COSRX Pure Vitamin C 23% Serum with Vitamin E & Hyaluronic Acid, Brightening & Hydrating Facial Serum for Fine Lines, Uneven Skin Tone & Dull Skin, 0.7oz/20g, Korean Skin Care

First time with this brand, but using Vit C serum for years.So far one of my favorites in the range of price. Smells uncomfortable fishy but that is the Vit C normal smell, after some seconds over the skin the smell is gone, and personally prefer this than any extra essence. The oil is pretty thin and absorbs immediately. Haven't had any reactions but I have quite of time with this VitC concentration. I like how my skin looks, give me a glossy renewed look every morning. Any result with dark spots or fine lines, but I realized that is normal aging and nothing to do with it lol, anyway my skin looks healthy and younger for my age. Totally happy with this brand in my second week of use.Update: one month of use and still love it!

My skincare routine:1. Double wash, first with micellar water then with water-based cleanser.2. Microneedling 2-3x a week3. 12% glycolic acid toner4. COSRX Vitamin C serum5. 0.14% tretinoin cream6. 8% hydroquinone cream7. Ceramide moisturizer8. Sunscreen, morningsThis is NOT for everybody. My skin is ultra-resilient and nothing ever irritates it. The Vitamin C serum really stinks, but it’s worth it. My skin is noticeably brighter and more even. Highly recommended!

Love this stuff! It’s my second time purchasing. Word of warning—it does literally smell like chicken broth, but I’ve heard that’s what a true (and good quality) vitamin C serum should smell like. And the scent does go away immediately after rubbing it in. Since it has oil in it, I only use it at night, but it has made my skin sooooo soft! Great product! Will repurchase again and again.

This is a pure Vitamin C and, as a result, it has a smell to it when first applied (as mentioned/complained by many). However, this smell dissipates completely and very quickly. Most brands aren’t pure, thus they don’t have a smell to them. I have used this brand for a couple of years and I like that I get a high percentage of pure vitamin C at a great price, plus it doesn’t leave me sticky like many Vitamin C’s.

After showering on a Friday evening, I applied the serum to my face. The smell was absolutely disgusting, but I was prepared for that having read the reviews. I had no negative skin reactions. A couple of hours later I started to get a headache. I took some ibuprofen, put the heating pad on my head, and went to sleep. I woke up at 3am with a terrible headache and I felt nauseous. I want to note that I get frequent migraines and that this was not a migraine headache. It was a painful tightness all around the top of my head. Also, I realized that the heat from the heating pad was reactivating the smell of the serum on my face, which was really gross. When I finally tried to get up and move around at 7am it was awful. I felt like I had the stomach flu. Sweating, shaking, nauseous. And then I threw up. I really did think I was sick and didn’t even consider the serum until a few hours later. I talked to my sister and mentioned my thoughts about the serum. She suggested that I take a long hot shower to try and get it all off of me and to change my bedding. So I did, and by the end of Saturday I was feeling not 100% but so much better. I haven’t seen any other reviews that mention this type of reaction. I tried googling it too and found nothing, so obviously this could be some kind of weird coincidence that I got sick for a short time while trying to use this product. Either way, I’m too scared to try it again. The smell alone might make me sick anyway. Good luck!

ANOTHER UPDATED POST: bought my second bottle. Still smells awful, but I was excited given that the first bottle helped my skin. The first time, the box did not have any ingredients, and I could not find the information online. I specifically did not want to use product with tocopherol. Well, this time, the box did have ingredients, and I am delighted to see that the vitamin e is sourced tocotrinels, but my excitement was short lived as I saw tocopherol was on the list as well (see photo). I will still use this since I opened the bottle, but I won’t be buying again. From four stars to three.UPDATED POST: This still smells awful, but I must be getting used to the smell, or ignoring the smell because the product has made my skin smoother and more radiant. I just finished my first bottle and contemplating if I want to buy another. Bumping this product from two stars to four stars.ORIGINAL POST: This is the worst smelling vitamin C serum ever. I dont want one that is strong in fragrance, but this literally smells like gas I feel like I am getting drunk while smelling the scent when I use it on my face. This is awful awful awful. I can’t get past the smell to see the results. The smell does not disappear, despite what other reviewers claim. I can still smell the serum an hour after initial use.

I like it. It really helps my skin. But the smell is not pleasant

This is the best budget vitamin C serum! I’ve been using vitamin C serums for over 15 years, and so far, this is one of the best ones. I’ve tried many different brands, but this one is by far the most effective at reducing freckles. It’s not sticky and doesn’t irritate my skin much. If you’re looking for a vitamin C serum for around $20, this is the one. The smell isn’t pleasant, but for me, the scent is a lower priority. Make sure to store it in the refrigerator so you can use it longer.