PRODUCT REVIEW: FIRST AID BEAUTY 10% VITAMIN C BRIGHTENING SERUM - BEST VITAMIN C SERUM FOR SENSITIVE SKIN, BEST BRIGHTENING SERUM WITH VITAMIN C
FIRST AID BEAUTY | 10% VITAMIN C BRIGHTENING SERUM
Between my day job as a skincare copywriter and my side gig as a skincare blogger, I’ve tried dozens of Vitamin C serums over the past year. Only a handful of them are exceptional enough to stand out.
The First Aid Beauty 10% Vitamin C Brightening Serum is certainly among the best Vitamin C serums that I’ve come across since the beginning of the year.
My most recent deep dive into Vitamin C face serums was in the spring in an article titled, 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. If you missed it, you can catch it on the blog here.
I’m a long-time fan of Drunk Elephant’s original C-Firma Vitamin C serum — a true icon and, I would guess, among the brand’s best-selling products. Yet as good as it is, I never imagined that the smart people at Drunk Elephant could improve upon it. But they did! The new C-Firma Fresh Day Serum is a more powerful, freshly activated version of the original and one of the best Vitamin C serums I’ve come across. Catch my Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Day Serum product review here.
PRODUCT REVIEW: DRUNK ELEPHANT C-FIRMA FRESH DAY SERUM - BEST VITAMIN C SERUM
Similarly, the goop beauty GOOPGLOW 20% Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Glow Serum that I reviewed alongside C-Firma Fresh Day Serum is a superbly pro-skin health antioxidant hydrating serum. You can catch my review of it here.
If you’re interested in a potent, fresh-activated Vitamin C serum, both of these are excellent options.
But not everyone is looking to spend exorbitant amounts of money to mix their own face serums over their bathroom sink. And not everyone can tolerate really potent brightening face serums made with Ascorbic Acid – the purest form of Vitamin C. I often hear from Skincarma followers that they can’t (and don’t) use Vitamin C because their skin is too reactive. That makes me sad.
I consider Vitamin C a necessity for any truly pro-skin health skincare routine. Its benefits are nearly unrivaled when it comes to the health of your skin. A high concentration of Vitamin C can help to even out skin tone, brighten the complexion, boost collagen production and reduce the look of dark spots, age spots and sun spots. You may know that the body doesn’t produce Vitamin C on its own, even though we can’t survive without it. And the only effective way for your skin to benefit from Vitamin C is through topical application.
When it comes to Vitamin C creams, I get asked all the time, which brightening cream is best for sensitive skin? My answer? The best brightening face cream with Vitamin C is the Paula’s Choice C5 Super Boost Moisturizer! The brand’s new C5 Super Boost Moisturizer is powered by 5% Ascorbyl Glucoside, one of several stabilized forms of Vitamin C.
Don’t be fooled by that seemingly low 5% concentration of Vitamin C in the C5 Super Boost Moisturizer! If you’re using a dedicated Vitamin C serum, you really don’t need a high concentration of Vitamin C in your moisturizer, too. Unless, of course, you have really visible dark spots, melasma or extreme hyperpigmentation.
But, there’s an even more important benefit to the conservative level of Vitamin C in this new Paula’s Choice brightening moisturizer. By keeping the level of Vitamin C lower and using the more tolerable Ascorbyl Glucoside, Paula’s Choice assured that their new brightening face cream can be used by many more people — particularly those with a sensitivity to Vitamin C.
The C5 Super Boost Moisturizer really was made for everyone – dry skin types, oily skin types and sensitive skin types!
PRODUCT REVIEW: PAULA’S CHOICE C5 SUPER BOOST MOISTURIZER - BEST VITAMIN C FACE CREAM
What Is Ascorbyl Glucoside and Why Is it the Best Vitamin C for Sensitive Skin?
Ascorbyl Glucoside is one of many forms of Vitamin C. It’s far more gentle on the skin than pure Ascorbic Acid, yet just as effective. Why? Well, Ascorbyl Glucoside converts to Ascorbic Acid when absorbed by the skin. So you get the best benefits of pure Vitamin C without the potentially irritating side effects; you’ll enjoy the brightening, firming and antioxidant protection even more.
Notably, along with Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, another water-soluble form of Vitamin C, Ascorbyl Glucoside is considered better for those with a sensitivity to Vitamin C.
No joke, if you’re looking for a great brightening face cream with Vitamin C, or have a sensitivity to Vitamin C, the Paula’s Choice C5 Super Boost Moisturizer is worth your time and money.
So, if you’re asking can sensitive skin use Vitamin C, the answer is yes!
But the formula has to be made with sensitive skin in mind. That’s where the First Aid Beauty 10% Vitamin C Brightening Serum comes into the picture. If you’re not familiar with First Aid Beauty and their broad range of facial skincare for sensitive skin, you’re really missing out.
Even if you don’t consider your skin to be sensitive, First Aid Beauty products make wonderful options for any serious pro-skin health skincare routine. I would consider my own skin to be normal, that is, my skin is most often perfectly in balance – neither oily nor dry.
But from time to time, it acts up. Sometimes it’s hormonal. (Yes, guys have hormone fluctuations, too!) And, sometimes it’s as a result of seasonal fluctuations. Around this time every year (late November here in New York City), the air suddenly dries out as the temps plummet into the 30s and lower. My skin can quickly feel out of whack.
And there are times when I overdo it with aggressive treatments like Glycolic Acid peels or I leave a Salicylic Acid mask on too long. (I do that a lot with The Ordinary’s Salicylic Acid 2% Masque for some reason.)
And just because your skin is sensitive (or sensitized!) doesn’t mean that you should skip out on one of the most important ingredients for your skin: Vitamin C. What it means is that you need to use skincare with Vitamin C that’s made for sensitive skin – like the Paula’s Choice C5 Super Boost Moisturizer and First Aid Beauty’s 10% Vitamin C Brightening Serum.
Unlike the C5 Super Boost Moisturizer, which is formulated with Ascorbyl Glucoside, FAB’s 10% Vitamin C Brightening Serum is infused with Ascorbic Acid, the purest form of Vitamin C. However, as with all First Aid Beauty skincare, it contains a veritable cocktail of soothing actives; among these are Colloidal Oatmeal, Feverfew Extract, Green Tea Leaf Extract and Licorice Root Extract. All four on their own are super skin soothers. Combined, they’re a true force for calming the signs and causes of sensitivity.
While I love FAB’s signature soothing complex, I have to admit that I’m obsessed with the texture of this brightening serum with Vitamin C! It feels like liquid velvet on the skin, something I appreciate on those days when I’m feeling sensitive.
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
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.
The Best Vitamin C Serums and Face Creams
With a 10% concentration of Vitamin C in First Aid Beauty’s 10% Vitamin C Brightening Serum, you may wonder what percent of vitamin C serum is best? Well, I’d have to say between 10% and 20%. And the fact that First Aid Beauty managed to get their Vitamin C serum for sensitive skin to that range is literally everything. That’s one of the things that I love about the brand – they push the innovation for sensitive skincare products.
With consistent and sustained use, the First Aid Beauty 10% Vitamin C Brightening Serum can help to fade dark spots, sun spots and age spots, reduce hyperpigmentation to even out and unify your skin tone – and even help to stimulate collagen production over time.
So your skin is sensitive. That begs the question, how do you introduce vitamin C to sensitive skin? Well, it’s best to take the same approach as when incorporating a Retinol face cream or Retinol serum into an anti-aging skincare routine: add it gradually to let your skin build up tolerance to the active.
I’d advise layering the 10% Vitamin C Brightening Serum between a hydrating toner like the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Wild Oat Hydrating Toner and a hydrating face cream. If you have normal or dry skin that’s sensitive, the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration is ideal. If you’re oily and sensitive, give First Aid Beauty’s Ultra Repair Oil-Control Moisturizer a try.
The Best Brightening Serums
What I like about it: The First Aid Beauty 10% Vitamin C Brightening Serum is IMO the best Vitamin C serum for sensitive skin. I know firsthand how soothing it is when my own skin is aggie. The 10% concentration of Ascorbic Acid paired with the brand’s signature soothing cocktail makes for a well-tolerated, effective brightening serum that anyone can use. I also really appreciate the fact that it’s perfectly layerable into any skincare routine.
What I don’t like about it: I really like everything about this Vitamin C serum for the face.
Who it’s for: All skin types, especially oily, very oily and even acne-prone skin.
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the First Aid Beauty 10% Vitamin C Brightening Serum for $50 here.
SHOP THE BLOG
The Ingredient List of the First Aid Beauty 10% Vitamin C Brightening Serum:
Aqua (Water, Eau), 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Squalane, Sodium Citrate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Colloidal Oatmeal, Chrysanthemum Parthenium (Feverfew) Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Xanthan Gum, Polyglyceryl-10 Dioleate, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium EDTA.
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 OF
#SELFCARESUNDAY IS THE BEST DAY FOR CLARITY…AND A DOSE OF PORE MAINTENANCE!
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW OF
A COMPLETE $100 SKINCARE ROUTINE WITH THE INKEY LIST, THE ORDINARY, BENTON & 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
COOL CLEAN FACIAL SUNSCREENS TO KEEP US SAFE AND SMILING IN THE SUN!
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW
THE OPULUS BEAUTY LABS RETINOL SYSTEM – THE COOLEST RETINOL INNOVATION I’VE EVER SEEN
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
WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW OF
MY WINTER SKIN SAVIOR: SKINFIX BARRIER+ LIPID REPLENISHING SKINCARE
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW
A COMPLETE K-BEAUTY ROUTINE WITH THE BEST FACIAL SKINCARE FROM PURITO, COSRX, MISSHA & 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
THE BEST HYALURONIC ACID SERUMS FROM PAULA'S CHOICE, THE INKEY LIST, GHOST DEMOCRACY & MORE
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
