Jul 1

Jul 1 PRODUCT REVIEW: GHOST DEMOCRACY LIGHTBULB VITAMIN C SERUM – BEST BRIGHTENING SERUM FOR FACE

AM Regimen, AM ROUTINE, anti-aging, best anti-aging serum, dark spots, anti-aging serums, brightening, brightening serums, hyperpigmentation, PM ROUTINE, PM Regimen, Vitamin C

GHOST DEMOCRACY | LIGHTBULB VITAMIN C SERUM

This review was originally part of my blog article titled, “The Year’s Best Vitamin C Serums with The Ordinary, Clinique, Beauty Stat & More!” You can still catch the full piece here.

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How much do I love the name Ghost Democracy for a skincare brand? It made me smile the first time I saw it. And as lighthearted and delightful as it is, it somewhat belies the serious skin care it encompasses.

Of the dozen or so brands I’ve recently met, Ghost Democracy Skincare is one of the most intriguing. As the name implies, it’s a democratic skincare brand that believes in “a higher standard of clean” — that is, less chemicals, more actives, and accessibility for all.

Los Angeles-based Ghost Democracy is indeed a collection of serious skincare products. And the Ghost Democracy Lightbulb Vitamin C Serum is no joke.

In fact, as I alluded to earlier, it’s that I consider the benchmark for Vitamin C serums. It’s waterless and formulated without sulfates, silicones, essential oils, denatured alcohol, fragrance, phthalates, parabens, mineral oil, synthetic dyes, propylene glycol, formaldehyde, MEA, DEA, TEA, PEG compounds and EDTA.

So what’s in it, you ask?

Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Bakuchiol and Bisabolol — four of my favorite, pro-skin health skin actives. And it has an otherworldly texture that’s an utter pleasure to use.

Don’t laugh (or judge!) but the first time I tried the Lightbulb Vitamin C Serum was a Friday night and I had taken a hit off the vape. I was doing my nightly skincare routine and I was sure I had experienced nirvana. You know how that is? You’re high and you think something is nirvana, or the funniest thing ever, or deeply profound.

The next morning, I remember thinking omg was that for real?! So I incorporated it in my AM routine too. And sure enough, it was legit. Ghost Democracy’s Lightbulb Vitamin C Serum is Nirvana in a Bottle™.

What does Vitamin C do for skin?

There’s an excellent article on the remarkable benefits of Vitamin C for the skin from the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team titled, What is Vitamin C and How Does it Benefit Skin?

Vitamin C is one of the most exciting, research-proven ingredients you can apply to skin (1). This water-soluble antioxidant is a natural component of healthy skin. When we’re young, vitamin C levels in skin’s outermost two layers (epidermis and dermis) are abundant, but as we age, these levels naturally deplete. Unprotected sun exposure (UV damage) and pollution can accelerate this decline, leading to skin looking and feeling dull, uneven, and less firm than it once was (2).
Luckily, there are topical skin care solutions that can help mitigate this damage, so skin looks and feels healthier and younger longer.
Vitamin C Benefits for Skin
Vitamin C’s benefits for skin are vast, including its ability to even out skin tone and diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles (3). While this powerhouse ingredient is well-known for its skin-brightening benefits, research also shows it can shield skin from the visible impacts of environmental stressors, including free radical damage (4). This synergy of mitigating problems both before and after they occur makes vitamin C a force to be reckoned with.

It’s got an 18% concentration of Vitamin C in the form of Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, one of the two forms of the vitamin found in the Allies of Skin formula I reviewed earlier. Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, or THD, is a relatively stable, oil-soluble form of Vitamin C that delivers the potency and all the expected benefits of the active.

According to Paula Begoun and team,

“Tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate is a stable form of vitamin C that is considered an analogue of L-ascorbic acid. Unlike pure vitamin C (ascorbic acid), tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate is lipid (fat) soluble.

Some researchers believe this form of vitamin C has a greater affinity for skin because its fatty acid component helps aid penetration. It pairs well with other forms of vitamin C and retinol for enhanced effectiveness.”

Ghost Democracy didn’t rest on its Vitamin C laurels. They added in a solid level of moisturizing Vitamin E, stabilizing Ferulic Acid, as well as a .5% concentration of Bakuchiol for additional anti-aging benefits. And, what really makes me smile when browsing an INCI is Bisabolol — the active component of chamomile that’s a highly effective irritation soother.

Literally, Lightbulb Vitamin C Serum is the benchmark for an excellent, stable, potent Vitamin C. And while that’s surprising, what’s perhaps the most surprising thing of all is the price — just $34 on the Ghost Democracy website. If I were you, I’d grab it before it goes ghost. (Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. Blame the quarantine!)

SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase Ghost Democracy’s Lightbulb Vitamin C Serum for $34 here.

BUY GHOST DEMOCRACY LIGHTBULB VITAMIN C SERUM