This Drugstore Serum Swaps "Quarantine Face" for Bright, Lineless Skin

As someone who works in the beauty industry, I'm lucky enough to get a lot of products for free. Given that abundance, I made a conscious decision a few years ago to only use products with chemicals I felt good about. That took a lot of drugstore skincare off the table, but it made me all the more appreciative of when companies skip irritating fillers and endocrine disruptors in lieu of just what works — and that's exactly what RoC has done with its Multi Correxion Revive + Glow Vitamin C Serum.

To be honest, I wasn't expecting to be excited by the serum when I noticed its Amazon sales had spiked 2,229 percent overnight. RoC has a long reputation of effective anti-aging products, but the formulas haven't always been the most modern — while it notes that the serum is paraben-free, some of its other products contain hormone disruptors. But I'm all about positive encouragement, and the reviews for the brand's Multi Correxion serum are off-the-wall pleased.

"When you apply it, you can see the instant glow it gives your skin," writes one reviewer who says the serum "knocked out" the rest of their high-end skin routine. "After a few weeks, wrinkles are less visible. You can feel how it tightens your skin. It moisturizes and doesn't leave your face greasy." Another person echoes that their under-eye wrinkles were "greatly reduced" within a week from the skin-plumping ingredients.

Shop now: $25 (Originally $33), amazon.com

Said ingredients include a blend of stabilized vitamin C, anti-aging peptides, antioxidants, and moisturizers to lock down lifted skin. The brightening aspect stems from 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid, which is referred to as a "skincare superstar;" hydration comes from castor oil; and knotweed and kakadu plum yield protective antioxidants. The combination sees lightened dark spots within a week, per reviewers, and tighter skin within two.

"I have only been using it for about a week, and my skin is feeling noticeably smoother," writes a shopper of the benefits. "But what I really love about this serum is that it helps my neck skin look less wrinkled and more firm." Enlarged pores and acne likewise slink out the door, and people also see their skin texture and tone transform into a calm, even situation.

A last person writes: "Lately, I've been suffering from what I term 'quarantine face.' It's probably a combination of stress, poor sleep, and lockdown eating, but my skin was looking a little rough." Relatable — yet one to two drops a day turned things around. They finished, "I started using this serum about a month ago, and it's made a noticeable difference. My face looks brighter, my skin doesn't look dull anymore, and my fine lines look better. This stuff is amazing and completely worth the price."

Want to get in on the action? Try the serum before the 24 percent off sale ends.