I’ve thoroughly enjoyed trying the different ranges within the Pixi Skintreats Skincare Collection over the last few years. Whilst some of the products haven’t wowed me like the Pixi Phenomenal Gel, some have like the Pixi Rose Ceramide Cream which is now one of my all time favourite moisturisers.
I was lucky enough to receive a selection from the Pixi Vitamin C collection a few months ago, and I’ve been trialling the products ever since. One of the products within the bundle is the Pixi Vitamin C Serum £26, which I was looking forward to trying as I like how effective a Vitamin C serum can be within my skincare routine.
Until now, my favourite Vitamin C serum has to be the Vichy LiftActiv Vitamin C Skin Brightening Corrector, which has a pretty potent formula with 15% pure Vitamin C. It works very well at brightening the skin, however you get a very small amount in the bottle for the price so it doesn’t go a very long way, so I was intrigued to see how the Pixi Vitamin C Serum would compare.
“This brightening and antioxidant serum provides a boost of immediate and long-term radiance. Vitamin C and ferulic acid are proven to reduce the effects of sun damage and free radicals, helping to improve skin tone and create a smoother complexion.“
The serum can be used daily, after cleansing and toning the skin, with 2-3 drops smoothed all over the face, neck and decolletage. The serum has a glass bottle, with a pipette dispenser and the serum has a yellow milky appearance. Straight from the bottle, the serum has a subtle citrus scent but to me it also smells a little of antiseptic like TCP but the citrus scent is trying to mask it.
I have a very sensitive sense of smell, but once this serum has been on my skin for a couple of hours, I can smell a really unpleasant spoiled chemical scent. It took me a week to realise it was this serum that was causing the foul smell through trial and error, and even layering moisturiser and makeup over the top of this serum, I can still detect the unpleasant scent and I just can’t power through as it’s all I can smell once on my skin.
I have read reviews on this serum as I was desperate to find out if I was alone in my experience, but many reviews mention how the Pixi Vitamin C Serum oxidised on the skin and left behind orange stripes on the skin. I haven’t noticed any discolouration issues whatsoever, but I feel like the oxidisation process so many have witnessed, may be what’s causing the awful scent as the ingredients mix with the atmosphere.
Even this serum worked miracles and totally transformed my skin, I wouldn’t be able to to power through as it really is that bad which is such a shame as I’ve never had a scent issue like this with any other skincare product I’ve ever tried. This product has been a miss for me, but it’s the only product within the Pixi Vitamin C collection I didn’t love, so keep an eye open for my upcoming reviews on the rest of the collection very soon.