I've heard mixed reviews about this product. Some say its gritty and others say its too irritating (although it was reformulated at one point). That being said I've wanted to try it for a while in the hopes it would help my Hyper-pigmentation so thoughtfully left over by my acne. This formula has 23% ascorbic acid, one of the best forms of vitamin c for pigmentation issues but The Ordinary has a guide for their different forms of vitamin c, here. But another popular form is Ascorbyl Palmitate and is often found in cheaper products, especially moisturizers as its oil soluble and it's a good antioxidant but won't do much for pigmentation.
Ascorbic acid can also increase collagen production helping to with fine lines and protect against free radical damage. That being said ascorbic acid has a tendency to sting or be gritty as aforementioned. When left for long periods of time or in bad packaging it can easily oxidise so it's not something you want to keep in a stash and use only once in a while.
Oxidation is when it reacts with the air (acting as an antioxidant, losing electrons) which will cause the serum to change colour rendering it ineffective and some say it can be harmful. Its nothing to be worried about but if the serum changes colour its time to bin it.
Free From:
Water, Silicone, Oil, nuts and alcohol are listed on the product page. Although Deciem says "across all brands including The Ordinary, are free of parabens, sulphates, mineral oil, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, animal oils, benzalkonium chloride, coal tar dyes, formaldehyde, mercury, oxybenzone."
Ethics:
Don't test on animals or sell in China. Vegan.
Price:
£4.90 (12.17)
First Impressions
The product has slip and is smooth, it has a slight metallic smell. It does feel a bit greasy after applying but it's not too bad. The 2% Hyaluronic Acid defiantly helps to smooth out fine lines. I was very much expecting to have to deal with stinging and a gritty texture but luckily I had none of that. The serum has a low viscosity, meaning its quite liquid but is sold in a tube. They say they changed it from a bottle with a dropper to a tube after it was requested by customers but I don't feel like its thick enough for a tube, it can be quite clumsy to get some out so I'm not sure whether I like the packaging.
How I recommend using it:
It's somewhat thick and occlusive (sits on top of the skin). I would use it as a last step before moisturiser as it wouldn't be nice to layer under other serums.
Overall Opinion:
I don't like the texture that much with it being overly occlusive, instead, I am trying their Alpha Arbutin 2%. I might find a different use for this serum, maybe on my hands. I did try and use it under my eyes but it moved into them from rubbing quite quickly and caused a fair amount of stinging.
References
Humbert PG , et al. (n.d.). Topical ascorbic acid on photoaged skin. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12823436
Oxidation of ascorbic acid. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://chemistry.oregonstate.edu/courses/ch130/old/VITCTEXT.htm
Vitamin C in dermatology. (2013, April). Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3673383/
