My Mom and I Both Get Our Brightest Skin With This Celebrity-Loved Vitamin C Serum

As someone that still gets carded, I like to think that my youthful appearance is thanks to the genes my mother gave me. But I also credit our shared passion for skincare. When my mother told tween me that the sun causes skin cancer, I became obsessed with using sunscreen and researching the best ingredients to prevent other signs of aging. While some people love their shoes or cars, we love our serums and moisturizers, and are constantly testing out new products and ingredients. 

With that mind, it shouldn’t be a surprise that we both love and use the same brand, Image Skincare. Actually no, wait, it is surprising. I’m in my 20s and my mother is in her 60s, so we naturally have very different skin concerns. Yet Image Skincare does wonders for both of our skin types, not to mention it’s used by celebrities like Jennifer Coolidge and Hailey Bieber. For those that aren’t familiar with the brand, it was started in 2003 by esthetician Janna Ronert and excels in clinical skincare that’s physician formulated and tested plus consciously made without animal testing. 

The product that converted my mother is the best-selling Vital C Hydrating Anti-Aging Serum. “Whenever I put this on my skin, I instantly feel a soothing sense of hydration,” says my mother. “It never causes any stinging, irritation, or tightness.” With a blend of hyaluronic acid and vitamin C, the serum brightens dark spots, smooths wrinkles, and plumps the skin. My mom has tried a lot of different vitamin C serums, but this is the one that’s drastically improved her skin. After two weeks of use, her pores shrunk and a wrinkle above her eyebrow started to disappear. Using vitamin C can also help prevent future damage and aging.

“Vitamin C reduces photoaging and UV-related skin concerns by protecting the skin from oxidative stress," says aesthetic nurse specialist Sage Hallman. "It helps neutralize free radicals caused by environmental factors including sunlight, radiation, and pollution."

While the serum is a bit pricey, my mother says it’s worth every penny and she’s going to keep on buying it until it’s discontinued. Everyone should use a vitamin C serum, but especially the mother of the bride/groom who wants the brightest, most rejuvenated skin on their child’s wedding day.

I also fell in love with the brand thanks to a vitamin C serum. For me, it’s the IMAGE MD Restoring Power-C Serum. As someone who has struggled with acne with what feels like my entire life, I always prioritize products that won’t break me out or cause irritation, as I use a lot of strong ingredients like retinol and glycolic acid. My acne battles have also left me with scars, so I rely on vitamin C to fade those splotches.

The restoring power-c serum is the most sophisticated formulation from the brand, packing 20 percent vitamin C along with ferulic acid. Intimidating I know. Yet the serum has never irritated my skin. In fact, after scorching my face on a camping trip in the California desert, this serum was the only product that soothed my dehydrated skin back to health. Hylauranic acid locks in moisture while orange peel oil leaves a glow. My face doesn’t feel sticky like with other serums but plump and dewy. 

After using the serum for a couple months, my skin is velvety and bright with no clogged pores or breakouts in sight. Now I can go foundation-free without worrying that people are staring at my acne scars.

But when I do want to wear foundation, I reach for the brand’s I CONCEAL Flawless Foundation. I’m not a huge foundation lover—again, I avoid heavy products that could clog pores and lead to acne— but this is the best foundation I’ve ever tried. With special mineral pigments, the formula blurs imperfections and large pores and leaves such a radiant finish. It’s the perfect balance of glowy yet not oily, and I receive compliments on how flawless my skin looks every time I wear it.

It lasts for hours without it fading, feeling heavy, or giving me breakouts the next day. Best of all, it offers mineral sunscreen at SPF 30 and antioxidants and botanicals to perfect the skin for the long term. With two weddings coming up this summer, I’m stocking up on this foundation so that I can get camera-ready while avoiding sun damage during the day. I also love how the product comes in a little, mess-free tube that I can easily slip into my clutch for touch ups.

Whether you are the mother of the bride, the bride, or even a wedding guest, Image Skincare needs to be a part of your pre-wedding beauty routine. It’s never too early or too late to use potent formulations like the vitamin C serums to improve and protect your skin. And the earlier you start using the products, the more radiant and healthy your skin will look by the wedding. If there’s anything my mother taught me, it’s that investing in quality skincare products is always worth it.

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Emily Cieslak is an Associate Commerce Editor at Brides, covering all things fashion and beauty. As a self-declared “skin nerd,” she’s always researching and trying the latest beauty products and has covered beauty trends for publications like Byrdie, InStyle, The Knot, and Real Simple.