PRODUCT REVIEW: THE GLOW MAKER 20% VITAMIN C FACIAL SERUM – ONE OF THE BEST BRIGHTENING SERUMS
THE GLOW MAKER | 20% VITAMIN C FACIAL SERUM
This review was originally part of my blog article titled, “Brands I Love: The Glow Maker Antioxidant Serums and Anti-Aging Facial Skincare.” You can still catch the full piece here.
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Of course, no brand review would be complete without taking a peek at their Vitamin C offering! The Glow Maker’s 20% Vitamin C Facial Serum is top shelf.
The fact that it’s such a well-formulated Vitamin C treatment for just $25 puts it at the top of my list of recommendations — along with The Ordinary’s Ethylated Ascorbic Acid 15% Solution, the Garden of Wisdom Vitamin C 23% Serum & Ferulic Acid and, of course, the Clinique Fresh Pressed Daily Booster with Pure Vitamin C 10%.
If you missed my article on my top Vitamin C picks, you can check it out here.
Similar to the brand’s Niacinamide serum, the 63% organic 20% Vitamin C Facial Serum is a veritable treasure trove of beneficial actives beyond just power-brightening Vitamin C — including humectant Sodium Hyaluronate, moisturizing Vitamin E and numerous antioxidant botanicals.
I always know a brand’s chemists know what they’re doing when they pair Vitamin C with Ferulic Acid. Not only is Ferulic Acid a terrific antioxidant in its own right, but it’s considered Vitamin C’s BFF — it keeps that crazy ingredient grounded.
Like a bestie would.
The particular form of Vitamin C in The Glow Maker formula, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, is an intriguing choice. (In a good way!) Not only is Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate a stable, water-soluble form of Vitamin C with all the antioxidant and skin-brightening goodness of the active, but research has shown that concentrations of 5% or more can help mitigate the occurrence of acne blemishes on the skin.
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.
**WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW OF THE GLOW MAKER’S ANTIOXIDANT SERUMS AND ANTI-AGING FACIAL SKINCARE ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE.**
One of the things I love about science driven brands like The Glow Maker and Deciem’s NIOD, is the product messaging always skews a bit wonky, nerdy — and smart!
Right there on The Glow Maker’s product page for the 20% Vitamin C Facial Serum is this:
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate is an active stabilized derivative of Vitamin C. It is soluble in water and does not degrade in aqueous formulas and is effective at a neutral pH, plus it is stable in the presence of air exposure.
It is produced by direct phosphorylation of ascorbic acid sodium salt, where L-ascorbic acid is suspended in an oxygenated “non-hydroxylic” solvent together with sodium and then treated with a phosphorylating agent. It is easily bio-converted to Vitamin C by skin enzymes. We estimate that Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate has approximately 2.5 times the bioavailability of L-ascorbic acid to the skin. It stays in the skin for up to 72 hours and cannot be washed off once it soaks into the skin.
Good job on this one, Glow Maker! And for $25, welcome to the top of my Vitamin C list!
For a limited time, you can save 20% off all Glow Maker products — including my favorites — on the brand’s website.
Just enter code SKINCARMA20 at checkout!
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase The Glow Maker’s 20% Vitamin C Facial Serum for $25 here.
The Ingredient List of the 20% Vitamin C Facial Serum:
63% ORGANIC / COLD PROCESSED (Silicone free)KEY INGREDIENTS: 8% Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (estimated 20% Vitamin C bioavailability*),Vitamin E (Natural, Non-GMO),Ferulic Acid,Organic Hyaluronic Acid (Sodium Hyaluronate) / Triple Molecular Weights,MSM (Organic Sulfur).
BASE: Organic Aloe Vera Juice,Organic Bulgarian Rose Distillate,Organic Witch Hazel Extract. BOTANICAL EXTRACTS: Kakadu Plum (Wild Harvested),Organic Green Tea,Organic Roman Chamomile,Organic Gotu Kola. NATURAL OILS: Organic Rosehip Seed Oil,Organic Squalane (Vegetable Derived). Scent:Clementine Essential Oil.
