Beauty writer Adele Miner tried out the new POCO Beauty Universal Glow Serum and shares her pros and cons
Vitamin C has become a non-negotiable step in a skincare routine for many, and for good reason. With time, the cleanse, tone, and moisturise skincare model has expanded and evolved. While cleansing and moisturising remain staples in a good skincare routine, new non-negotiable additions such as using a retinol and vitamin C have made their way into the skincare space.
A step I personally can’t be without is a morning slathering of Vitamin C. The ideal tag team partner for your SPF, it helps to protect your skin against damage from UV rays and pollution. It acts as a powerful antioxidant as well as boosting collagen production, brightening the skin by fading marks, evens out skin tone and firms the skin to reduce lines and wrinkles.
You might be familiar with Irish beauty brand POCO Beauty’s Universal Glow. A great tool in your beauty arsenal for bringing glow and light coverage to your complexion. Well, owner Pippa O’Connor has bottled that product in a new formula, made to compliment the OG Universal Glow, and I was lucky enough to be one of the first people to try it.
The Universal Glow Serum is a lightweight serum that claims to help improve the appearance of skin smoothness and radiance. With vitamin C and hyaluronic acid, it brightens and hydrates the skin to leave it looking fresh and glowing from within.
My thoughts
I’ve remained loyal to my favourite vitamin C on the market for some years now, SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic, as no other vitamin C product makes my skin shine quite like this one. However, while my skin loves it, my bank account doesn’t quite feel the same. At around €180 a pop, I’m always keen to trial other, more affordable vitamin C’s on the market.
What’s a little more unusual about the Universal Glow Serum is it moisturises at the same time it brightens. Hyaluronic acid is a great ingredient for attracting and holding moisture, keeping the skin plump and hydrated. This meant that I could skip on my separate step of using a moisturising serum as the Universal Glow had that covered. The formula is lightweight and yellow/golden in colour, two to three drops was enough to cover my face and neck.
After using it, I could immediately see a difference in my complexion. Just like the Universal Glow, it casts a visible iridescent shine to the skin which remained even after applying makeup and the rest of my skincare. Long term, after using it for a couple of weeks I noticed fading of some hyperpigmentation marks left behind by blemishes.
Doing a little digging into the ingredients list, it contains 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, which is a stable, vitamin-C derivative. While the exact percentage of strength of vitamin C in the serum isn’t stated, it likely contains a moderate to functional amount, which gives you good enough bang for your buck. Of course, if you’re looking for more clinical-strength vitamin C’s, ones like the SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic serum or the Obagi Professional C Serum 15% will provide you with that.
While the Universal Glow Serum didn’t completely transform my skin like more clinical vitamin C’s have the ability to, I saw enough change over time to feel satisfied with using it. It may also serve as the perfect introduction to using vitamin C, as stronger potencies can sometimes be too harsh for more sensitive skin types.
The serum is best used during your morning skincare routine and not at night. The purpose of a vitamin C is to act as a protectant, therefore it’s not needed or necessary at night time. Instead, your night time skincare routine should focus on building and restoring.
Pros: Affordable and it contains both vitamin C and hyaluronic acid saving you time on applying both in the mornings.
Cons: As we can’t say for sure, I reckon the formula may not be very high in potency, so if you’re looking for clinical-strength results you may have to look at the ones I suggested above (with much higher price points).
Price: €39
Overall verdict: While there are other vitamin C products on that market which may be higher in potency, the Universal Glow Serum is perfect if you’re looking for an instant glow for a fraction of the price.
