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good light Skincare Review: Beauty Beyond the Binary

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Reviewed by Amanda Hitchcock

Last Updated January 2022

good light cosmetics review

Personal care shouldn’t be defined by gender. Take a look at how good light is pushing the boundaries of the beauty industry.

FEATURED IN THIS REVIEW

EDITOR'S PICK

★ 4.75 Stars

Our Rating

★ 4.9 Stars

Avg. Customer Rating

Pros

  • Highly moisturizing
  • Requires little product to achieve results
  • Cleanser leaves face feeling tight, but not dry
  • Facial products are fragrance-free
  • Promotes diversity and inclusivity

Cons

  • Potentially too moisturizing for oily skin types
  • Limited product line (new brand)

Ratings Breakdown

QUALITY

★★★★★
The ingredients in all good light’s facial care products seem high quality and more luxurious than competitors.

VALUE

★★★★★
When compared with other indie and name brands, good light products are generally the most cost-effective option.

CUSTOMER
EXPERIENCE

★★★★
The products work well, meet most of the claims (especially for hydration), the packaging is impactful and instructions are easy to understand.

BRAND

★★★★★
good light’s goal is to move the culture forward towards a more inclusive beauty industry, to reflect the diversity of the world we live in.

Who Is good light?

Founded by David Yi in March 2021, good light is a personal care brand created to challenge the hyperfeminine/hypermasculine ideals of the beauty industry. good light’s mission is “Beauty Beyond the Binary,” creating inclusive skincare products for all.

In an interview with fashionmagazine.com Yi stated, “good light is a beauty brand that’s all about unleashing your own good light from within… It’s about self-actualization and love, self-worth and owning your beauty.” good light is a newer brand but has a growing line of cruelty-free, vegan, fragrance-free skincare products, apparel, and more.

good light founder

good light Testing and Performance

good light currently offers three skincare products, Cosmic Dew Water Cleanser, Moon Glow Milky Toning Lotion, and We Come In Peace Probiotic Serum. Below are my results after the first week of testing all three products (cleanser, toner, and serum), using each once per day.

Cleanser

Each day I washed my face with the gel cleanser by distributing a pea-sized amount onto my fingers and rubbing it all over my face. The cleanser was very thick, so I only needed to use a small amount. It bubbled up nicely and felt like it was cleaning my face well.

The Cosmic Dew Water Cleanser claims to be “super hydrating, helps with inflammation, and makes sensitive skin stronger.”

In terms of moisturization, my face felt taut yet hydrated, and not overly dry as I had experienced with other gel face washes. As for claiming to help with inflammation and skin strength, I didn’t really experience any of that in my first week of testing.

Toning Lotion

testing good light toning lotion

After cleansing, I applied the Moon Glow Toning Lotion with my hands (it specifies you can use your hands or a cotton pad). The product was a bit difficult to get out of the bottle without spilling, so using a cotton pad is probably the less messy option.

The toner, like the cleanser, also promises hydration, skin-strengthening, and soothing effects. Once I applied the product my skin felt very hydrated and soothed.

Again, I didn’t necessarily experience “stronger skin,” but I can say I noticed very even skin coloration and texture after toning.

Serum

toning lotion experience

Finally, I applied a smaller than suggested amount of serum to my face using my hands (a little goes a long way with all three products).

The We Come In Peace Probiotic Serum claims to hydrate, calm and protect the skin.

Upon application, my face was a bit tacky to the touch, but that only lasted a few minutes. It did feel like my skin had a “barrier” of hydration, and like the toner, my skin was very even and had a healthy glow after application.

My Results

When used together, these three products are a holy grail of hydration.

My face felt really hydrated and very dewy after this skincare routine. My skin felt refreshed after cleansing and reinvigorated after using the toner and serum.

Even after long days of work (I’m a dancer, so my skin goes through a lot in a day), my skin wasn’t greasy or oily feeling.

washing with good light products

I didn’t necessarily experience “stronger skin” or significant “anti-inflammatory” results, but you may see these effects with prolonged use of this routine.

By day seven my dry to normal skin was feeling a bit over moisturized. On day four I noticed the pores on my nose getting a bit clogged up with excess oil.

Dryer parts of my face (cheeks, forehead, under-eye area) felt great all week, but my nose/chin didn’t appreciate all the extra moisture.

testing good light serum

After the initial seven days of testing, I started alternating the toner and serum every other day. This method in combination with daily use of the facial cleanser seemed to alleviate my over moisturization problem.

For someone with overall dry skin, I would recommend using all three products daily. If you’re a more oily skin type, based on my experience the only good light product that may work for you is the Cosmic Dew Water Cleanser.

good light before after
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Is good light Good Quality?

good light’s skincare products are cruelty-free (Leaping Bunny Certified), vegan, and are made of sustainably sourced ingredients. They contain unique high-quality ingredients like bakuchiol, meadowfoam seed oil, and beta-glucan.

good light products quality

This brand prioritizes reducing its carbon footprint whenever possible. good light’s packaging (including product containers) is partially recyclable, but the company is working toward 100% recyclable packaging.

good light is very transparent about its ingredients, listing what’s in each product clearly across the website. Every product also undergoes RIPT testing, to ensure the products are safe for everyone.

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Is good light Worth It?

good light products are some of the most cost-efficient on the market. Packaging, including shipping containers and product bottles, is lush and well designed.

What seems like a minimalistic white delivery box becomes a colorful and encouraging experience upon opening. My package came with sufficient protective filling and a fun illustrated poster.

good light skincare style

The ingredients in all three products seem high quality and more luxurious than competitors.

The Moon Glow Milky Toning Lotion comes in a thick glass bottle, and the other products have high-quality caps and nozzles. Very little product is required to achieve results, making them a well-worth investment.

good light cleanser results

As a brand, good light consistently advocates for gender inclusivity across its website.

Its models are diverse, and also don’t have perfect skin. I appreciate this because unlike many larger brands in the beauty industry, good light isn’t making claims that their products magically remove acne scars, rosacea, etc.

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FAQs

good light Summary

I really enjoyed each of the products I tested from good light, and I still use them multiple times per week. All the products I tested were high-quality, well designed, and lived up to most of the claims.

Fingers crossed good light will expand their product line in the future, hopefully adding an exfoliating cleanser and products specifically curated for more oily complexions.

Washing Face with good light

Despite the current limited range of products, giving good light a try is worth it no matter your skin type because of their 21-day return/exchange policy.

Overall, good light seems to be creating a more inclusive corner of the beauty industry. At its core, good light is focused on breaking down gender norms, and creating products that work for everyone. With a strong social mission and premium products, good light is a brand I will proudly continue supporting.

good light Products