CC Me: Summer Fridays Vitamin C Serum Review
Vitamin C serums are one of the most impactful steps in my morning skincare routines. Ever since I started using vitamin C three years ago, I’ve noticed my acne scars fade more quickly and my overall skintone has a brightness to it. Summer Fridays came out with their own vitamin C serums last year and I ended up finishing up a bottle within 3 months a few months ago. I meant to write this review earlier… but better late than never, right?
I received this bottle as PR but all thoughts are my own.
Price & Availability
$64.00 via Sephora, Cult Beauty, Selfridge’s, & Summer Fridays
Ingredients
Water (Aqua), Niacinamide, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Ascorbyl Glucoside (Vitamin C), Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, Squalane, Diheptyl Succinate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Camellia Oleifera (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Orchis Mascula (Orchid) Flower Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cananga Odorata (Ylang Ylang) Flower Extract, Cucumis Melo Cantalupensis (Cantaloupe) Fruit Extract, Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Flower Extract, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Fruit Extract, Rose Gallica Flower Extract, Cinnamomum Cassia (Cinnamon) Bark Extract, Jasminum Officinale (Jasmine) Flower/Leaf Extract, Coffea Arabica (Coffee) Leaf/Seed Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Black Tea) Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl (Vitamin E) Acetate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Amyl Cinnamal, Cinnamyl Alcohol, Eugenol, Hydroxycitronellal
Star Ingredients
Niacinamide: A true skincare multi-tasker! Soothing, brightening, repairing, hydrating, it does it all.
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid & Ascorbyl Glucoside: Two vitamin C derivatives. The trick with vitamin C derivatives is that they’re often gentler than Vitamin C, but they’re not as well studied so their efficacy is still in question. Of the two, I could find more info on Ascorbyl Glucoside— it can to penetrate the skin, protect the skin against UV damage, and has potential to fade dark spots. Another plus side is that they’re more stable so this serum as a 12 month shelf life once opened.
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 & Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7: Both of these peptides have been shown to provide anti-aging benefits to the skin according to Beautypedia. Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 has been shown to help fade sun damage and texture, while Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 helps repair the skin’s barrier.
PLUS various plant extracts rich in anti-oxidants as well as squalane which is one of my favorite lightweight, hydrating oils that’s also acne-friendly.
Packaging
Cute glass bottle with a pump. You can unscrew the top to pour out the product if you want to.
Scent
A sweet, fruity smell. It doesn’t contain synthetic fragrance but does contain a variety of plant extracts which probably accounts for the scent,
Texture
Imagine a gel moisturizer, but thin it out and make it liquidy and runny.
Results
My overall experience with this was good! I did notice any active spots I had were less inflamed after applying this serum. It was also pretty hydrating for a vitamin C serum, especially when compared to serums which utilize L-ascorbic acid (aka “pure” vitamin C.)
Texture wise, it was easy to layer. I generally applied it right after cleansing and then layered on the rest of my skincare routine. It absorbs pretty quickly with only a hint of tackiness, depending on how much I applied. I would say it left a comfortable matte finish, but that’s going to be dependent on your skin type (I personally have dry, dehydrated skin.)
Depending on your skin, you might find some of the extracts included in the serum to be potentially irritating. Personally, I didn’t face any issues but it is something I wanted to note!
While I enjoyed the serum, it’s not something I see myself running out to repurchase only because there are more effective vitamin C serums that utilize L-ascorbic acid and deliver more potent results. Yes, they’re more drying in comparison to this serum but I’m willing to deal with that for the results. Perhaps if I magically got rid of my darkest acne scars, I would repurchase this for keeping my skin brightened.
If I were to splurge on a vitamin C serum at Sephora, I would rather go for Drunk Elephant’s C-Firma Serum or Obagi Clinical’s Vitamin C+ Arbutin Brightening Serum. Both can be a little bit drying on the skin, but they provide more significant brightening (and some plumping) in comparison to the Summer Fridays CC Me Serum as they use L-ascorbic acid (aka straight up vitamin C vs the derivatives in this serum.)
