3 Ways Lakmé 9 to 5 Lumi Lit Cream Gives a Dewy Glow: Honest Review

• It's a lightweight, non-greasy moisturiser with fine highlighter flecks built in, so you get a dewy, three-dimensional glow without extra steps.
• It does three jobs: everyday glow moisturiser, luminous primer (or foundation mix-in), and a targeted cheekbone highlight.
• Hyaluronic acid handles hydration. Vitamin B3, also known as niacinamide, is there to brighten and even out tone over time.
• If your skin runs oily and you live somewhere humid, use it as a highlight or a thin primer layer, not all over. Dry skin can wear it as a full moisturiser.
• Shades: Silver Shimmer (fair, cool), Dewy Rose (fair to medium), Golden Glaze (medium to deep, warm). Runs about ₹359 to ₹551 on the Lakmé website, Nykaa, and Flipkart, though check the current price before you buy.

This is based on Lakmé's own formula and usage claims, verified retail listings, and how our beauty desk rated the texture, finish, and wear time.

Lakmé calls this lumi lit cream a highlighter-infused moisturiser, not a standalone highlighter, and that's the detail that should decide how you use it. The brand's own line: "a lightweight moisturizer which is infused with a dash of highlighter" that "blends seamlessly into your skin giving an instant 3D glow."

It's best for an everyday dewy glow in one step, or as a glow base under makeup. Texture-wise it's a lightweight, non-greasy moisturising cream with, per Lakmé, "a hint of highlighter." The key ingredients are fine highlighter particles for the shimmer, hyaluronic acid for hydration, and Vitamin B3 (niacinamide) to brighten and even out skin tone. It comes in three shades, Golden Glaze, Silver Shimmer, and Dewy Rose, in 30g and 60g sizes, and costs roughly ₹359 to ₹551 depending on size and retailer.

Lakmé's ingredient claims explain why this feels different from a regular highlighter stick. Hyaluronic acid pulls in and holds moisture in skin, which is why Lakmé says the formula "cares for your skin." Vitamin B3, or niacinamide, is what the brand credits for helping brighten and even out tone with regular use, a genuinely common concern for Indian skin, and there's no fairness claim attached to it, which I appreciate. The fine highlighter particles are just what catch light for that lit-from-within look, sitting on top of the hydrating base.

Lakmé designed this around three specific uses, and treating it as only a moisturiser or only a highlighter misses the point. Same tube, but the technique and the amount you use changes each time. Here's how I'd wear Lakmé 9 to 5 Lumi Lit Cream each of the three ways, based on the brand's own directions.

• As a daily glow moisturiser. Apply it all over cleansed skin like you would any moisturiser, for the everyday "no-makeup makeup" glow Lakmé talks about. This works best on dry or normal skin: the hyaluronic acid keeps things hydrated through the day, and the highlighter particles read as a soft sheen rather than obvious shimmer. Let it settle before you layer sunscreen on top, since Lakmé isn't positioning this as sun protection.
• As a luminous primer or foundation mixer. Smooth a thin layer on before foundation, or mix a small amount straight into your foundation, for what Lakmé calls a "lit-from-within" base. This is basically strobing: you're building the glow into the base layer instead of adding shine only at the end. It's a quick way to dodge a flat, matte finish without a separate highlighter step.
• As a targeted highlight. Once your makeup is done, dot it onto the high points of your cheekbones, the bridge of your nose, and your cupid's bow, then blend with your fingertips. Lakmé recommends this as the finishing step, and it works because those spots naturally catch light anyway, so a small, well-blended dot reads as glow rather than glitter. If you have oily skin, this is the safest way to use the product without an all-over sheen creeping in by midday.

The three shades, per Lakmé, are "designed for all skin tones" and "suitable for all skin types." Undertone still matters for which one looks natural on you, so here's how I'd map them: Silver Shimmer works best on fair skin with cool or pink undertones, for a frosty, icy sheen. Dewy Rose suits fair to medium skin with neutral to cool undertones, for a soft rosy glow. Golden Glaze suits medium to deep skin with warm or olive undertones, for a golden, sun-kissed finish.

This earns its place in a routine for anyone who wants to cut steps: dry to normal skin types, beginners who find separate highlighter application fiddly, and anyone chasing an everyday dewy look. Where it needs backup is peak Indian humidity. If your skin runs very oily, use it as a targeted highlight or thin primer layer rather than an all-over moisturiser, and keep your T-zone clear so you're not shiny by lunchtime. If you want a sharper, more intense cheekbone highlight for a festive look, layer a dedicated cream highlighter on top, like the Lakmé 9 to 5 Powerplay Velvet Crème Highlighter.

People compare this to pricier international strobe creams, and honestly, the comparison holds up: it gives a similar glow in a far more accessible everyday format from a brand most Indian dressing tables already trust. For cheekbone placement, read our guide on how to apply highlighter. For the foundation-mixing technique, our liquid highlighter hacks piece goes deeper. If you're building a full no-makeup look around this, check our no-makeup look tutorial, and our monsoon makeup guide has more on managing shine once humidity kicks in.