Works for
Evens skin tone3-glyceryl ascorbate, Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate + 1 moreWorks well
“New! 15% Vitamin C brightening and plumping serum is combined with hyaluronic acid to visibly reduce the appearance of dark spots and improve skin tone for a smoother and brighter complexion.”
This product can help reduce hypepigmentation and even out the skin tone because it contains the following effective ingredients: 3-glyceryl ascorbate
Keep in mind that you would need to apply any topical skincare targetted at hypigmentation consistently for a couple of months to get a result. No topical skincare product can help get rid of hyperpigmentation (including post-acne marks and age spots) instantly.
Anti-aging3-glyceryl ascorbate, Hyaluronic acid + 3 moreMay help
“Combined with the power of hyaluronic acid to increase skin firmness, while visibly reducing fine lines and wrinkles by up to 35%*.”
This product contains 3-glyceryl ascorbate. This ingredient might be able to help reduce and prevent fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity and firmness, but there is not enough evidence that it actually works.
Moisturizing3-glyceryl ascorbate, Glycerin + 6 moreWorks
This product contains good ingredients to attract water to the upper layer of the skin. These ingredients are called "humectants": 3-glyceryl ascorbate, glycerin.
When humectants are on the surface of the skin, they “pull in” the moisture from the outside environment, or from within deeper layers of the skin. If the air is dry, humectants can speed up the moisture loss from the skin. This is why it is a good idea to use another product on top of this one to help "seal in" the moisture (look for ingredients like dimethicone, squalane, oils and butters).
ExfoliationNo ingredient credited for this claimNot delivered
This product does not contain effective exfoliating ingredients. It might be able to deliver physical exfoliation, that is scrub off some of the dead cells on the surface of the skin. We do not recommend physical exfoliation, because it is not uniform (some bits of skin can get exfoliated too much while others not at all). It can also traumatize the skin and aggrevate acne and other skin conditions.
Anti-blemishCamellia sinensis leaf extract, Rosmarinus officinalis leaf extractNot delivered
Effective ingredients missing or their concentration is too low.
Anti-oxidationNot advertised by the brand · 3-glyceryl ascorbate, Hibiscus sabdariffa flower extract + 7 moreWorks well
This product contains antioxidants (3-glyceryl ascorbate) that can help neutralize free radicals in skin. By doing so, they can lessen the damage the skin gets from the UV light (sun).
Can it cause trouble?
Irritancy13 flagged ingredients — patch-test recommendedHigh risk
ComedogenicClean of flagged comedogenic ingredientsNone flagged
User reviews
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Ingredients
Filter by role to see what each ingredient is doing.
Water~40–60%
Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate~4.6–7%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
A derivative of vitamin C that is more stable, but less bioavailable than the pure form of vitamin C. It does not penetrate the skin well, but has been shown to convert to pure vitamin C once in skin. It can be helpful in stimulating collagen production and lightening the skin tone, but the required concentration is likely to be very high
More about Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate3-glyceryl ascorbate~3.7–5.5%
- Irritation risk
- High
A moisturizing vitamin C derivative. It is considered to be one of the most stable ones. It is effective in neutralizing free radicals and can help to even out the skin tone if used in high enough concentration
More about 3-glyceryl ascorbatePropanediol~2.7–4%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Acts as a solvent for other ingredients. Speeds up the absorption of other ingredients into the skin
More about PropanediolPentylene glycol~2.1–3.1%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Used to preserve products, dissolve other ingredients and create a nice product texture
More about Pentylene glycolXanthan gum~1.6–2.4%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Used to create a thicker product consistency
More about Xanthan gumLecithin~1.4–2.1%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Used mostly for creating emulsions - helping oil and water mix together. Helps soften the upper layer of the skin
More about LecithinSclerotium gum~1.2–1.8%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Used to create gel-like formulas and stabilize emulsions
More about Sclerotium gumPullulan~1–1.5%
- Irritation risk
- High
Creates a thin drying film on the skin resulting in a short-term tightening effect
More about PullulanCaprylhydroxamic acid~0.8–1.25%
Caprylyl glycol~0.55–1.25%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Helps preserve products and creates a nice product texture
More about Caprylyl glycolGlycerin~0.45–1.1%
- Irritation risk
- Low
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant
More about GlycerinHyaluronic acid~0.4–0.9%
- Irritation risk
- Low
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Attracts water into the upper layer of the skin. Naturally present in skin. Typically has large molecule size unless advertised otherwise on the product label. Helps support skin's barrier function and may help to reduce inflammation
More about Hyaluronic acidHibiscus sabdariffa flower extract~0.35–0.85%
- Irritation risk
- High
A plant extract that can be irritating. It might contain a compound anthocyanin that could be helpful in neutralizing free radicals
More about Hibiscus sabdariffa flower extractLycium barbarum fruit extract~0.3–0.7%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
A plant extract that can help neutralize free radicals in skin and attract water to its upper layer
More about Lycium barbarum fruit extractCamellia sinensis leaf extract~0.2–0.7%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Can contain potent anti-oxidant compounds (abbreviated ECG, GCG, EGC, and EGCG) that might help protect the skin from free radicals. Can help calm down inflammation and has some anti-bacterial properties. Unfortunately, these antioxidants are unstable and lose their effectiveness very quickly in products. The concentration of the antioxidant compounds in the extract also tends to be low to be effective in topical formulation
More about Camellia sinensis leaf extractTerminalia ferdinandiana fruit extract~0.15–0.55%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
A plant extract that might have some anti-oxidant effect in skin, but evidence is lacking
More about Terminalia ferdinandiana fruit extractTetrasodium glutamate diacetate~0.1–0.5%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Helps stabilize the product formulation
More about Tetrasodium glutamate diacetateSodium bisulfite~0.1–0.2%
Pelargonium graveolens flower oil~0.1–0.35%
- Irritation risk
- High
An essential oil. Can be irritating. Can become an allergen with oxidation
More about Pelargonium graveolens flower oilRosmarinus officinalis leaf extract~0.05–0.25%
- Irritation risk
- High
Can be helpful in reducing inflammation in skin, including inflamed acne. It can be irritating
More about Rosmarinus officinalis leaf extractHydrolyzed gardenia florida extract~0.05–0.2%
- Irritation risk
- High
Used as a fragrance. Might have some anti-oxidant properties
More about Hydrolyzed gardenia florida extractMaltodextrin~0.05–0.2%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Used to stabilize the product formulation and can help absorb oil
More about MaltodextrinSodium hydroxide~0.05–0.15%
Ingredient list view
Water, Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, 3-glyceryl ascorbate, Propanediol, Pentylene glycol, Xanthan gum, Lecithin, Sclerotium gum, Pullulan, Caprylhydroxamic acid, Caprylyl glycol, Glycerin, Hyaluronic acid, Hibiscus sabdariffa flower extract, Lycium barbarum fruit extract, Camellia sinensis leaf extract, Terminalia ferdinandiana fruit extract, Tetrasodium glutamate diacetate, Sodium bisulfite, Pelargonium graveolens flower oil, Rosmarinus officinalis leaf extract, Hydrolyzed gardenia florida extract, Maltodextrin, Sodium hydroxide
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Worth comparing, line by line.
Match % combines shared ingredients, the first five ingredients, shared actives and hero ingredients, irritancy (lower counts in the alternative's favour), texture and body area. Only products in the same routine step are compared.
| Sonya DakarUltima C SerumYOUR PRODUCT | Pink DolphinLulo Fruit Vitamin C Brightening Serum | Anti-Aging Skin Care Treatment | Dark Spots | Vitamin A, E & K | Smoothes, Brightens, & Nourishes | For Tighter, Softer, Glowing Skin | marie veroniqueC-Therapy Serum | M-61ProSmooth Retinol Serum | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match | — | 60% | 59% | 59% |
| Price | — | $25.39 | $120.00 | $94.00 |
| Shared key ingredients | — | 3 of 6 | 3 of 6 | 3 of 6 |
| Key difference | — | Ferulic Acid | Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate | Retinol |
| Irritancy | High | Low | Medium | Medium |
| Drying alcohol | — | — | — | — |
| View product | Shop | Shop | Shop |
More alternatives: colibri skincare Vitamin C 20 BoosterSaint Jane Beauty Vitamin C Glow Drops - Brightening Serum with 20% Vitamin C Blend
Product summary
"Sonya Dakar - Ultima C Serum" is effective for: Evens skin tone
This product could be helpful for: Anti-aging and Moisturizing, but its actives are not the most effective or are not well-studied.
Ingredient callouts
- Humectants (hyaluronic acid 0.40% - 0.90%, glycerin 0.45% - 1.10% and 3-glyceryl ascorbate 3.70% - 5.50%). These ingredients help attract water to the upper layer of the skin and improve the skin hydration.
Sources cited in this review
Every concentration estimate and effectiveness label is anchored to one of these 19 studies and safety reviews.
- 1
- 2Topical L-ascorbic acid: percutaneous absorption studiesncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 3
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- 6
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