Skincare Review: Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Day Serum (Vitamin C Serum)

I’ve heard a lot about vitamin C serums in general for skincare routines and many skincare gurus, bloggers and aestheticians claim it is a “must-have” product.

Vitamin C as an ingredient in skincare products helps to regenerate skin, brighten and even out complexion, fade scars and protects against photoaging (premature ageing of the skin due to exposure to UV radiation). It is a potent antioxidant so works well to protect the skin against pollution too.

After a lot of research and pouring over reviews of different vitamin C serums, I decided to try the  Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Day Serum. I purchased a smaller 8ml bottle size in Rise & Glow™ Duo set (THB 850) from Sephora Thailand and have been using it for almost a month now.

Here are my thoughts:

Packaging and formula

The packaging for the Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Day Serum is quite eye-catching with the neon orange lid contrasted against the crisp white bottle — it’s easy to pick out the bottle from my pile of skincare of products! The bottle has a pump, which dispenses a pea-sized amount.

The serum is orange and transparent and there is a slight medicinal scent but it evaporates away within a few moments. When I apply the serum to my face it feels a little bit tacky but absorbs into the skin within seconds, leaving no sticky residue behind. I think the best way to apply the serum is to take about two pumps (I don’t think one is enough for my whole face) and spread it evenly in the palms and then pat and press it all over the face. Since the formula is a little more tacky, I find a rubbing or wiping motion is not as effective.

What’s in it? 

Some of the main ingredients in the Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Day Serum include:

• l-ascorbic acid (pure vitamin C) plus ferulic acid and vitamin E: an antioxidant complex that brightens and firms the skin while also protecting against photoaging and pollution.  
• chronocyclin: a chronopeptide that mimics the antioxidant benefits of vitamin D for more youthful-looking skin.
• fruit enzymes: pumpkin ferment and pomegranate extract: working together to dissolve dead skin cells
• grape juice: a potent antioxidant helping to improve skin tone
• indian gooseberry: an antioxidant rich fruit promoting firmness
• sodium hyaluronate: provides excellent hydration and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while promoting firmness

Source: https://www.drunkelephant.com/products/c-firma-vitamin-c-day-serum

Introducing it into my skincare routine and how to use it

I like to introduce new skincare products into my routine gradually to avoid causing my skin too much “shock”. Since the Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Day Serum is a serum, I used the product into my morning routine after toner/essence step and before applying moisturiser and SPF.

In the first week I used it only twice and waited to see if I had any adverse reactions. And there were none, thankfully. So the following week I increased use to every alternate day, making it about 3-4 times a week. And by the third week I felt confident enough to use it every day.

A few important notes about using the Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Day Serum correctly:

• It’s extremely important to use a SPF when using any vitamin C serum because it is an active ingredient, making the skin more sensitive to UV rays so it’s important to protect it. 

• It contains pure l-ascorbic acid (a pure form of vitamin C) so use the serum immediately and don’t stock up. After first use, it may be stored in the refrigerator to help maintain its potent antioxidant activity and effectiveness

Results, if any?

I didn’t notice any significant difference in my skin in the first two weeks, if I am completely honest. But suddenly half way through my third week of use I saw that my face appeared visibly brighter, clearer and glowing. I also had a really bad big acne break out with a lot of dark scarring on the cheek and I think using the serum has really helped to fade the scars. My skin in the breakout area has cleared up a lot and the texture and bumps from the scars also seem to have subsided. And I haven’t had any new major breakouts since.

Final thoughts?

Honestly, I didn’t expect much from the Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Day Serum mainly because I do have “complicated” acne-prone skin and it has been a struggle to find products that actually work and show results, in particular to prevent acne and help fade scarring. I also felt like vitamin C serums might just be the skincare “fad” of the moment, only to be replaced with something else in a few months. So I was overall pretty skeptical if the Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Day Serum will actually work for me.

And now I do feel like adding the vitamin C serum step into my skincare routine has really made a difference. I feel like my skin is reacting well and likes what the vitamin C has to offer — it feels really clear and balanced. It might have been the missing step in my morning skincare routine all along and I clearly see why vitamin C is so hyped. I also have to point that the Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Day Serum is 100% free of essential oils and fragrance and maybe that’s why it’s suiting my acne-prone skin so well.

That being said, the full size 30ml bottle Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum is very expensive and retails for THB 2,850 (approx. USD 80) at Sephora Thailand. It’s the “negative” only part of the product that I do have to call out. I might recommend trying the trial size for a few months before deciding to drop some serious cash on the full size for anyone interested in trying the Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum.

What are your thoughts about the Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum? Do you have ideas for any alternatives that work just as well?