Some of you may know about my current “obsession” with Vitamin C serums ever since I finished my favourite Vitamin C serum. It was eye-wateringly expensive, but it worked so well for me. I’ve been toying with the idea of repurchasing, but at the same time, wanted to try something new.
So, when I stumbled across the Clinique Fresh Pressed Daily Booster with Pure Vitamin C 10% I did a double take. I hounded Clinique before its availability here in Malaysia because I was so bloody curious. You would be too, if I tell you that it comes in 1 week vials. Say what?
The thing is, Clinique came out with 2 different packaging for this, and I understood why the moment I saw the price. Oh yes, the full set was pretty eye-watering.
The Clinique Fresh Pressed Daily Booster with Vitamin C 10% (let me just call it the Fresh Pressed Daily Booster) comes in a pack of 4, for use over 4 weeks. It also comes as a 1 week option, with 7 days worth of the complementary Fresh Pressed Renewing Powder Cleanser.
I was all ready to spring for the full 1 month version, but to be honest, couldn’t justify the price. Locally it retails at RM315 for the full size option (yes, I had to pick my jaw off the floor as well. It’s not a price I’m used to seeing at Clinique) so, although I was sceptical, I dug deep and sprung for the Fresh Pressed 7 Day System, to see what I could discern from it.
First off, let me just make it clear that it’s really hard to see significant results in just 7 days, unless the product is really potent, or you really have a problem that needs solving. The Fresh Pressed Daily Booster only contains 10% Vitamin C. High, but not as high as my other serum that had 20%. So, if I’m to be honest, I didn’t expect much of a result.
You know what? It turns out I was right. This did nothing for me, in that I saw no results after the 1 week I was supposed to be using it. Nothing significant anyway.
But I have to explain a little about it, to explain why I think it fairly nifty.
Clinique Fresh PRessed Daily Booster Vitamin C is pretty nifty!
The Fresh Pressed Daily Booster comes in a vial that you see above. Each vial comes sealed with the foil as you see at the top. When you tear off the foil, you reveal an orange dome.
The logic behind this packaging and delivery system is because Vitamin C is quite a volatile ingredient that oxidises easily on contact with the air, and that can render it ineffective.
So, what Clinique has done, is to package it, so you only mix the active ingredients when you need it – hence the “fresh pressed” concept. Like freshly pressed juice.
When you press it down the first time, you can feel something “break” and give. Apparently, this is the vitamin C powder mixing with the serum. We can’t see it, so I wasn’t sure if it worked or if everything was mixed up. I pressed it a few times just for good measure :P
After that, each time you use it, you must shake it up beforehand for the recommended 15 seconds. It’s a hell of a long time when you’re counting!. Be sure to keep the cap on, or you will shake the serum everywhere and create a mess. Then, remove the cap, and depress 2 pumps into your moisturiser.
How to use the Clinique Fresh Pressed Daily Booster with Vitamin C
Using it is simple.
First, remove foil, and depress the plastic dome to mix the active ingredients and shake it up. Remember to keep the cap on.
Each time, before using, leave the cap on, and shake a few times for 15 seconds to mix up the contents properly, before dispensing.
Then, remove cap, and depress the plastic dome to dispense 2 pumps into your moisturiser, or apply it directly onto your skin.
Can you apply it directly on skin?
Because this is a booster serum, you do not use it directly on skin, but you are supposed to mix it with your moisturiser of choice. The texture of the serum is a little like an emulsion, and has a very slight metallic smell. Nothing too bothersome. I will warn you however, that it will thin out your moisturiser or make it feel richer, so it depends really, on how you feel about it.
I was tempted to use it on its own directly on skin, but I wasn’t sure I should do that so I abstained from being a mad scientist lest I cause myself more harm than good.
Note: I realized that using the Clinique Fresh Pressed Daily Booster with Vitamin C directly on skin yields better, more visible results for me. For this reason, if you are a seasoned Vitamin C serum user, then I suggest that you can use it directly on your skin, followed by other serums or moisturiser. However, if you have very sensitive skin or are new to using Vitamin C serum, then use it the recommended way i.e. mixing with your moisturiser.
RELATED READING: Read how it fares for me when used together with the Clinique Fresh Pressed Clinical Overnight Booster with pure Vitamin A (Retinol) READ HERE
My experience with the Clinique Fresh Pressed Daily Booster with Vitamin C
But as I said above I didn’t see significant, if any results from using this serum. I don’t know if it’s because it’s not used directly on my skin, or if it’s because I’m used to a higher concentration of Vitamin C, or if it’s because 7 days is just too short to tell.
My skin didn’t look any clearer or brighter, sad to say. It’s actually quite a poor representation of a product for me, because I’m now not interested in trying the full 1 month regimen. A case when the sample puts me off.
The other interesting thing I noted is that while the vial is supposed to last you 1 week, I found that it actually lasts longer than that. I used it twice a day for the first week but because there’s still product in there, and I didn’t want to waste my money, I’ve been using up the balance and thus far, it’s still going strong 2 weeks on, although I only use it once a day now. The directions call for you to discard it after 7 days, but seriously, why would I want to throw my money away? :P
So all in all, just based on this Fresh Pressed 7 Day System, I’ll say that I’m not sold on this Fresh Pressed Daily Booster serum.
It’s too fiddly, it works out bloody expensive, and I don’t know why they bothered selling a 7 day system because for me, it did nothing. That said, maybe if you’ve never used a vitamin c serum, you may notice some results – significantly, brighter more even toned skin. For me, I’m moving on.
IN A NUTSHELL
The Clinique Fresh Pressed Daily Booster with Vitamin C 10% is a vitamin C booster serum that you mix with your moisturiser. The product comes in a vial that you mix up before you start using, and it’s only supposed to last you 1 week and then to be discarded. I find that the product is actually sufficient for up to 2 weeks at least, and it isn’t unpleasant. But it is fiddly, as you have to shake up the bottle before each use, and you must be careful as it can get messy if you don’t keep the cap on. I personally did not notice a significant result after 7 days of use, and not even 14 days later. I also find the concept, while ingenious, expensive in the long run and eventually unsustainable. I’m not sure where Clinique is going with this. I think the idea of a Vitamin C serum is a good one, but there are easier ways of working with it I’m sure.
PROS: The 7 Day System allows you to try it before committing to the full 4 bottle 4 week regimen, Product is kept fresh until you want to use it which could make it more effective
CONS: Expensive in the long run as each vial lasts only 1 week, Fiddly mechanism, Can be hard to depress, It didn’t show results for my skin
WHO WILL LIKE THIS: Perhaps someone who hasn’t used a Vitamin C serum before, Anyone who is particular about their products being “fresh”
PRICE: RM135 | US$27 for the Fresh Pressed 7 Day System / RM315 | US$76.50 for the 4 week system
WHERE TO BUY: Sephora Malaysia exclusive, Sephora online
If you’re interested, here is the ingredient list
You may be wondering if I tried the Fresh Pressed Renewing Powder Cleanser. No I did not, because I wanted to test only the Daily Booster on its own. I’ll update if I try the cleanser. But honestly, I’m not sold on fiddly systems like this, preferring to use a regular cleanser. Just me. No comment on the product efficacy.
Did you try the Clinique Fresh Pressed Daily Booster? Did it work for you?
I’d be interested to know if it worked for you, because it did zilch for me. Considering the directions to discard the product after 1 week, I feel it’s just too expensive to warrant a purchase. Perhaps if it works, that’s fine. But then I could just drop a similarly eye-watering amount of money on a product that I know works, and that easily lasts me 2 months use and is fine to its very last drop. That’s probably what I’ll do :P
Paris B
Too fussy for me. And you’re right, it works out more expensive. Thanks for saving me the RM. I ordered The Ordinary vitamin C, so I’ll give that a try. :)
I hope the Ordinary Vitamin C works for you Cecilia! I’ve read that it’s effective, if you can get past the texture :)
Aiya….I just bought this last weekend when I went down to Seattle since I wasn’t too sure if I could get it in Vancouver.
I haven’t had a chance to try it yet.
Haha don’t worry Evo, maybe it’ll work for you! But do report back once you’ve tried it for a week as they say, and let me know how it goes?
Was about to buy this last week but didn’t since it intrigued me more how it looks on the inside. Also saw Caroline Hirons talk about it briefly and still wasn’t sold coz you pay more because of the packaging.
I’m not sure if you pay more due to the packaging, but you definitely pay more due to the system they’re trying to create. I’m not sure if CH said she liked it, did she? Well, either way, I don’t haha! :D
This becomes a hit recently. But the price really scares me away. Ascorbic acid is a cheap ingredient, plus it’s only 10%.
Just sharing I am using and gosh LOVING the Paula’s Choice C 15 Super Booster with 15% vitamin C. It’s a formula similar to the famous Skin Ceuticals CE Serum, with vitamin E and ferulic acid. I think pure 10% isn’t powerful enough. The Paula’s Choice one really makes me see the glow. Really impressive. I have a stubborn spot on my left cheekbone. Nothing works. I put the booster on, massage one drop in, and the brown spot literally fades so much even before the bottle finishes.
Paris if you like vitamin C. Please try the Paula’s Choice one and compare with the Dr Brandth 20%.
I think it’s also about the delivery since ascorbic acid can be unstable over time. And yes, it’s a hit because it’s quite uniquely packaged isn’t it? :) Thank you for telling me about Paula’s Choice booster. I have heard a lot about it, and about her products in general. I have to say that I haven’t tried it partly for personal reasons, because we couldn’t get it before and I had a poor experience with someone locally who basically tried to scam me though I didn’t fall for it, and while I know we can now get it through official channels here, I’m a little scarred by that experience. Also, I actually don’t like how she tends to trash talk other products in a similar category. It bothers me although I know it shouldn’t, because the products should speak for themselves LOL That said, I think the reason I didn’t go for this, is because a friend of mine tried it and didn’t think a lot of it. So I was similarly disillusioned. That said, I am game to try some PC products, so I will bear this one in mind :) Thanks for the affirmation of its efficacy!
Oh really?! As far as I know, Worthee Cosmetics is the only official channel for Paula’s Choice Malaysia. I’ve been buying from them for more than a year already. I personally feel they are really friendly and knowledgeable for beauty chemistry. Haven’t come across any nice customer service brand like theirs and I hope the one you mentioned wasn’t them.
I agree that chemist like Paula has their own point of views for products. Though, I still use the products from other brands she recommended highly on beautypedia. So far so good. You’re right too that sometimes products she trashed may be good too. But Beautypedia, like your blog, is a good source for doing homework for us consumers.
Yes, C 15, along with her 2% BHA liquid, 10% niacinamidd booster and 1% retinol can be starters if you want to try!!
It wasn’t Worthee Cosmetics :) I haven’t bought anything from them yet, but I have liaised with them and they are professional and friendly so you’re in good hands! :) I have nothing against Paula or Beautypedia to be honest. I actually think it’s a great resource and I too refer to it, although the comments are primarily based on ingredients and packaging, not based on actual trial. My peeve however, is to do with the fact that she sells products, and that I feel, creates a conflict of interest, when you critique others while pushing your own. But otherwise I have nothing against them, and are glad that they are there, slicing through the jungle of info! :) You’ve mentioned all the ones I’ve been told to try! LOL I will get to it. One day ;)
Hi Paris, you may wish to look into the Japanese drugstore Rohto Melano CC range as a cheaper alternative. I’ve tried both the lotion/toner and the serum/treatment and have been very happy with the results. I get them online from rakuten or whenever i’m in Japan. I believe the vitamin c derivative is the same as that found in the dr brandt serum.
Hello! Thank you for the suggestion. I’ll keep a lookout online for it (I don’t know how to shop at Rakuten coz it’s so confusing haha!) but I’ll definitely look it up because it does sound interesting, and the Japanese are good at such things!