Hands Down, This Is the Best Vitamin C Routine to Do While Stuck at Home

I’m obsessed with skincare, plain and simple. And now that I’m 30, and stuck inside like much of the world, I’ve become even more preoccupied with finding products that’ll keep my skin looking its best. If I get carded when I’m able to go out again, then I'll know my quarantine skincapades worked.

When I heard about Bliss’s new Bright Idea line—an affordable collection of products (serum, moisturizer, and eye cream) packed with clinical-grade vitamin C and tripeptides—I knew each item had to be put to the test. Would 99.85% pure vitamin C actually make the products more effective? That’s what I set out to discover. So I did what any skin-crazed person would do: pick a few co-workers and embark on a one-month trial to see if the results lived up to each of the products' claims. Spoiler alert: They do.

Courtney Higgs, Associate Beauty Editor

Skin concerns: Retaining elasticity and combating fine lines

Background: I went through a pretty intense bout of breakouts in my mid-20s that left me with uneven texture and hyperpigmentation. I’m finally in a really good place with my skin again, so my priorities have shifted to maintaining elasticity and keeping my skin looking plump and dewy. My current regimen centers around antioxidant protection and SPF during the day and retinol and intense hydration at night. My routine right now is simple and more focused on maintaining the current homeostasis and not doing too much that might disrupt it.

Review: I love using vitamin C in the morning, so I replaced my entire morning routine with the Bliss products. I start by patting the serum into clean skin. It’s a wonderful first step because the tri-peptide complex and glycerin seriously plump up the skin right away. My next step is the eye cream, which has honestly become one of my favorite eye creams. It’s thick and luxurious to the touch, but not at all oily or greasy. I feel like it really sets the stage for my makeup because it moisturizes and smooths my eye area. And finally, the moisturizer—it’s so good! I normally don’t like any sort of scent in my skincare, because my skin can be sensitive to additives like that, but I haven’t had any sort of flare-up from the citrus scent in this cream. What I have noticed is plump, dewy-looking skin that seriously glows. I love all the antioxidant protection packed into this jar, from vitamin C to green tea extract. I have to say that all three of these products have definitely evened out a lot: I had some pigmented marks from one-off pimples that have visibly lightened up. My under-eye area is also smoother and more refined. Any fine lines that were starting to show up have certainly evened out. My skin is supple, bouncy, and elastic, which is all I want at this point. I’m sold!

Natalia Sztyk, Graphic Designer 

Skin concerns: Acne, loss of elasticity, dullness

Background: When I was a teenager, I suffered from acne that ended up clearing in my 20s. I always loved trying various skin products, so for years now, I've had a steady skin routine. A few months ago, adult acne really hit, and I began to suffer my teen skin woes all over again, with some post-acne scarring and discoloration. My typical routine for the morning consists of toner, moisturizer, eye cream, and SPF. In the evening, I double cleanse, follow up with a serum, oil, night cream, and eye cream. When I have an acne flare-up, I’ll use a spot treatment.

Review: This was honestly the perfect time for me to try out these Bliss products. After talking to my dermatologist, who told me that less is more, I decided to tone down all the products I was using and mainly focus on the Bliss products. At first, I used all three in the morning and at night. One pump of the serum is all I needed to feel like I was bathing in liquid sunshine; it made my face feel smooth and fresh. The moisturizer is thick and a little goes a long way, so because of that, I was able to give my neck some TLC, too. The smell of both these products is actually bliss: They smell like an orange dream, and that's coming from someone who is typically sensitive to smells. After a week or so, I decided to alternate between the serum and moisturizer during the day (while still using both at night) because when I’d layer them together, it took longer for everything to blend into my skin, which I didn’t like for a morning routine. And let’s not forget about the eye cream: It’s rich and fluffy—a bit heavier than I usually pick for that area—but I just loved the way it made my skin look and feel. I swear my skin has evened out and brightened up so much because of these products. I can’t wait to see how my skin will look in a few months after continuing to use them!

Judith Jones, Fashion Market Editor 

Skin concerns: Dry, uneven skin tone and dark circles

Background: My skin tends to be on the dry side with a slightly uneven texture and tone. I have light rosacea on my cheeks (which can flare-up depending on my environment) and dark under-eye circles. And alas, my wrinkles are much more evident these days at the corners of my mouth and around my eyes. My typical day-and-night skincare routine is a pretty simple one. It consists of cleansing with Eve Lom cleanser and a muslin cloth, which I then follow with a few drops of balancing face oil from Circumference and finish with La Mer's Moisturizing Soft Cream.

Review: I really love using the Bliss products. The other day, my husband, who doesn’t tend to follow my skincare routine much, said out of nowhere that my skin looked "super healthy” and was curious to see what I had done differently. (Thank you, Bliss products!) I used the brightening serum, then moisturizer, and finished with the eye cream both in the morning and at night after cleansing. The serum is by far my favorite of the bunch. I love the invigorating citrusy smell (it’s like you’re walking through an orange grove when you put it on!) and found it really brightened and plumped up my skin (thanks to one of its key ingredients—vitamin C). I also adore the gel-like texture, which melts into the skin easily. The moisturizer has a wonderful almost sponge-like consistency that feels delightful to the touch. My skin feels super plump thanks to the tri-peptides that boost the skin’s elasticity. Much like the serum, I also love the dewy glow it gives, but best of all (especially for me), it keeps my skin super hydrated. I’ll be honest: I’m very lazy when it comes to eye cream and always tend to skip it in my skincare routine, which is crazy because it’s probably what I need the most since I tend to get dark under-eye circles. This brightening eye cream was great for lightening my eyes and making me look more refreshed. It contains licorice root extract and is rich in antioxidants, which really has helped smooth my under-eye tone and texture and reduce the appearance of my dark circles. All three of these products have unquestionably provided an overall improvement in the glow, brightness, and elasticity of my skin. It also feels much more hydrated, but what I’ve noticed the most is that the products—when used in unison day and night—have really improved my uneven skin tone. My complexion is so much more even and smoother now.

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