MuradVitamin C Glycolic Brightening Serum

Most Helpful Critical Review

There are better Murad's out there

First impressions Murad BzzzKit!! Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum, Vitamin-C Glycolic Brightening Serum and Vitamin-C Dark Circle Corrector Shipment recvd on April 10, 2020!!!! They were very informative of when I was going to get my products in the mail, date it was shipped, etc. I wa...s very excited to actually receive it in the mail, to be honest I thought it was quite too good to be true but here it is in it's glory, and per the rules of this trial I should: -receive awesome Murad products in the mail -test them out for two weeks -give an honest, DETAILED review with awesome pictures and my opinion on whether I think these rock or not. Alright beauties just so your aware... Prior experience with Murad- none really but have heard great things until just recently I received a youth renewal serum and eye cream sample in one of my beauty subscription boxes (I think) and I was using those every other night (the youth renewal serum) and every night (the eye cream) I had only been using them for about a week or two and im sure I missed a couple days. **Disclaimer** I replaced these products with any other facial serum I would have used (including the 2 murad products I was trying). I typically only use a cleanser, makeup remover, occasional light exfoliator cleanser, and moisturizer daily-ish and continued with that routine but used these 3 serums (Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum, Vitamin-C Glycolic Brightening Serum and Vitamin-C Dark Circle Corrector) everyday over a 2 week period. I also continued my make up application normally but I did use these every day and night.. I took pictures throughout to show the progress of before and after application, morning and evening Note-I love the Aveeno brightening facial cleanser for a mild face wash, this is what I use. I do feel like I have sensitive skin and this does not break out your face. And now to the good stuff!! Night one. Revealing my products!!! And application... Let's start with naming the products. It looks like they all come from the Murad "Environmental Shield" line and are all part of step 2 the "treat". I believe that step one is the cleanser. I got the Vitamin-C Glycolic Brightening Serum (which is said to be used daily am and pm FIRST) applying over face and neck. The Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum was included also and it says to apply this after the brightening serum as an extra "boost" at NIGHT all over face as well. Lastly I received the Vitamin-C Dark Circle Corrector which I will apply am and pm patting gently under the eye area. Application day one (Evening application after shower and cleansing face) #1 The brightening serum has made my skin feel very soft and dewy. It was a thick liquid that was yellow in color and had a shimmery tint throughout that was very pretty. Upon application however it was very painful to the existing acne patches on my skin. I'm not sure I would apply to these areas again until maybe healed a bit better. It stung very bad on those areas, but left my skin looking need I say brighter? You all can be the judge. My skin is very soft however after application but left a little sticky.  Absorbed well and didn't flake off...yet Onto the rapid age spot lightening serum. #2The lightening serum is a clear liquid. It applied like a gel consistency. Dried quickly and went on smoothly and easily. It was not burning to the skin and left it feeling like a smooth buttery texture but sticky. Very sticky. (May be a great primer!) Will tell in the morning. And lastly but not least, I feel the most important! #3Under eye was a thicker lotion and same color as the brightening serum. It applied smoothly and easily patting under my eye. Appeared light the other creme with the shimmer, brightening sheen. It's light reflecting like the brightening creme. It did not hurt and blended very easily. Application day 2: morning **Every morning prior to any facial application I do wash off my face with a mild cleansing water. I began my facial routine this am with only the three Murad products. I first applied about 4 pumps of the brightening serum directly to my face. (Too much) Rubbed it in gently and there was a mild irritation and stinging again. My Face felt smooth after application and I waited about 10 mins before applying the next serum. I went ahead and did the eye cream second. I only use about half a pump per eye and I gently pat and kindof push it into my under eye area melting it in until absorbed completely. It does create a warmth underneath your eye that intensifies if you rub it in so only pat. I like this creme. Lastly the gel like brightening serum. Dried quickly and left my skin feeling sticky, prefect for a primer. Day 2: evening Same old but through the day I wore no make up and I had to wipe my face off to remove the flaky lotion pieces that were on my face. Conclusion less is more. AppLied all three, a sparse amount. Patted under eye creme only until absorbed. Again leaves skin feeling sticky and I think it's the light serum, the gel one. This is my least favorite so far. Day 3: am I tried a different approach this am and I think im liking this better. Again less is more. I started with a light layer, only 2 pumps of the brightening cream, concentrating on the cheek area and forehead. I then applied the under eye creme, about half a pump per eye and gently patted into eye and corner if eye near nose till absorbed. I only pat now. And then the gel light serum I pump 2 squirts into my hands and rub it in then gently pat onto my face until absorbed. I'm waiting before I apply anything else. I think this is going to make a huge difference. Overall however I think I mag avoid using the gel light serum bc it flakes off my skin, the other two seem to be working well the favorite being the under eye creme. Day 3 only applies eye cream today Day 4 am Skin feels better so applied again all three Less is more! Day 5-10 Again messed up my face with fAce razors ahhh! Had to take a couple days rest of everything on my face. I did continue to use the eye creme however and I used the first brightening serum. A few times. I will say less is certainly more. You do not need a lot of this product. Day 11- 14 Am application Applied all three serums. Used one good squirt of the bright serum, a 3/4 squirt of the eye creme to use on both eyes and about a squirt and a half of the light serum. With the light serum I now apply to my palm and rub it on all my fingers then pat it on my face lightly all over like the eye creme. I also before applying this gel like serum will use a cotton round to wipe around my eye area and get any excess eye creme removed. The eye creme needs to stay under the eye area only. If any gets rubbed lower down it will flake off. So pat the eye creme directly under the eye where your dark circles lay ONLY. If it goes anywhere else and mixes with anything else it will flake off. I think this works best. I am learning as I go, still unsure if it is helping. All of the creme's are less harsh and do not burn or tingle on my face now either. Final thoughts: I see now I am requested to review each item individually so I will attach the above with my pictures to all and then attach my final thoughts on each item also. Thanks everyone for reading my extensive review. I hope it helps. *disclaimer I am not new to makeup but I am slightly fresher in the skincare so my techniques are my own and no one elses. I don't claim to be better or worse at anything and these are just my personal thoughts and review on these products and how they worked on MY skin. Everyone is different and beautiful and what may not work on some may work wonders on others. Always keep that in mind!!!! Final thoughts Lightening serum - overall less is way more. I would suggest using it as a toner almost. Apply last and lightly pat onto skin until dry. It feels and resembles hair gel and is sticky as such. Less is more. Worked okay as a primer, I never wanted to use too much makeup over top these products because I figured it would ruin it. I never personally saw much of a difference but maybe my face isn't super dull? I dunno. Brightening Cream - this product is intended to go on first and again less is more. I applied about a good pump to my face, make sure you have no cuts or irritations already on your skin as it will burn. My face started off a little sensitive so this creme wAs a bit harsh at first but after a few days my face calmed down (unrelated to these products) and these serums no longer burned or tingled. Again I never really could tell a difference though. It did make me wear less makeup however and I wouldn't say I hated this. I will say if you apply more then it does tend to flake off so remember less is more. Overall I probably wont add these creme's and serums to my daily routine. I don't think it made a huge difference and I didn't like the flaking of the product. That did stop after I started using less. Eye creme- Now the eye creme was my favorite of all three and I continue to use this one on the daily. Do I see a difference? No. Maybe you all can notice one but I don't but for some reason I still use it. I must like it! It is a lighter orange color that seems like it would brighten the under eye and I think that's about it. I think it will give a brightening effect but it does not cover up any darkness. Dark circles are still there as you can see. I would be hesitant to use this under another product bc it did get flaky but only in places outside the orbital eye area. Overall I seemed to like this product but I don't think there is much of a difference I already stopped using the other two. I guess just personally this Murad trio was not my favorite but I have come to love Murad products such as the renewing eye creme and the retinol youth serum. Thanks beauties!