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Lumin Skincare Review
Aside from grocery store skincare brands like Neutrogena or Clearasil, Lumin is one of the most recognizable men’s skincare brands. I had an opportunity to try their entire lineup of skin, hair, face, and personal care products. However, in this Lumin review I’ll talk specifically about Lumin skincare and leave the other Lumin reviews for another day. Keep reading to learn how I reviewed Lumin, more information about packaging, bottle quality, smell & texture, first impressions, and Lumin skincare results. At the end of this article, there will be some Lumin FAQ and a link for a FREE-TRIAL of Lumin, exclusively for Revoupon readers.
How I reviewed Lumin Men’s Skincare
I was lucky enough to receive the Age Management and the Modern Bathroom set from Lumin to test and review for our readers here at Revoupon. I won’t be talking about the Keratin recovery shampoo, Keratin strengthening conditioner, or clarifying body wash in this review, however. The objective of this Lumin review is to determine if Lumin skincare is legit. Does Lumin skincare produce noticeable results within 30-days and are their any negative effects from using Lumin.
My expectations for Lumin were not very high. I see a lot of brands pushing a great deal of money towards advertising that turn out to have mediocre products. I was concerned Lumin would fall into this category. I also spoke with a rep from another skincare brand that didn’t have much positive to say about Lumin. This added to my apprehension about the effectiveness of their skincare.
Spoiler alert: I was pleasantly surprised with Lumin and the results, which grabbed Lumin the #2 spot on our list of the best men’s skincare brands.
Delivery Time and Price
In the current COVID era, I am impressed with how well companies are keeping up with timely shipping and Lumin was no different. Their website indicates shipping times vary from 5-12 business days in the US (where I’m located), including processing. My package arrived on the short side of those expectations, in 5 days.
Age Management Set – The Age Management Set can be purchased with or without SPF protection. The set I received did not have SPF protection and is currently selling for $65. The set includes the Moisturizing Balm, Dark Circle Defense, and Anti-wrinkle Serum. Purchasing each skincare product separately would cost $77, so you can save $12 by opting for the set.
Modern bathroom Set – Although I am not reviewing the shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in this article it’s important to note that those products come with this set. In addition. The set includes the famous charcoal cleanser and an additional moisturizing balm. The entire set costs $73.75, a savings of $12.50 by buying them together. The Charcoal cleanser used in this review costs $16 a la carte.
There are 18 Lumin skincare products to choose from ranging from the eye-puff deflator to a skin-purifying toner, intensive repair face mask and an exfoliating rub. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to review all the product in the skincare line, but I am planning to try some additional products not tested in this review.
Bottle Quality/Packaging
Every Lumin products came packaged individually in a flimsy cardboard box. My first impression of the packaging wasn’t great. Unlike Caldera + Lab’s high-quality boxes, the Lumin boxes felt cheaply made. Luckily the bottles and tubs were better quality and feel firm in hand. The tops of each tub screw on and off with ease and unlike the Caldera + Lab bottles, I wasn’t deathly afraid of dropping the cleanser in the shower when it was wet.
No-Nonsense Charcoal Cleanser – The 1.7-ounce tub is easy to hold, and the top unscrews easily, even when wet. It doesn’t feel slippery when wet, but even after a month of use I am not sure what material the tub is made of – thought the top is feel metal. There is a protective plastic cap inside to keep cleanser from getting on the top and it can be “scraped” off for the first few uses.
Moisturizing Balm – Another 1.7-ounce tub identical to the Charcoal Cleanser.
Dark Circle Defense – The 1 ounce tub is identical to the cleanser and balm, aside from being smaller.
Anti-wrinkle Serum – I like the applicator for the Lumin serum. The roll-on metal ball makes applying the serum simple and the construction feels very solid.
Smell and Texture
Some skincare can be bold and fragrant, while others can be muted and nearly fragrance-free. In a lot of ways, the scent of skincare can be polarizing and a make or break for users. Texture, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to be as divisive for skincare users. I found the texture and smell of the Lumin skincare products to be agreeable and thus won’t be a turn off to most men.
No-Nonsense Charcoal Cleanser – I love that the charcoal smell is masked by lemon peel oil and rose oil, the first notes I smelled when using the cleanser. Those scent are more pronounced during use and linger for shirt period after use. My daughter asked a few times why I smelled like oranges, which is not an ingredient, but apparently the medley of oils and extracts has a citrus scent to those around you. The color and texture is the most unique I’ve seen in any Men’s Skincare brand I’ve reviewed, with a gray/silver appearance, giving the cleanser and almost metallic look. The “in-hand” texture also has a unique feel, presumably from the charcoal present. It has a clay-like feel, gummy but also viscous.
Moisturizing Balm – The balm and cleanser mirror each other in scent, despite not having overlapping ingredients. I was unable to pinpoint a scent and tie it back to an ingredient. In fact, I asked two other people what they smelled in the balm, and neither was able to find a corresponding scent. The balm goes on smooth, just as I would have expected from any other lotion. It feels ever-so-slightly oily, but not enough to feel concerned about clogged pores.
Dark Circle Defense – Once again, it’s difficult to pinpoint a distinct scent with the dark circle defense. It’s obvious that the scent is from the same family, but it’s not distinct like with the cleanser. The product is thick, almost gelatinous and as a result, a little goes a long way. This was my favorite product in the Lumin skincare review, but more on that later.
Anti-wrinkle Serum – I like the applicator for the Lumin serum. The roll-on metal ball makes applying the serum simple and the construction feels very solid.
Ingredients
No-Nonsense Charcoal Cleanser – Unlike other chemically heavy skincare brands Revoupon has tested or used in the past, Lumin contain a lot of natural ingredients like shea butter, lavender oil, Chinese skullcap root extract, and rosemary leaf extract. That’s not to say that everything is plant based, like Caldera +Lab, however. Some other ingredients include:
Moisturizing Balm – Has a laundry list of ingredients, many of which are hard to pronounce. However, some of the layman’s ingredients I found recognizable are considered miracle ingredients. In fact, I would question a brand that doesn’t have any of the following ingredients. Some notable, common, and important skincare ingredients include:
Dark Circle Defense – With four kids, dark circles have become part of my everyday attire. I can’t tell you whether it’s a single ingredient or the proprietary formula that I love so much about this product. There are, of course, some ingredients I don’t recognize and some chemically sounding ingredients as well. Some of the notable ingredients I felt made a difference in my appearance are:
Anti-wrinkle Serum – Much like dark circles, I wear wrinkles as often as socks. The anti-wrinkle serum boasts some similar ingredient to the dark circle defense, like hyaluronic acid. In addition, there are some other interesting and unique ingredients.
Directions and Usage
Unfortunately, Lumin did not provide a cut and dry breakdown of what order to use the products on the packaging. I had to go online to the site to find out when to use each product. I found their site to be less-than-user-friendly, but managed to track down how to use the products on their FAQ page. In my opinion, this is a strike against Lumin, considering brands like Tiege Hanley add a simple instruction card (which I taped inside my medicine cabinet for the first couple of weeks). The treasure hunt for the routine aside, the routine is quite easy.
MORNING ROUTINE
Wash your face thoroughly with the Lumin Charcoal Cleanser – rinse and pat your face completely dry. Next, apply a thin layer of the Lumin moisturizing balm being sure to avoid any areas where your skin might be oily.
EVENING ROUTINE
Apply a thin layer of the moisturizing balm and rinse. Next, roll the anti-wrinkle serum onto fine lines and sun-damaged areas. Finally, dab a small amount of dark circle defense under your eyes. In the morning, rinse to remove any excess product.
Initial Thoughts/Results
No-Nonsense Charcoal Cleanser – The metallic look of the cleanser was so intriguing, as it doesn’t resemble any other facial cleanser I’ve tried. Its scent is surprisingly pleasant, becoming more pungent as it’s used. What surprised me the most was how foamy it gets during use. A little truly goes a long way and was so foamy that my wife asked if it was shaving cream. It was easy to work up a rich lather, coupled with the Myristic acid, it instantly felt like I was washing away all the oils on my face.
Between the Myristic acid and the charcoal, it made my skin feel a mixture of tacky and dry. Not necessarily the feeling I wanted for the day, but luckily the moisturizing balm relinquished that feeling. The citrus-like smell lingers, probably in my beard the most, enough for my daughter to inquire why I smelled like “oranges.”
Moisturizing Balm – All of the Lumin skincare products I reviewed seem to go a lot further than expected, but that’s in part due to not having to apply to the areas covered by my beard. Regardless, after overusing the Caldera+ Lab serum, I have been careful to start with less and work up if needed. The balm offset the tacky feeling left by the cleanser without leaving excessive shine. I have “normal” skin, so I can apply to my overall face. If you have oils or combination skin, you’ll want to avoid oily areas with the balm.
Dark Circle Defense – This stuff is the best! I could feel it working instantly, like the Geologie nourishing eye cream, but better. Maybe it was the Green Tea extract or the Hyaluronic acid, regardless of what or why, I could feel the tightening and pulling around my eyes moments after application. I felt so good about Lumin dark circle defense that it became the part of my skincare routine I looked forward to the most. In fact, I wrestled with not overusing the product because it felt like it was working so well.
Anti-wrinkle Serum – This was the first time I used a roll-on applicator and I still have mixed feelings. First off, I could not tell how much serum was in the bottle or get a good gauge of how much was being used. I did like the feel of the roller, but the metal ball being cool to the touch made it hard to determine whether serum was being applied or if the ball was just cool on my skin.
One-week Impressions
As I mentioned at the start of this Lumin review, I was apprehensive about Lumin. There are a lot of brands, whether skincare, clothing, electronics and more, that advertise excessively on social media. Many of those brands turn out to be poor-quality or knockoffs. I was concerned Lumin would be one of those brands. It turns out, they are not a fly-by-night brand, and their skincare is legit.
No-Nonsense Charcoal Cleanser – After a week, I was still impressed by the lather created from the cleanser. I tested how effective it was by wiping my face down with isopropyl alcohol to see what dirt was left behind. I am happy to report that it was minimal. I felt confident I was getting a good clean from the cleanser and I had no signs of an allergic reaction.
Moisturizing Balm – I didn’t feel as though I was seeing a noticeable change in my skin from the balm, other than combatting the dryness I suspect I would’ve experienced without it. That being said, despite the oils in the balm, my pores never clogged, and I didn’t have any breakouts during the first week. There was a mild sheen to my skin after using the balm, which disappeared after about 20-minutes.
Dark Circle Defense – A week in and the dark circle defense felt more like a dark circle eraser. The dark circles and bags I am prone to with four kids and everything else life throws at me, were plainly subsiding. I still felt every bit as confident in this product after a week as I did upon first use. I genuinely enjoy the feeling around my eyes after each use.
Anti-wrinkle Serum – I am still on the fence about the roller application. A week into the Lumin review and I realized a good trick is to catch the sheen from the light in the mirror to see where the serum has been applied. Since I have wrinkles around my eyes, using the dark circle defense after the serum I know helps get the serum into the right areas. After one-week I haven’t seen a noticeable change in fine lines or sun spots.
One-month Results
Thirty-days into the Lumin review and I was just as satisfied with the products and the results as I was with my initial thoughts. The scent was still pleasant and undeniably present after each use. My skin felt clean after the charcoal cleanser and never weighted after the balm. I still wasn’t seeing a reduction in age spots, but my dark circles and bags had vastly improved – almost disappearing. I saw a reduction in a few fine lines, but apart from Botox I don’t think eliminating those are all that likely (at least based upon my skincare reviews thus far).
I am happy to report I did not have any irritation or outbreaks after a month of using Lumin.
Lumin Review Results and Final Thoughts
Lumin made me a believer, I’m not going to say it’s the best skincare brand I’ve tested, but individual products really stood out. Specifically, the Dark Circle Defense and Charcoal Cleanser. I don’t believe any one brand has the perfect solution to skincare, but Lumin has gotten pretty darn close. Obviously, everyone’s skin is different, and each person will have a different experience and results. If you need to tackle dark circles and bags, then Lumin is the brand I’d recommend. With Lumin offering a Free Trial, you’ve got nothing to lose. Click the link below to access the simple quiz and pick the skincare set that’s right for you.