Drunk Elephant Vitamin C Day Serum Review
This vitamin C serum contains a laundry list of high-quality ingredients. Pumpkin and pomegranate enzymes help with cellular turnover and gently exfoliate the skin while vitamin C and ferulic acid naturally brighten skin and help protect against damage. What's more, the cooling sensation of this clear gel soothes even the most inflamed, sensitive skin. After cleansing in the morning, spread a pea-sized amount all over your face, neck, and chest.
Fun fact: C-Firma has a reservoir effect on the skin, which means it continues to work for up to 72 hours and cannot be washed or rubbed off (we like to justify the price with this).
Drunk Elephant Vitamin C Day Serum Reviews
What it is: A potent vitamin C day serum packed with antioxidants, nutrients, and fruit enzymes to firm and brighten skin’s appearance and improve the signs of photoaging.
Skin Type: Normal, Dry, Combination, and Oily
Skincare Concerns: Fine Lines and Wrinkles, Dullness and Uneven Texture, and Loss of Firmness and Elasticity
Formulation: Lightweight Serum
Highlighted Ingredients:
- Potent Antioxidant Complex (15% L-Ascorbic Acid plus Ferulic Acid and 1% Vitamin E): Firms and brightens the look and feel of skin while minimizing the signs of photoaging from pollution and other environmental stressors.
- Chronocyclin: A chronopeptide that mimics the antioxidant benefits of vitamin D for more youthful-looking skin.
- Pumpkin Ferment and Pomegranate Extract: Work together to enzymatically dissolve dead surface skin cells, minimizing the appearance of pores.
Ingredient Callouts: This product is cruelty-free. This product is an Allure Best of Beauty award winner for 2018.
What Else You Need to Know: Packed with a powerful antioxidant complex of l-ascorbic and ferulic acids to reveal a more even-looking complexion, C-Firma™ helps enzymatically dissolve dead skin cells as it intensely hydrates. Photo damage and aging are visibly diminished, replaced by incredible radiance and luminosity. Forumlated at an ideal pH level of 3.3.
Free of essential oils, silicones and, fragrance.
Drunk Elephant difference:
Drunk Elephant is clean, but in their opinion, "clean" is not enough when it comes to caring for skin. They make "Clean Compatible" skincare. Drunk Elephant is committed to using only ingredients that either directly benefit the skin’s health or support the integrity and effectiveness of their formulations. They never take into account an ingredient’s synthetic or natural status, but instead choose based on biocompatibility. You won’t find what they call the "Suspicious 6" in their products (essential oils, drying alcohols, silicones, chemical sunscreens, fragrances/dyes, and SLS) making them, in their opinion, appropriate for all skin. They believe that these six ubiquitous ingredients are at the root of almost every skin issue we see, and when entirely removed from one’s routine, ("a clean break"), skin can reset and return to a healthy, balanced state. It is equally, if not more, important what they leave out of the products as what they put in. This ingredient-elimination diet (think Whole30 for your face) inspired the #barewithus Instagram movement, a collection of bare-faced selfies chronicling the Drunk Elephant journeys of people who have found success using the line and renewed confidence in their own skin. When formulating their products, Drunk Elephant focuses on biocompatibility, pH levels, and safety, always making sure that the active ingredients are at efficacious levels and remain respectful and always supportive of skin’s acid mantle.
Drunk Elephant is a supporter of IEF (International Elephant Foundation) and is cruelty-free.
Award wins:
- InStyle Magazine, 2017 Best Beauty Buy Award
- Women's Health Magazine, Editor's Choice Award, June 2018
- Allure Magazine, Best of Beauty Award 2018
- Women's Health, 2019 Editor's Choice
Clinical Results: In an independent consumer testing panel of 104 women ages 25 to 55:
- 90% found skin appeared smoother
- 89% found skin appeared brighter and more radiant
- 87% found skin appeared firmer
Clean at Sephora
Clean at Sephora is formulated without a list of over 50 ingredients, including sulfates (SLS and SLES), parabens, phthalates, and more. For the full list, check out the Ingredients tab.
Customer Reviews
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Emma Lark
After a month using the product I needed to go to the dermatologist because I had spots on my face. The product caused irritation.
Anna P
This product is literally amazing! I have pretty normal skin. No acne really and sometimes a troublesome t-zone. The orange serum brightens and reduces redness in my skin. The orange serum is quite sticky though, but when you follow it with the other white serum, it helps it not be so sticky.
Meghan M.
This is a decent vitamin C serum. My one gripe about it is that it smells like gross barbecue for some reason, which is odd because other Vit Cs I’ve tried smell citrusy or have no scent. Give it a shot with one of DE’s mini sets.
timkywinky
hollyy77
Becksinthecity
Alaskangalb
I wanted to love this product, used it daily and got so red, itchy and overall BAD reaction. I narrowed it down to the VIT C (used DE from cleanser to all serums and creams) and stopped l. When reordered serums back in March, I then bought another full size. Same issues happened. Now.. I have put in fridge, blending with Protini Cream and gone down to twice a week and I am okay. Tried three times and had mild reactions. VitC is so good for your skin and I can tell it is very strong and I love knowing it is helping my skin. I wanted to be able to use it in some way. I do use it daily on my hands and chest area just fine. My face is ultra sensitive to most stuff... big bummer fighting age. So, two stars removed for the chemical smell, VERY tacky feeling on my skin unless blended and their customer services responses to people on social media. I still would tell people to try it out. DE makes some good stuff and Vit C is in top five for fighting free radicals and protecting skin inna morning routine.
melyse
koffiano
GabrielleDB
Was the first Vitamin C serum I purchased and it really reduced my hyperpigmentation. It is sticky but I didn't mind much and the clean formulation is great. L ascorbic acid is the most potent form of vitamin C but the most unstable. However this is really pricey for me and that was a turn off. I definitely would recommend based on results and not price. I do love Drunk Elephant but again price is a turn off for me. There are other great vitamin cs for less.
Viiibrations
amw121
Pianistria
I don't really know what to say. I could see a result from the first apply, now after two weeks my skin is 15 times better, no less. And it is most surprisingly for me because I have normal skin without any problems, I am 27. And still it makes my skin look better. HOWEVER it is sticky and smells so awful! And if stickiness go away after about 1,5-2 hours, this smell stays until washing away. Even though I am not too sensitive to aroma, and I understand that it is because the product is supernatural and does not contain any chemical fragrance, I wish it bette contain it! Smell for me is combination between cognac, smithing metallic and rubber. My tip is use no more than 2 drops on face, two on neck and chest and one on the back of my hands. I apply it right after my morning bath/shower. Smell is awful, but result of the product is so obvious that I am going to repurchase it without any doubt. And the packaging is stunning as well.
Lamar
I'm going to give this four starts for the bottle and for the appearance of my skin. My skin is noticeably brighter and smoother.
I'm docking one star for the price and because the bottle broke within one week.
Auntie_mame
great ingredients, good quality - drawback is lightweight plastic container but good that it has a pump.
theindigold
Item came in well but product dispensed on first use was already brown? Read that product is not likely as effective this way. Waste of money!
AB123
The ingredients are great, Vitamin C is known to be good to prevent signs of aging, and this has ferulic acid too. It's very similar to the skinceuticals product and half the price.
I am starting to get a few small lines now (late 30s) and started to use it. It's been about 6 months, and I've not really seen a difference. I'm quite happy with my face though I do have neck lines that I was hoping this would help. It hasn't thus far. But the science is definitely there, so even if I'm not seeing any big changes, I'm sure other people will.
Why the 3 stars? It turns everything ORANGE! I've ruined sheets, pillow covers, night gowns, clothes....
So I'm going to continue to use Skinceuticals, which doesnt ruin my clothing, even though it is more expensive. I wear a lot of white/light colors, so this may be the cheaper alternative!
Bchic77
I really wanted to like this product but it has made my rosacea so much worse. My skin gets red and itchy after using it and this is after a 3 day break. Sadly I'm out 80 dollars.
devorah
I love C -Firma Day. I purchased related to a Paula's Choice five star review. I have been satisfied with the purchase. My skin appears to have less sun spots and fine wrinkles. I use on the back of my hands also. I have a backup and will purchase again. My hands definitely show the benefits
Charles and Jenn
This serum has made a noticeable difference in my skin evenness and brightness over the last two weeks. I use one pump every morning after I my face oil and before my moisturizer. It is pricey, but I figured, hey, it's my face! No fragrance, the serum is a light amber color that goes on the skin smoothly and does not sting. I will buy this over and over.