I’m pretty sceptical when it comes to skincare products.
Not one to try just anything, I tend to take my time when it comes to warming up to new formulas or ingredients– after all, adding a new member to your skincare routine is like adding a new friend to your ‘Close Friends List’ on Instagram – you’ve got to be selective.
Now, the major hype in the skincare world is around topical vitamin C. A perfect opportunity for investigation, I thought. And perhaps there was space in my bathroom cabinet for a few new members.
After all, the premise sounds delicious. Vitamin C, the orange excitement, or the C-kick (whatever you like to call it) has a ton of merits on paper:
A dermatologist-approved ingredient, the added dose of vitamin C goodness is believed to help prevent ageing, sun damage, and even acne, at least according to Harvard Health.
Studies have shown that vitamin C zest in skincare products also improves the overall skin texture and appearance, a real seller for anyone who’s looking to jump on the dewy skin look that’s all over social media and editorial pages right now.
Packed with antioxidants and brightening properties, the active ingredient is to be introduced into your routine gradually before it becomes a full-time member of your routine.
That’s all fair and well, but what is topical vitamin C actually like in practice?
I tried and tested vitamin C skincare products so you don’t have to:
The two products at the top of my hit list were NIP+Fab vitamin C Serum and the vitamin C cleanser, or the orange duo as I affectionately call them.
R295/Dischem
R250/ Dischem
I’ve been using the products for a few weeks now, always as a team, and here are my findings:
Disclaimer: I’ve got pretty youthful skin that tends to get dry, and I don’t sport much acne. However, when a skincare product does me dirty, I suddenly become a teenager with a spotted face – my biggest red flag for a skincare no-go.
The foamy cleanser was immediately refreshing in the kind of way we want all cleansers to be. The kicker for me was that my face continued to feel refreshed long after that final rinse. Bonus? It brightened up my skin within a few days of use (no one-hit wonders here). Beyond that, it offers protection from environmental pollutants, which for me gave my skin a glowy pop, as promised.
I use the cleanser every evening, but sometimes in the mornings too if I’m going for a day without makeup (something I highly recommend to give your skin a much-needed break).
Now for the serum (drumroll please):
The serum feels incredibly silky with something like a honey texture to it (although without the stickiness). I applied this once a day for the first week before upping it to day and night before any moisturizers.
Let me tell you about an even and smooth skin tone! A baby’s bottom couldn’t hold a candle to my skin, it felt, and before I knew it, I was leaving concealers behind. (I should note that I’ve never been one to wear a lot of foundation or concealer, but the little I do use started to become less).
Beyond the smoothness, my skin actually felt lighter. Strange to say that skin can feel heavy, but if you know, you know.
It felt like the serum upped the magic of my moisturizer too. What was this sorcery?
I’ve become something of a vitamin C diehard after this, and my next quest will be body lotions and creams (why should my face have all the fun?)
Stay tuned for the next try&test!
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