When you’re browsing the beauty aisle at your local drugstore, chances are you’ve seen RoC skincare products sharing shelf space with brands like Olay, Neutrogena, and La Roche Posay. This brand is most well known for their RoC Retinol serums and creams, but they also offer a variety of other products to address almost every skin concern.
One example is RoC Vitamin C Serum — formally known as RoC MULTI CORREXION Revive and Glow Daily Serum — a lightweight daily serum that promises to improve skin’s radiance to reveal a visibly younger-looking, more even complexion.
What are the Best Skin Care Products of 2023?
So how well does RoC Vitamin C Serum really perform? To answer this question, we’ll have to evaluate the key ingredients in this formula, as well as the research that supports (or doesn’t support) their use in skin care.
We’ll also share some RoC Vitamin C Serum reviews so that you can get an idea of what customers really think of this product.
What’s Inside RoC Vitamin C Serum?
In order to determine how well RoC Vitamin C Serum performs, we’ll have to evaluate the key ingredients in this formula. Let’s get started.
Vitamin C
We’ve been hearing for years that Vitamin C is the best anti-aging ingredient. It’s a potent antioxidant that protects the skin from free radicals, the unstable molecules that contribute to the formation of premature wrinkles and fine lines on the skin.
Vitamin C also helps fade dark spots, evens out skin tone, and increases radiance by preventing melanin synthesis.
As if that wasn’t enough, research suggests that when vitamin C is applied to the skin, it significantly reverses aging-related structural changes by influencing collagen and elastin synthesis.
The form of vitamin C that’s used in RoC Vitamin C Serum is called 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, a vitamin C derivative that’s very stable and soluble in both water and oil.
But our favorite Vitamin C serum is Carrot & Stick The Defence Serum. It contains 3 distinct types of Vitamin C that work together to help fight free radical damage. We recommend using it every morning.
Nonapeptide-1
Another skin-brightening ingredient in RoC Vitamin C Serum is nonapeptide-1. Similar to vitamin C, nonapeptide-1 functions to prevent melanin synthesis by preventing activation of the tyrosinase. The result is fewer dark spots and a more even skin tone.
Ciste’M® (Maltodextrin and Cistus Monspeliensis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract)
One unique ingredient found in the RoC Vitamin C Serum is Ciste’M, an extract of Rockrose (Cistus Monspeliensis) that helps to protect skin from outdoor and indoor aging accelerators such as UVA, UVB, blue light, and pollution.
According to the manufacturer, Ciste’M protects collagen against natural or artificial blue light and accelerates skin recovery and epidermal renewal. It also helps to reduce wrinkles, fine lines, and improves skin texture.
We like this antioxidant-rich serum because it contains sea kale extract, a marine extract that supports the skin’s defenses against external stressors.
Flavonoids (Troxerutin and Polygonum Aviculare Extract)
You’ll also find a few flavonoids in RoC Vitamin C Serum, such as troxerutin and polygonum aviculare extract (Elix-IR).
Troxerutin is a flavonoid ingredient that’s extracted from the Japanese plant Sophora japonica that functions as an antioxidant, meaning it protects skin from free radical damage.
Polygonum aviculare extract (Elix-IR) is a natural botanical extract of knotgrass that’s rich in flavonoids.
By inhibiting Cathepsin G, a unique enzyme involved in photoaging and thus modulating the origin of sun-induced MMP production, Elix-IR protects the skin from global sun damage (UV and Infrared).
Clinical results have shown that Elix-IR provides excellent results on repeated sun-exposed volunteers, reducing the visible signs of photoaging and the appearance of wrinkles.
Is RoC Vitamin C Serum Right For You?
Before we get into the details, here’s the TL;DR if you just want to know whether or not RoC Vitamin C Serum is right for you.
- Key ingredients? Vitamin C, Nonapeptide-1, Ciste’M, Troxerutin and Polygonum Aviculare Extract
- Skin type? All
- Texture? Lightweight serum
- Fragrance? Yes
- Cruelty free? No
- Cost? $32.99 USD for 1 fl oz (30 mL)
How to Use RoC Vitamin C Serum?
Smooth 4 to 6 drops of RoC Vitamin C serum over cleansed face and neck in the morning and/or evening before you apply your moisturizer. Apply sunscreen during the day while using this product.
Where to Buy RoC Vitamin C Serum?
RoC Vitamin C Serum and other RoC skin care products are sold on the brand’s website (RoCskincare.com), as well as numerous third party online retailers, such as Ulta, Amazon, Walmart, and more.
How Much is RoC Vitamin C Serum?
RoC Vitamin C Serum costs $32.99 USD for 1 fl oz (30 mL) on the brand’s website.
What is The RoC Return Policy?
The RoC return policy states, “For purchases from RoCskincare.com, you can return new, unused products for a full refund of the purchase price within 30 days of purchase. Shipping costs for returns will not be reimbursed by rocskincare.com unless there was a shipping error or product damage/defect. Under our Return Policy, we only accept returns for products purchased at RoCskincare.com and not from other retailers.”
Is RoC Cruelty-Free?
RoC is not cruelty-free.
RoC Vitamin C Serum Reviews
RoC Vitamin C Serum reviews on the brand’s website are overall very positive, with the product receiving an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars after more than 800 customer reviews.
There are many 5-star reviews for RoC Vitamin C Serum from customers who love that it helps improve skin texture while also softening signs of aging like lines and wrinkles.
For example, one review says, “Love this product! People don’t believe that I’m 63. Been using Roc for years. Not a wrinkle on my face.”
And another 5-star review says, “After the first month I noticed a real difference in the texture and appearance of my skin. It looks so much firmer, hydrated and younger. My ‘lines’ are not as distinct or deep. I have been using this for 3 months and would definitely recommend it.”
However, there are a handful of negative reviews for the RoC Vitamin C Serum, which are mostly from customers who didn’t see the results they were expecting.
For example, one review says, “I didn’t think this product worked any better than the current serum I use which cost less. It does make your face feel nice, but I’ll stick with my cheaper brand.”
Another 1-star review says, “I think this is a straight rip off :/ it wasn’t doing anything for my skin and the orange smell was super intense – so I looked at the ingredients…. it’s basically water, glycerin, and a cheaper solvent. The Cerave Vitamin C Serum is a little bit cheaper but has wayyyyy more quality ingredients, vitamin C being the 2nd instead of the 4th or 5th lol I think I’ll give that one a try next instead.”
Our Verdict
Overall, we think that RoC Vitamin C Serum is an innovative vitamin C that combines stable 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid with peptides and flavonoids to help brighten the complexion, fade dark spots, and reduce signs of aging.
Pros
- Beneficial key ingredients (Vitamin C, Nonapeptide-1, Ciste’M, Troxerutin and Polygonum Aviculare Extract)
- Many positive RoC Vitamin C Serum reviews
Cons
- RoC is not cruelty free
- Formula contains fragrance
What Are Some Alternatives to RoC Vitamin C Serum?
If you’re looking for skincare products to address the signs of aging, we recommend Carrot & Stick. Carrot & Stick maximizes the use of powerful ingredients and minimizes the use of superficial ones, resulting in advanced skincare solutions that help promote healthy, more youthful-looking skin. We recommend this serum.
