Ciracle Vitamin Source C-20 Serum Review

Disclaimer: I purchased this.

Way back in December I purchased a vitamin C serum from Memebox - Ciracle's Vitamin Source C-20. I had been reading about all the good things vitamin C can do for the skin, and I thought to myself "I want me some of that."  I just finished the bottle today, so I guess it's time for a review :-)

First off, a little about vitamin C for the skin: it's a temperamental little beast. Maybe temperamental is not the right word I'm looking for. Delicate perhaps? You see, it has to be formulated at the right pH level (less than 3) to be effective yet not too low (above 2.5?) or it can irritate the skin.

Vitamin C is also notoriously unstable and starts to degrade when exposed to heat, light, and air. So whatever vitamin C product you go with should be in an air tight, dark bottle that gets stored in the refrigerator.  Based on all this, I'm sticking with temperamental and delicate as adjectives.

Yet an effective vitamin C serum can do such good things for the skin! Vitamins C and E paired together protect the skin from both UVA and UVB rays and scavenges for damaging free radicals. Vitamin C can reverse the chemical compound that causes skin discolorations for a more even complexion. Vitamin C is also thought to aid in collagen production, which means tighter, firmer skin. It's a skincare powerhouse, pure and simple. For reference, I've got super oily skin with under the skin bumps caused by sebaceous hyperplasia, sun damage from years of not wearing sun screen and living on the Gulf Coast, and I'm old :-)

Source FutureDerm: The Science of Beauty 

Ciracle's C-20 is a thin, slightly viscous pale yellow liquid.  I used about half a dropper's worth for my face, neck, and back of my hands.  It stings (tingles?) slightly after applying, and has a somewhat sticky finish. When I did wear it during the day I did not notice it interfering with my makeup in the least, and that slight stickiness could work as foundation primer, I suppose. This did not irritate my skin nor did it cause breakouts.

Ingredients: Water, Ascorbic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Rosa Davurica Bud Extract, Alcohol, Sodium Lactate, Glucose, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Sodium Bicarbonate, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Beta-Glucan, Xanthan Gum, PEG-180, Gluconolactone, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Lecthin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ubiquinone, Diisopropyl Adipate, Glycerin, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Oil, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Zinc PCA, Phenoxyethanol, Methyparaben

Here is something I just learned a few weeks ago: vitamin C's effects on the skin last 72 hours, which means you really don't need to apply it daily. I felt pressured to use up my bottle ASAP due to the limited shelf life (1 year from opening, but then there are those pesky oxidation issues nipping at your heels), so I'm not sure knowing about the 72 hour lasting effects would have slowed me down any.  The bottle I purchased from Memebox ($25) had an expiration date of 1/28/16, but it worked well right up to the last drops. It still took me a good 8 months to finish off this bottle using it 3-4 times a week, as I would sometimes forget because it was in the refrigerator. Out of sight, out of mind, you know.

So did I see any difference in my skin? Yes, I believe this did make a difference. The dark spots on the left side of my face are slightly lighter and the overall tone and clarity of my skin seems better. I liked using a vitamin C serum enough that I want to keep one in my skin care routine, although I'm not sure it will be Ciracle's C-20. Memebox no longer carries it, but I do see it on amazon.com for about $35 and at the official Ciracle site for $39.30. I just purchased a reasonably priced vitamin C serum from a US brand called Simply Radiant, so I'll have something to compare. I've also heard good things about Drunk Elephants C-Firma Day Serum, but I'm not quite ready to spend $80 to try it out :-)