UPDATE: I have since stopped using this (I ran out and never bought more), and have noticed that my skin quality has suffered. My skin is less glowy (but more oily, go figure) and I think I've broken out slightly more since I've run out. Nothing else has changed in my routine. This just goes to show the effects of a skincare product aren't always apparent (to us) while using them.
The OST Vitamin C20 serum is a highly concentrated vitamin C serum. It contains 20% vitamin C, which is definitely one of the highest I’ve come across.
Vitamin C is well known for it’s brightening properties, as well as providing essential nourishment to the skin, and helping to lighten hyperpigmentation. The OST serum promises to do all of this, as well as provide moisture and help get rid of pesky blackheads.
While I like this serum, I don’t think I’m in love with it. The high content of vitamin C is definitely noteworthy, however sensitive skin may have an issue with this. When my skin was drier, I found it to sting slightly. It’ll definitely sting if you get it on any scratches or broken skin.
I have a lot of hyperpigmentation due to rampant outbreaks for the last few months, although I’ve finally managed to get them under control, and this is always a main skincare concern of mine. I’m always looking for the best in whitening and brightening ingredients, and vitamin C is one of those key ingredients to look for in any serum promising to even out your skin tone.
The OST Vitamin C20 Serum comes in a brown glass jar with a dropper that’s packaged separately for maximum freshness while shipping. No oxidation should occur as the bottle is tightly sealed until you put the dropper in. The dropper is very hygienic and makes it easy to apply a precise amount of the serum.
I like to use four drops of this serum everyday in the morning and night after toner. It smells like oranges, which is a great way to begin my morning skincare routine. As the vitamin C is the most active ingredient in any of the serums I use, I apply the OST serum first, and then layer my Pure Heals Propolis 90 Serum on top. Follow up with an emulsion and cream. The serum does dry slightly sticky, but this disappears after a few minutes, or when you apply the rest of your skincare on top.
After using this for about a month now (I’ve used almost half the bottle), I can safely say this does make a difference in the brightness of my skin, as well as some of the hyperpigmentation. My skin has become a bit brighter due to the exfoliating properties of the vitamin C in it. In terms of hyperpigmentation, this has definitely worked to fade my lighter spots. Darker, deeper spots of hyperpigmentation are still visible, and don’t seem to be going away anytime soon, but I also believe this is due to having some extremely irritated and thinned skin at the moment. I also tried this on a bit of brown hyperpigmentation leftover from a nasty scratch last year, and this faded it in a week. As for blackheads, I don’t see any noticeable difference in mine.
The OST Vitamin C20 serum is $20 Canadian on wishtrend.com, and given the high antioxidant content, is worth buying again. As I’m not totally in love with it, I’d like to try other serums such as Missha’s Time Revolution Night Repair, which contains a multitude of vitamins and active ingredients, or the Skin & Lab Red Serum, which again contains a variety of vitamins and antioxidants, before purchasing another bottle of the OST serum. These two serums also include ingredients to prevent aging, as well as vitamin C (and other active ingredients) to help even out skin tone. Vitamin C is a great anti-aging ingredient, don’t get me wrong, I’d just prefer something with a little more… oomph.
However, if you want a simple and effective (and cheap!) whitening/brightening serum, I highly the OST Vitamin C20. I don’t think you’ll get better bang for your buck with any others.
Pros
Cheap
Effective at lightening hyperpigmentation
Smells like oranges
Cons
Will need to buy online
May be too strong for sensitive skin
