Elizabeth Dehn for OLO Vitamin C Serum

Did you know that an easy way to sneak green tea into recipes is to substitute it for wherever the recipe calls for water? Thanks interwebz for this tip. This morning I had green tea in my pancakes (based on this recipe), green tea on the side, and green tea on my face à la Elizabeth Dehn for One Love Organics’ Active Moisture Vitamin C Serum.

I sampled this over the summer via One Love Organics’ active moisture sample pack, which by the way is very affordable and gives a good feel for the products (aka I got hooked on this and the cleanser, both of which I got in full size). I began using the cleanser and this serum after my midday yoga session, and between how soft it made my face, the research on the importance of topical vitamin C, and the fact that green tea is the first ingredient on the list, I upgraded to full size ($68 for 24ml) after my sample ran out.

What makes this product special is twofold: its moisturizing properties and stable vitamin C. Green tea seed oil has “outstanding moisture-retaining ability”, is rich in fatty acids and vitamins, and contains squalene, an “important component of the skin’s natural emollient system”. Sunflower seed oil, shea seed oil, baobab, and sea buckthorn oil all contain moisturizing vitamins (among which are E and scar-fighting A). Vitamin C in general is a wrinkle fighter by stimulating collagen production and protects against UV damage–all very desirable things! However, vitamin C is tricky in skincare, as vitamin C in the form of ascorbic acid can be unstable and cause the formation of more free radicals–the very thing it is supposed to fight! Luckily, vitamin C in the form of fat-soluble ascorbyl palmitate, also known as vitamin C ester, is less irritating and more stable, which is what is used in this serum. It shows “greater antioxidant activity and performs at much lower doses” than ascorbic acid, and even “[increases] the antioxidant effect and protection of vitamin E, which is another free radical fighting powerhouse” in the serum.

No matter the season or what I layer the serum under or over, this rose-scented serum always makes my face feel very moisturized, supple, plump, and bright. During the summer, I would add one pump on top of my YÜLI M.E. Skin Fuel during the day every now and then or by itself after a yoga session. When I used the serum alone, I did not find it to help with my main skin concern, acne, so I’ve primarily designated this as an extra injection of moisture into my skin, which it does very well. Now in the drier winter, I have especially been appreciating this serum. Two pumps over M.E. Skin Fuel (or Cell Perfecto PM at night) and a cream moisturizer keeps my face from feeling uncomfortably dry. If I’m low on time, I’ll add one pump to my favorite Consonant sunscreen and be left with a radiant look.

tl;dr Packed with super moisturizing ingredients like green tea (yum) and stable vitamin C that fights free radicals instead of causing more. Love how soft and plump it leaves my skin.

Have you tried this serum? What are your thoughts?

Ingredients: organic camellia sinensis (green tea) seed oil, organic helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, butyrospermum parkii (shea) seed oil, organic adansonia digitata (baobab) oil, poly- hydroxystearic acid, sambucus nigra fruit extract (elderberry) extract, l-ascorbyl palmitate (vitamin c), tocopherol (vitamin e), organic supercritical hippophae rhamnoides (sea buckthorn) oil, organic rosehip (rosa canina) fruit extract, proprietary natural & organic fragrance