Look, I get why this has 10,000 Sephora loves — the bottle looks like liquid gold and it smells like a creamsicle. But I tested it against my $18 The Ordinary serum for two weeks, and here’s the thing nobody tells you.
The yellow tint isn’t just cute. It’s a color-correcting primer in disguise. That’s the real trick — it neutralizes dullness before the vitamin C even touches your skin.
Ole Henriksen calls this a “banana bright” serum — $52 for 1 oz. The claim that made me roll my eyes: “instant luminosity.” But then I put it on.
15% Vitamin C (THD Ascorbate)
Oil-soluble form, so it actually penetrates instead of sitting on top like a film
Banana Powder Pigments
Real crushed banana — gives that Instagram-filter glow without glitter
Hydrating Glycerin Base
No sting. Zero. My skin usually screams at vitamin C, and this was silent.
Photo: Content Pixie / Unsplash
Here’s the chemistry nobody explains: THD Ascorbate is weaker than L-Ascorbic Acid on paper, but it stays stable longer and doesn’t oxidize into orange juice in three weeks. That matters if you’re lazy (me).
- THD Ascorbate: Stable vitamin C that won’t turn your face orange by Tuesday
- Glycerin: The reason you don’t need a separate moisturizer under it
- Banana Powder: Not just for color — actually blurs pores temporarily
- Ferulic Acid: Boosts C’s effectiveness without the usual irritation
Photo: El S / Unsplash
It’s a thin milky liquid — absorbs in about 12 seconds. No stickiness. I accidentally put it on after my moisturizer once and it still sank in. That’s witchcraft.
Week 2 hit and I noticed something weird: my sunscreen wasn’t pilling anymore. Turns out this serum creates a smooth base that makeup actually grips. Unexpected win.
Photo: x ) / Unsplash
Three weeks in: my dark spots are 30% lighter, not gone. My skin looks like I slept 8 hours when I actually slept 5. The glow is real but subtle — think “healthy” not “drenched in highlighter.”
It’s a solid everyday vitamin C that actually delivers on the “instant glow” promise — but don’t expect it to erase years of sun damage in a month. For the lazy skincare girl who wants results without the ritual, this is your serum.