Design 
Quality of Materials 
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Customer Support It left a mark on me that I still carry to this day.
I was working in a restaurant, and I’d gotten to know one of the wine vendors well. He was a middle-aged guy, and his skin looked fantastic.
Being in my early 20s, I didn’t realize this was an awkward question: how does your skin look so good?
His answer was that he washed his face and used moisturizer most days for the past 15 years. It blew my mind. I had no idea people did that, or that it clearly worked.
This year I turned 30 and dove deep into men’s skincare to find my favorite brand. My latest pickup is the Complete Collection from Lumin Skin Care.
Now that I’ve had a few weeks, my verdict is in. Keep reading to get the whole story.
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What Is Lumin Skin Care?
Lumin is a relatively new brand in the men’s skin care game. Founded in 2018 with a focus on skin care subscriptions, the brand has blown up in a short period of time.
Their branding is sleek and beautiful—all mint green and matte black. The parent company that owns Lumin is spreading out into different men’s care products, like the Meridian Trimmer which I tried a few months ago and enjoyed.
What’s clear is that Lumin is giving men the opportunity to craft a luxurious morning routine and care for themselves in a way that just didn’t seem accessible even a decade ago.
Lumin has a core lineup of skin care essentials, like a Charcoal Cleanser and a Moisturizing Balm. They also carry spot-treatments, like Dark Circle Defense and Anti-Wrinkle Serum. More recently, they’ve branched out into shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and hand balm.
Things to Consider Before Buying Skin Care from Lumin
Lumin is confident. They offer something I haven’t seen from any other brand: if you join their subscription service, they send the first box to you for free (though you do need to pay the nominal shipping fee).
If you try Lumin and don’t like it, you can cancel.
They’re basically sending you three products for free. Of course, it’s a subscription, so you’ll need to take the extra step of cancelling if you don’t see any results. But that’s actually not that common, and most people see enough change in 30 days to stay on with the program.
Lumin really shines with their face wash and moisturizer. Their products go on smoothly and don't leave any residues. Most importantly, they work. The brand also carries several spot treatments to help with specific skin care issues.
Lumin Skin Review
Charcoal Cleanser and Moisturizing Balm
The two most important items in any man’s skin care arsenal is a good cleanser and an effective moisturizer.
I picked up The Complete Collection from Lumin, which includes a lot of other goodies (I’ll get into those later), but the Charcoal Cleanser and Moisturizing Balm are the big two.
Both the cleanser and balm come in open top containers, which is pretty unusual. I’ve tried five or six different brands this year, and all others come in a pump-style container, which makes it easy to get a consistent amount.
I have a slight preference for pump containers because they’re easier to use, but Lumin’s packaging is really nice. I love the matte black look and how simple and minimalist the design is. They’re also super easy to store and don’t take up much room in the cabinet.
The Charcoal Cleanser has excellent foaming action—better than any of the brand’s I’ve tried this year. The addition of activated charcoal not only makes the cleanser look cool, but charcoal has a massive surface area, so it goes deep into pores to pull dirt and oil out.
It also has rose flower oil and centella asiatica, both of which have shown good results in clearing breakouts and evening skin tones. It took about a week and half to notice results on myself, but it’s definitely helping even redness around the bridge of my nose.
The Hydrating Balm is my favorite product of the whole bunch, though. It’s super thick, especially compared to other brands.
Lumin recommends their moisturizer at night, though I’m more of a morning shower kind of guy. I’ve continued using another brand’s SPF moisturizer in the morning. This leads me to the only weakness I can see in Lumin’s lineup.
The scent isn’t too noticeable. It’s a light fragrance with a bit of a citrus hint, but otherwise is very neutral, which I love.
I’ve been enjoying Lumin’s products a lot in the three weeks I’ve been using them, so I’d love to have an AM SPF moisturizer. Unfortunately, they don’t have one, so I’m using another brand.
Still, I’ve been applying the moisturizer at night and my skin feels fantastic in the morning when I wake up.
The Complete Collection
I decided to go all out and get The Complete Collection to check out Lumin’s spot-treatment style products.
Now, I don’t know how you feel about specialized creams and serums. You’re probably like me—most of the time, you won’t get around to putting on three or four different skin care products. The cleanser and moisturizer is already a stretch.
I totally get that, and I’m not super consistent with my skin care routine either. Still, I’ve been spending a lot of time in front of a computer for the past year and a half, and I’m noticing dark circles and more forehead wrinkles.
I think I aged five years in 2020. I’m sure you can relate.
The Complete Collection comes with the Charcoal Cleanser, Hydrating Balm, Recovery Oil, Anti-Wrinkle Defense, Exfoliating Rub, and Dark Circle Defense.
I was particularly interested in the Dark Circle Defense and Anti-Wrinkle Defense.
After three weeks, the bags under my eyes have noticeably improved, though I think there’s still plenty of room to go. Loaded with Vitamin B3 to strengthen thin skin and caffeine to deoxidize and reduce inflammation, the serum seems to work well.
I don’t recommend putting the Dark Circle Defense on in the morning—it feels a bit sticky under your eyes and can leave a slight shine. It’s really best used at night before bed.
I’m really enjoying the applicators for the Anti-Wrinkle Defense and Recovery Oil. It’s really easy to do spot-treatment and not use excess product. I’m not sure how much of my skin improvement is from the Hydrating Balm, and what’s down to the Recovery Oil and Anti-Wrinkle Defense.
I don’t think they’re essential to a good skin care routine, but if you have room in your budget, they’re nice additions.
You get the basics like face wash, moisturizer, and an exfoliating scrub. But you also get Lumin's highly effective Dark Circle Defense, Anti-Wrinkle Defense, and Recovery Oil so you can spot treat your specific skin care issue.
Keratin Recovery Shampoo and Strengthening Conditioner
I wanted to round out my review with some of Lumin’s new products: the Keratin Recovery Shampoo and Strengthening Conditioner.
Both products feature keratin, which helps repair weakened and damaged hair. Another side benefit of keratin, especially for my curly hair, is that it cuts down the frizz, and makes my hair a little more easy to manage.
One of the main ingredients in both is tea tree oil, which has a pleasing, minty smell. As a benefit, it also helps with dandruff and moisturizing your scalp.
Before using Lumin’s hair products, I’ll say I was a 7/10 good hair days vs bad hair days. The last three weeks have been more of an 8/10 split, and the keratin definitely makes a difference.
It’s also a great product for anyone with thinner hair, as keratin basically “smooths over” your stands and creates a fuller texture.
Keratin helps smooth the strands of your hair, giving your mane a fuller, more luxurious look. Think somewhere between Joe Exotic and Fabio.
What do Other Reviewers Say About Lumin?
Lumin has a 4.5 rating on Trustpilot with over 8,500 reviews. Many of the reviewers were impressed with how quickly Lumin’s Charcoal Cleanser and Moisturizing Balm took effect. A lot of folks were trying out skin care for the first time and saw a change within days.
Any negative comments were directed at Lumin’s subscription model, which some people said charged them after they cancelled. It’s something to be wary of, as all subscriptions have a cut-off date that you need to unsubscribe by if you don’t want to be charged. I’ve dealt with so many subscription boxes that I’m used to it at this point. There’s nothing wrong with Lumin’s subscription service—just make sure you know your billing date and you won’t have this same issue.
My Thoughts Overall On Lumin
What I Like
The products, especially the Charcoal Cleanser and Moisturizing Balm, are effective and started showing a difference in just a few weeks.
The packaging is really beautiful—I love the minimalist aesthetic.
I like having specific products to treat spot-problems, like bags, wrinkles, and redness.
You can subscribe for less hassle (and a little $ savings), or just buy one product at a time.
What I Don’t Like
Lumin should have an SPF moisturizer for the morning. If they did, I’d get it. As it is now, though, it’s a tough omission for a complete skin care routine.
Who is Lumin for?
Lumin is an excellent pickup for the guy who’s willing to put in a little effort for better looking skin. If you’re not willing to put on four or five different products, just get the Charcoal Cleanser and Moisturizing Balm—they do the bulk of the work.
The Verdict
I’m impressed with Lumin: their packaging looks fantastic and the products have been effective so far.
I’m a fan of their Charcoal Cleanser and Moisturizing Balm. I think these two products account for the majority of improvements in my skin. The Dark Circle Defense is also working well, though that’s not an issue everyone struggles with.
I’m not entirely sure how effective the Anti-Wrinkle Serum and Recovery Oil is, but I’m enjoying those products, too. They’re super easy to apply, and I know they’re not hurting anything.
My only gripe with Lumin is the lack of SPF moisturizer. That’s something I need.
That said, if Lumin comes out with an SPF, I’d get it, because their other products have given me confidence in the brand.
Lumin really shines with their face wash and moisturizer. Their products go on smoothly and don't leave any residues. Most importantly, they work. The brand also carries several spot treatments to help with specific skin care issues.
FAQs
Is Lumin skin care good?
Yes, Lumin skin care helps a lot with skin improvement. I saw results after two weeks, and many people new to skin care reported better results in three days.
Does Lumin work for dark circles?
In the three weeks I’ve been using Dark Circle Defense from Lumin, I can see an improvement.
How often should I use Lumin?
If you can, use Lumin every day. You don’t need to use every product every day, but aim to use the cleanser and moisturizer once per day.
