b.glen c serum: Can 7.5% Vitamin C Rival 15% Formulation?

With regards to vitamin c serums, the candy spot is often at round 15 to twenty%. That’s the place most research have proven to ship useful outcomes, and it’s additionally the % utilized by most manufacturers, together with the well-known SkinCeuticals Vitamin C.

Not everybody’s pores and skin can tolerate 15% although, so there’s positively a marketplace for gentler serums, however then expectations are additionally decrease. In any case, much less vitamin c, much less potent outcomes, proper?

At 7.5% vitamin c, the b.glen C Serum is difficult this notion, and as ordinary, I’ve put my pores and skin to the check to seek out out.

Overview

What’s it
Concentrated, but mild system to brighten darkish spots, scale back the looks of pimples scars, and shield the pores and skin from free radical harm.

Finest suited to
Regular to dry pores and skin varieties, particularly delicate pores and skin people who battle with the upper concentrations of vitamin c however nonetheless need to follow the ascorbic acid kind. Whereas the end isn’t oily, combo and oily pores and skin varieties could not benefit from the texture.

Issues to notice
Alcohol free and perfume free.

Packaging
A plastic squeeze tube bottle with a wonderful tip so you possibly can simply management how a lot to dispense. It additionally options an undetectable automated air shut off valve which helps forestall air from getting in and maintaining the system contemporary for longer.

Scent
No noticeable scent.

Texture
Like a dry oil. It doesn’t really feel heavy, however there’s not a lot slip both. In contrast to an oil, it absorbs shortly into the pores and skin.

End
Pure end with no noticeable shine or stickiness.

Value & Measurement
$49 for 15ml on b.glen official web site ($10 off in case you use my hyperlink) and Amazon (20% off with code NFDBKCMR)

Product Demo

b.glen C Serum Substances

Ascorbic acid ought to want no introduction. It’s the best and properly studied type of vitamin c, with advantages like:

• reducing hyperpigmentation and enhancing pores and skin tone
• rising collagen manufacturing
• defending our pores and skin towards free radicals like UV rays

It’s huge draw back is that it’s not very steady and vulnerable to oxidization, particularly in water primarily based formulation. Fortunately b.glen makes use of a water-free system in a specifically designed tube (see above), however most significantly, it makes use of a novel encapsulation expertise that forestalls the vitamin c from degrading, even after a yr of utilizing the product!

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Liposomes and QuSome Know-how

Now our pores and skin naturally is designed to maintain issues out, each unhealthy and good, so determining find out how to get components into the pores and skin is a key a part of skincare formulation.

A well-liked methodology is utilizing liposomes with components like lechithin. Think about tiny bubbles fabricated from fat, much like the fat in our pores and skin. These bubbles encompass, shield, and stabilize the energetic ingredient, and since they’re so much like our pores and skin, they will simply go via and go deeper, bringing the energetic ingredient together with them.

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QuSome Know-how, developed by Dr. Brian Keller, makes use of nano-sized liposomes (between 70-150 nm) to ship components exactly the place they’re wanted. Whereas liposomes themselves aren’t something new, QuSome improves upon the standard strategies by:

• demonstrating greater penetration capabilities
• effectively encapsulating each water-soluble (e.g., Vitamin C) and oil-soluble (e.g., Vitamin A) components
• having the flexibility to both improve or scale back skincare penetration, the place the latter could be superb in sunscreen formulation
• sustaining stability in numerous formulations (eg. liquid, emulsion, and cream)

Due to QuSome, b.glen doesn’t want stabilizing components like ferulic acid and vitamin e to maintain the vitamin c contemporary. I’ve used my tube for greater than a month and the liquid nonetheless comes out clear – proof that the vitamin c has but to interrupt down.

Wouldn’t it be good to see different antioxidants or humectants within the system? It’s laborious to say no as a result of we’ve been conditioned to assume extra = higher. However b.glen’s philosophy is to ship one of the best outcomes with out overcomplicating the system, and I respect that. It’s at all times good to have a minimalist different to all of the maximalist merchandise on the market.

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How I take advantage of my vitamin c serums

I’m an enormous proponent of utilizing vitamin c within the morning to take full benefit of their incredible antioxidant properties, which may also help additional shield our pores and skin towards UV rays (please do NOT skip sunscreen although).

1. As with all serums, I take advantage of the b.glen C Serum after my essences and toners. If I’m pairing it with one other water-based serum, I’ll use that first.
2. A dime dimension is the really useful quantity, although I have a tendency to make use of rather less as a result of in any other case I discover it doesn’t at all times soak up absolutely into my pores and skin. It is best to alter accordingly primarily based in your face dimension.
3. Typically I’ll use a mist beforehand to assist the serum higher unfold throughout my pores and skin.
4. As soon as absorbed, I comply with up with my moisturizer and sunscreen.

Normally with different ascorbic acid serums, I don’t use any actives in the identical routine. Heck generally I battle after I’ve used a robust acid or retinol the night time earlier than! However the b.glen c serum is so mild that I’ve had no points utilizing it, even when my pores and skin was slightly irritated from final night time’s tretinoin!

Utilization Expertise & Outcomes

This isn’t my first time utilizing a waterless vitamin c, although my experiences have been a hit and miss, and I discover it actually comes right down to the system.

I’ve talked about b.glen’s distinctive QuSome system, and whereas I can’t bodily measure how far deep the vitamin c goes, I’ve had no points with pilling or feeling just like the product is simply sitting on my pores and skin. It absorbs pretty quick, even quicker if I mist beforehand, and has layered splendidly beneath all my completely different moisturizers and sunscreens.

The feel does take some getting used to although. It looks like an oil however isn’t moisturizing like one, and it’s not fairly a gel both. Truthfully it’s not my favourite, although I don’t dislike it both. Simply that in case you’re huge on the sensorial side, this might not be your cup of tea.

The excellent news is that regardless of my usually poor outcomes with ascorbic acid, I did see some slight brightening after utilizing the b.glen c Serum for 4 weeks. Nothing main, and I attempted my finest to seize the distinction in pictures, however I’ll allow you to be the decide:

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What impressed me most although was the truth that after 4 weeks, the serum stays fully clear. Not even the slightest trace of yellow. However that’s not even probably the most unbelievable half. I discovered my empty b.glen c serum from a yr in the past, opened up the tube, and the liquid was STILL 99% clear with very slight yellowing. I’ve had serums that appeared worse proper after opening!

Lastly let’s discuss in regards to the small tube dimension, at first it may well really feel extra like an eye cream than a serum! Nonetheless, for one thing with a shorter shelf life like vitamin c, a smaller quantity isn’t a foul factor. Additionally the wonderful tip means I’ve management over precisely how a lot product comes out. Perhaps Japanese manufacturers are onto one thing with this design!

So can 7.5% vitamin c actually rival 15+%?

To be fully sincere, I’ve seen higher outcomes with greater % vitamin c serums. However I must also level out that each one these serums additionally contained extra than simply vitamin c, which may very well be chargeable for the enhancements.

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However, I’ve additionally expertise worse outcomes with loads of excessive % vitamin c serums, additionally with different useful components. As a matter of reality in case you rank the merchandise in my Vitamin C Database (out there totally free to subscribers), the b.glen c Serum is definitely ranked greater than most!

So sure, a decrease % vitamin c can certainly work higher for the pores and skin than greater concentrations, all of it actually comes right down to the system.

However to be truthful, in my comparability under, I’ll solely be discussing different ascorbic acids with only a few to no different supporting components.

Different Ascorbic Acid Merchandise In contrast

Lixir Vitamin C Paste
The primary ascorbic acid product I attempted that truly delivers outcomes! It incorporates 10% vitamin c and hyaluronic acid and stings slightly on utility, however my pores and skin is noticeably brighter afterwards. This one is a masks although, so not as handy to make use of.

MATTER OF FACT Brightening + Firming Serum
When this was first launch, they made daring claims about how they might hold their 20% vitamin c contemporary with their waterless system. Whereas this felt mild on the pores and skin and did brighten my pores and skin tone, it 1) is pricey 2) nonetheless managed to oxidize after a couple of weeks, and I wasn’t even near half approach carried out.

The INKEY Record Vitamin C Serum
Certainly one of my favourite ascorbic acid formulation for its efficacy and affordability in case you don’t thoughts mixing it with certainly one of your present serums (ideally a soothing/hydrating one). It’s approach too robust to make use of by itself (30%!!) and the feel isn’t one of the best both.

Closing Verdict