PRODUCT SMACKDOWN | Vitamin C Spot Corrector: Garnier vs Paula's Choice

It's been a hot minute since I've done a product review so I'm sorry if it's not up to my usual thoroughness. Also, it's been a year and a few months since I've finished these products so my memory isn't the best but I'll be as descriptive as I can. You're probably here because you have some dark spots you'd like gone. So let's see how these stack up to each other, eh?

{THE BREAKDOWN}

GARNIER SKIN RENEW DARK SPOT CORRECTOR -- $16.99usd for 1.7oz // $9.99usd per oz

I've previously reviewed the Garnier Skin Renew Dark Spot Corrector and gave it a glowing review. I still swear by this stuff almost 3 years later so y'all know the love is strong. This product contains 5% ascorbic acid, a form of Vitamin C, that is effective at reducing dark spots and sun damage. There's this very helpful Paula's Choice article that goes into more detail, so read it here. It's quite moisturizing with several emollients in the first 5 ingredients, like glycerin and hydrogenated polyisobutene. Ascorbic acid is the third most ingredient so you are getting enough. Tocopheryl acetate, a derivative of Vitamin E and salicylic acid are listed after phenoxyethanol so there's not much of it but I wanted to note it in case of BHA sensitivities. It takes a month of consistent, twice daily use for me to see the effects. If you were looking for something fast-acting, this is not the product. 

I mainly struggle with post-acne hyperpigmentation marks, which this is very effective at treating. It faded the darkness but it didn't completely remove it. I felt comfortable enough to go makeup-free whereas before, I had to cover it up with concealer. To be honest, the marks aren't even noticeable unless you were up close and in my personal space. I've gone through a tube and a half of this because I only use it on the dark spots. I do notice that efficacy does lessen the more I go through it so I don't think it is a long lasting product. This specific one has been rebranded and is now called the Clearly Brighter Dark Spot Corrector. I haven't tried the new version and I have another back up so I won't be for a while. Definitely a good option if that's the kind of thing you're dealing with. With dark spots or sun spots, I've heard mixed reviews. It didn't work for the Muse and I trust her reviews. So, if you're dealing with post-acne hyperpigmentation marks, I can vouch that it did work on me, no matter how old the marks were. But if you're dealing with serious dark spots, take it with a grain of salt.

PAULA'S CHOICE RESIST C15 SUPER BOOSTER -- $48 usd for 067oz // $71.64usd per oz

Moving onto the Paula's Choice Resist C15 Super Booster. As you know by now, the Paula's Choice Clear Regular Strength Kit is my skin miracle. I tried so many products back then to get my skin under control, using harsh alcohol-based spot treatments in hopes that it would help but only further exacerbating the problem. This cleared up my skin so well that I've been using this line ever since two years ago. So when I saw that she had a vitamin C product boasting 15% vitamin c formula, I didn't hesitate to buy the full size. I liked the texture because it was so lightweight. It added a bit of moisture but I definitely still needed a separate hydrating product afterwards.

Boy was I sorely disappointed. It says that the booster can be mixed with your serum or moisturizer or used on its own. Because I wanted to get the full effects, I chose to use it alone before layering my moisturizer over top, twice a day. Throughout the entire experience, I did not notice any lightening whatsoever. It says to use it up within 3 months which I went over by a bit because the bottle was so large. The smell was awful but I can overlook that if the product was effective. This isn't cheap stuff; at $71.64 usd per oz, that's almost 8 times more expensive than the Garnier! 

{THE BOTTOM LINE}

I'm pretty sure y'all know which one I'm going to recommend...the Garnier without a shadow of a doubt. All I care about is results and the PC failed to deliver. I could've gotten a bad batch but I honestly don't want to test that with how expensive each bottle is. And besides, why fix what ain't broke? But as Garnier is not cruelty-free, I'll have to find a new vitamin C product once I use up this tube and my back-up. Do y'all have any favorite products to fade post-acne hyperpigmentation marks?

{WHERE TO BUY}

GARNIER // buy

PAULA'S CHOICE // buy

What products do you use to fade post-acne hyperpigmentation marks? 

Have you ever been disappointed by a high end product and wish you stuck with the affordable stuff?

XOXO,

Cindy ♥

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