You may have noticed something different about these photos. It’s evident that I took them in a poorly lit, sunlight-free room, but why? This is because vitamin C, the main ingredient in this product, is rather unstable. It is highly recommended that you keep this product away from light, heat, and oxygen. So, where do I keep mine? In the refrigerator, of course! That takes care of the sunlight and heat issue, but what of the air one? The trick is to expose it to as least air as possible. You will know when your vitamin C serum goes bad, because the color will go from the clear/champagne-like color that you see in the above photos to a dark, orange color. The more it oxidizes, the least effective it becomes. Many reviews on this product in particular claim that it lasts about three or more months, depending on how you store it. I am about two weeks in and it is still holding strong.
Packaging: It comes in an amber glass bottle (30ml) equipped with a glass dropper for a cap. (Note: Before first opening the fresh packaging, the dropper will come in a sealed plastic bag and the bottle will have a twistable cap; this is to keep the product from melting through the rubber part of the dropper. Vitamin C is a mild exfoliant!) The dropper makes it easy to control the amount of product that you use. I personally use four drops for my entire face, but some people may find that it works better with more, or even less, product. This will all depend on your skin’s needs!
Price: ~$17 USD from Jolse. This is pretty cheap considering the percentage of vitamin C in this product (20% – the ideal percentage to actually have any effect on the skin). The vitamin C is also the second item listed in the ingredient list.
Consistency: A thick water-like viscosity, this product is easy to spread on the face, though this is probably due in part to the third ingredient on the list – ethanol (a type of alcohol). As it takes time to absorb (you should allow for at least 20-30 minutes to pass before continuing your skincare routine), it feels very sticky on the skin. The first time I tried it, I thought I was going to hate it. Thankfully, the finish is rather matte with no residue left behind or any subsequent shine.
Scent: Slightly citrus and the alcohol scent is rather apparent to me, but the scent is not overwhelming and it fades quickly.
Ingredients: I must note that having alcohol in a product isn’t always a bad thing; the reason we find many products with alcohol near the tops of ingredient lists is because it helps boost absorption of the product and it results in a more matte finish. This is definitely the case with this product, which I do wish was at least lower down on the ingredient list, but at the same time, I decided to deal with it because the claims of vitamin C serums sound promising for someone like me – someone with acne scars and an uneven skin tone. Another ingredient that surprised me was the zinc PCA, which can be found right around the center of the list. All forms of zinc can be beneficial to those suffering with acne (particularly zinc oxide) due to its ability to reduce sebum (oil), but this form of zinc is a humectant. In other words, it helps retain moisture, and for this reason, that also makes zinc PCA an effective skin conditioner. This is especially useful to have in a product such as this because since vitamin C is a mild exfoliant and there is alcohol present at a high amount, you’re going to want to hold onto as much moisture as possible to avoid drying out.
First Impressions/Overall Review: Vitamin C in general is said to have an array of positive effects on the skin when applied topically. It can even skin tone, fade scars, smooth out bumpy or rough skin texture, and reduce sebum (the waxy oil that comes out of your pores). I have experienced some slight peeling around my nose and on my chin, but nothing drastic. I use this product every other night to counter its drying effects. In the short amount that I’ve been able to use this product (almost two weeks), I have already noticed an improvement in my skin – most notably, in my skin’s texture and its clarity. After more time has passed, I will have progress pictures to show for its ability to fade my acne scars. So far, I am really liking this product and can easily see myself repurchasing it in the future. 4/5.
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