Vibriance Super C Serum Review

This review of Vibriance Super C Serum shows that it makes questionable claims about its Vitamin C formulation. Some ingredients have been clinically proven to improve skin elasticity and hydration. There are other ingredients that may be toxic to certain individuals.

Vibriance is a skincare and cosmetics beauty brand that is marketed specifically to women over 50.  The official website states that the Vibriance Super C Penetrating Serum is the company’s most popular product.

The brand touts its product as ” an all-in-one hydrating serum that targets age spots, wrinkles, & more…”

Let’s get down to the details because that’s why you are here:

• Does this product really help improve your skin?
• What are its ingredients?
• Does the brand cite appropriate clinical studies or reputable sources, to align with its claim of “Where Science Meets Skincare?”
• Does the product contain unhealthy or unnecessary additives?
• What do the reviews say, and are they reputable reviews?

In this review, we’ll answer all the questions posed above.

By the end, you’ll have all the information you need to decide if this serum is right for you.

Key Takeaways

• Certain ingredients in Vibriance Super C Serum have been proven in clinical research to improve skin hydration and reduce visible wrinkles.
• The brand makes bold claims about its Vitamin C formulation but does not back them up with science-based evidence.
• Additives used in the formulation are questionable, and at least two have been linked to possible toxicity.
• There are mixed reviews, with negative reviews claiming allergic skin breakouts.

Ingredient Review

Major red flag – Questionable claim about Vitamin C

On its product page, the brand states the following: “It starts with the highest quality Vitamin C on the market today.” The next statement after this assertion is what caught my clinically and researched-trained eye: “Our unique Vitamin C extract is shown in studies to produce far better results than standard Vitamin C.”

And that was it…no clear citation to the “studies” or references were made. I carefully scrolled through the page, all the way to the bottom, and I could not find any peer-reviewed scholarly article to support this claim.

The specific formulation of Vitamin C that the brand uses in this product is not clearly stated on the product page either. The only way to get this information is to scroll all the way down to the accordion-type “Common Questions” and locate the “What is the Full Ingredient List” question:

As you can see in the list above,  3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is listed as the type of Vitamin C used in this product.

I searched the National Library of Medicine website for clinical studies that support the use of this type of Vitamin C as an anti-aging agent and found one clinical trial published in the journal “Life” in 2021.

This study suggests that 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid may have anti-aging activity and improve skin. However, the concentration of the Vitamin C formulation used in this study was 30%.

Vibriance, on the other hand, does not state the strength of its 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid anywhere in the ingredient list or on the product page.

I find this to be highly questionable and a big red flag.

The other big concern I have relates to the statement from Vibriance I mentioned above: “Our unique Vitamin C extract is shown in studies to produce far better results than standard Vitamin C”

I find this statement to be misleading, as I could not find ANY clinical studies doing a head-to-head comparison between standard Vitamin C and 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid.

If I made such bold, unsubstantiated statements to my healthcare colleagues, I would be laughed out of the room and my credibility would be tarnished for good.

I do have to give some credit to several of the other ingredients in this product.

Many of them are research-backed and may have anti-aging effects on skin.

Let’s delve into some of these ingredients:

Research-backed anti-aging ingredients in Vibriance Super C Serum

Vibriance Super C Serum does have ingredients that have strong anti-oxidative properties.  I’ll highlight the main ones below:

Sodium Hyaluronate (Hyaluronic Acid)

There are abundant clinical studies that show Hyaluronic acid’s positive effect on the skin. For example, this clinical review published in the International Journal of Biological Macromolecules in 2018 showed the compound was able to reduce skin wrinkles.

In another study published in 2021, the authors state that “hyaluronic acid has the function of a viscosity modifier and/or a skin conditioning agent…and has the ability to enhance the level of moisture of the skin and expedite regeneration.”

Caffeine

Caffeine has a lot of clinical and research evidence backing its role in reducing oxidative stress-induced signs of aging on skin.

This research study verifies that caffeine does indeed protect skin from oxidative stress and also activates autophagy, the process of destroying damaged or old cellular components and recycling them to create fresh, new cells.

Panthenol

Panthenol or pantothenic acid, a precursor to Vitamin B5, is a type of is a great skin moisturizer that has lots of science-based research backing its use in cosmetic and skincare products.

Trusted brands such as Cetaphil use it in their products. Panthenol is both a humectant (helps skin attract water) and an emollient (softens and soothes skin).

This study is just one of many in the biomedical literature that verifies Panthenol’s positive effects on skin.

Acetyl Glucosamine

N-acetyl glucosamine is another great ingredient for maintaining healthy, smooth skin. This article shows how this compound promotes skin moisturization, reduces skin flakiness, and normalizes the skin exfoliation process.

Potentially toxic ingredients:

Triethanolamine

Also called TEA, triethanolamine is commonly found in many cosmetic prodcuts. Although it is FDA approved, a deeper review of this compound shows that it is only appropriate for short, discontinuous use.

There is strong evidence that TEA is a human toxicant. Studies on mammalian cells show that it may be cancer-causing, and can cause allergic reactions, eye problems, hair and skin dryness, and it can be absorbed into the body with long term use.

Phenoxyethanol

Phenoxyethanol is used as a preservative in many cosmetic and skin products, including eye shadow, hand cream, shaving cream, deodorant, toothpaste, baby wipes, and many other products.

Certain individuals have developed eczema, hives, and life-threatening anaphylaxis from using it on their skin.

Ethylhexylglycerin

Vibriance Super C Serum also contains ethylhexylglycerin, another compound that has been shown to cause allergic reactions in some individuals.

Vibriance Vitamin C Serum Reviews

As I looked through YouTube for unsponsored reviews of this product, I could not find any! The one popular one seems to be the one below:

However, it should be noted that the user in this video states that the brand sent her this product and is sponsoring her to review it. So, take that for what it’s worth and make your own assessment about any potential bias that may exist.

Amazon reviews of Vibriance Vitamin C Serum

What about Amazon reviews? As I always say in my other product reviews, be careful about weeding out fake or questionable reviews on Amazon.

How do you know which ones are legit? Go to https://www.fakespot.com/ and copy in the URL of the Amazon product.

The software goes through all the reviews, isolates the good ones from the fake ones, and returns a final rating. As you can see below, a “C’ rating is rather suspect to me:

Better Business Bureau Reviews of Vibriance Vitamin C Serum

BBB ratings are a mix. There are some very good reviews of the product:

And some negative ones:

My Recommended Clean Skincare Picks

Full transparency – The products I recommend below are affiliate links – I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you if you decide to purchase through these links.

As you can see from my reviews, I will not recommend products I won’t use on myself.

With that said, here are my recommendations:

My strong recommendation is Annie Mak Vitamin C serum.

The product is clean, and I love the fact that the brand provides an instantly viewable third-party certificate of analysis for each product right there on the product page.

If interested, you can purchase the product directly from the official website at this link.

For improving skin hydration and elasticity, oral intake of collagen is superior.

I am particularly proud and privileged to be working with an absolutely amazing company – Bubs Naturals.

This company was founded to honor the memory and legacy of a National Hero – Former Navy Seal Glen “Bub” Doherty who was killed in action while defending his brothers in Benghazi, Libya on September 12, 2012.

Yes, the movie “13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi” tells the story of Bub and his valiant teammates as they fought against armed terrorists during the assault on the State Department’s Mission Facility. You can read more about Bub on the CIA website.

Bubs Collagen Protein has earned my highest recommendation because it only contains protein, and no other additives or artificial sweeteners.

If you use my discount code GA20 at checkout, you will get a 20% discount! 

At the time of this writing, Bubs protein powder costs $39.95 and provides 28 servings per container. With your 20% discount, the per-serving price is $1.14!

If you are interested, please check out Bubs products at this link on their official website.

Another company I trust and and recommend for all your dietary supplement needs is Bulk Supplements.

All of their products are incredibly inexpensive and completely free of additives!

I personally take many of the supplements in their product line.

You get the pure product, that’s it!

I suggest their Collagen Powder without reservation for improving skin elasticity and hydration, due to the huge presence of science-backed literature supporting its use.

For accurate measurement of each serving, you will need an electronic milligram scale. I recommend this product. It has a “B” Fakespot rating!

Conclusion

In conclusion, while Vibriance Super C Serum may have some positive reviews from customers, it’s important to consider the questionable claim about  3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid. 

Furthermore, the inclusion of potentially harmful ingredients such as triethanolamine, phenoxyethanol, and ethylhexylglycerin raises red flags for those seeking clean skincare options.

While individual experiences may vary, it’s always advisable to thoroughly research a product and its brand before making a purchase.

In this case, there are alternative clean skincare options available that have a more transparent approach and use safer ingredients.

It’s recommended to explore other brands that prioritize ingredient integrity and have a track record of delivering effective skincare products.

Your skin deserves the best, so make sure to choose products that align with your values and meet your skincare needs.