Review: Paula’s Choice C15 Super Booster

This concentrated booster with 15% pure vitamin C dramatically brightens uneven skin while improving the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.

– Paula’s Choice

Looking for a new Vitamin C and trusting the Paula’s Choice brand, I picked up their C15 Booster while it was on sale, hoping it would live up to the hype. The ingredients for Paula’s Choice C15 Booster have been widely praised, noted as a perfect dupe for Skinceutical’s Vitamin C serum. As for application, the bottle is pretty small, but a little goes a long way and I’m not too upset with the amount given in reference to its sale price. The serum itself is quite thin, absorbing quickly into the skin, so no worries about pilling or oiliness here. Lastly, the results – I’m pleased to say that this serum was quite effective in brightening my hyper-pigmentation over time.

Ingredient Pros and Cons

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C/antioxidant), Butylene Glycol (solvent/texture enhancer), Ethoxydiglycol (solvent/texture enhancer), Glycerin (skin-replenishing), PPG-26-Buteth-26 (emulsifier/skin-softening), PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil (emulsifier/solubility enhancer), Pentylene Glycol (skin-softening slip agent), Tocopherol (vitamin E/stabilizing antioxidant), Sodium Hyaluronate (hydration), Hexanoyl Dipeptide-3 Norleucine Acetate (skin-restoring peptide), Lecithin (skin-restoring/hydration), Ferulic Acid (stabilizing antioxidant), Panthenol (vitamin B5/skin-softening, skin-soothing), Bisabolol (skin-soothing), Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract (skin-softening/chelating agent), Propyl Gallate (antioxidant), Sodium Gluconate (chelating agent), Sodium Hydroxide (pH adjuster), Phenoxyethanol (preservative), Ethylhexylglycerin (preservative).

Significant Pros

• Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C, anti-oxidant)
• Butylene Glycol (moisturizing)
• Glycerin (moisturizing)
• Tocopherol (Vitamin E, moisturizing)
• Sodium Hyaluronate (hydrating)
• Ferulic Acid (Moisturizing, antioxidant)
• Panthenol (Vitamin B5, moisturizing)

Significant Cons

• All good here (though Castor Oil may be clogging for some?)

The Takeaway

I’m really pleased with my experience with the C15 Booster. Considering its ingredients and efficacy, I think it’s a safe bet for anyone interested in implementing Vitamin C into their skin routine. Though the booster is more on the pricey side, Paula’s Choice almost always has some sort of sale going on, so feel free to wait until then to purchase it. In any case, I’ll definitely be returning to this product in the future.