Hello, Beauty!
Vitamin C gets talked about like it is one single ingredient, but there are actually several different forms of it, and the form you are using matters quite a bit.
Most traditional Vitamin C serums use L-ascorbic acid.
L-ascorbic acid is water-soluble, but the outer layer of your skin is largely made up of lipids, or oils. Because water and oil do not naturally mix, the formula usually needs to be very acidic to help the Vitamin C move through the skin barrier.
That low pH is also one of the reasons traditional Vitamin C serums can sting, feel irritating, or be difficult for sensitive skin to tolerate.
It is not that L-ascorbic acid is automatically bad. It just is not the only way to give your skin Vitamin C.
When we want to include Vitamin C in a formula, we do not automatically reach for the same version every time. We look at what the product is meant to do, what else is going into it, and which form will make the most sense for the skin.
That is how we ended up with three completely different approaches.
Brighten - Vitamin C With Seabuckthorn
Brighten Elixir uses THDA, an oil-soluble form of Vitamin C.
Since your skin barrier is lipid-based, an oil-soluble form can blend more naturally with the oils already present in your skin. It also does not require the same extremely low pH as L-ascorbic acid, which can make it a much more comfortable option for dry or sensitive skin.
THDA is also known for being more stable, meaning it is less likely to break down quickly when exposed to air or light.
You can mix a couple of drops into the serum, facial oil, or moisturizer you already use to support brighter-looking skin and a more even-looking tone.
Wild Fruit Serum
The Wild Fruit Serum takes a whole-plant approach.
Instead of using one isolated form of Vitamin C, it brings together Kakadu plum, acerola, amla, and other antioxidant-rich fruits.
Kakadu plum is naturally extremely rich in Vitamin C, but the benefit of using the whole fruit goes beyond that one nutrient. Your skin is also getting the other antioxidants, phytonutrients, and plant compounds naturally found alongside it.
The formula also includes astaxanthin, a potent antioxidant, to help support the look of firmness, hydration, smoothness, and overall radiance.
Citrus Stem Cell Serum
Citrus Stem Cell Serum is our more targeted option for the appearance of dark spots, discoloration, and uneven tone because nearly every part of the formula was chosen with brightening in mind.
Citrus-derived stem cells help support the look of smoother, firmer, more resilient skin, while sodium ascorbate—a stable form of Vitamin C—provides antioxidant support and helps promote a brighter, more even-looking complexion.
It is joined by amla, one of the most naturally Vitamin C-rich fruits, along with sea buckthorn berry extract and other antioxidant-rich botanicals. Licorice root and uva ursi add another layer of targeted support for the look of stubborn discoloration.
Rather than asking one ingredient to do everything, the formula brings together direct Vitamin C and several complementary botanicals to approach uneven tone from multiple angles.
So, while all three formulas fall under the Vitamin C category, they are not simply three versions of the same product.
The form of Vitamin C matters, but so do the ingredients around it and the way the entire formula is designed to work with your skin.
And since we are celebrating our 17th anniversary this week, all three formulas are 25% off for with code ASC17YEARS.
Plus, all orders get a free sample of our Smoothing Hair Serum and if your order reaches $150, we’ll add a full-sized Anti-Aging Eye Cream ($72 value) to your cart for free. On top of all of that, if your order reaches $200 (after the discount is applied), shipping is on us too.
With three completely different ways to use Vitamin C, there is a lot more room to find one that your skin genuinely loves.
