I Gave Up On Vitamin C Serums Due To Irritation — But This One Changed My Mind
Assistant Beauty & Health Editor
Assistant Beauty & Health Editor
Hannah Frye is the Assistant Beauty Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.S. in journalism and a minor in women’s, gender, and queer studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Hannah has written across lifestyle sections including health, wellness, sustainability, personal development, and more.
Image by Hannah Frye | Assistant Beauty & Health Editor
June 29, 2024
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As a beauty editor, I’m a stickler for high-quality ingredients. But let’s be honest, we don’t all have the funds to splurge on a slew of pricey skin care products.
That’s why I tell all my closest friends and family to really only invest in vitamin C serum (along with retinol). This particular active is often unstable and can cause irritation if not formulated and stored properly—which makes a good formula worth the splurge.
The right vitamin C serum has the potential to positively transform your skin, but it can also cause irritation, flushing, and breakouts for sensitive skin.
Enter: the AHAVA MultiVitamin C+ Serum. The formula is gentle enough for easily irritated skin but it still delivers glowing results (literally) thanks to its unique form of vitamin C.
What is AHAVA?
First things first, it’s only fair to give the rundown on what makes AHAVA unique. The clean skincare brand utilizes mineral-rich water from the Dead Sea in all of its products.
All of Ahava’s vegan formulas contain Osmoter™, a unique blend of magnesium, calcium, potassium, sodium, and other essential minerals that support skin nourishment and hydration—along with whatever star ingredient is used in the formula.
And to meet mindbodygreen’s strict standards, the allergy-tested formulas are made without parabens, GMOs, SLS/SLES, or phthalates.
How I tested the AHAVA MultiVitamin C+ Serum
Image by Hannah Frye | Assistant Beauty & Health Editor
My skin is highly sensitive to vitamin C serums; so much so that before I started testing AHAVA’s MultiVitamin C+ Serum, I was coming off a six month break from the ingredient altogether.
I was tired of the tingling, redness, and bumps that would appear when using other vitamin C serums, so I approached this product with hesitation.
However, I knew I was a fan from the very first application.
What’s great about the AHAVA MultiVitamin C+ Serum
It’s sensitive skin-friendly
I initially tested the product the morning after using retinol, a time when my skin was already highly sensitive. To my surprise, I felt zero tingling or flushing.
Instead, my skin felt smooth, hydrated, and lifted with just a single pump of this serum.
The ingredients are great
Vitamin C can be delivered to your skin a variety of forms, but L-ascorbic acid is considered the gold standard for potency as it’s easily absorbed by the skin.
The only downside? It’s often unstable and can be highly irritating to skin. That’s where ascorbyl glucoside comes in. It’s a gentler derivative of L-ascorbic acid—but it still packs the long-term brightening effect that I look for in a high-quality vitamin C serum.
What’s more, the formula contains other soothing and hydrating ingredients such as:
- Allantoin
- Vitamin E
- Panthenol
- Niacinamide
- Algae extract
- Sunflower seed oil
Editor’s note
This formula does contain fragrance, so it may not be a fit if you’re highly sensitive to that. Personally, my skin is not reactive to fragrance so that’s one sensitivity I cannot report on.
My results
While I haven’t been using this serum long enough to see the full long-term brightening effects, I can tell you one thing: This is a vitamin C serum I would enthusiastically recommend to sensitive skin types.
And the sensorial experience is superb. The serum layers easily under makeup or sunscreen, leaving behind a glowy and smooth finish.
What’s more, the airtight packaging protects the integrity of the notoriously unstable ingredients—something that cannot be said about all vitamin C serums.
AHAVA
MultiVitamin C+ Serum
$84
Do you need vitamin C in your skin care routine?
Still wondering if you need a vitamin C serum in your skincare routine? I’ve done my fair share of research, and I’d say yes—especially for aging skin.
Vitamin C helps protect your skin from free radicals that cause oxidative stress. These free radicals come from pollution, UV rays, and other environmental factors.
Without antioxidant protection, free radicals can keep your skin in a prolonged state of oxidative stress, leading to structural damage such as collagen breakdown, accelerated skin aging1, dark spots2, and more.
Additionally, vitamin C is one of the best ingredients for evening skin tone and brightening 3the overall complexion, benefiting your skin both structurally and on the surface.
The takeaway
Vitamin C is a sin care ingredient worth investing in, making the AHAVA MultiVitamin C+ Serum a new star player in my own lineup.
The formula is fit for sensitive skin types, packaged in an airtight container to preserve efficacy, and comes with a list of additional skin-supporting ingredients like niacinamide, allantoin, vitamin E, and more.
