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Welcome to Skincarma.

These are the musings of Carmine Montalto, NYC-based writer, skincare junkie and brand guru. The former copywriter at Kiehl’s, Carmine has more than 25 years of experience in beauty. Through the Skincarma Blog, he puts all of his product wisdom to work demystifying the ever-evolving world of skin care. 

You can change your skin’s destiny.™

PRODUCT REVIEW: JOSIE MARAN ARGAN BRIGHT SKIN VITAMIN C SERUM – ONE OF THE BEST VITAMIN C SERUMS

JOSIE MARAN | ARGAN BRIGHT SKIN VITAMIN C SERUM

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My favorite vitamin C serums are nearly always the ones formulated in an oil base. Not that I don’t trust the stability of water-based vitamin C serums, but it’s just a preference thing.

Catch my blog article on my latest Vitamin C picks titled, New Vitamin C Facial Serums I Love but You’ve Probably Never Heard Of! - Best Brightening Serums for Face. You can find it here.

So of course I went nuts when I realized that the Josie Maran Argan Bright Skin Vitamin C Serum is formulated with Argan Oil. Of course it is; it’s Josie’s namesake oil!

The first ingredient in the Argan Bright vitamin c serum for face is, in fact, deeply nourishing Argan Kernel Oil — likely 60-70% of the formula. Josie opted for Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate — a stable, fat soluble form of vitamin C considered comparable to L-ascorbic acid, or pure Vitamin C.

Argan Bright has such a terrific texture; the kind of oily serum I literally looooove to apply. It’s that pleasurable. But a pleasurable texture alone doesn’t put it up there with my favorite Vitamin C serums. It’s also a clean formula, which I always appreciate.

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What does Vitamin C do for skin?

There’s an excellent article on the remarkable benefits of Vitamin C for the skin from the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team titled, What is Vitamin C and How Does it Benefit Skin?

Vitamin C is one of the most exciting, research-proven ingredients you can apply to skin (1). This water-soluble antioxidant is a natural component of healthy skin. When we’re young, vitamin C levels in skin’s outermost two layers (epidermis and dermis) are abundant, but as we age, these levels naturally deplete. Unprotected sun exposure (UV damage) and pollution can accelerate this decline, leading to skin looking and feeling dull, uneven, and less firm than it once was (2).

Luckily, there are topical skin care solutions that can help mitigate this damage, so skin looks and feels healthier and younger longer.

Vitamin C Benefits for Skin

Vitamin C’s benefits for skin are vast, including its ability to even out skin tone and diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles (3). While this powerhouse ingredient is well-known for its skin-brightening benefits, research also shows it can shield skin from the visible impacts of environmental stressors, including free radical damage (4). This synergy of mitigating problems both before and after they occur makes vitamin C a force to be reckoned with.


And it’s got a cool brightening cocktail of Marshmallow Root and Licorice Root Extract — a traditional Korean “Hanbang” ingredient and power brightener.

The 100% pure Argan Oil in the formula is also rich in antioxidant Vitamin E that helps keep Vitamin C stable, as well as skin-nourishing, bio-compatible omega fatty acids.

Right on the heals of her Skin Dope CBD collection, Josie continues to impress me! Happy Caturday, guys! 

SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Josie Maran Argan Bright Skin Vitamin C Serum for $65 here.



The Ingredient List of the Josie Maran Argan Bright Skin Vitamin C Serum:

Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil, Coconut Alkanes, Oleyl Lactate, Octyldodecyl Pca, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Glyceryl Oleate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Isostearyl Lactate, Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Seed Oil, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Pterocarpus Marsupium Bark Extract, Bisabolol, Phloretin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Squalane, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Dunaliella Salina Extract (Beta Carotene Source).

PRODUCT REVIEW: DRUNK ELEPHANT E-RASE MILKI MICELLAR WATER  – ONE OF THE BEST CLEANSERS FOR DRY SKIN

PRODUCT REVIEW: DRUNK ELEPHANT E-RASE MILKI MICELLAR WATER  – ONE OF THE BEST CLEANSERS FOR DRY SKIN

PRODUCT REVIEW: SCHAF SKINCARE FACIAL CLEANSER  – ONE OF THE BEST NATURAL CLEANSERS FOR FACE

PRODUCT REVIEW: SCHAF SKINCARE FACIAL CLEANSER – ONE OF THE BEST NATURAL CLEANSERS FOR FACE