Vitamin-C Skincare Products

Vitamin C is a must-have ingredient for beautiful, glowing summer skin! Especially during summer, when we’re all out there frying our faces, this can be a great active ingredient to incorporate into our (anti-aging) skincare routine. According to Health Magazine:

“Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that stimulates collagen production and helps to reduce signs of aging by repairing the damage done by free radicals and the sun. It can even help to protect against future damage (though it's no substitute for sunscreen).”

I’ve been trying tons of great products featuring this star ingredient! Below are a few of my favorites. The best part? All of these products cost less than $20 (on sale, in some cases). So there’s something here for every budget! Read on to see which one might be right for your skincare regimen!

One of nature’s most powerful ingredients harnessed in these skincare products! 

m/f people Hyaluronic Vit-C Serum

This serum is a total lifesaver! Combining the skin-plumping properties of hyaluronic acid, which is a naturally occuring compound within your body, with the skin-brightening burst of Vitamin C, this is the perfect serum to layer under your day time moisturizer for a bright, glowy complexion. A little goes a long way too—I use about four drops per application. I bought my serum on sale for about $17 over two months ago, and it’s still kicking! Despite the fact that I use it almost every day. Follow their Instagram and keep an eye out for the next promotional event!

Bliss Ex-glow-sion Radiance-Boosting Eye Cream

This VEGAN product is a great way to pep up your under-eye when you’re short on sleep, suffering from summer allergies that make your eyes puffy, or just need a little extra soothing for your under-eye area! I don’t use this product every day, but each time I do I notice how dramatically better my under-eyes look! It really does boost radiance and reduce the appearance of dark circles, as advertised. It’s also very soothing, unlike some Vitamin C under-eye products which can sting. This product was gifted to me by Bliss, but it’s inexpensive on retail, about $19 from Target!

Lumene Valo Balm Facial Cleanser

Okay, if you’re not already using a cream cleanser, I highly recommend you jump on board with this skincare craze. Especially as we age, a cream-based cleanser can be much more gentle and rejuvenating for our skin. It’s also a real treat after you have overdone it in the sand, sun, and salt or chlorinated water! It will leave your skin feeling totally refreshed and erase the skincare sins of your beach weekend. If you’re an ingredient snob, which I sometimes am, this cleanser is free from Phthalates, Parabens, Sulfate, and Formaldehyde / Formaldehyde Donors. So you can feel really good about putting this on your face, especially given that it’s only $14.99 at Target.

What do you think? Have you tried any of these products? Have a favorite Vitamin C product you’d like to add to the list? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake

When you want a dessert that really screams, “Summer!” this layer cake version of a Strawberry Shortcake from Melissa’s Southern Style Kitchen delivers!

Voila! You can see my kitchen is in a state here, but the real showstopper is the cake! So worth the time and mess to make it all from scratch. Recipe here.

Recently, I hosted my husband’s family for a dinner party. We don’t get together very often, and we wanted to make it a special occasion and mark my niece’s graduation from graduate school and the start of summer with a celebratory meal.

I scoured the internet for an appropriate dessert, and thankfully came across this recipe from Melissa’s Southern Style Kitchen.

Although it’s not the norm for me to follow a recipe to the very letter, in this case I did, so I’m sending you over to her page to view it in full. I will definitely say that it is well worth the hassle of making the buttermilk layer cake from scratch. Using buttermilk gives the cake a density and a richness reminiscent of pound cake, yet a nice, airy, sponge-like texture.

The homemade whipped cream cheese is also worth the mess (rather than just subbing in whipped topping). It is perfectly rich and slightly sour from the cream cheese, which I love. Like cream cheese frosting that has been whisked away by some puffy, summer clouds.

Got a little fancy with my extra strawberries! This isn’t as pretty as Melissa’s version, but hopefully it was just as tasty!

Of course, finding the freshest, juiciest strawberries you can will elevate the recipe. It’s the perfect time of year for this dish! I opted to serve it in a trifle dish because a) the dish is a family piece from my husband’s side, so I always try to pull it out when we entertain them, and b) it kept the presentation neat without me having to engineer a perfectly constructed layer cake. Which was nice, because this is one of three courses I was preparing from scratch so I didn’t have a ton of time to fuss with putting the cake together. This would be an especially good option if you’re traveling with the cake, because it would prevent slippage or mess.

Do yourself a favor and carve out an afternoon to prepare this fabulous dessert Melissa has given the world. You and your guests will be glad you did!

Made this one yourself? Have a favorite Strawberry Shortcake recipe or tip you’d like to share? Drop a comment below and let me know!