Paula's Choice - DR81 review for C15 Super Booster

The quest for the perfect vitamin C serum is still going strong! The Paula’s Choice C15 Super Booster is one of the top contenders for this title. Let’s check it out! Vitamin C serums are one of the staples of my skincare routine. I couldn’t find anything more effective to give my skin a glow plus a solid antioxidant protection! It’s quite difficult to find a vitamin C serum that meets my demanding specifications. In a vitamin C serum, I’m looking for: – a liquid, non-greasy, water-based texture, for better absorption and effectiveness on my skin, – a formula that contains vitamin C L-Ascorbic (I prefer this ingredient to its derivatives, which are less effective on me), – a sufficient concentration of L-ascorbic acid (between 10 and 20%), – ideally, I prefer when there are other antioxidant ingredients in its formula (vitamin E, ferulic acid…) to make it more stable, – a formula with a pH of 3.5 or less to ensure better stability of the formula, – a bottle that protects the formula from air and light (no transparent glass), – a good price, and a decent quantity of product (ideally 30ml). Reminder: If I’m so picky and have all these criteria, it’s because L-ascorbic acid/ vitamin C is certainly the most effective form of vitamin C but it’s also the least stable in a water-based formula (which is the case for a lot of vitamin C serums). And a non-stabilized formula has the opposite effect to what I expect from a vitamin C serum, which is mainly great antioxidant protection. A non-stabilized formula tends indeed to be pro-oxidant instead of anti-oxidant. Hence the importance of its stability! Unfortunately, it’s quite difficult to find vitamin C serums that tick all these boxes! Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster: This concentrated booster with 15% pure vitamin C dramatically brightens uneven skin while improving the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. - Reveals a more radiant complexion. - Vitamin C visibly brightens skin. - Feather-light, liquid formula absorbs quickly. - Use alone or add to your moisturizer or serum. If I had to summarize it, I would say that the brand uses scientifically recognized ingredients in its formulas for better effectiveness (vitamin C, retinol, exfoliating acids, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, peptides, sunscreen…) and that they systematically discard any ingredient that may be irritating to the skin (alcohol, perfume, essential oils…). I also like the idea of “boosters”, these treatments that you can add to your skincare routine to jazz it a little bit and to treat your skin when it needs it (or you can just do like me and use them all the time because #moreismore 😉 ). I consider the C15 Super Booster as a serum and I use it every morning to give my complexion a glow and also to help my skin protect itself from environmental aggressions. With its 15% vitamin C L-Ascorbic concentration, it’s been very effective on my dark pigmentation spots and also on boosting collagen production. For the boosting collagen effect, the results are visible in the very long term so I’ll probably talk about it again in ten years?? If you check the specifications of the perfect vitamin C serum I gave you earlier, the C15 Super Booster is doing a pretty good job! – its texture is liquid and non-greasy – it contains 15% L-ascorbic acid – it also contains vitamin E and Ferulic acid and even a peptide and hyaluronic acid, – its pH is 3.0 – its bottle is not transparent (it’s an opaque white tinted glass) However, It’s Not cheap for a product that lasts me a maximum of 2 and a half months, by using it once a day in the morning on my face and neck (I also apply it to the eye area as recommended by the brand). Regarding my user experience, I appreciated it! I use it at the very beginning of my morning routine, before the rest of my products. It’s very liquid and absorbs quickly into the skin (it tends to be a little bit sticky, but nothing too bad). It didn’t irritate my skin, despite its low pH, wasn’t drying either, thanks to its moisturizing ingredients (a peptide and some low molecular weight hyaluronic acid). It also gave me good results on the radiance of my complexion, which is always good! In conclusion: I really like this C15 Super Booster from Paula’s Choice. Its formula is very well made, as often with Paula’s Choice products, with all the essential ingredients for a good result on the skin, and without unnecessary fillers. Pros: - it contains 15% of vitamin C L-ascorbic - the low pH which allows the formula to be effective (3.0) - the presence of vitamin E and ferulic acid both of which stabilize vitamin C - it doesn't dehydrate the skin (thanks to some moisturizing active ingredients in the formula) - it protects the skin thanks to its antioxidant properties - it maintained the radiance of my skin - it also helps to smooth the texture of my skin - I appreciate its boosting protection effect when combined with a sunscreen product - the super-liquid texture is easily absorbed - no added fragrance or dyes Cons: - expensive but worth it Packaging: A white opaque tinted glass bottle with a pipette. Fragrance: It smells a bit like orange, yet there is no added perfume in it. Texture: Very liquid but tends to be a little bit sticky. For: – all skin types, including the most sensitive – tired, dull skin, smokers or people living in a highly polluted environment – skins with uneven texture – skins with hyperpigmentation – skins with a lack of firmness and elasticity Concerns: – tired skin – lack of radiance – smokers – skins exposed to pollution – mature skin – lack of firmness – wrinkles, fine lines – scars – pigment spots – hyperpigmentation Method I Used: I use it every morning on my face and neck after I have cleansed my skin with a low pH foaming cleanser and toned my skin. Usually, I wait a few seconds for my face to dry a little because the skin moisture can decrease somewhat the effectiveness of vitamin C. I apply 7 to 9 drops of product on my face and neck and I let it absorb for a few minutes before carrying on with the rest of my routine. I particularly appreciate that it absorbs very quickly in my skin because I layer several skincare products in my routine, so I really like this very liquid texture. Key Ingredients: The formula of this serum is very well made, each ingredient is super useful to the skin here. Inside, you can find: – an ANTIOXIDANT complex containing 15% L-ASCORBIC ACID, FERULIC ACID, and VITAMIN E: these three combined ingredients boost the antioxidant effects of vitamin C and also make it more stable (paired vitamin C is more effective and can be used over a longer period of time without it oxidizing too quickly). – GLYCERIN: a humectant ingredient that retains the skin’s natural moisture. – LOW MOLECULAR WEIGHT HYALURONIC ACID: deeply moisturizes the skin, reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. – a PEPTIDE (Hexanoyl Dipeptide-3 Norleucine Acetate): anti-aging effect. – BISABOLOL: soothing. – PANTHENOL: soothing, moisturizing, repairing. The C15 Super Booster serum also has an acidic pH (3.0) which allows vitamin C to be more stable and effective for longer. Despite this acidic pH, I didn’t feel any irritation when I was using it.