(SPOT.ph) Don't you love it when you discover a new skincare product with the potential to be your new holy grail? Your skin looks and feels fantastic as if you're glowing from within—but then, after a few months, it suddenly stops working and you're left with a product that'll sit on your bathroom shelf till the end of days. According to Marie Claire, tachyphylaxis–which means an eventual tolerance to a drug or ingredient–is not just a figment of your imagination. It is 100% real.
So now what? You search for a new product and the cycle repeats itself. But what if, there's a product out in the market that won't even reach that three-month mark where it seems to suddenly stop working. Enter the Vitamin C Ampoule from Garnier.
I've had a long-standing battle with skincare and other beauty products. There has always been a constant rotation of products on my vanity as I undertook a quest to find my holy grail. For a moment or two, I might have hit the jackpot but then tachyphylaxis kicks in. It was a constant struggle for my hyperpigmented complexion.
Here's how the Garnier Vitamin C Ampoule withstood the skincare rotation:
What is my skin type?
I consider myself to have combination skin—sometimes oily, sometimes dry. Because of this, I am very prone to acne and it doesn't help that the panini-induced mask mandate clogs up my pores even more. My jaw area also tends to be ground zero for all the icky pimples that plague me on a regular basis. To avoid dark marks and hyperpigmentation, dermatologists suggest to stop picking at your acne, but let's face it, it's quite unavoidable. There's that satisfaction in picking at a pimple that's quite hard to express.
How do you treat hyperpigmentation?
The easiest but most expensive way to do so is of course to use various cosmetic lasers. But if you're more on the price-conscious side, using a serum or ampoule is the way to go. A well-loved skincare ingredient is Vitamin C, known for its brightening effect, its power to even out skintone, as well as its anti-aging benefits. I have tried multiple brands and most recently, I came across Garnier's Vitamin C Ampoule, a six-day treatment that piqued my interest.
At first glance, I was quite skeptical. Vitamin C requires dedication and constant use in order for your skin to improve. In order to properly see if the product is true to its claim, I did not do anything else to my skin for a week except wash my face with water.
The ampoule is available as a single dose at P130. If it's the full six-day treatment that you want, it comes as a set of 12 at P650. Meant to be applied both day and night, it has a light fragrant scent reminiscent of Korean sheet masks. In terms of texture, the ampoule has a lighter, more liquidy consistency compared to that of a Vitamin C serum, which typically has a thick and heavy feel.
One day into using the product, there was minimal improvement in my skin's hyperpigmentation and dark marks, which is to be expected. However, by day three, I was already seeing visible results. My skin was less red and I could see the marks had lightened. The progress may not be as obvious in pictures but I could definitely see the results IRL.
On day five, my hyperpigmentation had improved immensely and my skintone evened out more, something that I was particularly excited about. My skin looked radiant as well. It was as if I'd chugged tons of water and had a full eight-hour sleep the night before.
After finishing all 12 ampoules, I admit, I was impressed. It had exceeded my expectations, especially when you factor in the fact that it typically takes several weeks before you can see the effects of the typical skincare product. This is definitely something that's going to stay on my to-buy-again list; a seal of approval in my books. Just take note, however, that skincare and a person's skin type are subjective. A product may claim to work after "x" amount of days or weeks which will prompt you to only use it during the prescribed duration but remember, there's no rule about using them after that period has ended (unless it's past its expiry date, then, please, throw it away!) After all, what may work for some may not work for others. It simply just takes time and devotion to proper skincare application.
Garnier's Vitamin C Ampoule is available on Shopee and Lazada.