Vitamin C is one of the most popular skincare ingredients out there, but a few really bad experiences have put me off using it, seemingly forever. The new Paula´s Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum promises to be different and has been formulated exactly for people like me, for whom vitamin C is just too much.
Table of Contents
What I enjoyed about it
- Makes my skin glow
- Faded even my old dark post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation
- Increases collagen production
- Powerful antioxidant effect
- Light moisturizing lotion is a pleasure to apply
- Works well under makeup and suncreen
What I disliked about it
- Pricey
I love skincare and I love trying new things. This has led me to many dangerous paths in the past. Some years ago I had a goal, that seemingly only vitamin C could help me achieve: I wanted the glow and more collagen in my skin. So I went ahead and bought one of those classical vitamin C serums (watery, with a dropper, smelling like hot dog water). In my overenthusiasm I started applying it every day. Boom! My face started looking as if roasted. Red, itchy, with breakouts everywhere. Ok, my fault, I have applied too much, too soon, I thought. So I took a break for a week and came back later with renewed forces and with more patience. Once a day, in the morning, every three days. Breakouts galore! This ingredient obviously hated me and it was not getting any better. So I put it aside forever and gave it to a friend.
Why would I willingly come back to it? Because vitamin C is a really good ingredient. Because almost nothing can help fade my dark spots faster than several months. And because Paula´s Choice came up with a formula that should be exactly what the others are not: effective, but also gentle and soothing.
Why should we use vitamin C?
Vitamin C is a titan of active skincare ingredients. It has so many different beneficial effects for our skin and body in general, not only when it comes to looks, but also regarding overall health. The most relevant for skin care are:
- it increases collagen production in the skin: collagen is one of the most important structural proteins in our body and it cannot be produced without vitamin C. Studies have shown that applying it topically can increase collagen production and might even increase firmness.
- it is a powerful antioxidant: chronic skin inflammation at the microscopic level is directly tied to skin damage. Outside factors, such as UV radiation and pollutants, produce damaging molecules when they come into contact with our skin. This leads to actual disruptions in skin cell activity and structure, which causes inflammation and even cell DNA damage. The soothing effects of vitamin C decrease inflammation and improve skin health.
- it decreases pigment production by interfering with melanin production. This makes it effective when treating skin concerns such as sunspots and melasma, or, like in my case, acne marks.
The problem with a lot of vitamin C formulations
Well, definitely not all products that claim to contain vitamin C can do all those things to the same extent. For some it is even controversial if they even do anything at all. That is because there are multiple compounds which are classed as “vitamin C”.
L-ascorbic acid is the real vitamin C (the molecule we actually find in fruit and vegetables) and is the most well studied of them all. This makes it very reliable, but it also has some properties that make it quite annoying to use:
- it is quite unstable, especially when dissolved in water – it oxidizes quickly and has a short shelf life. Needs to be kept in the fridge, away from light, and gradually starts turning more and more brown until you need to throw it away after a few months.
- it can be quite irritating, depending on the concentration. The low pH necessary to keep it stable is a lot to take for some people. It can also stain your skin.
- many people, myself included, find it smells like hot dog water, not something particularly appealing for most.
Why is the Paula´s Choice Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum different?
This product does not contain L-ascorbic acid, but rather a blend of highly stable, but potent vitamin C derivatives that increase tolerability and shelf life. They do not need to be kept in such low pH solutions in order to remain stable, which makes them even less irritating. Shelf life is also improved by it being a lotion in an airtight pump, rather than a watery solution in a dropper bottle.
- Ascorbyl Glucoside is water soluble and more gentle than many derivatives, because it converts to ascorbic acid directly into the skin.
- Tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate is fat-soluble, which can help it penetrate skin easier. It is an effective antioxidant, which counterbalances UV damage in the skin.
But this antioxidant effect is improved when combined with other powerful ingredients, such as:
- glutathione, a super important molecule that prevents oxidative damage inside our cells. It is not only a very good friend to vitamin C, which it stabilizes and makes stronger, but it is also a very potent ingredient that has anti aging and brightening effects. Its supply steadily drops with age. GAP technology (glutathione amino acid precursors), something included in this formula, also helps by increasing the amount of glutathione naturally produced in the skin.
- ergothioneine, is another powerful antioxidant, this time naturally from mushrooms. It makes skin look younger and improves discolouration.
- apple fruit extract, antioxidant plant extract with hydrating effects.
About my skin type
- Acne prone
- Combination skin type – oily around nose and normal to dry everywhere else
- Sensitive
- First signs of aging starting to appear
What I like about this product
First of all, I like how non-offending it is. It doesn’t smell, doesn´t stain and the best thing ever is that it does not irritate my skin at all. My skin is already getting prone to getting irritated because I am using prescription retinoids and acid exfoliants. It also does not cause me any breakouts.
Secondly, it does exactly what it promises. L-ascorbic acid might be the most researched, but I never got to see any results from it because it was so irritating. It is really gentle and feels soothing on my skin. It is also very effective. I have been using this one for close to two months and it faded my old acne spots, which makes me downright ecstatic. It gives my skin the subtle, clean glow that I have been wishing for. I feel like my skin is healthier and happier. But do not expect these results to come right away, rather think of it as something that comes after a few weeks of consistent use. I also apply it around my eyes, and, besides the anti-aging effects, I feel like it makes my under eye area look a little lighter.
As a light and smooth lotion, I apply it as one of the first steps in my morning routine. If you apply vitamin C only once, then the morning would be ideal, so it can protect you against UV rays. Some claim however that it can accumulate into the skin and protect you up to several days after application. Anyways, this product can be easily applied two times a day as long as you work your way up to it (especially if inexperienced). What I like is that it does not pill under makeup and sunscreen, rather works well underneath them. You can also mix it in your moisturizer, which increases tolerability even more. Vitamin C can also be used with almost all other actives, except for copper peptides.
What I don’t like about it
It´s quite simple really: it´s expensive. That is mostly true of all Paula´s Choice products, but this one is really up there in price. Together with their retinol products, they are definitely an investment, but that is something I am willing to do when it comes to products and companies I feel I can trust.
Conclusion
This product is the only vitamin C formulation I am willing to ever use again. It is gentle and gives me all of the more immediate benefits of this fickle friend: fades dark spots and gives me a fresh glow. The longer term benefits will take a while to evaluate, but I do trust the process. It is really expensive, but the new technologies and derivatives make it much more tolerable than before. And I simply want to enjoy those vitamin C benefits without being miserable about it. The added glutathione can only make it better. Like many of us, I sometimes experience stress, I live in cities with a lot of pollution and am sometimes not so diligent with my sunscreen application. This is an investment that will hopefully pay dividends in the years to come.
