NeoBright Radiance C Ampoule Set Reviews

This set contains a powder and a serum initially stored in separate vials. Once the powder and the serum is mixed, it has to be used within 14 days. This is because the powder contains Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C) (and other extracts high in antioxidants) which will start deteriorating once it is in aqueous solution. Because both heat and light will speed up the oxidation of AA, I wrap the bottle in foil and store it in the fridge once it is mixed.

The instructions on the website says to use one dropper each time, twice a day. One dropper is way too much for me, even I brought the serum all the way down to my chest. I started with 5 drops instead.

The salon told me that the pH of the mixture is around 3.5, which is an ideal pH for AA to work. Apart from AA, the mixture contains lactic acid and malic acid (AHAs for exfoliating and skin brightening), nanopeptide-1 (for inhibiting melanin synthesis), licorice extract (for skin brightening), pomegranate and tomato extracts (both high in vitamin C), and other skin humectants for hydration.

The ingredient line up is very impressive, except that it contains a relatively large amount of ethanol (also called alcohol denat., listed as the second ingredient in the serum component).  There are two schools of thought on ethanol - one says that it is downright evil, and another says that it can enhance product penetration and absorption. Most of the time it is used as a solvent or for viscosity adjustment - it enhances the solubility of other ingredients which may not be very soluble in water. My approach is generally to avoid it if possible - it is something that I am willing to try but I monitor my skin's reaction very closely. In carefully formulated products, my skin may not notice that it is there. Otherwise, it can make my skin dry, or dehydrated, or both.

Initially I used 5 drops for my face, neck and décollete. There was a slight tingling sensation after the first few applications but it went away quickly. However, I could significantly noticed that my skin became quite dehydrated, and possibly also quite dry in a few days' time. I was not surprised given the high ethanol content. In order to keep going I reduced my usage to only 3 drops each time. My skin felt less tight, but at the same time I was not using anywhere close to the recommended dosage. I felt that I couldn't really win in that situation.

After 14 days, my skin felt both tight and oily, which was a sign of my skin's hydration level had been thrown off-balance. I also had small pimples and blocked pores in unusual places (again, this was a sign that my skin was over-producing oil to compensate for the dryness). There could be a small decrease in my pigmentation. However, the slight decrease is not enough to outweigh all the other issues my skin was facing at that time, and I made the choice to not go onto the second set. It is a shame that the serum has so much ethanol in it, because many of the other ingredients used are quite powerful and proven to be effective in reducing pigmentation.