Vitamin C is notoriously one of the hardest products to find great formulas of, and usually the good ones come with a fairly hefty price tag (Skinceuticals Phloretin CF I am looking at you!). As much as I love a fantastic performing luxe product there is nothing better than finding a gem that is easier on your wallet. Here is a perfect example, Balance Me Vitamin C Repair Serum, £32 for 30ml. I have now finished this so let’s discuss…
What is it?
An all-encompassing serum which claims to brighten, reduce pigmentation, and improve uneven skin tone whilst boosting elasticity, adding hydration, and reducing fine lines/wrinkles.
What is in it?
Ascorbyl Glucoside - a vitamin c derivative. Ok a little science lesson for you that I hope won’t bore you senseless…
AG is a water-soluble form of vitamin c that’s combined with glucose, a sugar. Basically, once absorbed into your skin an enzyme is released which breaks it down into L-ascorbic acid. You know the famous derivative which we have come to know and love? The one that is a tricky little beast when it comes to stability and prone to causing irritation? Well because of the conversion process it means AG is less likely to cause irritation and it is far more stable when exposed to the elements. It’s not as potent, but the effects are still fantastic, it’s just gentler on the skin. All round winner!
Boerhavia Diffusa – a bio active ingredient which helps fade dark spots and improve uneven skin tone
Olive Squalane – absorbs deep into the skins layers, this boosts cell regeneration, smooths fine lines and helps boost collagen production
Hyaluronic acid – this contains 3 molecular weights of HA to penetrate different layers of the skin to help plump and add deep hydration
Full Ingredients
Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Propanediol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Glyceryl Stearate, Borage Officinalis (Borage) Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Smithsonite Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract,Squalane (Olive), Rubus Fruticosus (Blackberry) Leaf Extract, Rosa Canina (Rosehip) Fruit Oil, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Seed Oil, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Red) Peel Oil, Cananga Odorata (Ylang Ylang) Flower Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange Sweet) Peel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Oil, Litsea Cubeba (May Chang) Fruit Oil, Xanthan Gum, Cellulose Gum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Maltodextrin, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Citral, Citronellol, Farnesol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool.
My Thoughts
This is a creamy, deliciously citrus scented serum which is neither overpowering to the senses nor irritating to my skin. That is the key thing about this serum really, it is deliberately gentle so most skins can use it. That being said it does contain fruit and plant oils so sensitive skins should patch test, but the quality of this brand has meant I have never broken out or had irritation from their formulas (so far!)
I have enjoyed using this throughout the winter months as it is wonderfully hydrating and tends to give more oomph than other vitamin c serums I have tried. This would suit drier/mature skin types very well. Oilier skin types maybe able to get away with just using this under an SPF.
This is your one stop shop; I never felt the need to use a hydrating serum in addition to this so it’s a fantastic time saver. It was able to address both dullness and pigmentation as well as adding hydration. Instantly it gives skin a lovely glow but over time I felt it did contribute towards brightening my skin. Areas of pigmentation seemed to even out and lighten in appearance, although they didn’t disappear completely. Which to be honest is what I was expecting as it is very difficult to eradicate without other treatments.
I loved that this worked extremely well under whichever moisturiser and SPF I used, absorbing almost immediately with no wait time required. Which means I will not hesitate to purchase this with my own money, most likely for next Winter!
*PR sample/unpaid
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Thank you for reading xx