Soul Apothecary Glow Serum

 There are some things in life that just aren't meant to be. And that pretty much describes my relationship with Soul Apothecary's Glow Serum.

It wasn't meant to be. But how I wish it was...

While I was very curious about Soul Apothecary's Vitamin C products, I was hesitant for the longest time since L-Ascorbic Acid was notoriously unstable. However, I was finally too curious about and bought it on impulse. At Php 295 ($6) for 15 ml, it was decently priced that I felt that I could afford to try it.

It came well sealed with the expiration date more than a year after purchase. The dropper dispensed a clear, viscuous fluid that smelt metallic, but was quickly absorbed in the skin. I was shocked about how they were able to make it so stable, but I found that the ingredients list listed on the site I bought it from and the ingredients on the actual bottle were quite different. While the sites give vitamin C as the second ingredient, my bottle says

Ingredients: water, glycerin, butylene glycol, astaxanthin, tocopherol, sodium hyaluronate, niacinamide, ascorbic acid, hydroxyl cellulose, octanoyl hydroxamic acid, 1,2-heaxanedione

Was this a reformulation? I don't know. But I wish they did list it properly because I would not have purchased it had I seen the list. Why? Because what I knew would happen, happened.

I have been blessed /s with sensitive, acne-prone skin with seborrheic dermatitis (and additional "fungal acne" once triggered). And this broke me out. The vitamin C content was too low for me. While it had more active ingredients with the additional niacinamide and astaxanthin antioxidant, plus a little sodium hyaluronate and glycerin, the balance was wrong. I'd need a higher percentage in order to counteract whatever acnegenic substance was in there, most probably the tocopherol.

Mind you, the break-out was mild. I loved using it because it was so smoothing and quick to absorb. However, I got a tiny bump every use. Desperately hoping it wasn't so (as I was generally on a break out), I continued until I couldn't deny that this was problematic. Then I found it a new home in my mother's skincare cabinet.

Andddd...

MY MOTHER LOVES IT.

It really made it both softer and brighter with just one use. It's going to be a repurchase... for my mother. I'd recommend this for any skin type without seborrheic dermatitis/malessezia folliculitis. I truly believe this will benefit most skins. Sadly, just not mine.

I've actually repurchased Timeless's Vitamin C since I was so sad about this not suiting me.

Lyf.