Product Reviews

This is marketed as a “vitamin C tonic” — something to brighten and illuminate, with the added bonus of being antioxidant-rich. In reality, it’s an exfoliant with a citrusy name and a misleading label. The formula puts lactic acid right up top — which explains why this works so well on clogged pores, especially whiteheads. It’s particularly effective for me in that sense: I use it once on congested skin, and it’s halfway cleared by the next day. But it’s also drying, especially if you’re using it like a toner. To their credit, the instructions do say to use it only 2–3 times a week, but still — I’d prefer if they were more forthcoming about the fact that this is actually an exfoliant, so I can moisturize my skin accordingly. If your barrier’s even mildly compromised, this can tip it over the edge. And as for the “vitamin C”? Ascorbic acid shows up after phenoxyethanol, meaning it’s present at less than 1% — legally required, since phenoxyethanol is capped at 1% (and often used at a much lower concentration), and everything after it is present in smaller amounts. So the antioxidant claim is mostly label dressing. To make matters worse, the product comes in transparent orange plastic, which offers zero meaningful UV protection — great for shelf visibility, terrible for ascorbic acid stability. There are a few nice touches — panthenol helps buffer some irritation, and there’s a whole fruit basket of antioxidant extracts (green tea, pomegranate, goji, etc.) — that would be more impressive if they weren’t all tucked away at the end of the list. You’re getting exfoliation with a dash of marketing. Bottom line: call it what it is — a lactic acid exfoliant with a brightening pitch. It’s useful for clearing congestion, but don’t expect a vitamin C serum in toner form. And don’t use this every day unless you like the feeling of your skin quietly resenting you.