There are some things that I will always include in my skincare routine and one of those is a Vitamin C serum. I find they are absolutely essential for my skin for helping to fade any dark spots and acne scars. I have tried many a Vitamin C serum over the years (my favorite being the Sunday Riley CEO serum, review here) but I was super pumped to try the infamous Ole Henriksen Banana Bright™ Vitamin C Serum ($86CAD/$65USD) to see how it would differ from others that I have tried.
Before we jump right into this review, we have to talk about the elephant in the room. The name. Banana Bright. It makes you think this is going to be a heavenly banana scented product, right? Wrong. There are no bananas in this product nor does it smell like bananas (But, if you’re craving a banana-scented cream, check out the Glow Recipe Banana Souffle Moisture Cream). A disappointment to say the least. I am a big fan of bananas and I would be a very happy gal if I had a banana scented serum. Nonetheless, the scent is only trivial in a skincare product so let’s move on.
There are so many great things about this Banana Bright Vitamin C Serum. FIrst of all, it was awarded the “Clean At Sephora” badge which means it was formulated without any sulfates, parabens, phthalates, and 50 other common but harmful ingredients. Second, it contains the powerful duo of Vitamin C, Polyhydroxy Acids and Hyaluronic Acid. There’s a whopping 15% Vitamin C in this serum so it helps brighten the skin while visibly reducing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots, and discoloration, while defending against any environmental stressors. I started to notice more even skin in as little as 7 days! And after using this for 30 days, my acne marks were considerably lighter. The 5% Polyhydroxy Acids works great alongside the Vitamin C to help even skin tone and texture through a gentle chemical exfoliation as it loosens and lifts dry, dead skin cells to reveal newer, fresher skin beneath. Finally, the Hyaluronic Acid plumps and hydrates the skin.
And although this serum doesn’t smell like bananas, it does smell like citrusy Vitamin C which is never a bad thing at all. As for use, I like to use this daily in the evening. And with any Vitamin C serum (or any skincare in general), it is always essential to wear a high SPF sunscreen during the day as the Vitamin C makes your skin much more sensitive to the sun. You don’t want to be reversing all of the work the serum has done for fading your dark spots by going out in the sun without sunscreen on!
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*ftc disclaimer: Product was sent free of charge for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make When I’m Older possible!