I’m always looking for ways to keep my beauty routine short and sweet — after all, every minute I don't spend on my makeup in the morning is an extra minute I can spend asleep. When Saie started popping up all over my social media for apparent skincare-infused formulas and seriously glowy results, I wanted to know more — so I spoke with the founder.
"I wanted makeup that not only was good for my skin, but made it better," founder Laney Crowell shared with Good Housekeeping. "[We use] ingredients that are deeply penetrating your skin barrier [and] nourishing ingredients to hydrate, brighten, repair."
Several Saie products have even been tested (and loved) by our pros at the Good Housekeeping Institute. So to put Saie's claims to the test in the real world, I swapped every item in my typical beauty routine for Saie for an entire month.
What the Experts Say
According to the GH Beauty Lab, Saie is worthy of the viral fame: the brand earned a 2024 Best Beauty Award for its Glow Sculpt blush, and its Slip Tint is among our best tinted moisturizers.
"There are certainly benefits to using makeup with skincare benefits," says Sabina Wizemann, Beauty Lab Director at the GH Institute. "It can reduce the number of steps and layering, boost hydration (with humectants like glycerin and hyaluronic acid), balance oils (with skin barrier-fortifying niacinamide), nourish and moisturize (with emollient properties of squalane) and brighten (with vitamin C) throughout the day.
She continues, "However, these benefits depend on the formula and the amount applied."
According to Stevie Nelson, a professional makeup artist and the head of education at Saie, the lightweight and glowy finishes of Saie products can be attributed to their formulations. She told us many of them include fatty acids, which apparently helps them melt into one another more easily.
Glowy Super Gel Illuminator
Saie's Glowy Super Gel is the best-selling illuminator at Sephora — and for good reason. A sheer liquid product, Super Gel acts like a primer below foundation products or BB creams to help them grip onto skin and give a glow-from-within effect, per the brand.
Upon first wear, I admired the silky, barely-there texture that feels hydrating without being oily.
While the Glowy Super Gel comes in four different shades, I found myself reaching for Warmglow most often; its golden hue makes me feel sun-kissed. I was shocked by how effortlessly it glides onto my skin; it feels like I'm not wearing any makeup at all.
It was easiest to apply with my fingers, followed by a stiff brush to help melt it into the skin — and I love that a little bit goes a long way, unlike other illuminating products I've tried.
Slip Tint Tinted Moisturizer
According to the brand, Slip Tint can work as a moisturizer and BB cream at once, cutting down on the number of steps (and products) in my morning routine. Our pros at the GH Institute Beauty Lab named it the best lightweight tinted moisturizer for its sheer finish that helps blur imperfections.
As someone who hates the heavy, caked-on feeling of many foundations, I admired Slip Tint's weightless formula. It's sheer, so don't expect full coverage, but it had a nice blurring effect on my pores while leaving behind a glassy sheen. However, it seems best for dry skin types; the hydrating formula may look too shiny on oily skin types.
Just note: While this tinted moisturizer contains 35 SPF, Wizemann, recommends wearing additional sun protection underneath, since applying it with brushes or a pressed sponge might diffuse the product and make it unlikely to provide adequate coverage against UV rays.
Sun Melt Cream-Balm Bronzer
If you're craving a little extra warmth in your complexion this summer, reach for Sun Melt. This ended up being one of my favorites from testing; it has a buttery formulation that I found very easy to blend.
To get the most natural-looking results, Nelson recommends using a stiff foundation brush to pick up this balm and then working the product into the bristles by tapping it gently on the back of your hand before applying to the face.
"When you think of sun-kissed bronze, think about where the sun naturally hits [and apply the product there]," Nelson shared. "As you're blending, you always want to think about blending the product upwards, not downwards, since we're trying to create a lifted effect. And remember that it's easier to gradually build up product rather than take [it] away."
Slip Tint Radiant All-Over Concealer
If you ask me, nothing is more annoying than splurging for a pricey concealer, only for it to crease the moment your makeup dries. While your best bet for a smooth under-eye finish lies in proper application (see below for Nelson's tips!), I also attribute this concealer's hydrating finish for the glowy, crinkle-free look.
It's also quite sheer, but that means it's forgiving. I found that I could slowly build up the coverage without worrying about it caking on my skin or about choosing the exact right shade for my complexion. (I swapped between shade 3 and 3.5 throughout testing, and both looked great.)
My only complaint is that it's a little too sheer for covering up acne; if you're prone to breakouts, you may prefer a more high-coverage option for concealing blemishes.
To apply, try picking up a small amount of concealer on the tip of your finger and tapping it onto any areas you wish to brighten. To maximize coverage, Nelson suggests letting it dry for 30 to 60 seconds before fulling blending out.
If you notice the product settling into fine lines as you finish up your look, you can tap the product with your fingers and then apply a sheer setting powder as your final step.
Dew Blush Liquid Blush
Dew Blush is available in a wide variety of pretty shades, from hot pinks and punchy peaches to subdued mauves. A little goes a long way: one to two dots on my temples blends out into a vibrant yet natural-looking flush. I tested out three different blush colors: Lady, Baby and Chilly, but I found myself reaching for Lady most days.
"Wherever your first place your brush [on your face] is where the most pigment is going to show up, so decide what blush look you're going for," Nelson said. "Do you want a lifted look, which would be up by your temples? Do you want more of a sun-kissed look, which would be more towards the center of the face?"
Because of the highly pigmented formula, there was a bit of a learning curve in using Dew Blush; you'll want to use a brush to help disperse the pigment and blend it in. It took me a few days to perfect my look, but after a little practice, I found that it melts seamlessly into foundation and tinted moisturizers for a vibrant yet natural-looking flush.
SuperSuede Baked Powder Blush
As someone who has what TikTok calls "blush blindness," I instantly fell in love with the pigmented-yet-blendable finish SuperSuede offers. Though I tried three different shades, my new everyday go-to is "Grazie," a pleasing berry pink.
To help avoid splotchiness, Nelson taught me to diffuse excess product on the back of my hand before tapping it onto my cheeks. It blurs nicely into the skin for a subtle flush that stayed put through sweaty subway rides and eight-hour office days.
Nelson also suggested applying a little extra blush at the outside corner of the eyelid, just below the brow bone to help enhance your eye color.
Slip Tint Undetectable Baked Setting Powder
Meet Saie's latest launch, the Slip Tint Undetectable setting powder. According to the brand, this lightweight powder is designed to be the finishing touch to your look, helping to reduce excess shine without dimming your glow.
I found this product to be a lifesaver in the New York City summer heat; it drastically improved my makeup's longevity by keeping it from sliding off throughout the day or looking too oily. I bring it with me around the city most days, since I can simply pat a little extra on my forehead or T-zone when things start to look shiny.
Other Products I Tested
Saie Dewbronze Liquid Bronzer
The forgiving formula of this liquid bronzer makes it easy to apply to the cheekbones and forehead for a sculpted look. However, I found myself reaching for the Sun Melt cream bronzer over this product most days.
In my opinion, the liquid concentration and powerful pigment in Dewbronze makes it more suited for contouring for chiseled cheekbones than all-over bronzing — which isn't part of my 10-minute morning routine — but shoppers who want extra sculpting power will likely enjoy this product.
Mascara 101
I was pleasantly surprised by the lengthening results of this mascara and the uniquely shaped brush that lets you target your lower lash line, but the $26 price point was too high to compete with my favorite drugstore picks.
Its buildable formula is great for achieving a natural or more high-impact look since you can layer it up without any clumping, and I particularly recommend the brown shade for shoppers with green eyes.
However, unless you have sensitive eyes and can only use certain mascaras with gentle formulas, you can likely find plenty of under-$15 drugstore mascaras that'll deliver similar lengthening results.
Glossybounce Hydrating Lip Oil
Glossybounce is another Saie product that made its way into my purse for everyday touch-ups — I admired the hydrating finish and fun colors that match Saie's blush shades for a monochromatic look.
When paired with the Saie Lip Liner 101, it's possible to achieve a chic yet natural-looking pout. Just note that the formula is a little thick and sticky compared to other lip oils I've tested.
Final Thoughts
Saie lets you enhance your natural features without feeling like you're wearing layers of makeup. I'm particularly impressed by the glowy, non-greasy finish that, for me, looks just as good in photos as it does in real life.
If your goal is to simplify your makeup routine, I was most impressed by the Glowy Super Gel, Dew Blush, Slip Tint concealer and Slip Tint Baked setting powder. These products have become new staples in my 10-minute morning makeup routine for their lightweight formulas and pretty pigments that give my skin a noticeable glow.
Saie Glowy Super Gel
Saie Slip Tint Tinted Moisturizer
Saie Slip Tint Radiant All-Over Concealer
Saie Sun Melt Cream-Balm Bronzer
Saie Dew Blush
Saie SuperSuede Baked Powder Blush
Saie Glossybounce Lip Gloss Oil
Saie Lip Liner 101
Saie Mascara 101
Samantha is a lifestyle commerce editor at Hearst magazines, where she covers fashion, fitness gear, tech, and viral products. She has over six years of editorial experience, including writing, editing, and hands-on product testing for commerce stories—whether it be an in-depth running shoe review or a curation of the latest Prime Day deals. As an avid runner and former Division I athlete, Samantha has particular expertise in fitness gear, apparel, shoes, and tech. (In fact, when she’s not at her desk, she’s probably out for a run.)
You can find Samantha’s work in Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, House Beautiful, Country Living, Real Simple, Better Homes & Gardens, PEOPLE, and more.
