COSRX The Vitamin C 23 Serum for mature skin
Ascorbic Acid
Sodium Hyaluronate
Tocopherol Vitamin E
Squalane
NiacinamideLow
- AverageNormal Skin Fit
- SuperiorEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A weak match for mature skin; the serums alongside fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with mature skin: fine lines, wrinkles, and loss of firmness. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers suboptimal benefits for your normal skin as the high concentration of Ascorbic Acid and 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid primarily target brightening and antioxidant protection, lacking specialized ingredients to effectively address wrinkles and fine lines.
- While Tocopherol and Ascorbic Acid provide antioxidant activity suitable for normal skin, the formula lacks sufficient humectants for optimal hydration, potentially leaving your skin feeling less moisturized than desired.
How to apply
- Use this serum in your PM routine. Start by applying it 3 times a week, and work up to daily use if your skin likes it.
- Apply this serum after your toner and before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- You can apply the serum on dry skin for the best results against fine lines.
- Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid the sensitive eye area.
People Say
★4.1Overall rating based on 6.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users frequently praise this serum for its potent ability to brighten dull complexions and fade stubborn acne scars, often noting visible results within a few weeks. The high 23% concentration can be irritating for sensitive skin, and many users dislike the sticky texture and strong scent.
Highlights
Brightens skin Mostly Mentioned
- “noticeable glow”
- “brightens complexion”
- “radiant skin”
Fades scars Mostly Mentioned
- “lightened dark spots”
- “faded acne scars”
- “cleared hyperpigmentation”
Unpleasant smell Mostly Mentioned
- “smells like hot dogs”
- “meaty scent”
- “bad smell”
Affordable price Often Mentioned
- “great price point”
- “good value”
- “affordable vitamin C”
Sticky texture Often Mentioned
- “tacky finish”
- “feels sticky”
- “like glue”
Fast absorption Sometimes Noted
- “absorbs quickly”
- “sinks in fast”
- “doesn't feel greasy”
Hydrating formula Sometimes Noted
- “feels moisturizing”
- “hydrating finish”
- “leaves skin supple”
Oxidation issues Sometimes Noted
- “oxidized quickly”
- “turned orange fast”
- “needs fridge storage”
Skin irritation Sometimes Noted
- “caused breakouts”
- “stung my face”
- “burning sensation”
Poor packaging Rarely Noted
- “leaky bottle”
- “messy dropper”
- “crusty rim”
Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, ulta.com, dermstore.com, yesstyle.com, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why is COSRX The Vitamin C 23 a weak match for mature skin?
COSRX The Vitamin C 23 Serum is a weak match for mature skin because its high concentration of Ascorbic Acid focuses mainly on brightening rather than targeting wrinkles and fine lines. Additionally, it lacks sufficient hydrating ingredients to keep dry or mature skin feeling fully moisturized. A treatment for this skin needs strong wrinkle-smoothing ingredients, peptides, and plenty of hydrating components.
Which ingredients make this serum a poor fit for mature skin?
This serum is a weak match for mature skin because its high concentration of Ascorbic Acid and 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid primarily targets brightening rather than wrinkles and fine lines, and it lacks sufficient hydrating ingredients. Mature skin needs products with powerful anti-aging ingredients like peptides, along with plenty of hydrating ingredients to smooth fine lines and keep the skin soft and plump.
What does Vitamin C do for mature skin?
Vitamin C helps mature skin by smoothing out wrinkles, brightening dark spots, and boosting firmness. It works by encouraging collagen production to keep skin looking youthful and radiant.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for mature skin?
Hyaluronic acid helps mature skin by deeply boosting moisture, improving elasticity, and smoothing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Regular use keeps the skin looking plump and soft while supporting overall firmness and hydration.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Skin Research and Technology, 2024
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for mature skin?
This serum goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, following the general rule for active treatments. Mature skin typically needs products of this type that include extra hydrators and smoothing ingredients to target fine lines effectively.
Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?
It is best to use this serum in the morning and your retinol at night to avoid making your skin too dry or irritated. When you have mature skin, a product of this type needs added hydrators and ingredients that specifically target wrinkles and fine lines.
How often should I use this serum?
This treatment serum is best used in the evening routine, starting just once a week to see how your skin reacts. Because this product is a weak match for mature skin, it needs extra hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and specialized smoothing ingredients like retinoids or peptides to properly care for lines and wrinkles.
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for mature skin?
This serum is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for mature skin, though it may occasionally cause skin irritation. Products of this type need rich hydrators and firming ingredients to properly care for mature skin.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no fragrance and contains drying alcohol (alcohol denat).
What the research says
Topical application of 5% vitamin C cream significantly improved global clinical scores, increased skin microrelief density, and induced elastic tissue repair in photoaged skin compared to excipient control in healthy female volunteers.
Experimental Dermatology, 2003Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside gel significantly reduced gingival melanin pigmentation after 4 weeks compared to placebo in 73 subjects with symmetric pigmentation.
Journal of Periodontology, 2009Topical application of VC-IP cream twice daily for 8 weeks reduces periorbital wrinkles in female subjects compared to a placebo cream.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.
Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.
BMC Oral Health, 2019Topical application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.
Molecules, 2025Plant-derived squalane protected human dermal fibroblasts against UVA-induced damage by counteracting ROS formation, suppressing apoptosis-related proteins p53, caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP, and restoring the pro-survival p-Akt/mTOR pathway.
Antioxidants, 2025Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005
Why other serums fit mature skin better
Caviar oil enhanced adipocyte differentiation in vitro, reduced MMP expression while increasing collagen and elastin formation ex vivo, and improved skin moisture, elasticity, and density in 102 participants over four weeks of Cavi Balm usage compared to baseline.
In Vivo, 2023Chronomodulated daytime application of baicalin and nighttime application of palmitoyl tripeptide-1 synergistically improved skin luminance by 16.29%, nasolabial fold depth by -36.35%, and firmness by 24.35% in 30 female participants.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026
Ingredients
Water, Ascorbic Acid, Propanediol, Dimethicone, Tromethamine, Panthenol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Squalane, Caffeine, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Sulfite, Disodium Edta, Glutathione, Adenosine, Acetyl Glucosamine, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Allantoin, Dextrin, Tocotrienols, Tocopherol, Palm Oil, Butylene Glycol, Arginine, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Sunflower Seed Oil, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract, Methyl Trimethicone, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract Carrot Root Extract, Beta-Carotene
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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