I love serums. I really do, and I love testing out new ones. In July I received the Balance Me Vitamin C Repair Serum in my Look Fantastic Box. This serum is a trial sized version and had just enough product to get through two week’s worth of use. Actually it ran out a day early but I decided it counted as enough product to let me get a feel for the serum.
//us.lookfantastic.com/
According to the Balance Me website…
Our award winning brightening serum reduces pigmentation and uneven skin tone while boosting elasticity, refining lines and texture. With stabilised bio actives and skin lightening boerhavia diffusa for maximum efficacy with zero irritation.
It brightens, bringing radiance back into skin, addresses uneven skin tone and pigmentation, intensely hydrates. It is suitable for dehydrated skin, skin lacking in radiance and tone and reducing pigmentation and signs of sun damage.
Full Ingredients ListAqua [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.
Balance Me Website
In addition to the vitamin C that my skin loves, this serum has olive based squalene which my skin really reacts well, so I had high hopes. I also like the fact that the t tube has been made with a mix of new and over 50% post-consumer recycled plastic and a widely recyclable PP cap.
The serum is a creamy formula which I wasn’t really expecting. I tend to think of serums as being looser and more liquid in consistency. However, I didn’t have a problem with it, I was just surprised.
The serum absorbed well into my skin and I have to say, I really liked the way it helped lock in moisture. I put the serum under my moisturizer and I could really feel a difference on they days I spent a lot of time outside. I tended to be less dehydrated.
Generally on the days I spend a lot of time outside I replace my regular moisturizer with a night cream as I need the extra moisture it provides. With this I didn’t have to add the night cream when using a regular moisturizer. As I switched from a night and day moisturizer to a day cream after a few days, I just used a moisturizer I know works well for me in the evenings instead of the night cream just to test it out.
While I liked the way this serum felt on my skin and I liked the fact that it didn’t clog my pores and break me out, I did have one issue.
Scent.
This serum smells exactly like Lemon Scented Pledge Furniture Polish. Growing up, Saturday one of my assigned chores was to polish the furniture and I was given a t-shirt that had become too holey to be worn as a rag and the spray can of Lemon Scented Pledge and sent to work. It is a scent I remember well. And this serum smells exactly like Lemon Scented Pledge. I don’t mind the scent, but it ties to a very strong scent memory. One sniff and my brain thought furniture polish.
Every time I applied it.
It felt somehow wrong.
The serum worked well, but for me that scent might be a deal breaker. I don’t know if I can think skin care and furniture polish in the same sentence every day. I’m sure over time the association would dim, but it might take a while. It might be worth it to try as this is a fairly inexpensive serum [$30.90 for a full sized – 30 ml bottle – the trial size of 7 ml lasted two weeks if you want a comparison.] and it did work really well for me. If it weren’t for the scent, I think I would put it on the repurchase list. Because of the scent, I am going to have to put it in the maybe pile.
I feel a little bit bad about it actually as it is a really nice serum on the skin and the scent does fade almost immediately. It is just the initial scent that has me lowering it from a yes to a maybe. I think what I might do is pick up a travel sized version [around 10 ml of product and try it again at a later date to see if I can fully get past the scent. If the scent doesn’t affect you, this might be a good product to try. If you are somewhat scent oriented, you might want to look into the travel size first just to make certain. Perhaps you won’t think Lemon Scented Pledge Furniture Polish in quite the same way I do.
Regardless I am glad that this was included in my July Look Fantastic box as I was eyeing the serum well beforehand. I’ve tried a couple of items from them in the past and was interested. I am just going to have to think about that scent.
And yes I occasionally go on skincare sites and lurk. thus far no serums or moisturizers have filed restraining orders. I am a respectful skincare lurker. Admittedly there are a few products I tend to stalk, but that is another thing completely. Although one of the items I tend to stalk is the Elemis Pro-collagen Marine Cream. It is constantly on my wait for a sale and then pounce list [hence the stalking] According to the August Look Fantastic Pamphlet though, I may be able to hold off on the poincing for a little while as this Elemis product was the sneak peak for the September box. Seriously, when a beauty box sends you Elemis, how can you not love them?
What is the best vitamin C serum that actually works?
Our Top Picks.
Best All-Around: SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic, $182..
Best for Sensitive Skin: iS Clinical Pro-Heal Serum Advance Plus, $95..
Best Drugstore: La Roche-Posay 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum, $40..
Best Spot Treatment: Peach & Lily Transparen-C Pro, $43..
Best for Enlarged Pores: Sunday Riley CEO 15% Vitamin C Serum, $85..
Which company is best for vitamin C serum?
Here is a comparison of the top 10 vitamin C serums:.
What is the benefit of balance vitamin C serum?
Balance Active Vitamin C Brightening Serum is a lightweight and non-greasy pro-radiance serum. It contains 6% Illumiscin and 3% Stay-C® 50, two forms of stabilised Vitamin C, to help reduce the appearance of age spots, for a brighter and more even-looking skin tone.
How do you use balance me vitamin C repair serum?
SKIN CONCERN:Use a pea sized amount of serum on a cleansed face, neck and chest. Use AM or PM after cleansing. Can be used alone or under a moisturiser. Always follow with an SPF in the morning.