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First Aid Beauty 10% Vitamin C Brightening Serum for dry skin

High

  • HighDry Skin Fit
  • HighEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

A great choice for dry skin; a few serums fit it even better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry skin: flakiness, tightness, dehydration, fine lines, and wrinkles. 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 excellent brightening and evening of skin tone for you due to the high concentration of 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, which provides potent antioxidant and collagen-boosting effects. Squalane and glycerin are present to hydrate and smooth your dry or flaky skin, addressing your primary concerns.
  • The inclusion of oat and licorice root extract further supports skin soothing and barrier function, complementing the hydrating ingredients for overall skin comfort.
  • The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your dry skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.

How to apply

  • Apply this serum PM, starting 3×/week and working up to daily use as your skin adjusts.
  • Place the serum after cleansing and toner, but right before your moisturizer.
  • Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
  • Apply the serum on slightly damp skin to help lock in extra moisture.
  • Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use.

People Say

★4.7Overall rating based on 4.8k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, this serum is highly praised for its ability to brighten and firm the skin while remaining exceptionally gentle, making it a top choice for individuals with sensitive or combination skin types. Users consistently report positive outcomes, including a more radiant complexion, reduced hyperpigmentation, and a non-sticky, lightweight feel that integrates easily into daily routines.

Highlights

  • Gentle on skin Mostly Mentioned
    • “Great for sensitive skin”
    • “No irritation”
    • “Perfect for reactive skin”
  • Brightens complexion Often Mentioned
    • “Skin looks radiant”
    • “Noticeable glow”
    • “Helps with dullness”
  • Lightweight texture Often Mentioned
    • “Absorbs quickly”
    • “Not sticky or greasy”
    • “Feels nice on skin”
  • Effective results Sometimes Noted
    • “Reduced hyperpigmentation”
    • “Firmed my skin”
    • “Helped blemish marks”
  • High price point Sometimes Noted
    • “Expensive for the amount”
    • “Pricey for the size”
    • “Cost is high”
  • Pump dispenses too much Sometimes Noted
    • “Too much product comes out”
    • “Hard to control pump”
    • “Wasteful packaging”
  • Subtle/Slow results Rarely Noted
    • “Results are very subtle”
    • “Takes time to see”
    • “Not a quick fix”

Sources: lovi.care, ipsy.com, sephora.com.au, nordstromrack.com, youtube.com, macys.com, and more

Questions and answers

What makes First Aid Beauty 10% Vitamin C Brightening Serum a great fit for dry skin?

This serum is a great fit because it contains vitamin C to brighten your skin tone while using squalane and glycerin to hydrate and smooth dry patches. Oat and licorice root extract also help soothe your skin and support its natural barrier with a very low risk of irritation.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for dry skin?

Squalane and glycerin make this serum a great fit because they hydrate and smooth dry or flaky skin. Oat and licorice root extract also help soothe your skin and support your skin barrier.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

What does Vitamin C do for dry skin?

Vitamin C helps dry skin by boosting moisture and keeping the surface smooth and soft. It may also improve skin hydration and support the outer protective barrier over time.

Skin Research and Technology, 2008Experimental Dermatology, 2008

What does Squalane do for dry skin?

Squalane helps keep dry skin soft and smooth by acting as a hydrating agent that locks in moisture and prevents water loss. It is unlikely to cause irritation and may protect the skin from damage while improving overall hydration.

Advances in Food and Nutrition Research, 2012Molecules, 2009

Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for dry skin?

This serum goes in the evening routine, placed after your cleanser and before your moisturizer. Putting it in the evening helps keep things simple and adds extra safety around sun exposure.

Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this serum with retinol by applying this vitamin C in the morning and your retinol at night, which helps prevent irritation on dry skin. Combining them this way allows you to brighten your tone and smooth texture while keeping your skin calm and comfortable.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020

How often should I use this serum?

Apply this treatment in the evening as part of your routine to keep things simple and safe around sun exposure. It is unlikely to cause irritation on dry skin and helps brighten and smooth your complexion.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?

This serum is unlikely to clog pores, cause breakouts, or lead to purging for dry skin. It has an excellent safety profile with no harsh ingredients, and includes hydrating components like squalane and glycerin that smooth flaky skin without causing irritation.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.

What the research says

  • A topical serum containing vitamin C, vitamin E, and raspberry leaf cell culture extract improved skin color, elasticity, radiance, smoothness, scaliness, and wrinkles compared to the untreated contralateral side in fifty female volunteers.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020
  • A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.

    Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
  • Dermatological 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, 2021
  • 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, 2003
  • Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside gel significantly reduced gingival melanin pigmentation after 4 weeks compared to placebo in 73 subjects with symmetric pigmentation.

    Journal of Periodontology, 2009
  • Topical 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, 2022
  • Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.

    Molecules, 2025
  • Plant-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, 2025
  • A repair cream containing Rhealba oat plantlets extract, l-ALA-l-GLU dipeptide, and hyaluronic acid provided immediate relief and was judged by doctors as good or very good in 96.8% of cases for wound healing in 2,363 patients following dermatological acts.

    Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2018
  • Topically applied Avena sativa and Avena Rhealba oatmeal extracts significantly reduced skin irritation parameters including a* parameter increase and blood flow increase compared to vehicle in 12 healthy individuals subjected to the sodium lauryl sulfate irritation model.

    Skin Pharmacology and Applied Skin Physiology, 2002
  • Colloidal oat extracts diminished pro-inflammatory cytokines in vitro and colloidal oat lotion improved skin dryness, scaling, roughness, and itch intensity in healthy female subjects compared to baseline.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2015
  • Combining 755 nm alexandrite laser with topical licorice gel significantly reduces terminal hair counts compared to alexandrite laser with placebo in women with idiopathic hirsutism.

    Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015
  • Licochalcone A activated Nrf2 signaling, elevated cytoprotective enzymes, increased the reduced-to-oxidized glutathione ratio, and decreased reactive oxygen species in human fibroblasts and neutrophils, while a LicA-rich licorice extract lowered UVA-induced oxidative processes in vivo.

    Experimental Dermatology, 2015
  • Bioactive glycyrrhizic acid and oxymatrine ionic liquid self-assembled nanomicelles significantly promoted the transdermal permeation, subcutaneous retention, and anti-photoaging efficacy of palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 in cellular and animal models compared to unformulated peptide.

    Advanced Science, 2025
  • Topical 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, 2025
  • Topical 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, 2024
  • A topical antioxidant serum significantly reduced air pollution-induced skin pigmentation and proinflammatory gene expression ex vivo, and improved skin aging signs in 40 healthy adult females after 90 days of daily use.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022

Ingredients

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Squalane, Sodium Citrate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Oat, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Xanthan Gum, Polyglyceryl-10 Dioleate, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium Edta

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.

How does it fit your skin?

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