Q + A Vitamin C Brightening Facial Serum Review

Q + A Vitamin C Brightening Facial Serum
3.2
/ 10
Moisturizing
2.6 Humectancy icon Humectancy
3.9 Occlusivity icon Occlusivity
0.1Anti-wrinkle icon/ 10
Anti-wrinkle
Review

Does Q + A Vitamin C Brightening Facial Serum Work?

 
According to CreamScan AI's analysis of the ingredient list, here’s what Q + A Vitamin C Brightening Facial Serum has to offer:
 
  • Light moisturizing. It has a moisturizing rating of 3.2 out of 10.
  • Slight anti-wrinkle effect: Q + A Vitamin C Brightening Facial Serum has an anti-wrinkle rating of 0.1 out of 10, so you may expect a positive, although insignificant, effect on wrinkles.

Key Benefits of Q + A Vitamin C Brightening Facial Serum

 
These are the key benefits you can expect from using Q + A Vitamin C Brightening Facial Serum:
 

Basic Moisturizer for Combination and Oily Skin

According to CreamScan analysis, Q + A Vitamin C Brightening Facial Serum is lightly moisturizing, with a moisturizing rating of 3.2 out of 10.

Is it more humectant or occlusive? Rather occlusive. It has a low humectancy of 2.6 out of 10 and a moderate occlusivity of 3.9 out of 10, primarily due to the high content of Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (est. ≈6.0%).

This product, when used alone as a moisturizer, provides moderate hydration in a relatively lightweight, non-greasy formula. This could work for people with oily skin who need a basic level of hydration.

Please refer to the Ratings section below for details of the moisturizing rating calculation.

Slight Anti-Wrinkle Efficacy

According to CreamScan analysis, Q + A Vitamin C Brightening Facial Serum has a slight anti-wrinkle rating of 0.1 out of 10.

It contains one ingredient with proven anti-wrinkle efficacy: Ascorbic Acid (est. ≈0.3%), 
 or Vitamin C, a popular ingredient, yet with moderate anti-wrinkle efficacy, as confirmed by a single clinical study involving 20 participants (Humbert et al.). This study showed that a cream with a relatively high concentration of 5% ascorbic acid reduced the average wrinkle depth by 7% after 6 months of use, compared to a vehicle (the same formulation without ascorbic acid).
 
Moisturizers, when used regularly, are proven to prevent wrinkle formation and even reduce existing wrinkles. Therefore, this product, like any other moisturizer, can deliver some anti-wrinkle effects through its moisturizing action.
 

Please refer to the Ratings section below for details of the anti-wrinkle rating calculation.

Please note that this is not a complete list of benefits. We are in the process of enhancing our AI model to incorporate anti-pigmentation, exfoliation and anti-acne ratings.

Pros & Cons of Q + A Vitamin C Brightening Facial Serum

 
Here’s an overview of the pros and cons of Q + A Vitamin C Brightening Facial Serum to help you decide if it’s the right choice for your skincare routine:
 

Pros:

  • Basic moisturizing that can work for combination and oily skin
  • Lightweight texture
  • Provides slight anti-wrinkle efficacy

Cons: 

  • We couldn't find any

Ingredients

Est. % Ingredient Origin Functions
80
6
4
3
2
1.5
1.3
1
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
Est. %
Water
Function:
Origin:
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Function:
Origin:
Isoamyl Laurate
Function:
Origin:
Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate
Function:
Origin:
Glycerin
Function:
Origin:
Squalane
Function:
Origin:
Magnesium Sulfate
Function:
Origin:
Volcanic Soil
Function:
Origin:
Ascorbic Acid
Function:
Origin:
Hyaluronic Acid
Function:
Origin:
Amylopectin
Function:
Origin:
Ethylhexylglycerin
Function:
Origin:
Phenoxyethanol
Function:
Origin:
Tocopherol
Function:
Origin:
Citric Acid
Function:
Origin:

Ratings

All humectants
2.6
2
0.3
0.3
Benchmark
10
All occlusives
7.8
6.0
1.5
0.3
Benchmark
20
Moisturizing rating
3.2
Ingredient Est. % Benchmark Raiting
Humectancy All humectants 2.6 10
2.6
2
0.3
0.3
Occlusivity All occlusives 7.8 20
3.9
6.0
1.5
0.3
Moisturizing rating
3.2
Ingredient Est. % Benchmark Humectancy
2
0.3
0.3
All humectants 2.6 10
2.6
All humectants
2.6
2
0.3
0.3
Benchmark
10
Ingredient Est. % Benchmark Occlusivity
6
1.5
0.3
All occlusives 7.8 20
3.9
All occlusives
7.8
6.0
1.5
0.3
Benchmark
20
Ingredient
Ingredient anti-wrinkle power
when present at, %
in this formula est. %
Rating
2.5 /10 5 0.3 0.1
Total
0.1
Ascorbic Acid
0.1
Ingredient anti-wrinkle power
2.5 /10
when present at, %
5
in this formula, est. %
0.3
Anti-wrinkle rating
0.1
Ingredient Est. % Benchmark
Rich in Antioxidants
0.3
0.3
0.3
All antioxidants 0.9 3 No
All antioxidants
0.9
Ascorbic Acid
0.3
Hyaluronic Acid
0.3
Tocopherol
0.3
Benchmark
3
Ingredient Est. % Benchmark
Rich in Soothing
None
All soothing 0 5 No
All soothing
0
None
Benchmark
5

Ingredients explained

Water
Est. %80
Function
Origin
WaterThe most used ingredient in skincare. Its concentration defines the product texture: rich creams may have about 50% of water while a light jelly about 90%. Water doesn’t moisturize the skin by itself and is used in skincare as a solvent for other ingredients.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Est. %6
Function
Origin
Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideA natural occlusive moisturizing and emollient ingredient, it is a blend of glycerin and two fatty acids, caprylic and capric acid. It creates an oil-based protective layer on the skin, thereby preventing water loss.
Isoamyl Laurate
Est. %4
Function
Origin
Isoamyl LaurateA naturally-derived or synthetically produced ester (simple oil) and is often used as a silicone alternative. It is has a light feeling and improves the spreadability of products while making skin feel soft and non-sticky.
Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate
Est. %3
Function
Origin
Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate
Glycerin
Est. %2
Function
Origin
Glycerin

The most popular moisturizing ingredient in the world. It is a powerful humectant – cheap yet very effective.

Squalane
Est. %1.5
Function
Origin
SqualaneAn occlusive moisturizing and emollient compound that forms part of the skin’s sebum. The main source of squalane had always been shark liver. Now, however, it is manufactured synthetically or derived from plant oils, such as olive and peanut oil.
Magnesium Sulfate
Est. %1.3
Function
Origin
Magnesium SulfateA naturally occurring mineral that is commonly used in skincare products as a bulking agent. It helps to control the viscosity of products by making them thicker.
Volcanic Soil
Est. %1
Function
Origin
Volcanic Soil
Ascorbic Acid
Est. %0.3
Function
Origin
Ascorbic Acid

Also known as vitamin C, this multi-benefit ingredient has proven anti-wrinkle, antioxidant, and anti-pigmentation efficacy. It degrades easily when exposed to air and light, so it requires proper packaging to maintain its stability.

Hyaluronic Acid
Est. %0.3
Function
Origin
Hyaluronic Acid

A potent, skin-identical humectant moisturizing ingredient that is able to bind water 1000 times its own weight. The anti-aging benefits of hyaluronic acid are due to its ability to stimulate the synthesis of collagen in the skin.

Amylopectin
Est. %0.3
Function
Origin
Amylopectin
Ethylhexylglycerin
Est. %0.3
Function
Origin
EthylhexylglycerinA preservative booster derived from glycerin. It is commonly paired with other preservatives to improve their efficacy. Ethylhexylglycerin is also a humectant due to its chemical base of glycerin.
Phenoxyethanol
Est. %0.3
Function
Origin
PhenoxyethanolThe most frequently used preservative in skincare. It is a clear, oil-like liquid synthetic substance that protects products from harmful bacteria and yeast, whilst still leaving skin microflora unharmed. It is confirmed by research to be harmless.
Tocopherol
Est. %0.3
Function
Origin
Tocopherol

Simply another name for vitamin E. Tocopherol is a fantastic ingredient and especially beneficial for dry and inflamed skin. It has occlusive moisturizing, emollient, antioxidant, and photoprotective properties.

Citric Acid
Est. %0.3
Function
Origin
Citric AcidA gently exfoliating AHA that helps to remove the top layer of dead skin cells. In comparison to other AHAs, citric acid has been shown to be one of the least effective. It is also very commonly used as a stabilizing and pH-controlling agent.