Where to purchase: Available on Yesstyle: HERE
Or Stylevana (US): HERE / (UK): HERE / (FR): HERE / (CA): HERE / (AU): HERE / (DE): HERE / (EU): HERE
Price: £16.08
Volume: 60ml
Made in: South Korea
What is it?: A Serum containing 5% Ascorbic Acid (Pure Vitamin C) which helps to brighten the skin (fade hyperpigmentation) and improve an uneven skin tone.
What does it do?: Brighten the Skin / Reduce the look of wrinkles / Help with Scars + Pigmentation
Supposedly Good for: All Skin Types. And for the Skin Issues: Uneven Skin Tone, Acne Scars, Dullness, Loss of Firmness, Hyperpigmentation.
What I think: I do agree that sensitive skins could use this (as 5% Vitamin C is gentle and low). I also agree that Oily-Combo skins could use this as it’s hydrating, not greasy and lightweight.
pH: 3-4
Vegan?: Yes
Cruelty Free?: Yes
Packaging: Plastic Bottle with a Pump that you screw on. As you can see from the images, this came sealed and separate from the pump, to try and reduce any chance of air getting into the bottle until you, the customer upon it and start using it. I like this as it does help prevent the product from oxidising before it gets to you.
Directions: Can be used Daily both in the AM and PM. Use after cleansing, apply 1-2 pumps for the face.
This can be used in the Day but apply an SPF on top. Do not use in conjunction with other exfoliating acids. Apply a little and then increase your amount use, the more you get used tot he product.
NOTE: Purito state that it’s normal to feel a tingling sensation due to the Ascorbic Acid, therefore using a toner is useful before applying this serum, and if one has very irritated skins, then use a moisturiser to ‘buffer’ this product before applying.
How I use it: I use this in the AM under my SPF and in the PM after toning and before a moisturiser. I use 1 pump for the face and 1 pump for the neck.
Oxidisation?: Purito state that this Serum has been re-formulated from their previous Vitamin C serum to reduce the time it takes for the serum to oxidise. I believe they’re talking about the addition of the Antioxidant – Hydroxyacetophenone (Antioxidant). This works as a preservative booster as well as an antioxidant and an ingredient to soothe the skin. I think this is what helps slow down the oxidation process of the vitamin C. And of course using a dark brown bottle helps prevent sunlight from oxidising the vitamin C. I’m not sure if changing the water to Bamboo Water also helps slow down the oxidation process. And of course the way the product came first NOT in the pump and with a hygiene seal also helps protect the Vitamin C from oxidising too quickly.
NOTE: I also think that the low % of Vitamin C also prevents this from oxidising as fast as, for instance, the usual 10-15% Vitamin C Serums out there. Or the COSRX 23% Vitamin C Serum which seemed to oxidise so fast for me. (10-15% Seems to be the sweet-spot for Vitamin C, so 5% is quite low. It doesn’t mean that it’s totally redundant, but I do think that Purito is focusing on sensitive skins that can’t handle 10-15% Vitamin C, especially daily. I do think those who prefer 10-15% Ascorbic Acid may not prefer this serum.
- Purito have stated that: ”You can use it if it’s Light-Yellow to Orange. However, if it’s dark-brown (Dark-Orange), it means that it’s getting oxidised so please refrain from using.”
As you can see from the picture above – after using this product (opening it) for almost 2 months now, the liquid and it’s at the almost Mellow Yellow Stage. I think that’s pretty decent for a product that isn’t exactly air-tight. So I think I have about a month left until this fully oxidises.
Key Ingredients: Ascorbic Acid (5%) – This is not a Vitamin C derivative, so you can get quite a lot of Ascorbic Acid absorbed into the skin. Vitamin C is not only skin / pigmentation brightening, but also an antioxidant (works well with an SPF).
Niacinamide (Anti-acne, brightening + skin-barrier reinforcing). Adenosine (helps with fine lines + wrinkles).
Also contains Hyaluronic Acid (Humectant) + Bamboo Water instead of regular water (supposed to be more skin-beneficial i.e. soothing).
Full Ingredients: Bambusa Vulgaris Water (Skin Conditioning Agents,76.23%), Pentylene Glycol (Skin Conditioning Agents), Ascorbic Acid (Antioxidant,5%), Butylene Glycol (Skin Conditioning Agents), 1,2-Hexanediol (Solvents), Niacinamide (Brightening), Water (Solvents), Sodium Hyaluronate (Skin Conditioning Agents), Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate (Stabilizers), Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate (Stabilizers), Caprylyl Glycol (Skin Conditioning Agents), Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters (Skin Conditioning Agents), Hydroxyacetophenone (Antioxidant), Disodium EDTA (Chelating Agents), Glutathione (Reducing Agent), Adenosine (Anti-Wrinkle Agents)
NOTE: The Incidecoder have a full ingredient breakdown HERE
Video Swatch:
Texture: Almost Identical Texture to the Purito Buffet Serum (Review HERE) – This balls up under certain products and not under others – so it’s better to apply like-for-like textures/products on top of this to prevent any pilling. This feels smooth and glides along the skin. It absorbs in decent time and doesn’t make my skin feel dry-er after applying. It doesn’t feel oily, sticky or tacky.
AS you can see this glistens
Definitely makes the skin feel hydrated after applying.
Layerability: This is, like The Ordinary Serums – a product that balls up under certain textures and remains fine under others. You’ve got to use like-for-like to prevent balling up, and then this is absolutely fine.
Stings if the Skin is Sensitised? (Irritated): Yes – do not use if the skin is sensitised.
Summer or Winter?: More of a summer serum due to the lightweight texture but of course can be layered under a cream in the winter.
Face Swatch:
Hopefully you can see how lightweight this product is and how it spreads easily and doesn’t take forever to absorb.
Fragrance?: Fragrance + Essential Oil Free BUT this smells really off-putting to me. Like a metallic, rusty smell. and almost like coffee. It’s very strong and I’d say it might be the worst-smelling Vitamin C product I’ve tried (Second is the Skinceuticals C E Ferulic HERE).
Good Under Makeup?: I would not recommend wearing this under foundation in case of any potential balling up due to textures/bases not matching up.
How long have I been using this?: For almost 2 months. I’ve been using this sometimes in the AM and sometimes in the PM (I like to test it under different SPFs and PM skincare products).
The Effect?: Hydrated skin initially (also feels soft) + of course protected skin after using diligently. In terms of skin brightening, no I haven’t noticed a big difference in terms of SPECIFIC Dark Hyperpigmentation BUT I can tell that the overall tone of my skin has brightened and is beginning to even out, so I will continue to use until the product has oxidised and I can no longer use it.
I do not doubt that 5% Ascorbic Acid everyday will help with pigmentation gently. Less is more in terms of active % (i.e. you don’t need 30% Ascorbic acid, but 5% Ascorbic acid daily may work better and more gently in the long run).
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What I like:
- No Fragrance and/or Essential Oils
- Lightweight
- Not Greasy / oily
- Skin feels soft after using
- Hydrating
- Easily Spreadable
- Fast Absorbing
- Like the addition of skin-beneficial ingredients (i.e. could have just put vitamin C in here and nothing else skin-beneficial).
- Contains Pure Vitamin C (Not a Derivative – better results)
- I am a fan of low % Actives for the face, so I appreciate that this has a low amount that makes this product easy to use daily without the skin falling off and increasing sensitivity/irritation, and yet 5% is still effective at providing skin benefits (but of course the, the longer for results to be seen, so be patient!)
- Seems to be oxidising at the same rate as other pure vitamin C serums I’ve tried (I thought this would oxidise as fast as the COSRX Vitamin C did, Review HERE).
What I don’t like:
- The smell is very off-putting (smells like bitter coffee)
- I think this’ll fully oxidise in about 3 months (or just under), so I’m not a fan of having a time limit with products, I.e. I want to be able to finish the product instead of the product finishing on me.
- Can ball up under certain bases/textures and not others. I recommend using like-for-like ingredient base products to prevent any balling up.
Overall Rating and Conclusion: 4/5 – A nice, gentle Pure Vitamin C serum (not a derivative) that is essential oil and fragrance free as well as including additional skin-beneficial ingredients. It can potentially ball up under the wrong base-formula type products so make sure you apply like-to-like. Yes the smell is really bad and off-putting (I should say the smell does disappear once rubbed in, but it takes a little time), but other than that – the product has done pretty well at not getting fully oxidised too quickly and providing my skin with beneficial ingredients. I will continue to use it until it fully oxidises!
- I WILL SAY HOWEVER, this has 5% Ascorbic Acid, I’m not sure about the bioavailability (amount of vitamin C that gets absorbed into the skin)is at just 5%, so don’t think you’re getting as much % on your skin compared to other vitamin C serums with a higher % of pure L-AA. So I would recommend using a product like this daily if you can to get best results and to be diligent. Other serums you can use every other day etc if it’s got higher % like 10-15% (which is usually the sweet spot for vitamin C). But I do think that this is aimed more towards sensitive skins who can’t handle a higher % Vitamin C. So for more effective or quicker results, a higher % vitamin C may be fore you. I’m quite happy to use this every day and gently protect and brighten the skin over a longer period of time as I can use additional Antioxidant/Brightening products in my routine to help with pigmentation and protection, such as the a-PAD Serum from Geek & Gorgeous (Review HERE) or a Gentle Liquid Exfoliator like the Cheer Up Solution (Review HERE).
Would I repurchase?: Yes I would! I’ve been pleasantly surprised with this. Although the smell did make me second-guess this answer XD
Dupe?: The Geek&Gorgeous C-Glow (Review HERE) OR The Drunk Elephant C-firma (Excellent layerability) My Review HERE
- NOTE= I would say this is a BETTER Version / Dupe of the COSRX Vitamin C Serum which oxidised way too fast and had poor packaging to keep the product from oxidising in 2 months or just under (however that serum had 23% Vitamin C so more Vitamin C availability and results in a shorter amount of time, so it depends on your preference!).
My Skin Type: I am acne prone and have slightly dehydrated combo skin. My skin is usually tight where the cheeks and eye area is and the outer parts of my face. My T zone is oily. My skin isn’t a fan of thick/heavy formulas so I opt for lightweight formulas to prevent it from clogging up. My skin doesn’t like essential oils either and I try to avoid fragrance when I can.
Disclaimer: I am a skincare enthusiast and not a skin expert. I am not qualified to give out dermatological advice. This type of advice should only be given by a medical practitioner. Upon trying / using any of the reviewed products on the blog, please follow the manufacturer’s instructions and warnings and please seek medical advice if needed.
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