Kate Somerville Mega C 30% Vitamin C Brightening Facial.

Serums

About this product

A 30% L-ascorbic acid vitamin C mask designed to brighten skin and address hyperpigmentation, applied for up to 20 minutes then rinsed off.

Full ingredients

Dimethicone, Ascorbic Acid, Polysilicone-11, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone/Phenylsilsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Seed Oil, Bisabolol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Niacinamide, Mentha Viridis (Spearmint) Leaf Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Oil, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Ceramide NP, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Ubiquinone, Astragalus Membranaceus Root Extract, Spilanthes Acmella Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Limonene

Guru Score

82%

Yay

Early verdict · Few reviews so far

What they liked

Gentle brightening without stinging
Pleasant scent despite high L-ascorbic acid
Wash-off format avoids all-day irritation

What they flagged

Orange oil may irritate sensitive skin

What the gurus are saying

This mask's strength is the high concentration of L-ascorbic acid, the most effective form of vitamin C for tackling dark spots and boosting collagen. The trade-off: L-ascorbic acid can sting and often has an unpleasant smell, which is why gurus appreciate this as a wash-off format you use in the morning and then move on, rather than leaving it on skin all day. The essential oils mask the typical meaty scent reasonably well, though the orange oil is a bit much for some.

Synthesized from 2 expert reviews · most recent take October 2023

Best for

Oily skin Combination skin

Type

SerumsCream

Key actives

Vitamin C NiacinamideCeramides

Formula notes

No drying alcohol

Where to buy

Sephora → Ulta → Amazon → Google →

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What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

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Allie Glines

829k subs

✓Yay

"I used the Kate Somerville Mega C 30% Vitamin C Brightening Facial before coming on camera today. I've used this a few times and so far so good. I love a good vitamin C brightening face mask and this one is really nice. I feel like it does just kind of gently brighten the skin, which is always a plus."

AliceintheRabbitHole

59k subs

✓Yay

"I actually kind of agree with Allure, finally, I like this one because it's different. L-ascorbic acid is the gold standard of vitamin C if you're looking for hyperpigmentation fighting or collagen boosting, [...] but it can sting, in terms of texture it tends to be watery, and in terms of smell it tends to smell meaty. So I like the idea of this as an AM mask for people who don't want to keep pushing through the L-ascorbic acid drawbacks all day, you put it on, wash it off, and you're done."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Vitamin C

Topical vitamin C is an antioxidant with reasonable evidence for dullness and uneven tone. It breaks down in light and air, so how a product is formulated and packaged matters as much as the percentage on the front.

Source: DermNet

Niacinamide

Niacinamide has evidence behind it for redness, uneven tone and supporting the skin barrier, and it is usually well tolerated even by skin that reacts to most things.

Source: DermNet

Ceramides

Ceramides are part of the skin's own barrier, and moisturisers built around them have evidence for holding water in and settling the tightness and flaking that come with a damaged barrier.

Source: DermNet

Frequently asked.

What is Kate Somerville Mega C 30% Vitamin C Brightening Facial?

A 30% L-ascorbic acid vitamin C mask designed to brighten skin and address hyperpigmentation, applied for up to 20 minutes then rinsed off.

Is Kate Somerville Mega C 30% Vitamin C Brightening Facial worth it?

Yes. All 2 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 82%.

What is Kate Somerville Mega C 30% Vitamin C Brightening Facial's Guru Score?

Kate Somerville Mega C 30% Vitamin C Brightening Facial holds a Guru Score of 82%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 2 expert reviewers we have collected.