Nabela Noor’s 9-step routine has a billion views, and her CEO Serum is the centerpiece. I tested it for three weeks without a single mirror selfie — here’s the unhinged truth.
It’s a vitamin C serum that smells like a melted orange Jolly Rancher, and honestly, that’s the most memorable thing about it.
It’s a $38 vitamin C serum (1 fl oz) that claims to brighten, firm, and fade dark spots in 14 days. Bold. I paid full price because I wanted to be mad if it failed.
15% Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
A stable vitamin C derivative — less irritating than pure L-ascorbic, but also less proven.
Niacinamide 4%
Good for oil control, but at this percentage it can pill if you layer too fast.
Hyaluronic Acid
The texture feels like a light gel, not a watery toner — it actually stays put.
Photo: Viktoriia Muzyka / Unsplash
It’s not groundbreaking — the formula is solid but safe. You’re paying for the brand name, not a lab breakthrough.
The real workhorses here are the derivative and the niacinamide, but the HA is basically a filler to make it feel fancy.
- Ethyl Ascorbic Acid: Fades spots slowly without the sting
- Niacinamide: Shrinks pores and controls midday shine
- Hyaluronic Acid: Plumps fine lines for about 4 hours
- Tocopherol: Vitamin E that prevents the C from oxidizing too fast
Photo: Poko Skincare / Unsplash
It’s a silicone-smooth gel that absorbs in 15 seconds — no greasy film on my pillowcase. First week, I was unimpressed. It felt like a $15 serum, not a $38 one.
Week two, my forehead texture smoothed out. Not dramatically, but enough that my foundation stopped catching on dry patches. Surprising — I didn’t expect that from a “celebrity” product.
Photo: Content Pixie / Unsplash
My dark spots are 20% lighter — noticeable to me, invisible to anyone else. The glow is real but subtle; it’s not a “wake up radiant” serum, more like a steady hum.
It didn’t break me out, but it didn’t tighten my pores like the claims suggested.
Photo: Barbara Krysztofiak / Unsplash
It’s a good beginner serum hiding behind a celebrity name. If Nabela’s face weren’t on the box, you’d walk past it.