I had a few questions about picking up a serum so I went through these: Vichy Liftactivv peptide-C Ampules, Boscia Vitamin C, XO Treatment Room Heavy C, Vivier Skin C E Peptides serum, and Cerave Vitamin C Serum. These are all 10% concentration, which is high enough to make a difference but low enough that I didn’t experience any stinging or adverse effects from using them. I’ve tried a higher percentage (23%) from The Ordinary, and it was way too strong for me.
The Cerave is the cheapest for $24 and it’s in a silicone formula, which may or may not work for you. Some people find that silicone breaks them out but I did not have this experience! It might pill if you add oil on top so be wary of that.
That being said, I love the packaging and this is an effect product for the price! A dropper bottle for Vitamin C isn’t great because every time you open the bottle, you’re exposing the vitamin C to light and potentially oxidizing the formula. If you notice that it turns brown or smells weird, then it has likely gone bad and will not work as well.
I like the Boscia Vitamin C ($60) and XO Treatment room serums the best because I love a pump and a liquid/gel formula. They also use a form of Vitamin C that is stable and doesn’t oxidize at quickly. The Heavy C can be found on the XO Treatment room website. It is $89. Boscia is available at Shoppers Drug Mart.
Dropper bottles look fancy but they constantly expose the formula to light, so the Vichy ampules are the best for preserving the formula, and if you’re going somewhere, they are good for packing along. The Vichy formula does end up being expensive because you have to buy a pack monthly, but if you want the formula to always be super fresh and not oxidized, then this one is really nice. $32 on Vichy.ca.
