Thoughtful vegan formula free from silicones and mineral oil suits most sensitive or ingredient-conscious users
What to Consider:
- Results in radiance are subtle so instant-gratification seekers may be underwhelmed
- Rich shea butter and apricot kernel oil may not suit very oily or breakout-prone skin
- Citrus-floral essential oil fragrance could bother those sensitive to scent
My Final Thoughts
Finding a night cream that strikes the sweet spot between comforting cocoon and visible results is a bit like hunting for a decent rom-com on a long haul flight: plenty of options yet only a handful worth the commitment. Glow Lab’s Vitamin C Brightening Night Cream lands somewhere in the upper middle of that queue. After two weeks my skin felt soothed, lightly brighter and notably more hydrated, which is nothing to sniff at, but the brand’s up-to-thirty-percent-luminosity headline still feels a touch like promising an orchestra and delivering a talented busker. If your priority is gentle nourishment with a side of slow burn radiance you will likely be pleased. If you want to wake up looking photo-filtered, keep shopping.
I have road tested more overnight formulas than I care to admit so I’m confident the jar received a fair shake. For normal through dry or mildly combination skin types who enjoy a plush texture and a polite citrus-floral scent this is a dependable pick. Oil slick complexions or anyone prone to blocked pores might find the shea butter base a bit too hospitable to late-night breakouts. Sensitive noses should also note the essential oil fragrance, pleasant though it is.
Would I recommend it to a friend? Yes, but with the caveat that expectations remain realistic. On my personal scoreboard it earns a respectable 7/10, the kind of grade that says “solid term paper, just missing that spark.”
If your bedside table still has room and you fancy comparison shopping, a few alternatives I have used and rate highly deserve a mention. Nocturnal Revive Cream by Deascal is an excellent all-rounder that manages to hydrate, calm and subtly firm without playing favourites with any skin type, plus the price is refreshingly down-to-earth. For a more indulgent feel Pro-Collagen Overnight Matrix by ELEMIS wraps the face in a cloud of marine collagen and leaves cheeks almost springy by dawn. Those craving a lightweight water-gel experience should look at LANEIGE’s Water Sleeping Mask which somehow delivers eight-hours-sleep skin even on five hours. Finally Murad’s Resurgence Retinol Youth Renewal Night Cream brings a gentle yet effective retinol hit for nights when you want brightness and smoothing in one fell swoop.
Before you slather anything new over your face, do me a favour and patch test behind the ear or along the jaw first; apologies for sounding like an over-protective parent but nobody enjoys surprise redness. Remember that any glow you achieve will hang around only as long as you keep up the routine, so consistency is key.