Confession time: I’m using a serum with Vitamin C + niacinamide.
Shock horror!
I know, I know, you’ve probably heard something horrible will happen if you mix those two together.
You’ll get beautiful, glowy skin.
I know, not that horrible, isn’t it? Me thinks it’s time to bust some myths so you can enjoy amazing serums like Dr Dennis Gross C+ Collagen Brighten & Firm Vitamin C Serum that has both anti-aging superstars:
- What’s In Dr Dennis Gross C+ Collagen Brighten & Firm Vitamin C Serum?
- Texture
- Fragrance
- How To Use It
- Performance & Personal Opinion
- Who Is This For?
- Who Is This NOT For?
- Packaging
- Does Dr Dennis Gross C+ Collagen Brighten & Firm Vitamin C Serum Live Up To Its Claims?
- Price & Availability
- Do You Need It?
- Dupes & Alternatives
What’s In Dr Dennis Gross C+ Collagen Brighten & Firm Vitamin C Serum?
VITAMIN C TO BRIGHTEN SKIN AND PREVENT WRINKLES
Dr Dennis Gross C+ Collagen Brighten & Firm Vitamin C Serum has not one, not two, but three types of Vitamin C:
- 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid: A stable form of Vitamin C that brightens skin and fades dark spots.
- Ascorbic Acid: The pure of form of Vitamin C, it fights free radicals, boosts collagen and brightens – but can irritate sensitive skin.
- Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate: An oil-soluble form of Vitamin C that penetrates skin more easily to fight wrinkles and boost collagen.
All this vitamin C helps your skin fight wrinkles, fades dark spots and gives your skin a beautiful glow.
Related: Types Of Vitamin C In Skincare Products: What They Are And What They Do
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NIACINAMIDE TO… EVERYTHING
Niacinamide is another antiaging superstar that’s part of any everyday skincare routine. This multitasker:
- Brightens skin
- Fades dark spots
- Fights wrinkles
- Hydrates skin
- Soothes irritations and rosacea
- Treats acne
So why do people say it doesn’t play well with Vitamin C?
Here’s the deal: when you mix the two, the solution turns yellow. That’s usually the colour of death for Vitamin C. It means it has become useless.
Usually. Because in this case, the yellow colour is caused by the formation of Niacinamide Ascorbate. Basically, an electron transferred from Vitamin C to Niacinamide, holding them together.
But this reaction is reversible. As they travel deep into your skin, Vitamin C and Niacinamide go their merry separate ways, so you don’t have to worry about this chemical reaction at all.
The best part? Niacinamide Ascorbate isn’t as useless as it seems. Studies show it can still help fight sun damage.
Related: Can You Use Vitamin C And Niacinamide Together?
ANTIOXIDANTS TO PREVENT WRINKLES
The three forms of Vitamin C aren’t the only antioxidants here. Dr Dennis Gross C+ Collagen Brighten & Firm Vitamin C Serum also has superoxide dismutase, ubiquinone, quercetin…
I’m particularly thrilled to see that superoxide dismutase has made it onto the ingredient list. It’s one of those antioxidants that you come across rarely, which is a shame because it’s super powerful.
Superoxide Dismutase destroys Superoxide, one of the worst types of free radicals. Superoxide is the primary trigger of inflammation. This inflammation then turns into wrinkles and dark spots and may have trigger a bout of acne!
Give me a dose of Superoxide Dismutase pronto!
Related: Is Superoxide Dismutase The Best Antioxidant Of All?
ALCOHOL TO ENHANCE PENETRATION
So far this serum sounds perfect, doesn’t it?
Well, there is one little nasty thing lurking in here: SD Alcohol 40-B. I guess it’s here to help the active ingredients penetrate skin more easily.
But too much alcohol can be drying for the skin. You can counteract this by applying moisturiser afterwards, which you should do anyway. I did this and had no problem at all.
But again, if you have sensitive or very dry skin, the combo of alcohol and lots of Vitamin C could irritate your skin. Be careful!
Related: The Truth About Alcohol-Free In Skincare: What Does It Really Mean?
Texture
Lightweight, gel-like texture. It sinks quickly into my skin without leaving a sticky feeling behind.
Fragrance
It’s fragrance-free. But the natural odour of the ingredients is NOT good. This thing smells. But, I’d rather put up with that for a few seconds than the irritation caused by added fragrances. Just saying…
Related: Is Fragrance In Skincare As Bad As Paula Begoun Says?
How To Use It
In the morning, right after cleansing.
Performance & Personal Opinion
Dr Dennis Gross C+ Collagen Brighten & Firm Vitamin C Serum is an orangey caramel in colour. This does NOT mean Vitamin C has gone bad. Caramel is one of the ingredients here. 🙂
I apply it just after cleansing to allow it to penetrate more deeply into my skin. After a couple of weeks, I could already see my skin was more radiant than usual. My skin felt a little tighter, too.
Of course, the serum can’t lift skin that has already sagged (you still need a little nip and tuck for that), but it keeps everything tight.
The good cocktail of antiaging ingredients fights wrinkles and boosts collagen, keeping your skin in good, youthful condition. There’s enough Vitamin C here to lighten your dark spots as well, but I can’t vouch for it personally. I’m lucky I don’t have any yet. I’m planning to keep it that way. 😉
Who Is This For?
Anyone interested in preventing wrinkles.
Who Is This NOT For?
If you have sensitive skin, this may be too much for you.
Packaging
A yellow tube that reminds you of Vitamin C. The pump applicator releases just the right amount of product you need, so that none gets wasted.
Does Dr Dennis Gross C+ Collagen Brighten & Firm Vitamin C Serum Live Up To Its Claims?
| CLAIM | TRUE? |
|---|---|
| A power-packed, weightless gel serum that revitalizes dull, tired or aging skin. | True. |
| Long term, experience an improvement in the appearance of wrinkles and banish the look of dark spots. | Truish. It can improve the look of wrinkles and dark spots, but not fade them away completely. |
Price & Availability
$78.00/£72.00 at Cult Beauty, Dermstore, Nordstrom, and Sephora
Do You Need It?
If you’re looking for a Vitamin C serum, this is a good option to consider.
[penci_review]
Dupes & Alternatives
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Niacinamide, Glycereth-7 Triacetate, Lactic Acid, SD Alcohol 40-B, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Ascorbic Acid, Collagen Amino Acids, Superoxide Dismutase, Glycine, Carnitine HCl, Ubiquinone, Hexylresorcinol, Emblica Officinalis Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Isoquercetin, Mandelic Acid, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Phytic Acid, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Citrate, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 20, T-Butyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 80, Denatonium Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Caramel.
Some reviewers say that it was difficult to use for daytime because it took too long to absorb or to use under makeup. Did you have that issue?
GT, no I didn’t. But then, I always wait a few minutes between application of each skincare product. I also don’t use foundation anymore, just concealer these days.
I haven’t used Vitamin C products much but I went ahead and took the plunge with this one. Scent doesn’t bother me and I don’t have issues with putting makeup on over it, but every time I use it, my cheeks get flushed. I tried mixing just one drop into my moisturizer and it still happened. Should I stick with it, perhaps in the evening, and see if my skin adjusts, or should I switch to something gentler? It doesn’t seem to be actually irritating my skin, but the redness sticks around for awhile and then I have to cover it with more makeup.
Rebecca, mmmm, mixing vitamin C with niacinamide like this serum does is safe for most people. But there’s a small minority that reports your same problem. Try switching to a vitamin C serum without niacinamide and see if that helps.
I’ve been having the same issue with this product- my cheeks immediately flush and remain red for 15 minutes or so. I tolerat other vitamin c products well (Like hylamide C25 booster)- so maybe it’s the combination of C + niacinamide for me. That said, once the redness dissipates, my skin looks great!
Separately, do you use this in the AM? I worry about the lactic acid – I try to avoid exfoliating in the AM but I also like to use C in the AM…and this contains both!
Jane, if you get the flushing, I’d switch to something else without lactic acid you can use in the morning. In your case, it’s best to use vitamin C in the morning and niacinamide at night.
Follow-up: I think I figured out the issue. I was using this right after my PC resist toner, which is high in niacinamide. I was probably going crazy on the niacinamide given that it was among the top few ingredients in both products. When I use the serum alone, flushing gone.
Thanks–I have been sticking with it and not massaging it in, but rather patting it in, and it seems to be getting better. And I’m trying to get rid of my cheesecake picture and replace it with a real one, but I’m not sure what’s going on!
Rebecca, the avatar images comes from Gravatar. If you have an account there with this email, change the profile picture and it should be fine. 🙂
Let’s try again with an updated email!
Rebecca, 🙂
Jane, I’m replying here because we’ve run out of space up there. Glad you were able to figure out the issue.
One more question! Do you know if “3-0 Ethyl Ascorbic Acid“ (DDG product) is the same ingredient as “Ethyl Ascorbic Acid” (in Hylamide/Niod product)?
Jane, yes they are. 🙂