I’m a huge huge fan of Vitamin C serums, as many of you know, but I had not been using one in my skincare routine for a while. I put it down to laziness.
Wot? Me, lazy?
Yes, it happens to the best of us :P
I try not to stockpile Vitamin C serums, because it’s quite an unstable ingredient, if served at maximum potency. Extremely effective, but unstable.
When doing my skincare audit of my stash, which I do from time to time, I dug out the Murad Vita-C Glycolic Brightening Serum. Incidentally, when I shared a picture of it on Instagram recently, there was so much interest in it, I just had to bump up my review :D
Murad Vita-C Glycolic Brightening Serum
Vitamin C, as most of us know by now, is a powerful antioxidant, that protects our skin from oxidative stress from the environment, and also does an excellent job at strengthening and brightening our skin.
Glycolic acid helps to resurface and remove surface dead skin cells, to reveal more radiant skin.
I am personally a big fan of both these ingredients, but this is the first time I’ve seen them in one package! Do tell me if there are others, because I’m clearly unfamiliar, and am open to suggestions! :)
What Murad has done, is put both glycolic acid and vitamin c in one handy bottle. Glycolic acid to resurface skin, so the Vitamin C can do a better job at penetrating your skin.
The Vitamin C used in this formula is L-Ascorbic Acid, which is recognised as the most effective form of Vitamin C when used topically to brighten the skin. It is also the most unstable, so Murad puts it in what they call a ‘gold-stablized’ formula. What this means is that it contains microscopic gold nanoparticles that are used to increase the absorption of a product’s active ingredients by targeting skin cells. We don’t know what the percentage of Vitamin C is in this product, as it is not disclosed.
In order to further stablize the Vitamin C, the formula is placed in a separate sealed chamber within the bottle, so this serum boasts a dual-chamber style packaging.
Where have we seen this before? In Clarins of course! In their iconic Double Serum, and the newer Plant Gold serum, the latter of which I recently shared my thoughts on.
The pump will dispense what they say is the precise amount of product you need each time, for the perfect proportion of Vitamin C to Glycolic acid ratio.
Lightweight texture with no scent
The texture is lightweight, and is suitable for all skin types. I like how it sinks into the skin very comfortably, which is important, when I usually use Vitamin C serum in the day time.
The Vitamin C portion is in the slightly oily portion of the serum, and there appears to be a slight golden sheen in the product.
I usually just pump it into the palm of my hand, mix it up, and apply to the skin. No real technique needed to use this serum.
I have used this both in the day and at night, and it’s comfortable both times. I don’t find it particularly drying nor uncomfortable.
Skin does look more radiant
I’m 2 weeks into using the Murad Vita-C Glycolic Brightening Serum, and I can firmly attest to the fact that my skin does look a little more radiant and brighter. I say this as someone who hasn’t used a Vitamin C or any brightening type serum for a while, as I was focusing on using a hydration serum before this.
I must say that it is quite impressive to see a lift in skin radiance in just about a week of use, day and night. Do not expect anything dramatic. It is all rather subtle, but you will notice it if you pay attention to your skin.
I do have a problem with hyperpigmentation, and I am out in the sun for a few hours a day, so it is really far too much to expect a topical product to make a big difference to pigmentation marks. All I can say is that my skin looks healthier and more radiant overall, and that is a good enough result for me.
Wear sunscreen!
When I saw that the product contains glycolic acid, I was a little hesitant to use it in the day, because all that peeling on a regular basis can leave skin a little overexposed to the sun and damaging UV rays. That would counter all the benefits of the Vitamin C won’t it? :P
This is one of the reasons I am a little more hesitant to use the Murad Vita-C Glycolic Brightening Serum on a long-term basis, because living in the tropics, and being exposed to the sun often (in my case) means I might damage my skin as much as I treat it.
It isn’t to say that I do not use products with glycolic acid. One of my favourite serums with glycolic acid is Sunday Riley’s Good Genes. However, I use it in the evening, and I don’t use it daily.
The only way I can work with the Murad Vita-C Glycolic Brightening Serum is to ensure that I wear a good sunscreen daily. It isn’t to say of course, that I don’t. I am a regular sunscreen wearer, and am quite fanatical about it. But I know that there are people who are a little more lax, so my advise if you want to try this Vitamin C serum, is to ensure that you have a good sunscreen on hand, that you wear daily.
I hazard a guess that someone living in the temperate region may not have the same reservations, as sun exposure is greatly minimized there for most times of the year.
In fact, as far as a Vitamin C serum goes, this one’s a pretty decent one to try, because I do think it works a treat at brightening the skin.
The other 2 major drawbacks however, are the price (incredibly pricey!) and how much Vitamin C there is in the bottle.
The whole bottle of serum has a nett content of 30ml. However, the Vitamin C is only a portion of this content. Contrast this with a product that is primarily Vitamin C in a 30ml bottle. I think you get better bang for your buck in the latter form.
This is also something to consider, when you find out that it costs RM468 | US$85 | £74 a bottle. I think it’s a great product, but I can’t justify that sort of price on a long-term basis. I’d much rather go for a more affordable Vitamin C serum that I can use daily, and perhaps pair it with a product containing glycolic acid for occasional use. I doubt it’ll cost me as much as a bottle of Murad Vita-C serum.
IN A NUTSHELL
The Murad Vita-C Glycolic Brightening Serum is a serum that comes in dual-chambered packaging, that contains Vitamin C and Glycolic Acid as its key ingredients. The Glycolic acid serves to resurface the skin, and the Vitamin C to strengthen and brighten the skin, so you have smoother, more radiant skin. I do find it to be quite effective, and you will notice results, if you haven’t used a Vitamin C product recently, or ever. However, I also find it too expensive for too little content of Vitamin C in one bottle. It would also be advised to wear a good sunscreen daily, especially if using this product, due to the glycolic acid in it, and especially in the Tropics. A good product, but has too many cons for me to fully endorse it.
PROS:
Lightweight serum absorbs quickly into the skin
Does not feel heavy nor oily
Not scented
Skin looks brighter and more radiant with regular use
Skin feels smootherCONS:
Pricey
Too little product
Could do with a warning to wear a good sunscreen over thisWHO WILL LIKE THIS: Anyone who wants an effective serum that brightens skin and makes it look more radiant quite quickly
PRICE: RM468 | US$85 | £74
WHERE TO BUY: Murad counters and beauty centres, Sephora, Cult Beauty, SpaceNK, Ulta
For those interested, this is the ingredients list of the Murad Vita-C Glycolic Brightening Serum.
Water/Aqua/Eau, Glycolic Acid, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Sodium Hydroxide, HDI/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Diisopropyl Sebacate, C13-16 Isopara¬n, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Ascorbic Acid, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Betaine, Glutathione, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Oleyl Alcohol, Silica, Hexylresorcinol, Polysilicone-11, Triheptanoin, Polyisobutene, Marrubium Vulgare Meristem Cell Culture, Zanthoxylum Bungeanum Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Verbascum Thapsus Flower, Butylene Glycol, Mica, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Surfactin, Xymenynic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Sorbitol, Tin Oxide, Xanthan Gum, t-Butyl Alcohol, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Decyl Glucoside, Gold, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891)
Have you tried this Murad Vita-C Glycolic Brightening Serum? Any Murad faves?
If you can get this on sale, I think it’s a good one to try. At its full price however, it’s a tough sell :P
Paris B
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