Provided are an evaluation method for objectively evaluating the glow of the skin, a skin glow improver, and a method for examining skin glow improvers. This method for evaluating the glow of the skin comprises assessing the specular reflectance and diffuse reflectance of skin after polarized light is applied to the surface of the skin, and determining that glow is present in the skin when prescribed conditions are satisfied. A skin glow improver is provided by combining an alkali metal salt of alkoxysalicylic acid and trimethylglycine. This method for examining skin glow improvers makes it possible, using a significant decrease in surface roughness as an indicator, to examine samples capable of improving the specular reflectance of the skin.