Provence beauty vitamin c niacinamide serum reviews

Glycolic Acid is arguably the most famous AHA with research to back up its benefits. Its main role is to peel the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.

Glycolic Acid has shown to boost collage production, a protein that helps skin stay firm. Overall, Glycolic Acid helps with improving uneven tone, rough patches of skin, fine lines, wrinkles, and sun damage. It also increases skin hydration by playing a role in creating molecules that create hyaluronic acid naturally.

When applying Glycolic Acid, it is normal to feel slight stinging. The pH value and concentration of glycolic acid play a role in the effectiveness of the product.

Recent studies have shown Glycolic Acid may protect the skin against UV damage. However, you should always wear SPF, especially when using exfoliants.

What are the Best Skin Care Products of 2022?

However, keep in mind “clean” and “non-toxic” are really just buzzwords that have been thrown around the industry for years now. Since there’s still no universally agreed-upon criteria for what makes a product “clean”, we’ll have to determine this for ourselves by digging deep into the product formulations.

And that’s exactly what we’ll do in this Provence Beauty review. Below we’ll cover the formulation details, including the key ingredients in Provence Beauty skincare products and the research that supports (or doesn’t support) their use in skincare.

We’ll also share some Provence Beauty reviews so that you can get an idea of what customers really think of these products.

What’s Inside Provence Beauty Skincare?

Provence Beauty focuses on using evidence-based ingredients in their products, such as Vitamin C, retinol, and peptides. These ingredients should all be part of your skincare routine. Here’s why: 

Vitamin C
There’s no such thing as a miracle treatment when it comes to combating age, though vitamin C comes pretty close. It’s a powerful antioxidant that protects your skin from environmental free radical damage from sources like UV rays, pollution, and smoke. 

Vitamin C also helps fade dark spots, evens out skin tone, and increases radiance. As if that wasn’t enough, research suggests that when vitamin C is applied to the skin, it significantly reverses aging-related structural changes by influencing collagen and elastin synthesis. 

It’s in Provence Beauty Vitamin C Serum. This serum combines pure vitamin C (ascorbic acid) with other key ingredients like aloe vera, sodium hyaluronate, glycolic acid, green tea leaf extract, and panthenol (pro-vitamin B5). 

But our favorite Vitamin C serum is Carrot & Stick The Defence Serum. It contains 3 distinct types of Vitamin C that work together to help fight free radical damage. We recommend using it every morning.

Peptides
As you age, your body’s production of collagen and elastin slows down. These two proteins are responsible for your skin’s structural support. As a result, the skin loses its natural plumpness and smoothness. 

While collagen is necessary for maintaining youthful-looking skin, the collagen protein is too large to absorb into the skin topically. That’s why applying skin care products that contain collagen won’t provide the anti-aging benefits you’re looking for.

This is where peptides come into action. Peptides are the building blocks of protein, and they are easily absorbed into the deeper layers of skin due to their smaller size. 

Provence Beauty Vitamin C + Collagen Eye Cream contains sh-polypeptide-1, an ingredient that stimulates collagen synthesis, and also stimulates fibroblast cell growth and proliferation. 

One of our favorite peptide serums is Carrot & Stick The Repair Serum. It contains 7 plant-based peptides to promote plumper and smoother-looking skin. It also has skin-loving ingredients like hyaluronic acid and niacinamide.

Retinol
If you’re trying to prevent or reduce signs of skin aging, then you’ve probably heard that it’s a good idea to add a retinol serum into your nightly routine. Retinol is the gold standard when it comes to anti-aging ingredients. Here’s why: 

After application, retinol is converted to retinoic acid, which works deep within the skin where it boosts collagen synthesis, increases elasticity, and repairs connective tissue. It also increases cellular turnover, which helps to prevent clogged pores and promotes smoother, healthier skin. 

It’s in Provence Beauty Collagen and Retinol Night Serum.

Use retinoids at night. We recommend this retinoid oil serum. It contains Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, an ingredient that provides the same benefits of retinol but without the irritation. 

Everything Else

Fragrance
Unfortunately, most Provence Beauty products contain fragrant essential oils, which can be a problem due to the potential to cause contact allergies, skin irritation, and even skin damage.

In fact, according to a 2016 publication in the scholarly journal Dermatitis, nearly 80 essential oils have caused contact allergy.

This is because all fragrance ingredients (whether natural or synthetic) impart scent through a volatile reaction, and this natural reaction almost always causes a sensitizing reaction on skin.

What Are The Top 8 Best Provence Beauty Skincare Products?

Provence Beauty offers everything that you would need to create a complete skin care routine, including cleansers, toners, moisturizers, serums, and more. Here’s a breakdown of the top 8 best Provence Beauty skincare products.

Provence Beauty Vitamin C Serum

Vitamin C is an ingredient that should be part of everyone’s skincare routine — regardless of age or skin type. It’s a powerful antioxidant that protects your skin from environmental free radical damage from sources like UV rays, pollution, and smoke.

Vitamin C also helps fade dark spots, evens out skin tone, and increases radiance. As if that wasn’t enough, research suggests that when vitamin C is applied to the skin, it significantly reverses aging-related structural changes by influencing collagen and elastin synthesis. A vitamin C serum is the best way to deliver this active ingredient into the deeper layers of your skin.

The Provence Beauty Vitamin C Serum combines pure vitamin C (ascorbic acid) with other key ingredients like aloe vera, sodium hyaluronate, glycolic acid, green tea leaf extract, and panthenol (pro-vitamin B5).

Unfortunately, the brand does not disclose the percentage of ascorbic acid in this serum (most brands will give you this information, like with SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic you know you’re getting 15% L-ascorbic acid combined with 1% vitamin E and 0.5% ferulic acid).

Another problem is the inclusion of fragrance ingredients in this serum, such as orange peel oil and limonene, which have the potential to cause skin sensitivity reactions.

Plus, after reading some Provence Beauty reviews for this product, we noticed that many customers dislike the consistency of this serum because it’s too thin and watery.

Bottom Line: A basic vitamin C serum with a thin, watery texture that should help to brighten the complexion, but keep in mind the formula contains fragrance.

Provence Beauty Vitamin C + Collagen Eye Cream

Provence Beauty Vitamin C + Collagen Eye Cream is formulated to help brighten the skin around your eyes with pure vitamin C (ascorbic acid).

And even though collagen is in the name of this eye cream, the formula actually contains “sh-polypeptide-1”, a cell signaling protein. This ingredient stimulates collagen synthetic, and also stimulates fibroblast cell growth and proliferation.

Collagen is found in the skin’s extracellular matrix (ECM). It’s responsible for keeping the skin firm and youthful. Thus, using products like this Provence Beauty serum that stimulate collagen synthesis can help to reduce signs of aging.

Unfortunately, this is another Provence Beauty product that contains fragrance ingredients, which is especially problematic since the skin around the eyes is so delicate.

Bottom Line: This Provence Beauty eye cream combines vitamin C with a cell signaling protein to stimulate collagen synthesis, but keep in mind the formula contains fragrance.

Provence Beauty Hyaluronic Acid Serum

While you may think that hyaluronic acid is the star ingredient in this serum based on its name, the brand actually uses sodium hyaluronate — the sodium salt form of hyaluronic acid — in this formula.

Sodium hyaluronate and hyaluronic acid are basically the same and the two names are used interchangeably in the skin care industry. The main differences are that sodium hyaluronate is more stable, easier to formulate, and cheaper. That’s why it is common to see sodium hyaluronate on an ingredient list even though the product name might say hyaluronic acid.

Once applied to the skin, sodium hyaluronate provides the same benefits of hyaluronic acid. Those benefits include improved skin hydration, as well as a more plump complexion with fewer lines and wrinkles.

This serum is great to add extra hydration for all skin types, although if you have dry skin you may want to follow with a thicker moisturizer to help lock in moisture.

Bottom Line: This is a hydrating serum that helps to draw moisture into the skin thanks to sodium hyaluronate.

Provence Beauty Glycolic Acid Serum

For those who are new to acid exfoliation, Provence Beauty Glycolic Acid Serum is a good place to start. This serum provides mild exfoliation thanks to glycolic acid, a type of alpha hydroxy acid (AHA).

Glycolic acid exfoliates the skin by targeting corneocytes (dead skin cells that make up the stratum corneum) in a process called corneocyte desquamation. By enhancing their breakdown and increasing the separation of skin cells, the rate of cell turnover is increased, leading to smoother, brighter skin and a more even complexion.

Plus, there’s several soothing ingredients in this formula to help reduce irritation that could be caused by glycolic acid. For example, there’s green tea leaf, panthenol, and aloe vera, just to name a few.

Bottom Line: Provence Beauty Glycolic Acid Serum should help to mildly exfoliate dead skin cells, leading to smoother, brighter skin and a more even complexion.

Provence Beauty Collagen and Retinol Night Serum

If you’re trying to prevent or reduce signs of skin aging, then you’ve probably heard that it’s a good idea to add a retinol serum into your nightly routine. Retinol is the gold standard when it comes to anti-aging ingredients. Here’s why:

After application, retinol is converted to retinoic acid, which works deep within the skin where it boosts collagen synthesis, increases elasticity, and repairs connective tissue. It also increases cellular turnover, which helps to prevent clogged pores and promotes smoother, healthier skin.

According to a publication in the journal Clinical Interventions in Aging, retinol can minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, improve uneven skin tone, restore skin firmness, and shrink the appearance of enlarged pores.

Provence Beauty Collagen and Retinol Night Serum should help to provide these benefits, although we noticed the brand doesn’t list the strength of retinol in their serum. If you want to know exactly how much retinol you’re getting, we’d recommend The Ordinary’s lineup of retinol serums.

Bottom Line: Provence Beauty Collagen and Retinol Night Serum may be a good option for those looking to prevent and reduce signs of aging, but we wish the brand would provide the concentration of retinol used in this serum.

Provence Beauty Kale + Niacinamide Serum

While anyone can benefit from a niacinamide serum, this ingredient is ideal for those with congested skin, dullness, and/or uneven skin tone.

Niacinamide is the amide form of vitamin B3 (niacin) that provides many benefits to the skin. For instance, a publication in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, states that niacinamide can repair the skin barrier and improve skin moisture, as well as reduce inflammation, blotchiness, hyperpigmentation, acne, and wrinkling.

Niacinamide also has antimicrobial and sebostatic effects, meaning it can help protect against the bacteria that cause acne while also helping to reduce oil production. And guess what? Zinc PCA has these same properties! So the combination of these ingredients really helps to tackle excess oil and congestion.

And just as the name suggests, the formula also includes kale, which isn’t really a game-changing skincare ingredient, but it’s not a bad one either. Kale contains micronutrients like vitamins C, E and K, which may offer some benefits.

Bottom Line: The niacinamide in this Provence Beauty serum should provide several benefits to the skin, such as reducing inflammation, blotchiness, hyperpigmentation, acne, and wrinkling.

Provence Beauty Cucumber Water With Hyaluronic Acid Face and Body Mist

This face and body mist is alcohol-free, fragrance-free, and oil-free, making it a good option for all skin types. Soothing cucumber extract conditions and tones for a glowing complexion, while rose water helps to minimize pores and increase radiance.

The formula also contains plenty of water-binding humectants, including glycerin, kelp extract, aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, and panthenol (pro-vitamin B5). All of these ingredients aid in binding water in order to increase skin hydration.

Since this mist is so lightweight and hydrating, it’s great to keep in your bag or purse so that you can refresh your skin during the day.

Bottom Line: A refreshing, hydrating face and body mist with cucumber, rose water, and several different humectants.

Provence Beauty Rebalance Facial Oil

It can be tough to find a decent face oil. Some face oils are just way too greasy and seem to just sit on top of your skin without ever being absorbed. Others contain fragrance and nasty chemicals that can lead to redness and sensitivity.

But we may have found a winner with Provence Beauty Rebalance Facial Oil. The formula absorbs quickly and doesn’t clog pores, making this face oil a good choice for all skin types — yes, even those with acne-prone skin!

Jojoba oil and argan oil are the key ingredients in this formula. Jojoba oil is unique in that it mimics the skin’s natural sebum more closely than any other oil, which allows it to help regulate oil production and clear out pores. Argan oil contains a rich supply of nutrients, such as fatty acids, tocopherols, polyphenols, and more.

Bottom Line: A fast-absorbing facial oil with jojoba and argan oil to help re-balance natural oil production to calm oily areas and hydrate dry skin areas.

How Much Do Provence Beauty Skincare Products Cost?

Provence Beauty skincare products are very affordable, with the prices being comparable to The Ordinary skincare products. For example, the Provence Beauty Vitamin C Serum costs $12.95 USD for 2 fl oz, while the Hyaluronic Acid Serum costs just $9.99 USD for 2 fl oz.

Where to Buy Provence Beauty Skincare Products?

Provence Beauty skincare products are sold on the brand’s website, as well as on Amazon.

What is The Provence Beauty Return Policy?

The Provence Beauty return policy states, “To qualify for a return, items must be received back to our Fulfillment Center within 30 days of your original order shipment date (as printed on your packing slip) in the condition that your product has arrived. Opened or used items are not eligible for refunds. Exchanges also must shipped within 30 days as well as arrive to us in an unused, unopened condition.”

Is Provence Beauty Cruelty Free?

Yes, Provence Beauty is cruelty free. The brand’s animal testing policy states, “We refuse to engage in product testing on animals and refuse to work with vendors and suppliers who do. We take pride in being a cruelty free brand and love our furry friends.”

Is Provence Beauty Vegan?

Yes. All Provence Beauty products are vegan.

Provence Beauty Reviews

There actually aren’t very many Provence Beauty reviews on the brand’s website, so we had to look on Amazon.com to evaluate customer reviews. One product that has received plenty of positive feedback is the Provence Beauty Vitamin C Serum, which has earned an average rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars after more than 300 customer reviews.

The positive reviews for the Provence Beauty Vitamin C Serum mention that it’s lightweight, smells good, and helps to hydrate and brighten the complexion.

For example, one review says, “This is my favorite vitamin C serum. It’s colorless, it smells good, it feels good, it is lightweight, I could go on. My complexion looks and feels great after using this one. I have tried several vitamin C serums before and this is hands down my favorite.”

And another 5-star review says, “I love this product, it makes my skin feel so hydrated and doesn’t clog my pores either.”

However, there are a handful of negative reviews for the Provence Beauty Vitamin C Serum. Many of these negative reviews voice concern over the consistency of the serum, saying that it’s too watery.

For example, one review says, “A nice size bottle but really watery . I just started using it and haven’t noticed any difference.”

And a similar review says, “I really wanted to like this product but I just don’t. My biggest issue with this ‘serum’ is the consistency. The first ingredient of any product has a higher amount in the product. This has water listed as the first ingredient and it’s noticeable. The consistency is that of water. It seems half the product is wasted, running off your hand. I’ve never had a serum that has a consistency like this.”

Another 1-star review for the Provence Beauty Vitamin C Serum says, “It was like water. I tried to return it but couldn’t. I would put some in my palm to put on my face and it ran off my palm. I tried a smaller amount, it was just ridiculous, there was no substance to it.”

Our Verdict

Overall, we think that Provence Beauty products are formulated well, although we’re concerned about the presence of fragrance in nearly every product.

Pros

• Affordable
• Many positive Provence Beauty reviews
• Provence Beauty is cruelty free

Cons

• Products contain fragrant essential oils, which may lead to skin sensitivity reactions

What Are Some Alternatives to Provence Beauty Skincare Products?

There’s no need to compromise when it comes to finding skincare that’s effective and safe.

If you’re looking for effective skincare products that skip harmful toxins, one brand we recommend is Carrot & Stick.

Carrot & Stick is committed to creating plant-derived formulas that deliver extraordinary results without relying on toxic chemicals or standard preservatives.

Carrot & Stick takes a tough love approach to skincare, perfectly balancing the gentle nurturing of plants with innovative science.

References:
de Groot AC, Schmidt E. Essential Oils, Part IV: Contact Allergy. Dermatitis. 2016;27(4):170-175. doi:10.1097/DER.0000000000000197

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