Housed in a 40ml deep pink bottle that mirrors the shape of its star ingredient the prickly pear cactus, this is also the brand's most affordable release yet

When <a href="https://www.lofficielsingapore.com/beauty/why-glow-recipe-reformulated-their-viral-watermelon-glow-dew-shield-sunscreen-beauty-interview" title="Here's Why Glow Recipe Reformulated Their Viral Watermelon Glow Dew Shield" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Glow Recipe</a> launches a new product, the beauty world collectively perks up. Known for their viral skincare hits such as their Watermelon Glow range to their Plum Plump Serum, <a href="https://www.lofficielsingapore.com/beauty/glow-recipe-co-founders-christine-chang-sarah-lee-korean-heritage" title="Exclusive: Glow Recipe's co-founders on how their Korean heritage shaped their brand" target="_blank" rel="noopener">co-founders Christine Chang and Sarah Lee</a> have built a global reputation for playful packaging, clever innovation, and serious skin results.
Their latest launch, the Prickly Pear Peptide Mucin Serum, takes that philosophy to a whole new level. It&rsquo;s a first-of-its-kind vegan, cruelty-free alternative to snail mucin &mdash; created not just to mimic the original, but to outperform it.

Why Glow Recipe Wanted a Vegan Alternative

For co-founders Christine Chang and Sarah Lee, the inspiration behind this serum came from both passion and principle. As seasoned skincare experts, they wanted to address one of the biggest ethical dilemmas in beauty &mdash; the sourcing of snail mucin.
They shared that there are no truly humane ways to collect snail mucin on a large scale. Most harvesting methods involve snails sliding across electrically pulsed panels to irritate them into producing more mucin &mdash; a process neither founder was comfortable with.
Both Chang and Lee wanted all the soothing and hydrating benefits of snail mucin, without harming snails in the process. That mission eventually led to the creation of Glow Recipe&rsquo;s first vegan and cruelty-free mucin formula, powered by prickly pear.
&ldquo;Our bestselling Watermelon Pore-Tight Toner is formulated with 62% watermelon extract and prickly pear cactus water, so we wanted to harness the power of the prickly pear in a bigger way," Chang explained, "Prickly pear cactus is known for its nutrient-dense benefits with over 40 active biocompounds including 18 types amino acids, vitamin C, vitamin E, 12 types of minerals and electrolytes, and fatty acids. So we got to work with our Korean labs and found that we could harvest a stretchy mucin from the natural mucilage of prickly cactus. Knowing that Prickly Pear is an incredibly powerful ingredient that has been revered for its healing properties for centuries and has all the benefits of a snail mucin and much more, we were able to use a unprecedented 81% concentration which delivers deep hydration and helps strengthen the skin barrier for resilient, bouncy and overall glowing skin.&rdquo;

Why Prickly Pear Is the Star Ingredient

The Prickly Pear Peptide Mucin Serum is a technical feat in formulation &mdash; housing 81% prickly pear mucin, a potent concentration derived from the cactus&rsquo;s natural mucilage. The result is a deeply hydrating serum that mimics the stretchy, stringy texture of snail mucin, but without any stickiness or heaviness once applied. Packaged in a sleek 40ml deep pink bottle inspired by the cactus fruit itself, it&rsquo;s also Glow Recipe&rsquo;s most affordable serum to date at SGD$53 &mdash; a deliberate move to make this powerhouse accessible to everyone.
&ldquo;Prickly Pear Mucin is a powerhouse product we formulated to address a wide range of skin concerns all at once and to help boost hydration, brighten dull and uneven skin, soothe inflammation and to overall help improve the skin barrier health," Lee said, "When the skin barrier is compromised, it can trigger everything from dryness and dullness to redness and blemishes, fine lines and wrinkles. Our clinical studies showed that 100% of participants experienced improved hydration and barrier strength after just one use.&rdquo;

My Personal Experience

As someone with dry skin, I&rsquo;m always chasing deep hydration but I&rsquo;m particular about textures. I can&rsquo;t stand sticky or tacky finishes, which made me sceptical at first. Snail mucin serums, though effective, often felt too heavy for my liking.
To my surprise, Glow Recipe&rsquo;s vegan mucin serum feels completely different. Its stringy consistency might look familiar, but the moment it touches the skin, it melts in beautifully. No residue, no greasiness, just a plush layer of moisture.
It slips easily into my morning routine, acting as the perfect hydrating prep for makeup, and the effects last all day. After several weeks of daily use, my skin looks visibly smoother, plumper, and more balanced. My dehydration lines are softer, and my skin barrier feels stronger.
This could be thanks to the 3% Bio-Active Peptides, Ectoin, and Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, a trio that works synergistically with prickly pear mucin to restore and protect the skin. Together, they create what I&rsquo;d describe as a hydration cocktail for resilient skin.&nbsp;
One detail I truly appreciate: this serum is fragrance-free. You&rsquo;ll notice a faint, naturally refreshing scent of prickly pear. Light and clean, nothing overpowering. As someone who prefers unscented skincare, this was a refreshing change, especially compared to Glow Recipe&rsquo;s more aromatic Watermelon Glow line. Less about sensory overload and more about skin compatibility, this makes it a great pick for sensitive or easily reactive skin types.

Balancing Sustainability, Quality, and Price

Creating an affordable, high-quality serum without compromising sustainability is no easy feat. Yet Glow Recipe managed to do just that.
&ldquo;We are excited to launch Prickly Pear Mucin at $53 SGD, which is our most affordable serum in a 40 ml size, which is larger than the typical size of a serum at 30ml. Our team worked incredibly hard to achieve this price point, even with the incredible 81% concentration of the Prickly Pear ingredient,&rdquo; Chang shared.&nbsp;
Lee adds that the pricing also reflects their brand&rsquo;s independence and transparency: &ldquo;As an independent, female-founded brand, we want to continue delivering the same clinically effective products without compromising on quality or sustainability. Pricing can be impacted by changes in supply chain and the rise of raw materials and shipping costs. We&rsquo;ve thankfully been able to keep our pricing the same, and are very transparent with our community if we do have to make any increases (as seen on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Co-BLqNut4S/?img_index=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram here</a>). We also believe in sharing cost savings when possible and recently were able to decrease the price of some serums as we continue to expand globally, including Blackberry Retinol Serum and Plum Plump Serum.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Final Thoughts

The Prickly Pear Peptide Mucin Serum feels like a turning point &mdash; not only for Glow Recipe, but for the skincare industry. It challenges the idea that ethical, vegan alternatives have to compromise on texture or performance.
It&rsquo;s rare to find a product that feels this luxurious, performs this well, and aligns this perfectly with conscious beauty values. For me, this serum has become a non-negotiable morning staple &mdash; hydrating, smoothing, and barrier-boosting, without the stickiness or guilt.

Exclusive! Inside Glow Recipe’s New Prickly Pear Peptide Mucin Serum

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