Vitamin C comes in several forms. L-ascorbic acid is the most studied, but it is also the least stable — it breaks down when exposed to air and light. Derivatives are steadier but less proven.
This product uses three forms, including L-ascorbic acid. Using a mix is a reasonable way to balance strength and stability. The problem is that none of the amounts are disclosed, and dose is the whole question with vitamin C.
Packaging matters too. Pure vitamin C in a jar-style pot is exposed to air each time you open it. If the gel darkens, the vitamin C has oxidized and is doing less than it was.
| Key active | Three vitamin C forms (concentrations undisclosed) |
| Texture | Gel-crème |
| Best for | Dullness; normal to combination skin |
| Approximate price | $46 for 1.7 oz |
It feels genuinely lovely, and it has lasted in a crowded category for that reason. The gel-crème texture is light, fresh, and absorbs quickly.
It uses three forms of vitamin C, including L-ascorbic acid — the evidence-backed form — alongside two derivatives. Using a mix is defensible formulation: they have different solubilities and stabilities.
Hyaluronic acid and green tea round it out sensibly, and it hydrates well.
None of the three vitamin C concentrations are disclosed. "Three forms of vitamin C" tells you nothing about how much of any of them you are getting. Dose is the whole question with vitamin C, and this product does not answer it.
It contains fragrance plus citral, limonene, linalool and benzyl alcohol — four declared fragrance allergens, in a product you apply to your whole face every day.
L-ascorbic acid in a gel-crème raises a real stability problem. Pure vitamin C degrades on contact with air and light. This is a translucent gel in a jar-style pot. If it has darkened, the vitamin C has oxidized and is doing less than it was.
$46 for 1.7 oz of what is fundamentally a nice humectant gel with an undisclosed amount of vitamin C in it.
Water, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Glycereth-26, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Hydroxyacetophenone, Panthenol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Linoleic Acid, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Xanthan Gum, Cetearyl Glucoside, Linolenic Acid, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Citrate, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Aroma, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Phytate, Hyaluronic Acid, Collagen, Ascorbic Acid, Tocopherol, CI 15985, CI 19140, Citral, Limonene, Linalool, Benzyl Alcohol
1. Topical Vitamin C and the Skin: Mechanisms of Action and Clinical Applications (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5605218) — Confirms L-ascorbic acid is the most biologically active and best-studied form of vitamin C, that derivatives (e.g. magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, ascorbyl-6-palmitate) are more stable at neutral pH, and that a low pH (below 3.5) is needed for L-ascorbic acid stability and skin penetration. 2. Vitamin C in dermatology (https://doi.org/10.4103/2229-5178.110593) — Supports the claim that L-ascorbic acid is the active form of vitamin C but is unstable and difficult to deliver, which is why stable derivatives with differing stabilities and delivery properties are used in formulations. 3. Hyaluronic acid: A key molecule in skin aging (https://doi.org/10.4161/derm.21923) — Backs the claim that hyaluronic acid is the key molecule for skin moisture, with a unique capacity to retain water and hydrate the skin. 4. Mechanisms of Photoaging and Cutaneous Photocarcinogenesis, and Photoprotective Strategies with Phytochemicals (https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox4020248) — Supports the plausibility of green tea as a sensible antioxidant addition, documenting green tea polyphenols (catechins) as antioxidant, photoprotective phytochemicals for skin.