ROADTEST: 'This vitamin C serum promises to both brighten and fade my dark spots, so I put it to the test.'

If there’s one ingredient I know and love like the back of my hand, it’s vitamin C.

So when I heard about the new the Garnier Vitamin C* Brightening Serum, I was intrigued.

I had heard rumours that this baby could help with reducing the appearance of dark spots and given my Indian heritage, I am forever trying to win the battle against hyperpigmentation. 

I know what you’re thinking — get onto a retinol! But after trying different retinols over the last few years, my skin was always left a little worse for wear which is why I always gravitate back to a vitamin C. 

Why? Well, it not only does a lot of the work a retinol does, but it also gives me an instant glow.  

Naturally, I was keen to take this bad boy for a trial run.

But, before we deep dive into my experience, let’s talk about packaging first. 

It comes in a bottle that’s 100 per cent recyclable glass (big tick from me) and has a dropper-like applicator. 

Image: Supplied.

Now typically vitamin C based products can have a bit of a pungent smell, but this one surprised me. With the aroma of oranges, I noticed the texture was milky, which I hadn’t come across before.

Upon first application I noticed three things right away: 

1. It sunk into my skin without leaving a tacky residue.

2. It layered well with my other serums without pilling.

3. And my skin felt instantly softer.

Image: Supplied.

As a seasoned user of vitamin C, I tend to go for quite strong formulations with a high percentage of ascorbic acid, so I was keen to see how the 3.5 per cent in this formula holds up.

However, despite being a vitamin C veteran, ascorbic acid serums can sometimes be quite irritating due to my sensitive skin. But this baby right here has a blend of vitamin Cg, niacinamide, salicylic acid and lemon extract. 

This means for the everyday person is that it’s going to be able to stop melanocytes (these are the cells that causes excess pigment from forming) from being stimulated whilst breaking down existing pockets of melanin that may have gathered.

Garnier have also thrown in niacinamide to help improve tone, texture of the skin and salicylic acid to prevent any unwanted breakouts. Tick, tick and tick!

Now, we've got all the 411 on the product, let's get into my honest thoughts.

Before. Image: Supplied.

I incorporated it straight into my morning routine. Typically, I’d be using three serums of vit C, niacinamide and an exfoliating product but this serum had found a way to combine all three brightening agents into one easy-to-use serum. 

Within the first week of use, I noticed that my skin felt softer and more supple. 

And as we headed into the second week, my stubborn pigmentation from a spot I had acquired — thanks to a few too many late nights — had drastically reduced! I was thrilled. 

After. Image: Supplied.

And if that doesn’t convince you to give this bottle a try, then let’s look at some of the studies behind it. 

It has been scientifically proven** to reduce the density of dark spots (including acne marks) in just six days and from eight weeks, these pesky spots can be visibly reduced by 43 per cent. Not to mention, it's been officially approved by Cruelty Free International, designed for all skin types, and available for only $29.99. 

So if you’re new to the skincare game and want a serum that is one and done for your AM routine, I highly recommend checking this out. Because not all serums are created equal, but this one is more than just pretty good.

From my few weeks of using the product, I've noticed a more even skin tone, a radiant glow and a distinct difference in my hyperpigmentation. 

So much so, that I'll be consistently applying it every day. After all, consistency is key when it comes to skincare. 

Get your hands on the Garnier Vitamin C Brightening Serum here. 

*Vitamin Cg

**Cosmeto-clinical test, 74 subjects, 8 weeks. 

Feature Image: Supplied/Mamamia.