This post contains affiliate links. I won this product in a giveaway.
I have a complicated relationship with vitamin C serums. They tend to stress me out - the finicky storage requirements (dark, preferably refrigerated) and the constant impending doom of oxidation kept me from exploring them for a long time. I’ve been a heavy consumer of Korean beauty products for over 4 years, and am only now getting into vitamin C.
I’ve been missing out. Through exploring various products, I have reduced the number and size of my freckles and faded some post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (that’s a fancy name for marks left behind by pimples).
I’m currently using Make P:rem Poncirus Trifoliata C Dark Spot Serum. I won it through Picky (highly recommend that app. Sign up here using invitation code 982961C6). It’s also available on Amazon (use my affiliate code kbhobbit10 to save on anything sold by Credithink) and YesStyle (save with reward code KBHOBBIT).
This serum contains 66% trifoliata orange extract along with niacinamide, tranexamic acid, and a vitamin C derivative. The bitter orange extract, vitamin C and E are encapsulated. The capsules burst during application, releasing all their goodness. It is clinically proven to improve the look of dark spots and freckles by 44.3% after 4 weeks of use (this was a small study of 21 people funded by the brand).
How to use:
Apply to clean skin after toner or right after cleansing
Gently pat in
Follow with the rest of your routine
Make P;rem Poncirus Trifoliata C Dark Spot Serum has a gel texture with visible tiny capsules. It’s easy to spread and isn’t sticky (I always follow with other products, so maybe by itself it would be sticky, not sure).
My impressions
I’ve been using this in the mornings before sunscreen. My morning routine is usually quite simple - a toner pad, vitamin C serum, sunscreen. It’s a very gentle product and the results are humble. This doesn’t sting like some other vitamin C serums do, and it will likely work well for people who are too sensitive for stronger formulas. I see mostly hydration from this product, and perhaps a bit of a pore appearance benefit (from niacinamide). I haven’t noticed any drastic improvements in hyperpigmentation. With that said, I don’t think it’s a fail or a bad formula - I think there’s definitely a market for this among sensitive folks. Of course, review the ingredients and keep in mind that some plant extracts could pose their own set of challenges for reactive skin.
I will continue to use this, moving it to my nighttime routine, and swap for a more robust vitamin C product in the morning. I enjoy pairing C with sunscreen, since it can boost the effectiveness of the sun protection. I’m happy to report that I see no oxidation yet, and I’ve had this for weeks.
Have you tried this serum? What do you think?
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Make P:rem Poncirus Trifoliata C Dark Spot Serum ingredients: Poncirus Trifoliata Fruit Extract(663,410ppm), Propanediol, Glycerin, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprate, Niacinamide, Water, Betaine, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate(100ppm), Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Tranexamic Acid, Tocopherol, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Saccharum Officinarum (Sugarcane) Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Tromethamine, Sodium PCA, Arbutin, Adenosine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Phytate, Dextrin, Behenyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Carbomer