How would you describe 2020 so far or could you even put it into words? Personally, it has been an intense time for self-reflection, not only for me but as a family. We started this year full of dreams and hopes and fast forward today, we realized how even though we are blessed in so many ways, the journey of educating ourselves in so many matters in the world continues.
2020 is when the world stopped and reset itself.
As most of you know, I was laid off work for 10 weeks and while I was initially crushed, it turned out to be the best time of my life. The downtime was amazing as we bonded stronger than ever as a family and I had all the time in the world to properly test some of the newest beauty launches.
Wishtrend Pure Vitamin C 15% with Ferulic Acid* was one of the most exciting skincare launches this year. Based on the name itself, I wondered if it would be a dupe for my beloved Skinceuticals C E Ferulic Acid Serum (reviewed here) and after testing it for almost a month, I have to say this is better in many aspects.
Ingredient:
Hippophae Rhamnoides Water (sea buckthorn), Ethoxydiglycol, Ascorbic Acid (15% Vitamin C), Diglycerin (humectant), Methylpropanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, C12-14 Pareth-12, Ethyl Ascorbyl Ether (Vitamin C derivative, antioxidant), Tromethamine, Ferulic Acid (antioxidant), Ethylhexylglycerin, Aqua (Water), Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), Calcium Pantothenate (calcium salt of Vitamin B5), Maltodextrin, Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (a water-soluble, stable form of Vitamin C), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Pyridoxine HCl, Silica
This clear serum is housed in a dark glass bottle with a pipette which is pretty much the standard packaging for most watery/oil serum these days. It has a lightweight watery texture and absorbs almost instantly leaving no tackiness or residue. The absorption is so quick that the first few applications I probably used 6-7 drops because I thought I wasn’t using enough. Over time I learned that 3-4 drops are enough and patting motion is the best method of application.
It does have the usual bacon scent thanks to ferulic acid but it’s less potent than Skinceuticals and it dissipates much faster. I have no problem using this every day and it layers well with all my skincare and wears beautifully under makeup.
Frankly, I get the same fabulous results with this serum as I did with Skinceuticals, my skin truly glows with this serum. I had a couple of hyperpigmentation no thanks to stubborn cystic spots that lasted for more than a month and they started to fade within days thanks to Wishtrend Pure Vitamin C 15% with Ferulic Acid*. Usually, such spots will last for many months but they are 60% faded within 2 weeks. I also noticed my skin tone looking more even with an increase in clarity and radiance.
So what makes it better than my holy grail Skinceuticals? Same results but for a smaller fraction of the price (Wishtrend US$28.00 vs Skinceuticals US$166.00, both comes in 30mL). This alone makes this serum a winner as it’s so much more affordable. Of course, the scent and texture are also lighter and I think everyone will enjoy this serum better.
Is there a downside to this serum? Yes, but this applies to all ascorbic acid serums as it is a highly unstable ingredient and breaks down easily when repeatedly exposed to light, heat and air. It will be interesting to see if it oxidizes before I managed to finish the bottle. I am keeping it in the box and in a dark cool drawer away from the sun so fingers crossed that it will help to keep the serum fresh.
If you are looking for a budget-friendly potent Vitamin C serum that delivers quick and fabulous results then I highly recommend trying Wishtrend Pure Vitamin C 15% with Ferulic Acid*.
*CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS. Gifted but my thoughts and opinions are 100% unbiased, honest and my own. There is no place for any sort of BS here.