The Way We C It

There are several types of Vitamin C, the most common type of vitamin C found in serums these days is L-Ascorbic Acid. L-Ascorbic acid, is an acid so don’t be surprised that it will cause skin irritation and redness. It is water soluble so it can only protect the cell but not the cell membrane. Why does this matter? The cell membrane is a vital defense mechanism of the cell and needs protection from free radicals.  Citrix CRS 10% Cell Rejuvenation Serum only contains L-Ascorbic Acid, this derivative of vitamin C breaks down quickly and loses it’s effect within 24 hours, compared to others that last up to 72 hours. Another problem we see is that  that this form of Vitamin C causes a fenton reaction when it is applied to the skin, this causes the free radical, hydroxyl, to form. This is possibly what causes your skin to become red and irritated. In short, when L-Ascrobic acid is applied topically it is doing more harm than good to your skin.

Citrix CRS 10% Cell Rejuvenation Serum with Growth Factor Ingredients

• Cyclomethicone: A base ingredient that adds a talc-like feel to cosmetics and perfumes.
• L-Ascorbic Acid: Protects against free radicals inside the cell but not the cell membrane. L-Ascorbic Acid is acidic and may cause skin irritation and redness
• TGF-beta-1: Speeds up skin cell renewal and helps to restructure skin
• Cimicifuga Racemosa Extract: when used in conjunction with TGF-beta-1, Cimicifuga Racemosa extract helps minimize the appearance of wrinkles
• Other Ingredients: Silicone Polymer, Dimethicone, Purified Water, Dimethicone Copolyol, Phospholipids

Pros

• Helps minimize the appearance of wrinkles

Cons

• Does not contain a stable form of Vitamin C
• May cause more free radical damage
• Contains a number of filler ingredients and not enough antioxidants
• Expensive
• No Guarantee

Conclusion

Citrix CRS 10% Cell Rejuvenation Serum with Growth Factor is a less than mediocre vitamin C serum. I do not approve of their formulation or business practices.  They only offer a 30-day  exchange if you have used less than 50% of the product. Rather than giving you a refund they only give you an in-house credit and they also charge a 15% handling fee. If that isn’t bad enough, no refund or exchange will be given if you ordered a product that is too strong for your skin type. Just when we thought it couldn’t get any worse, they make using your in-house credit as difficult as they possibly can. Here are the instructions they give on the official website:

“Once an in-house credit has been issued, you MUST use the Standard Checkout “Call Our Customer Service Department” button and then call in your credit card information and ask to have the credit applied to your new order. We cannot apply an in-house credit to an order that had credit card information entered at the time of processing. If you place an order online, enter your credit card information online and receive your order confirmation and then decide to call to have your in-house credit applied your request will be declined.”

I do 80% of my shopping online, so I have certainly learned to appreciate companies that offer smooth transactions and hassle-free returns. I have learned the hard way to ALWAYS look at a companies “Terms and Conditions” to see how they operate before I give them my business. Companies that make their customers jump through hoops in order to get a refund are usually the ones who offer poor customer service and low quality products. Based on their ingredient profile, and return policy I would not recommend this vitamin C serum if you want visible, long-term results and a hassle-free transaction.

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