Vitamin C isn't vitamin C. And that difference is worth knowing.
Vitamin C is everywhere today. But there can be a huge difference between a serum that simply "contains" vitamin C and one that is genuinely well formulated with it. Learning to spot that difference is something I've picked up over the years of choosing skincare.
Eco by Sonya is one of those brands I stopped thinking of as "just another skincare line" a long time ago. It's been with us practically since Liviny began, I've had the chance to meet Sonya in person, and the longer I use her products, the more I appreciate one thing: when she creates something, it's rarely just a trend. There's a thought-through formula behind it, real experience, and a reason the product exists at all.
Serum of Plenty is exactly that kind of product for me. Today you can find vitamin C in serums costing a few hundred crowns and in luxury skincare costing several thousand. The packaging often shows the same "Vitamin C," and it's easy to assume you're choosing more or less the same thing. It isn't that simple.
Vitamin C isn't just one ingredient
If you expect vitamin C to deliver a brighter complexion, a more even tone, antioxidant care and support for collagen, it's worth looking at which form the product actually uses.
One of the best-studied forms is L-ascorbic acid. That's exactly what you'll find in Serum of Plenty. It's the biologically active form of vitamin C, and I love it mainly because it fits so well into skincare that I no longer want to just hydrate.
As the years go by, I'm more and more drawn to products that help keep the skin fresh, clear and firm while also addressing uneven tone or the appearance of pigment spots. Not because I want to stop time. I'd simply like my skin to look healthy and good even without a layer of make-up.
The best thing about pure vitamin C is also its biggest complication
L-ascorbic acid is wonderful, but it's also quite sensitive. It doesn't like light, air or heat, and with the wrong formulation it can gradually oxidise. That's exactly why I no longer just look at the big "Vitamin C" claim on the front of the packaging.
What interests me far more is:
- which form of vitamin C is used in the product,
- at what concentration it's present,
- how the whole formula is built,
- and how the manufacturer handles the stability of the active ingredient.
Because a great ingredient on its own still doesn't automatically make a great product.
And this is exactly where Serum of Plenty gets it right
With Serum of Plenty, the vitamin C isn't simply mixed into the serum months before you open the box. The serum and the vitamin C activator come separately, and you combine them only at first use.
You pour the activator into the bottle, shake the serum, and only then do you start using freshly activated care. It might sound like a small thing, but for me it's exactly the kind of detail that shows someone thought not only about a beautiful package, but about the actual condition the active ingredient is in when it finally reaches your skin.
And I admit I enjoy the ritual itself, too. Opening a new box, activating the serum yourself, knowing that this is the exact moment you start using it. Small details like that are what turn ordinary skincare into something you genuinely look forward to.
Why exactly 15%?
Serum of Plenty contains 15% L-ascorbic acid. And when it comes to percentages, I think it's worth remembering that in skincare, "more" doesn't automatically mean "better."
L-ascorbic acid is typically used at concentrations of roughly 10 to 20%. So the point isn't to get the highest possible number on the box, but a well-formulated serum that's active enough while still making sense to use regularly.
And for me, consistency matters more in skincare than chasing extremely high percentages. The best skincare isn't the most aggressive one. It's the one you actually want to come back to every day.
It's not just about vitamin C
What I also love about Serum of Plenty is that the whole formula doesn't rest on a single trendy ingredient. Alongside vitamin C you'll find, for example, aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, vitamin E and other plant-based and antioxidant ingredients.
This is exactly the way I like my skincare. The active ingredient has a clear reason to be there, but hydration, comfort and how the skin feels overall aren't forgotten either.
I don't want one extremely active serum at home and three other products next to it just to calm my skin back down afterwards. I like smart skincare. Thought through, functional, and the kind where I understand exactly why it has a place in my routine.
If your skin is more sensitive, start slower
Serum of Plenty is an active serum, and more sensitive skin may need a little time. If you're just starting out with pure L-ascorbic acid, I don't think it's necessary to jump straight into daily intensive use.
Eco by Sonya recommends combining the serum, as needed, with a hydrating product or, for example, with Glory Oil. And I simply love that combination — an active serum, then a few drops of a beautiful oil, caring not just for the face but the neck and décolletage too.
And what's left for your hands? I always add a little to the backs of my hands. In my opinion, they're one of the things we forget completely unnecessarily in an anti-age routine.
What do I personally expect from vitamin C?
I don't like skincare that promises a new face in three days. I'm far more interested in what it does to the skin after weeks and months of regular use.
From a well-formulated vitamin C, I'm mainly looking for:
- a brighter, fresher-looking complexion,
- a more even tone,
- antioxidant protection,
- support for natural collagen production,
- care for the appearance of pigment spots and fine lines.
And then there's something that's much harder to measure. That moment when you look in the mirror one morning and think: "My skin really looks good today." That's exactly why I keep going back to certain products, again and again.
Over the years, I've become far more demanding when choosing skincare
A beautiful package is no longer enough for me. The word "natural" on its own isn't enough. And neither is a single popular ingredient printed in bold letters on the front of the bottle.
When I choose skincare today, for myself and for Liviny, I want to know what's actually in the product, in what form and concentration, why the formula was built the way it was, and above all, one very simple thing: would I want to buy this product again once I've finished it?
Because in my view, we don't need a bathroom full of beautiful bottles that sit on a shelf for six months. I'd much rather have a handful of genuinely good products that I automatically reach for morning or evening and that I actually use down to the very last drop.
If you've been with Liviny for a while, you probably know what I mean
I don't want you to buy more skincare from us just because it's new. I'd much rather show you products that I think are genuinely worth getting to know. The kind you'd pack for a holiday, recommend to a friend, and, once you've finished them, realise something is missing from your routine.
Serum of Plenty is exactly that kind of skincare for me.
If, until now, you've mainly chosen vitamin C by whether a serum "contains" it, this might be a good moment to start looking a little deeper. At its form, concentration, stability and the whole formulation.
Because there is a difference between vitamin C and truly well-made vitamin C. And once you start choosing skincare this way, it's hard to settle for less.
This is what Liviny means to me
Not having more skincare at home. Having better skincare. The kind that makes sense, that you actually use, and that you still look forward to a little every time you open the bottle.
This article is a personal editorial take on the topic of vitamin C, inspired by the expert content and philosophy of the Eco by Sonya brand.
