The Pixi Beauty Glow Tonic first launched in 1999. Back then, the brand’s star product hadn’t yet earned its bestselling status nor did it have its distinct pastel green and pale orange packaging. In fact, it was so specific to the store with a small but loyal following that the staff would fill in jars of the product from behind the counters. Glow Tonic also originally just came in a 250 ML bottle, which is synonymous with the product, especially in the UK. But with so many people traveling internationally, the brand introduced the 100 ML version.

To learn more about the product, I headed to the brand’s flagship boutique in Soho, London. Located on Carnaby Street, the store has been there for a little over two decades alongside heritage brands like Liberty of London and the MAC store (long before the area became a beauty haven). “Before that, Carnaby was very rock and roll,” explains Pixi global makeup artist Amanda Bell. “It was the hotbed for tailors for people like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones during the 1960s in the mod era. In the seventies, it was David Bowie and glam rock. This is part of the heritage of the area. It’s always been very cool and it’s really grown up in the past few years.”

So how did Glow Tonic become Pixi Beauty’s most famous product? It all started with a blog post by Caroline Hirons in 2012 called, Pixi Glow Tonic – A New Find! According to Hirons, it was similar-ish to the cult favourite Biologique Rechérche P50, but at a fraction of the price. That seal of approval from Hirons translated into instant sales and success for the brand. Think long line-ups outside the store the day after the blog post went live and emails from around the world.

Today, the Glow Tonic family has expanded to include exfoliating pads, a cleanser, serum and a moisturizing stick and more. To find out why Glow Tonic continues to be a bestseller, 100 ML asked global makeup artist Amanda Bell for a full breakdown.

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