Holika Holika Vita Complex 3 Second Starter Serum In-Depth Review
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Hey, pretty people!
Like I said quite a while ago in this Beauty Bay Haul post, I am posting the review for one of those products. Today I’ll be focusing on the Vita Complex 3 Second Starter Serum by Holika Holika.
This product is one of the very first formulas I have tried by the Korean brand, along with the Pomegranate Juicy Sheet Mask.
It is a very big serum, and holds way more formulation than your average bottle does. All this, at a drugstore price!
So, how does this product actually perform? Is it too good to be true?
Let’s find out!
GENERAL SPECIFICS
- 15$ | £12.50 | 11.75€
- 150ml | 5.07 fl. Oz.
- Cruelty-free
- Two other options available (collagen and hyaluronic acid)
You can find the full list of ingredients on beautybay.com.
PACKAGING
Before anything, we should address the elephant in the room: how big this bottle is!
If you’re used to your average serum that holds about 30ml of formula, let me tell you: you will have your hands full with the Vita Complex serum.
THE BOTTLE
The clear plastic bottle is covered in a frosted yellow sticker that has funny glossy bubble designs all over it. Also, you will find the name of both product and brand, and a few infos about the formula (they’re in Korean, though). The bottle has a small white sticker with all those descriptions in english, so don’t worry!
I quite enjoy the texture the glossy writings and designs give the product, even if I find the font chosen to be slightly childish. On the other hand, I find the color selection – yellow, orange and white – to be absolutely perfect.
THE APPLICATOR
The clear plastic cap comes right off, almost too easily, and we finally can get up close and personal with this white applicator.
It’s definitely different from your regular dropper, and I find it to be slightly annoying to use at times; it does not always pump out the formula properly, and it could spritz it out more violently than what you need.
Besides this detail, I must admit I quite like this packaging and its aesthetics, overall.
FORMULA
If you have never been aquainted with this product, there are a thing or two you may want to know about it.
Fragrance
Like most skincare solutions out there, the Vita Complex serum’s smell has a few artificial notes to it.
The main base of the formula is Vitamin C, and that’s mostly what this serum smells like; however, it does hold a strong chemical aspect into it. In fact, the orange-y fragrance is ‘contaminated’ by an almost overwhealming soap-y element.
If you’re not a fan of fragrances in your skincare, you may want to give this product a second thought; the smell goes away rather quickly, but it’s quite strong as well.
Consistency
Serums are usually halfway between a water and gel-like consistency. There are a few properly water-based formulas out there, but I feel like this one is on a whole other level.
This formulation is the true definition of liquid, it’s basically like water. It means it is super lightweight, but runny as well. I would definitely suggest you to apply it directly on the face, rather than your fingers.
This way, most of the product will be absorbed by the skin, and the rest of the formula will be ready to be spread.
Ingredients
I know this may seem like your regular (and basic) Vitamin C serum, but there is far more to it – especially when it comes to its ingredients.
Besides your regular brightening agents, this product has Niacinamide into it; it may not mean much to you, but that ingredient is amazing when it comes to fighting texture, blemises and large pores.
APPLICATION
Before talking about the performance this serum offers, there’s a little point I would like to get across; this product may be a serum, but it shouldn’t be applied like one.
In fact, upon visiting the Holika Holika european website, I found out that I had been applying the Vita Complex serum wrong for almost two weeks!
This formula should be applied before toning, and not after. However, I would like to point out that I also got results from applying it after toning.
PERFORMANCE
When I decided to invest in this product, there were a few points I was skeptical about; could a drugstore product, that holds this amount of formula, actually make a difference in my skin?
Let’s break each and every claim down and find out about this performance!
Creates a smooth, even skintone
This product claims to fight texture, and I definitely endorse this claim; if you feel like your exfoliator is not enough, keep this formula in mind. It does help in promoting an even skintone as well, mainly thanks to its Vitamin C element.
Both these claims are true in my opinion, but the texture-fighting element is the one that manifested quicker for me.
Lightweight formula
Like I said before, this formulation is the closest thing to water you will ever find in the skincare department.
With ‘lightweight’, usually comes another element: quick absorbency. It is also the case with this product, which is yet another great feature about this formulation; since it goes on before a toner, it is even more congenial!
Fights acne producing bacteria
Even though this product has Niacinamide as one of its components, I am going to be very real with you: you can’t expect a proper Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% by TheOrdinary experience out of it.
Is it going to help a little bit? Yes, of course; it’s just not going to be as visible at first. It’s going to take a little bit longer, but it will help you. A little.
Brightens dark spots and dulled complexion
Now, that’s the real power of the Vitamin C element; if there is one thing Vita Complex does, besides fighting texture, is brightening the skintone.
I feel like it brightens up the overall complexion more quickly than it does with dark spots; this sounds very confusing, so I’ll try to elaborate on that as well and deeply as I possibly can.
This serum is obviously packed with Vitamin C, which is all about brightening the skin and fighting a dull appearance. Personally, I found that the skin appeared brighter rather quickly overall; on the other hand, the darker spots took a little bit longer to brighten up.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Alright, here we are at last!
All in all, would I recommend the Vita Complex 3 Second Starter Serum by Holika Holika? Without question!
I find the quality-quantity-price ratio to be absolutely unbeatable, especially when compared to the results given. This product has become a favorite of mine, not to mention an absolute staple in my skincare routine.
It is super lightweight, which makes it perfect to use it before your tonic; moreover, it absorbs right away. I find it the perfect starting point for your skincare routine, especially if you’re in a pinch.
Another feature I was able to appreciate about it is how much it helps with texture; the results came fairly quickly for me (about a couple of days), and I was able to have much softer skin in less than a week of use.
THE FORMULA
Let’s stay in the ‘texture department’ and talk a little bit about elasticity. This serum will definitely make your skin more elastic, but it will take you a couple of days more to see; consistency is key, and a constant application will reward you, at the end of the day!
The smallest detail I appreciated was the addition of Niacinamide in this serum. It didn’t make a drastic difference in my pimples and scars, but it was able to help me control them better. A little.
THE DOWNSIDE
Now, what did I not fully enjoyed about this product? The smell, for sure.
It doesn’t really bother me when makeup/skincare products are enriched with fragrances, on the other hand. I like it, most of the time. In this case, however, I must admit I am not the biggest fan of this orange-y, soap-y smell.
It doesn’t bother me greatly, I’ll admit, but I am surely not entirely pleased by it.
Another feature I wasn’t really a fan of was the applicator. I don’t really have anything against pumps, but this one did not work as well as I would have hoped.
The formula is extremely liquid, basically water-like, and this applicator is far too violent for it. It would be wiser to pump the serum directly on your face and immediately blend it with your fingers.
Other than these minor inconveniences, I must admit this is one of my favorite products in my skincare bag!