THE BEST FRESH ACTIVATED VITAMIN C SERUMS TO GET YOUR COMPLEXION LIT IN THE NEW YEAR - DRUNK ELEPHANT C-FIRMA, CLINIQUE FRESH PRESSED, GOOP GLOW 20% VITAMIN C GLOW SERUM
As I write this, it’s the second of January in the year 2022. Just putting that into words sounds futuristic, feels like I made it to the future intact.
I imagined seemingly unimaginable years like 2022 as a kid and really believed I’d be out roaming around in space by now like the crew of the Starship Enterprise.
Growing up in an entirely earthbound place like Connecticut, I was always gazing at the stars. And, I was the biggest Star Trek fan. Okay, maybe the second biggest; my best friend Susan was even more passionate about the iconic, futuristic TV show.
Truthfully, I lived and breathed Star Trek. I went to Star Trek conventions. Collected Star Trek memorabilia. Had autographed glossy stills of all the lead Star Trek actors and actresses, including William Shatner (Captain Kirk), Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock) and Nichelle Nichols (Lieutenant Uhura).
On Halloween, I often went out trick or treating dressed as Spock, showing up at our neighbors’ front doors with my pointy ears and plastic pumpkin basket for collecting candy. In my high school yearbook, in the ultimate assertion of my own deep sense of individuality and my unique place in the world, I quoted the ship’s doctor, Dr. McCoy:
“In this galaxy, there's a mathematical probability of three million earth-type planets...and in all the universe, three million million galaxies like this one. And in all of that, and perhaps more, only one of each of us.”
I was a classic, sci-fi nerd, into science and astronomy. Chemistry was one of my favorite classes in high school, though I don’t recall being a star student in science; there were so many others who were far smarter than I. Language was my true strength.
Funny, all these years later, I found myself defending the lifelong Star Trek fan in me at brunch with friends yesterday, New Year’s Day.
What was it about Star Trek that you were so into? they probed. Isn’t it just a science fiction show?
I explained how, even though it’s serious science fiction, Star Trek represented so much more than mere fiction to me. It was representative of the most positive outcome of the future possible. I grew up knowing that at any time, the Soviet Union could launch a nuclear war. When faced with a particularly challenging task like a book report or presentation in front of the class, I often wondered if it wouldn’t even be necessary. Nuclear war would certainly preclude that.
Star Trek meant we had survived our own worst instincts. And, it appears that we have…
The skincare stuff starts here.
When I imagine what kind of skincare would be available on the USS Enterprise, of course it would be fresh made by the ship’s replicator:
“Computer, make me a pore-clarifying mask with 3.5% Salicylic Acid in a clay base. Then, make me a water-based brightening serum with 15% Ascorbic Acid, 10% Niacinamide and 5% Alpha Arbutin.”
And it would suddenly appear. Freshly activated, single use, maximum potency.
As I’ve said, there are two ingredients that I wish everyone on Earth (and on starships!) would incorporate into their own daily skincare routines — Vitamin C and Vitamin B3, or Niacinamide. Both are indispensable antioxidants — and much, much more. In the case of a good Vitamin C treatment, it can be one of the best anti-aging serums in your arsenal. Yes, like sunscreen, antioxidants are anti-aging. And you can’t get enough of them in your skincare — and in your skin.
What Are Antioxidants and What Do Antioxidants Do for Skin?
Antioxidants like Vitamin C, Niacinamide, and Ferulic Acid possess numerous benefits for the skin, including preventing skin damage and the multiple signs of aging that can result. There’s an excellent article from the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team titled, How Antioxidants Fight the Signs of Aging that you can catch here. Following is what I found most relevant:
Antioxidants for Skin Benefits
Antioxidants play a unique role when it comes to diminishing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Years of environmental damage (including unprotected sun exposure—one more reason to apply that broad-spectrum sunscreen!) slowly chip away at skin’s natural ability to look and feel healthy. As this damage builds up, skin gradually loses its ability to recover and bounce back as it once did. It’s not an exaggeration to say that after years of damage, skin becomes overwhelmed, and its “look young systems” begin to slow down.
Antioxidants in skin care step in to help shield skin’s surface from further deterioration by calming stressed skin and defending against the visible effects of pollution —something all of us encounter on a daily basis.
What happens as a result of applying antioxidants to your face is truly impressive: Skin’s appearance begins to turn around! It regains a firmer feel and more even skin tone—and those wrinkles you’re probably not fond of will visibly soften.
Antioxidants for Your Skin: What Results You Can Expect?
Although we know that topical application of antioxidants in skin care helps to shield skin from ongoing environmental assault, the results aren't going to make you look 20 years younger—and they may take time to show up. Reality check: The claims attributed to these wonderful ingredients are more often than not overblown or a big stretch of what scientific research has shown to be true.
It’s best to think of antioxidants as part of a trifecta of beneficial ingredients you can use in skin care products to achieve and maintain visibly firmer, youthful-looking skin. Antioxidants should be joined by skin-replenishing ingredients like ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin plus a range of skin-restoring ingredients like retinol, peptides, and niacinamide. Together, these types of ingredients play a symphony your skin needs to hear—and you’ll love seeing the results every time you look in the mirror.
The trick is to be consistent with your skincare routine and make absolutely sure you’re protecting your skin from sun exposure every day with a broad-spectrum sunscreen rated SPF 30 or greater—and of course, it should be brimming with antioxidants, your skin’s new best friend.
The Best Vitamin C Serums and Face Creams
Until very recently, Vitamin C was perhaps the most under-appreciated of all skincare ingredients. Mainly because it seemed to be old news. And skincare marketers don’t push what’s old; they spend their marketing dollars on what’s new, fresh, sexy and innovative — whether it works or not. Their job is to make you believe what they’re pushing is valuable to you.
In addition to its un-sexiness, antioxidant Vitamin C is also really tough to formulate with. Until recently, it’s been nearly impossible to keep high concentrations of Vitamin C stable in a skincare formula. The truly effective levels weren’t possible. Until you get to 10% or more, you don’t really get the additional power-brightening, collagen-building benefits that Vitamin C has to offer. Fresh activation of Vitamin C assures maximum potency of the otherwise unstable active.
In the fall of 2021, I published my latest article on my favorite Vitamin C serums of the year in a piece titled, My Top Vitamin C Picks FW21: New Vitamin C Serums I’m Crushing on from Algenist, Naturium, Goop Glow and More – which you can catch here. It was a collection of some of the best Vitamin C serums, best brightening face oils, and best dark spot treatments of the year.
MY TOP VITAMIN C PICKS FW21: NEW VITAMIN C SERUMS I’M CRUSHING ON FROM ALGENIST, NATURIUM, GOOP & MORE
Among my top picks were some of my favorite brightening Vitamin C serums all these months later. Among my favorites is the Algenist Blue Algae Vitamin C Skinclarity Brightening Serum. With a proprietary form of Vitamin C called Blue C, the Blue Algae Vitamin C Skinclarity serum is such a pleasure to use that I’ve been through a half dozen bottles of it since it launched last summer.
During 2021, I became a fan of the newest democratically priced skincare brand, Naturium. The brand’s Vitamin C Complex Serum is a really well-formulated Vitamin C serum with a smart blend of pro-skin health actives. And it’s just $20, making it super accessible to most people in the market for a solid Vitamin C product. Catch my review of the Naturium Vitamin C Complex Serum on the blog here.
PRODUCT REVIEW: NATURIUM VITAMIN C COMPLEX SERUM - BEST VITAMIN C SERUM, BEST BRIGHTENING SERUM
Another of my brand crushes for 2021 is the clinical, professional dermatologist brand, Replenix. The Replenix Vitamin C Pro Collagen Serum is a silky, dry oil infused with a 20% combination of three forms of Vitamin C: Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, and Ascorbic Acid — the purest form of Vitamin C.
The brand’s Vitamin C Pro Collagen Serum is perhaps one of the best anti-aging facial oils I’ve come across. It has the power to address a multitude of skin aging concerns and has become a staple in my evening routine. I’m beginning to run low on it and experiencing a serious case of #fomo. You can’t catch my review of the Replenix Vitamin C Pro Collagen Serum on the blog here.
PRODUCT REVIEW: REPLENIX VITAMIN C PRO COLLAGEN SERUM - BEST BRIGHTENING SERUM FOR DRY 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. 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.
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. 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. This synergy of mitigating problems both before and after they occur makes vitamin C a force to be reckoned with.
When and How to Use Vitamin C in Your Skin Care Routine
All forms of vitamin C mix well and layer with other skin care ingredients, including exfoliating acids and other vitamins and antioxidants, such as retinol and niacinamide (11, 12).
Vitamin C can be used twice daily, both morning and night. After cleansing, toning and exfoliating, apply the rest of your products in order from thinnest to thickest texture (commonly: serum, moisturizer, treatments). During the day, always finish with a moisturizer with broad-spectrum SPF 30 or greater.
WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW
MY 2021 VITAMIN C PICKS + THE BEST VITAMIN C SERUMS TO BRIGHTEN UP THE COMPLEXION!
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
Which brings me to my newest collection of the best Vitamin C serums — the freshly activated ones; the ones you’d obtain from the Enterprise replicator. I’ve identified three standouts. Again, fresh activation of Vitamin C assures maximum potency of the unstable active.
The first of these is the new Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Day Serum. You may be wondering, C-Firma isn’t new. And you would be correct. Drunk Elephant’s C-Firma has, in fact, been around for years. But in 2021, the brand reformulated and repositioned their star Vitamin C serum as a freshly activated upgrade. And it’s exceptional.
Second is a true Vitamin C classic for me. I’ve included the Clinique Fresh Pressed Daily Booster with Pure Vitamin C 10% on the blog several times over the years. It’s certainly stood the test of time and was the first fresh-activated Vitamin C serum I experienced. As you’ll see below, I think it’s among the best anti-aging serums for face on the face of the earth. It’s much more than a Vitamin C-powered brightening serum.
And last is the goop beauty GOOPGLOW 20% Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Glow Serum. When I first cracked this baby open on a trip to Cancun in October and combined its two components, I wasn’t sure what to expect. In the weeks since, I’ve recognized it as a uniquely compelling addition to the hundreds of Vitamin C serums on the market today. I haven’t had the chance to experience much from goop beauty just yet, but if the GOOPGLOW 20% Vitamin C is any indication of the quality of the brand’s products, it’s a great indicator of excellence.
With the understanding that Vitamin C can be a real game changer for your skin health (and your complexion!), let’s take a look at three of my favorite freshly activated Vitamin C serums — some of the best brightening serums for getting your complexion lit in the new year…
goop beauty | GOOPGLOW 20% Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Glow Serum
I’ve been admiring actress Gwyneth Paltrow’s goop beauty from afar since its introduction on the Sephora website several years ago. There are very few celebrity skincare and beauty brands that I think are done well. Most of them are nonsensical gimmicks and simple ego boosters for their famous founders.
Among the ones that I think miss the mark are Kylie’s Jenner’s Kylie Skin, the makeup-heavy brand Haus Labs by Lady Gaga and JLo’s dated-on-launch JLo Beauty. What makes her skincare special? JLo’s formulas are infused with a wildly innovative olive oil complex. Seriously. Olive oil.
But they’re not all ridiculous.
A handful, and I mean a handful, are actually really well done. Not only do I consider Pharrell Williams’ Humanrace a well-done celeb skincare brand, but it’s actually really good skincare with or without Pharrell’s endorsement. The formulas are top notch. In fact, I reviewed the brand and its tight, three-product regimen on the blog in an article titled, Brands I Love: Humanrace - Pharrell Williams’ Surprisingly Clean, Sustainable & Refillable Skincare. You can catch it here.
BRANDS I LOVE: HUMANRACE - PHARRELL WILLIAMS' SURPRISINGLY CLEAN, SUSTAINABLE & REFILLABLE SKINCARE
Another celeb brand that I believe is well done — and this one could just be the best celebrity skincare brand to date — is, in fact, Gwyneth Paltrow’s goop beauty. There are now about two dozen products available, most of them seemingly well-formulated and several of them innovative.
Among the most noteworthy to me are the antioxidant nutritional supplement, GOOPGLOW Morning Skin Superpowder, the GOOPGLOW Microderm Instant Glow Exfoliator and the GOOPGLOW 20% Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Glow Serum, which is such a well done Vitamin C treatment that it earned its place in my top picks of Vitamin C products of 2021.
But it’s the fresh activation for me!
Goop beauty describes their innovative treatment as “a daily glow serum that combines two powerhouses, 20 percent L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and hyaluronic acid, leaving skin firmer, brighter, and smoother.” With its fresh activation, it’s certainly reminiscent of what I consider to be one of the best anti-aging serums on the market, the Clinique Fresh Pressed Daily Booster with Pure Vitamin C 10%. More on Fresh Pressed below.
THE BEST BRIGHTENING SERUMS
Vitamin C is notoriously unstable, sensitive to light, air and water. Fresh activation assures that you’re getting a maximally effective treatment from day one.
As the name implies, the GOOPGLOW 20% Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Glow Serum blends two anti-aging heavy hitters: Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Acid. Both of these are skin health essentials and must-haves in any seriously pro-skin health regimen.
With 20% L-Ascorbic Acid, the purest form of antioxidant Vitamin C, it doesn’t get any better than this. At such a high concentration, not only will your skin benefit from the antioxidant power of Vitamin C, but you will see a near-instant brightening effect, essentially overnight. You’re sure to see a difference in the reflectivity of your complexion by morning. I know I do!
Additionally, over time, a sustained concentration of 20% Vitamin C will help stimulate collagen production in the skin to plump from within and smooth the appearance of lines and wrinkles on the surface. So you get antioxidant defense against signs of aging and a corrective benefit, too.
The GOOPGLOW 20% Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Glow Serum contains much more than just Vitamin C. It’s an antioxidant powerhouse treatment with additional antioxidants beyond the Vitamin C itself. The formula also contains Hyaluronic Acid in the form of Sodium Hyaluronate, the salt form of the humectant which is more skin-compatible. This gives it a solid humectant benefit that keeps skin hydrated, something that is essential to skin health.
What Is Hyaluronic Acid and What Does Hyaluronic Acid Do for the Skin?
I love this article on Hyaluronic Acid on the Healthline website titled, Why Science Says Hyaluronic Acid Is the Holy Grail to Wrinkle-Free, Youthful Hydration. It’s wonky and full of insights. Check this part out:
“The benefits of hyaluronic acid on the skin has to do with its molecular weight and concentration. In this case, size matters! The molecular weight refers to its mass, or how big the HA molecule is. This is measured in something called unified atomic mass units — daltons, or kDa for short.
HA between 50 to 1,000 kDa is the most beneficial for skin, with about 130 kDa being the best, according to the most recent human studies. Anything higher won't make too much of a difference. Anything lower might cause inflammation. How did we get this number? When you look at studies, you'll see a pattern, but one of the most thorough studies looked at HA with different molecular weights, including 50, 130, 300, 800, and 2,000 kDa.
After one month, they found that treatment with 130 kDa HA was the most effective, increasing skin elasticity by 20 percent. Both the 50 and 130 kDa groups had significant improvement in wrinkle-depth and skin roughness after 60 days. All the other molecular weights still improved elasticity and skin hydration, just less so. You can read more about this molecular weight analysis from the original breakdown here.”
While it’s on the high end in terms of price, the goop beauty GOOPGLOW 20% Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Glow Serum is superbly pro-skin health. Which is not something I can say about La Mer’s over-priced and under-formulated Crème de la Mer Moisturizing Cream. With goop beauty, you get what you pay for: a really good anti-aging serum.
What I like about it: I love anything freshly activated, but especially a Vitamin C serum. The goop beauty GOOPGLOW 20% Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Glow Serum packs a punch with its high concentration of Vitamin C and its pro-skin health formulation that will be as potent as it gets and remain more potent than a conventional pre-mixed Vitamin C serum, which could have been made a year or more before your purchase.
What I don’t like about it: At $125, it’s priced out of the range of most people looking for a reliably effective (and stable!) Vitamin C serum. That’s just too high a price to pay for the average skincare consumer.
Who it’s for: All skin types.
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the goop beauty GOOPGLOW 20% Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Glow Serum for $125 here.
MY FAVORITE HUMECTANT SERUMS FROM PAULA'S CHOICE, THE INKEY LIST AND MORE - BEST HYALURONIC ACID SERUMS
Clinique | Fresh Pressed Daily Booster With Pure Vitamin C 10%
I live down the block from a pizzeria. Five minutes out of the oven and that pizza is at my door — fresh and warm. And the Clinique Fresh Pressed Daily Booster with Pure Vitamin C 10% is the fresh-out-of-the-oven version of my favorite pizza.
Freshness is particularly important with sensitive ingredients like Vitamin C — due, of course, to its instability in the presence of light, air, and a multitude of other ingredients used in skin care. And, that’s precisely the wisdom behind using a separate Vitamin C serum in your skincare routine, rather than relying on the efficacy, potency and stability of the Vitamin C found in a more complex daily moisturizer. Vitamin C degrades over time.
Freshly activated Vitamin C serums like Clinique’s Fresh Pressed aren’t the only fresh products of their kind in the market. I’m also a fan of the NIOD Copper Amino Isolate Serum 3 1:1 (CAIS3) — a freshly activated peptide serum and one of the best anti-aging treatments for wrinkles.
PRODUCT REVIEW: NIOD COPPER AMINO ISOLATE SERUM 3 1:1 (CAIS3) – BEST ANTI-AGING SERUM, BEST PEPTIDE SERUM
I’ve been a fan of the Clinique Fresh Pressed Daily Booster with Pure Vitamin C 10% for three years now. Like fresh orange juice, it’s simply an excellent source of Vitamin C for your skin.
Clinique wisely packages the Fresh Pressed Daily Booster in a set of four to assure fresh activation, potency and stability. When I’m using it regularly and not testing out other Vitamin C serums, I find I can go through about one a week — so it’s safe to say that four of them is approximately a one-month supply. (You may find it lasts longer as I tend to get carried away.)
Each individual vial of the Fresh Pressed Daily Booster is activated by peeling back a foil seal and pressing the exposed orange button to burst an inner sac. Doing so mixes pure Ascorbic Acid powder with a liquid activator.
You know it’s potent because it can tingle a bit on application — as any serum infused with pure Vitamin C will do. It’s a good kind of tingling, sometimes even more of a warming sensation. It’s just enough to let you know it’s still potent, and will work as expected. In the Fresh Pressed formula, Ascorbic Acid, the purest and most potent form of Vitamin C, is the second ingredient.
With its super lightweight, watery texture, I believe the Clinique Fresh Pressed Daily Booster with Pure Vitamin C 10% to be ideal for all skin types, including oily, very oily and acne-prone skin.
Which Vitamin C Is Good for Oily Skin and Is Vitamin C Safe for Oily Skin?
All skin types can benefit from antioxidant Vitamin C. If a Vitamin C serum is light and water-based, like Clinique’s Fresh Pressed Daily Booster with Pure Vitamin C 10%, it’s more easily layered into any skincare routine. But there is one form of Vitamin C that is considered most beneficial for oily and acne-prone skin: Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate.
There’s an excellent, thoroughly sourced breakdown of the unique benefits Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate from the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team that you can catch on the brand’s website here. This is what I found most insightful:
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate Description
Sodium ascorbyl phosphate (SAP, for short) is a stable, water-soluble form of vitamin C made from combining ascorbic acid with a phosphate and a salt, compounds which work with enzymes in skin to cleave (split) the ingredient and release pure ascorbic acid, which is the most researched form of vitamin C.
Just like pure vitamin C, sodium ascorbyl phosphate functions as an antioxidant on and within skin. When used in higher amounts, it can be effective for brightening a dull skin tone, smoothing wrinkles, visibly firming skin, and reducing discolorations.
The usual concentration of sodium ascorbyl phosphate in skin care ranges from 0.2–3%, an effective range to help improve skin’s environmental defenses and target lines and wrinkles, especially when paired with oil-soluble vitamin E for antioxidant synergy that improves the stability of both ingredients.
A 5% concentration of sodium ascorbyl phosphate was shown in a comparative study with the same amount of ascorbic acid to have equivalent wrinkle-smoothing and elasticity-increasing benefit to skin around the eyes.
Amounts above 3% are considered necessary to target discolorations, similar to the range research has shown ascorbic acid works within to target this concern.
There is also research showing amounts of 1% and 5% concentrations of sodium ascorbyl phosphate can influence factors linked to breakouts, likely due to its skin soothing effect. Thus, this form of vitamin C may be an effective adjunct to anti-acne products that contain benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid.
Along with other forms of vitamin C, it is considered safe as used in skin care products. This versatile form of vitamin C works in both water- and oil-based formulas without breaking down, but despite this impressive stability, packaging is still important. This is because such stability isn’t impenetrable, meaning ongoing exposure to light and air can still weaken its efficacy, although certainly not as quickly as occurs with pure vitamin C (ascorbic acid).
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate References
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, January 2021, pages 174–180
Pharmaceutics, December 2018, ePublication
Annals of Dermatology, August 2015, pages 376–382
Chemical Society of Pakistan, March 2013, pages 1,096–1,102
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, June 2005, pages 171-176
International Journal of Toxicology, Supplement 2, March 2005, pages 51–111
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, April 2003, pages 65–73
As an added benefit, Clinique fortified Fresh Pressed with several non-fragrant plant oils to nourish, soothe and replenish skin. You get extra antioxidant protection from several beneficial plant extracts and perhaps some plumping from the addition of replenishing peptides. There’s even humectant Sodium Hyaluronate — the salt form of Hyaluronic Acid that’s actually most compatible with skin.
Fresh Pressed is a really well-rounded, well-formulated serum. Honestly, it’s the perfect boost for stepping up your game. With its super lightweight, watery formula, Fresh Pressed is also really easy to layer.
Interestingly, it’s not as affordably priced as many Clinique staples — including the brand’s iconic “three-step” routine that includes a cleansing bar, moisturizer and exfoliating toner for just about $50. A four-pack, one month-supply of Fresh Pressed will set you back $81 — or you can try a one-week supply for just twenty-two bucks. But hey, it’s reliable, effective and will stay potent long enough to use up.
What I like about it: With its phenomenal, pro-skin health INCI, the Clinique Fresh Pressed Daily Booster with Pure Vitamin C 10% is one of the best anti-aging serums available. It truly doesn’t get better than this.
What I don’t like about it: At $81, it’s a serious monthly investment.
Who it’s for: All skin types, even oily and acne-prone skins.
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase a one-week supply of the Clinique Fresh Pressed Daily Booster with Pure Vitamin C 10% for $22 here.
THE BEST NIACINAMIDE SERUMS AND TREATMENTS
Drunk Elephant | C-Firma Fresh Day Serum
You could be mistaken for not recognizing that the Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Day Serum is a new product. Introduced in 2021, the brand reformulated and repositioned its iconic original C-Firma Vitamin C serum to be freshly activated. Like so many Drunk Elephant fans, I loved the original and never imagined it could (or should!) be improved upon.
Over the years, I’ve come across numerous Drunk Elephant products that I love and consider among the best skincare products in my arsenal. Among these is Drunk Elephant’s Protini Powerpeptide Resurfacing Serum, one of the best exfoliating serums for sensitive skin.
In addition to a 10% concentration of Lactic Acid, the Protini Powerpeptide Resurfacing Serum formula contains eleven signal peptides, rather blandly referred to as a Signal Peptide Complex. (Psst…signal peptides can help teach damaged skin to rebuild itself by relocating proteins in the cell membrane.) There are also multiple amino acids in the formula — as well as a number of powerful antioxidants.
DRUNK ELEPHANT PROTINI POWERPEPTIDE RESURFACING SERUM - BEST EXFOLIATING SERUM
But it’s the texture of the Protini Powerpeptide Resurfacing Serum for me ! It’s a super light, semi-translucent serum that’s quite easily layered into any skincare routine. You can catch my review of it on the blog here.
So I was naturally excited to try the new freshly activated Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Day Serum! It’s powered by a 15% concentration of pure Ascorbic Acid, combined with Vitamin C’s two favorite stabilizers, Ferulic Acid and Vitamin E.
If you’re a fan of Vitamin C serums, you likely know that the OG of all Vitamin C serums is the SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Antioxidant Serum. As I recall, when it was first introduced nearly two decades ago, C E Ferulic was the most potent Vitamin C serum on the market. The brand’s chemists patented a means of stabilizing Vitamin C. And, as the name indicates, the Ascorbic Acid in the formula is bookended by both Ferulic Acid and Vitamin E in the form of Alpha Tocopherol — both of which help to keep Vitamin C stable in a destabilizing water base.
What Is Ferulic Acid and Does Vitamin C Need Ferulic Acid?
For the answers to those questions I turn to the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team. They go in depth on the derivations of Ferulic Acid and its exceptional benefits for the skin — and for stabilizing Vitamin C in a skincare formula.
Here are their most important insights…
Ferulic Acid is an “antioxidant that helps defend skin from the signs of sun damage and environmental assault
Improves stability and efficacy of other antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E
Research indicates ferulic acid can help inhibit discolorations
Naturally found in plants, such as bran and bamboo
As a raw material, ferulic acid is supplied as a crystalline powder
Ferulic Acid Description
Ferulic acid is a phenolic antioxidant (a type that intercepts damaging hydrogen radicals) that is naturally found in bran and bamboo shoots, among other plants. Research has shown that it provides its own benefits to skin while also enhancing the stability of other antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, when paired with them.
Of note, ferulic acid plays a significant photoprotective role, which is one of the reasons it’s a welcome addition in sunscreen formulations.
Research also indicates that it has the ability to inhibit certain triggers of skin discolorations, making ferulic acid a nice complement to products that are intended for evening skin tone. In general, it also helps defend skin against environmental assault.
Ferulic acid can be used in the types of high concentration chemical peels available in a dermatologist/esthetician setting, where it is usually combined with other acids, such as lactic, to address signs of photoaging. Ferulic acid’s soothing properties are believed to help reduce potential skin-irritating side effects of such peels.
As a raw material, ferulic acid comes as a crystalline powder that is insoluble in water at room temperature but reaches solubility in higher water temps. It is also soluble in other types of solvents.
Ferulic acid is shown to be most effective at boosting the results from other antioxidants when used in concentrations of 0.5% or greater. It is typically not used above 1%, as doing so can impart an undesirable color to a skin care formula.”
Like the goop beauty GOOPGLOW 20% Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Glow Serum, the C-Firma Fresh Day Serum comes packaged with two separate components — one a liquid, one a powder. You simply pour the liquid into the powder and give it a brisk shake.
And like Clinique’s Fresh Pressed Daily Booster, it’s much more than a straight up Vitamin C serum. In addition to the Ferulic Acid and Vitamin E, there are numerous antioxidant botanical extracts that boost the protective benefits of the new C-Firma formula. I love, too, that a fermented active in the form of Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Ferment Extract is ingredient number seven. It’s intriguing and should be quite nourishing for the skin.
Further down the INCI is Drunk Elephant’s signature Marula Oil (Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil) and an additional skin brightener in the form of Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract — one of the best brightening actives for use in skincare according to the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team.
Once activated, the C-Firma Fresh Day Serum has this unusual bubbly texture that reminds me of champagne. According to the brand, “Bubbles will form—that’s OK!”
It’s super lightweight and watery, making it easily layered into any skincare routine. I’ve used the Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Day Serum twice daily for multiple consecutive days at a time and have seen no irritation. Just brighter, better looking skin!
What I like about it: The Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Day Serum is a surprising improvement on what I believed to already be a near-perfect C-Firma formula (I’ll leave perfection to Mother Nature). I love the texture and its supreme layer-ability.
What I don’t like about it: Like the other freshly activated Vitamin C serums in my lineup, it’s relatively costly at $78 for just under an ounce (.94 oz.).
Who it’s for: All skin types, even oily and acne-prone skins.
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Day Serum for $78 here.
That’s it, guys! I hope you find a Vitamin C serum — freshly activated or not — that works for you and that you’ll incorporate one into both your AM and PM skincare routines. It’s essential to the health of your skin.
See you next week!
💟 Carmine @skincarma
WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW
2020’s BEST VITAMIN C SERUMS WITH THE ORDINARY, CLINIQUE, BEAUTY STAT & MORE!
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW
THE YEAR’S BEST VITAMIN C SERUMS WITH PAULA'S CHOICE, SUNDAY RILEY, THE INKEY LIST AND MORE!
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW OF
A SELFCARE SUNDAY NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART – WITH THE PAULA’S CHOICE 25% AHA PEEL!
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW OF
SKINCARE HACKS: GLYCOLIC ACID IS THE NATURAL DEODORANT THAT WORKS!
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW
COOL CLEAN FACIAL SUNSCREENS TO KEEP US SAFE AND SMILING IN THE SUN!
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW
THE BEST HYALURONIC ACID SERUMS FROM PAULA'S CHOICE, THE INKEY LIST, GHOST DEMOCRACY & MORE
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW
MY 2021 VITAMIN C PICKS + THE BEST VITAMIN C SERUMS TO BRIGHTEN UP THE COMPLEXION!
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
The Ingredient List of the Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Fresh Day Serum:
aox|sb|buff, Laureth-23 emu|surf 0 3, Glycerin sii|h 0 0, Tocopherol 
aox 0-3 0-3, Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Ferment Extract exf, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil emo, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate so|h, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract so|sb, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Juice Extract exf|aox, Ferulic Acid aox|amic, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract h, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract aox|so, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract exf, Propanediol solv|h, Gluconolactone exf|chel, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer sii|aox|h, Sodium Hyaluronate sii|h 0 0, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Glutamylamidoethyl Imidazole cci, Tetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane aox|sb|so, Tetrahydrodemethoxydiferuloylmethane aox|sb|so, Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane aox|sb|so, Pentylene Glycol solv|h, Caprylhydroxamic Acid chel, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate amic|pres, Sorbic Acid pres, Phenoxyethanol pres, Sodium Benzoate pres, Caprylyl Glycol h|emo, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan) Extract h|vc, Ethylhexylglycerin presThe Ingredient List of the Clinique Fresh Pressed Daily Booster with Pure Vitamin C 10%:
aox|sb|buff, Glycerin sii|h 0 0, Dimethicone emo 0 1, Squalane sii|emo 0 1, Butylene Glycol h|solv|vc 0 1, Dipropylene Glycol solv, Acetyl Glucosamine sii|sb, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract so|emo, Hordeum Vulgare (Barley) Extract emo, Morus Nigra (Mulberry) Root Extract, Molasses Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract so|aox|amic|h, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 cci|h, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Fruit Extract so|aox|h, Algae Extract emo|h, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12 cci, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 cci, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 cci, Alcaligenes Polysaccharides emo|h|vc, Caffeine aox|perf, Sucrose h|so, Whey Protein cci, Betaine h, Salicylic Acid exf|aacne|so|pres, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Protein emu, Sodium Hyaluronate sii|h 0 0, Caprylyl Glycol h|emo, Sigesbeckia Orientalis (St. Paul'S Wort) Extract, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane emo|h|surf, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate emo, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seedcake abrasive/scrub, Allyl Methacrylates Crosspolymer vc, Carbomer vc 0 1, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate vc, Tromethamine buff, Xanthan Gum vc, Potassium Sorbate pres, PEG-8 h|solv, Polysorbate 20 emu|surf 0 0, Sodium Citrate chel|buff, Disodium EDTA chel, Phenoxyethanol presThe Ingredient List of the goop beauty GOOPGLOW 20% Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Glow Serum:
aox|sb|buff, Glycerin sii|h 0 0, Dimethyl Isosorbide solv|vc, Pentylene Glycol solv|h, Propanediol solv|h, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract aox|sb, Sodium Hyaluronate sii|h 0 0, Ferulic Acid aox|amic, Olea Europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract perf, Ziziphus Jujuba Seed Extract, Levan, Decyl Glucoside surf, Galactoarabinan aox, Sodium Citrate chel|buff, Xylitol h, Caprylic Acid surf|emu|perf 3 1, Sodium Hydroxide buff, Citric Acid buff, Phenethyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin pres, Potassium Sorbate pres, Caprylyl Glycol h|emo
