40 Carrots Vitamin Serum + Vitamin C - Hydrate, Brighten & Even Skin Tone | Help Reduce Fine Lines & Wrinkles - USA Made, Paraben & Cruelty Free (1oz)

My bf let me go a little crazy on Amazon for my birthday, and I decided that I really wanted to start investing in better skincare during one of those annual panics when you realize how many candles are going to be on your cake this year but in no way want to look like you had earned them all. I had heard about this being a good vitamin/retinol serum for 20- and 30-something skin, so I was really excited to try it out (if skeptical because my skin is nearly impossible to please). The first few days of use were iffy.. the serum went on sticky in addition to making my skin look a bit dry and pink - though this extra color faded away within a few hours of each application and was not 'angry' irritation. I continued washing and moisturizing my face as usual with the serum being the only change in my skincare regimen. By the third or fourth day, my skin looked brighter and smoother and the dry appearance was normalizing. After about a week of daily use, I had plans arise unexpectedly and needed to be out the door quickly. I hadn't yet gotten used to the initial 'sticky' feeling of the serum or tried to wear makeup over it, so I considered just skipping that step but loved the glow my skin was developing and didn't want to derail any positive results. In my haste to get ready, I rubbed the serum onto my freshly showered and still dripping face and let it dry/soak in while I went about brushing my teeth, etc. Apparently that was the secret because the serum soaked in beautifully with no stickiness or extra redness, just glowing healthy skin. I've been applying it that way since (1 to 2 pumps, immediately after stepping out of the shower while my face is still wet) and my skin is the best it's ever been after about 3 weeks of use. Almost every product I've ever tried has caused dry itchy patches and/or made me breakout (some more manageably than others), but this stuff doesn't - in fact, it seems to actually be clearing up in record time the clogged pores and blemishes caused by an unfortunate reaction to a new foundation I tried. Tone, texture and balance have all noticeably improved and I'm being complimented on my skin for pretty much the first time in my life. I now feel much more confident leaving the house without makeup than I would've thought possible before. Will definitely be repurchasing in a few months when the bottle is empty.

I'm not giving this product 5 stars as I don't know how well it'll do once I finish the whole bottle. Also, it makes me upset that the ingredients do not list SPECIFICALLY that this product contains PEANUT OIL. So, if you have allergies, or if someone in your family has peanut allergies, please do not buy this product. I don't have peanut allergies, so I've had no bad reactions. In fact....I had some blemishes that have completely healed just after using this product for less than a week. I've had this product for 2 weeks now, and have continued to heal, to show improved skin texture and no new blemishes. It has decreased my mild rosacea as well. Overall, I really like this product. For those of you out there who are concerned with the degrading of the vitamin C in the bottle, please know this is also a concern of mine. I cannot attest to the fact that vitamin C is stable/remains in the bottle. However, I have seen positive results. I use it nightly, under my usual retinol/evening moisturizer. Overall, I like this product. I want to finish the bottle, and then I hope to remember to update this review. UPDATE/HALF BOTTLE GONE: I've updated this review to 5 stars. I cannot say enough about this serum. Yes, this is primarily a vitamin C serum, but it also has retinol! I didn't even realize this for awhile (I know, duh). I was using double the retinol and wondered why this serum was stinging...well, with double retinol, it was easy to understand why after I reread the ingredients listing. And this is a very good ingredients list (with the exception of the peanut oil, as listed above). One of the things I LOVE to use this vitamin C/retinol serum for is to use in my homemade green tea spray that I have in the refrigerator. I steep my green tea, then pour it into my spray bottle (that I bought at the drugstore), spray at least 4 pumps of the serum into the green tea, and spray away as much as I want after I do my double cleanse at night. This is a great way to ease your way into using vitamin C/retinol without over irritating your skin. Also, another thing I've noticed is that I have to build up to using this serum. I started using it once weekly, then twice weekly, then every other day, then daily. That took about a month. I now have to say/type I love this product. Oh, and as for stability with regards to the vitamin C? Keep it in the refrigerator! That's what a dermatologist recommended, and it seems to work for me. HIGHLY recommend this product.

I've been using this a few times a week a few years now. It improves my skin texture and tone, doesn't dry my skin out too much, and it smells great. My only complaint is that the straw that draws up the product is too short. I inevitably have to either give up on several mL or remove the pump and attempt to pour them out of the bottle (not an easy geat with a product this viscous). Please use a longer star for your pump!

This is a brand new product for me so if anything changes I will update my review but I bought it because it was on Allure's list of steals/must haves (at $20!) and I needed great skincare cheap so I had to buy this at such a good price. I have been in the cosmetics/skincare field for almost 13 years. I am early 30's. 1st I will add *PLEASE do not use this INSTEAD of a moisturizer as it states* this is not moisturizing enough. It goes on a bit tacky at first but dries quickly and you can't tell it's there at all which is awesome. No greasy, oily feel after it soaks in (which takes no time at all.) Vitamin C is GREAT fot brightening & Retinol (vitamin A) is recommended starting in your late 20's early 30's. All these anti aging products can get confusing so think of it like this **use in order of thinnest to thickest** so for me this goes on right after washing my face. So far it is gentle (I have sensitive skin) and about 1-2 pumps max does my face. Any extra I put on my neck, chest & hands. Great product for a long user of retinol & vit C or a beginner! Love it so far but you definitely need a moisturizer over top! Feel free to leave comments & I can help with other cheap but awesome suggestions. You don't have to spend a fortune to look fab!

So far so good, just have to use for longer time to really see results.

Love this! Very light