Cheap & Cheerfully Brightened
I used to be dubious of dupes. For a long time I was of the belief that you get what you pay for, that hype was to be believed and surely if I threw enough money at my face, it would look exactly how I wanted.
Fast forward to 2019, where enough time has passed and I’ve spent enough money on some very expensive products over the years that have unfortunately yielded results more befitting of a low-budget horror film. Fun to watch, not so fun when it comes to one’s complexion.
At this point, I’ve given up faith in fancy packaging and prestige. There are plenty of luxe products that perform beautifully, but I’d like my bank account to perform even better, so I’ve been hunting for less $$$ options. I desperately needed a new vitamin C serum after being disappointed by so many and chasing the high of Skinceuticals CE Ferulic, a product that I adore but can’t bring myself to splurge on right now.
In the spirit of experimentation, I decided to attempt to concoct my own. I’d tried The Ordinary’s Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2% but found myself underwhelmed. It simply didn’t give me the “wow” results I’d come to expect from vitamin C. I did some more digging and settled on trying their 100% L-Ascorbic Acid Powder because I want potency and freshness, people!
When my order arrived, I used the provided scoop to mix the powder in the palm of my hand with about 3-4 drops of another Ordinary product, their Resveratrol 3% and Ferulic Acid 3%. I was inspired by the combo of C and Ferulic that’s in the aforementioned Skinceuticals serum, as well as dozens of the other C serums on the market. This created what I imagine to be an antioxidant powerhouse, ready to fight off free radicals and keep me looking cute forever, I hope. Plus, mixing it in the palm of my hand makes me feel like a witch-chemist. It’s fun!
My beautiful inexpensive children.
The powder has a slight grittiness (reminiscent of the The Ordinary’s Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2%) but it dissolves in the Ferulic serum and absorbs quickly into the skin. Upon application, this combo has a warming feel and slight tingling on my face but nothing uncomfortable. I’ve used some other vitamin C products in the past that have straight up burned, but this is extremely mild in comparison.
As far as when I’m actually using it in my routine, I find my results are best applying it after cleansing and before moisturizer and SPF in the mornings to give me antioxidant protection from the environment.
After about a week of using this “custom” serum, I noticed that a few of my active zits had dried out and were flaking off, and certain spots around my jawline that had been left behind from a breakout were less noticeable. The ultimate testament though was that friends and coworkers commented that my skin looked clearer and more even, and two people asked what I’d been using. Whenever anyone notices that my skin is looking better, I take that as a hint that my products are working.
Not to toot my own horn, but I feel luminous.
It’s been almost a month of using these two products together and I’m slowly healing and brightening the brown spots left behind by breakouts, my skin is overall brighter, clearer and feels smoother, and this whole concoction cost me a total of $13.70 CDN. Is it a sin to say that my results are comparable to a nearly $200 serum that I was addicted to for years? If so, damn me to skin care hell. I will gladly go knowing my face will be dewy and gleaming against the backdrop of flames.
