Lazy Girl Approved: Garnier Serum Cream SPF 30

Lazy Girl Approved highlights long-lasting, goof-proof, fuss-free products that can fit into the most minimalist of regimens. If you consider yourself a low-maintenance beauty lover, these product reviews are for you!

Pre-pandemic, one of my favourite evening activities was lining up my entire nighttime skincare routine on the coffee table and doing it bit by bit while watching Netflix. It felt like such a treat to have this moment of stillness and homebody coziness between work, barre, and chores. But now that we're over a year into staying home so much, what was once a pleasurable routine has become kind of a drag. I've been looking for ways to streamline my morning and evening skincare routines wherever possible, embracing skinimalism and multi-purpose products like Garnier Green Labs Brightening Serum Cream SPF 30 - Pinea-C ($22.99, available at London Drugs, purchased by me).

What it is: This 3-in-1 product promises to replace your moisturizer, serum, and sunscreen in the mornings with just one easy step.

Packaging-wise: The 72 ml pump bottle contains just a little bit more product than standard 50 ml sizes. Also, kudos to Garnier for going with a pump dispenser that twists to the left or right to close. It's a small detail, but I hate the pumps where you have to pump down and screw the nozzle back in to close it; they always waste so much product in the process.

Formula-wise: There are 3 formulas for different skincare concerns. The Brightening formula contains vitamin C, while the Replumping formula contains hyaluronic acid and the Pore Perfecting formula's hero ingredient is niacinamide. I picked the Brightening formula because I wanted the extra bit of antioxidant protection that vitamin C provides in conjunction with SPF. The chemical sunscreen blend features octocrylene, homosalate, octisalate, and avobenzone (incidentally, the same active sunscreen ingredients used in the pricier Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen). All three formulas are free of controversial ingredients like mineral oil, parabens, and dyes. There is a bit of a pineapple-y fragrance.

Performance-wise: This is an incredibly lightweight SPF moisturizer that blends into skin quickly. Even when I follow the two finger rule by applying two finger lengths' worth of SPF to my face and neck, it blends in seamlessly and feels like practically nothing. My husband has issues with sunscreen texture and hates the feeling of any product on his skin, but he'll specifically request this sunscreen. If that isn't a glowing testament to how invisible it feels, I don't know what is! I haven't noticed any dramatic brightening benefits from the vitamin C, but then again I wasn't expecting the vitamin C in this product to deliver the same results as a premium vitamin C serum. I really just wanted it built into the sunscreen for antioxidant protection and convenience. Because the formula is so lightweight, if your skin is on the dry side, I'd suggest applying hyaluronic acid serum to any spots that need the extra hydration before applying the Garnier Serum Cream.

Lazy girls will like it because: Garnier Serum Cream is a godsend for WFH mornings and days where I don't leave the condo. The SPF 30 provides just enough sun protection to tackle the UV rays coming in through my windows. (I reapply a mineral-based SPF 50 on top if I go outside.) I love the convenience of an all-in-one formula for when I've hit the snooze button one too many times, I don't want to fuss around with layering multiple products and waiting for them to absorb, and my first Zoom meeting of the day starts in 5 minutes. Once I resume in-person barre classes, I can also see myself tucking a spare bottle in my gym bag because it's so convenient, portable, and affordable. As I write this review, I've used the bottle photographed here for a couple of months now and it's almost empty. You bet I'm going to be picking up another.