When I was a young beauty editor, a dermatologist said something to me that stuck: The average person only needs three products in their routine — a good sunscreen, retinol, and vitamin C. A vitamin C, they said, did most everything one might generally need. The antioxidants help to protect skin from environmental stressors like pollution, lighten up hyperpigmentation, and give skin an overall glow. All that said, vitamin C is finicky, and finding a good one can be challenging. It’s notoriously unstable and liable to go bad, and then sometimes it’s too strong and can be sensitizing for skin. This one, from Klairs, an OG from our beauty columnist Rio Viera-Newton’s famous skin-care Google doc, is especially good for sensitive skin and newbies because of its low concentration. “If you’re looking to try out a vitamin C serum for the first time and aren’t so sure how your skin will respond, this is the perfect one to get started,” she says. In addition to ascorbic acid, it also contains centella asiatica extract to support the skin barrier and reduce redness and inflammation, and yuja fruit, which is chock-full of naturally occurring vitamin C. It’s currently 30 percent off at Soko Glam as part of its July 4 sale, and Ulta, too.
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