Most vitamin C serums make my cheeks flare up like a bad sunburn. This one didn’t — and I’m still shocked.
It’s the first antioxidant I’ve used where the *calming* ingredients outwork the active ones. My skin stays flat, not blotchy, even after a stressful week.
It’s a watery serum from Mary & May, around $16-20 depending on where you grab it. The claim: idebenone (a gentler cousin of CoQ10) plus blackberry extract to fight free radicals without the sting.
Idebenone Power
Antioxidant that’s 10x more stable than pure vitamin C — no oxidation tantrums.
Blackberry Complex
Packed with anthocyanins that double as anti-inflammatories — fancy way of saying it calms redness.
No Fragrance, No Dyes
Just clear liquid. Boring in the best way.
Photo: Poko Skincare / Unsplash
It’s not a 20-ingredient circus. The formula is lean — idebenone does the heavy lifting, blackberry extract soothes, and a touch of hyaluronic acid keeps it hydrating.
No niacinamide, no essential oils. That’s rare for a Korean serum at this price.
- Idebenone: stable antioxidant that fights UV damage without irritation
- Blackberry extract: reduces redness and oxidative stress
- Hyaluronic acid: pulls in water so skin doesn’t feel tight
- Butylene glycol: lightweight carrier that helps absorption
Photo: El S / Unsplash
Watery, almost like a toner. Absorbs in about 8 seconds — no sticky film, no greasy residue. It disappears into skin like it was never there.
Two weeks in, my jawline redness is visibly calmer. The surprise? It didn’t break me out. Most antioxidants clog my pores by day three. This one didn’t touch them.
Photo: VENUS MAJOR / Unsplash
My redness dropped maybe 30%, and my skin looks less dull by noon. It didn’t erase fine lines or transform my texture — didn’t promise that, either.
Photo: Laura Chouette / Unsplash
This is the antioxidant I’d recommend to anyone whose skin says “no” to everything else. It’s not flashy — it’s just *safe*.