100% Pure is a Californian brand that I have slowly become more acquainted with, via a few too many orders from online store for everything organic Nourished Life. This particular serum was purchased on a bit of a spree to qualify for a gift with purchase (shhh!). The brand is cruelty free and all products contain no artificial colours, fragrances or synthetic chemical preservatives. Personally, I waver back and forth between choosing natural skincare versus everything else but this is definitely a brand to check out if you like to live an organic/cruelty free/vegan/natural lifestyle. My personal favourite product is their coffee bean caffeine eye cream which is absolute joy (review will follow one day, promise).
The 100% Pure Vitamin C Serum claims to boost collagen, brighten skin tone, and stimulate skin cell renewal. It can be used both morning (under SPF) and night at the serum stage.
I have used up the entire bottle of this serum at this stage, applying primarily in the morning, due to the tightening effect that it has on the skin after application (I prefer to use something heavier and more nourishing at night like a face oil). It is a clear thick, gel - pretty similar texture to its main ingredient, aloe vera gel - that spreads easily on the skin and absorbs really fast. It is great under makeup in this respect, as there is no chance of it breaking through. There is no real scent that I can detect, perhaps faintly of aloe vera. It comes packaged in an opaque amber glass (essential for preventing the degradation of vitamin C due to exposure to light) pump bottle
I cannot say that I noticed any real effect of this serum on my skin. It kept my skin sufficiently hydrated but there were no skin brightening or clearing effects that I noticed. My hormonal (and otherwise) acne kept popping up regularly and didn't fade away any faster than usual. I did not notice any anti-ageing effects to report back either. My suspicion is that either:
a) the vitamin C had broken down ruining its efficacy, due to vulnerability to air and light (the bottle does not have an expiry date so there is no real way to know, however I used the bottle with the 6 month use by indicated on the bottle after opening and there was no change to the colour of the serum to indicate oxidation had occurred), or
b) the concentration of vitamin C was not high enough to have any noticeable effect on my skin (the concentration of vitamin C in this serum is around 2% but you can purchase serums with anywhere up to 25% vitamin C).
As mentioned, the base of this serum is organic aloe vera, giving it a thick, gel texture. The vitamin C is in the form of Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, one of the two forms of vitamin C that are stable in water solutions. Other ingredients include vegetable cellulose, vitamin E in the form of tocopherol, xanthum gum, green apple extract, grape extract, vitamin B5 in the form of panthanol, superoxide dismutase (a potent antioxidant), alpha lipoic acid (another antioxidant), broccoli seed oil, flaxseed oil, evening primrose oil, willow bark extract, witch hazel, and glycerin.
This would not be a repurchase for me as I did not notice any great skincare benefits despite using up the entire bottle. I would love to try a more potent vitamin C serum, as it has such excellent skincare benefits. This serum would be suited for those looking to try vitamin C for the first time, and definitely for those with sensitive skin due to all of the soothing ingredients included in the formula.
Price: $49.95 (Nourished Life) [$1.67/mL]
Rate: organic ingredients, packaging, great for sensitive skin, good under makeup
Hate: efficacy
Verdict: would not repurchase, but I am not giving up on vitamin C just yet!
