Here’s a major COSRX Triple C Lightning Liquid review for a big celebration! It’s been exactly one year since Soko Glam launched the actually game-changing vitamin C serum, which is a collaboration between the popular Korean skin care brand and Charlotte Cho.
Time flies when your skin is massively improving! Ever since its launch in April of 2017, it’s been hard for Soko Glam to keep the Triple C Lightning Liquid in stock. The demand is high, and there’s good reason for that. With 20.5% pure vitamin C (ascorbic acid), this potent serum performs like no other brightening serum when it comes to lifting sun spots, acne scars, and general hyperpigmentation and discoloration.
Soko Glam’s former intern, Shante, already showed us how well the Triple C serum faded her hyperpigmentation in just two weeks, but we wanted to see what the results are like for people who were among the first to buy the serum when it launched a year ago. So, in honor of the Triple C Lightning Liquid’s one year anniversary, we tracked down five people who purchased the COSRX Triple C Lightning Liquid once it first launched and continued to purchase it throughout the year.
How did their skin change? Why did they buy it in the first place? What did it do for their skin? Find out below!
Diana
Skin issues she was dealing with before: Oily skin prone to hormonal breakouts, acne scars, keloid scars, and hyperpigmentation
Why the COSRX Triple C Lightning Liquid is her favorite vitamin C product:
I’ve tried other vitamin C serums in the past and I keep going back to the Triple C. Among the other serums I’ve used and tested, I’ve seen the most immediate results from the Triple C. It just hands down works the fastest at fading acne marks and blemishes.
It’s also the serum that doesn’t leave my face feeling tacky or leave unwanted orange stains on my pillows. After I finished my second bottle of the Triple C, I actually have been using another vitamin C serum and haven’t been impressed with the results so far. I miss my Triple C and can’t wait to get my hands on my third—but certainly not last—bottle of that Lightning Liquid.
How did your skin react at first when you started using it? How did it change over time?
When I initially used the serum, I did notice a slight tingly sensation. To counter that, I would either apply my toner first and then the serum after double cleansing or I would use the COSRX One Step Moisture Up Pads on my face directly after applying the serum. I actually used the Moisture Up pads like mini sheet masks and would leave them on for around five to ten minutes instead of swiping them across my face. They really helped to ease any discomfort from the tingly sensation, in addition to giving my skin that added layer of hydration.
After awhile and definitely by the time I had repurchased my second bottle, I didn’t notice the tingly sensation quite as much and was able to apply the serum directly after cleansing. I had no other reactions, especially in terms of sensitivity to the sun since as any good skin care addict, I never left the house without first applying my sunscreen.
Describe the moment you knew you had to repurchase the Triple C Lightning Liquid:
I knew I had to repurchase the Triple C when I saw how much the hyperpigmentation along my jawline had faded over the short period of time of using the serum. I knew I would need to put it in the repurchase category.
Another defining moment that gave the Triple C a spot in my repurchase shelf was when my esthetician commented on the improvement on my skin. The esthetician that I had been going to was a very stern, Asian woman who when I first met her said, “Your skin is bad, but we’ll make it better.” After using the serum for around a month, I went to get a facial and that same esthetician told me, “See, I told you we’d make it better.” I didn’t tell her that my skin improvements were due to a new product I’d been using because she still had extractions to do and I didn’t want to anger an esthetician with an extractor.
Diana’s best tips for storing and applying the COSRX Triple C Lightning Liquid:
The downside to this serum, and most vitamin C serums, is how quickly it can begin to oxidize without the proper care. I made sure to keep the Triple C in my fridge and inside the box that it came in to help prevent any light from reaching the glass bottle. The extra care needed to make sure the serum doesn’t oxidize and become ineffective is definitely a factor to be considered when purchasing this and any vitamin C serum.
Due to its watery consistency, I applied the serum on my hands first and then I would pat it into my skin. Since I was mainly targeting certain areas of my face with this serum, I would press the palms of my hands on the places I wanted to treat and leave my palms on there for a good couple of seconds.
Anna
Skin issues she was dealing with before: Acne around the chin/jaw area, sun spots, and early signs of wrinkles
Why the COSRX Triple C Lightning Liquid is her favorite vitamin C product:
It works better for me than the Klairs Vitamin C. I used that for a year before and it did nothing for my acne.
How did your skin react at first when you started using it? How did it change over time?
My skin tingled on the first few applications but it quickly got used to it. After a week of using every morning it stopped tingling.
I didn’t see dramatic changes until about the third month of using it so you have to be patient! I only used a few drops a day in the morning, so the bottle lasted over six months. After about 2.5 months of using it, my acne completely cleared and my skin looks much brighter! I also haven’t noticed any new wrinkles! I do think this is an amazing product but I also stick very closely to the 10 step routine and make sure I am double cleansing, toning, and then using an essence before applying the Triple C. I also follow the Triple C with a gel moisturizer (RE:P Nutrinature Ultra Moist Gel Oil), and then sunscreen.
Describe the moment you knew you had to repurchase the Triple C Lightning Liquid:
I knew I needed to reorder as soon as my bottle was running low! It’s hard to find a product with such a high amount of quality vitamin C. I also really trust Charlotte! She’s tried everything and the fact that she created this product with COSRX, I know that it is super high quality and something that really works!
Anna’s best tip for applying the COSRX Triple C Lightning Liquid:
I put it on after I spray essence. I drop three to four drops in the palm of my hand and then dab it into my skin all around my face. I tend to put it on my chin/jaw “trouble” areas first.
John
Skin issues he was dealing with before: Adult acne, acne scars
Why the COSRX Triple C Lightning Liquid is his favorite vitamin C product:
I’ve always had “OK” skin. Nothing perfect, but definitely not bad skin, until I started getting adult acne when I turned 31. Week after week, I kept getting new blemishes and it was so frustrating. I thought breaking out, along with awkward haircuts, were part of my high school past. That was when I discovered Soko Glam (and Triple C). Now my skin looks better than ever, so in retrospect, I’m glad I experienced those breakouts because it propelled me to upgrade my skin care game.
The best thing about the COSRX Triple C Lightning Liquid is that it works. I’m happy that I’ve found a product that works and that I can trust.
How did your skin react at first when you started using it? How did it change over time?
I followed the suggestions and only used a single drop per day (at night) when I first started, and then I increased to three drops per use. And then two uses per day (morning and night). Initially, it was kind of acidic, but I got used to it. My skin improved tremendously. It looks and feels healthier, and it’s smooth.
Describe the moment you knew you had to repurchase the Triple C Lightning Liquid:
It was around the holidays when I took another progress selfie. I noticed a huge improvement in my skin tone. I was like, “Daaaang I need another bottle!”
John’s best tip for applying the COSRX Triple C Lightning Liquid:
Just drop a couple drops in your hand and lightly dab it on your face.
Mary
Skin issues she was dealing with before: Redness, acne scars on forehead and chin
Why the COSRX Triple C Lightning Liquid is her favorite vitamin C product:
I like trying out lots of new products all the time and Triple C has become a staple in my skin care routine, so I think that says a lot. It’s proven its effectiveness on my skin issues and I don’t think I will stop using it any time soon.
How did your skin react at first when you started using it? How did it change over time?
Like anything, I wasn’t expecting any significant changes overnight. I’d say it took a week to notice that the acne scars were fading, as well as the redness. Initially, I wasn’t sure about the texture and the tingling sensation, but now my skin is used to it.
Triple C really brightened my skin and helped with the pigmentation. I remember using a lot of concealer before to hide my acne scars and blemishes, and now I barely use it (only occasionally to hide the dark circles around my eyes). I don’t use a lot of foundation either! On days when I feel too lazy to put makeup on, I can actually leave my house with just my bare face, which never happened before.
Describe the moment you knew you had to repurchase the Triple C Lightning Liquid:
I do shift work and there were some days when I got home from a night shift and didn’t have the energy to do a full skin care routine so would skip using Triple C. I notice a big difference in my skin when I skip it; its like I don’t have the ‘usual glow’ (as my fiancee calls it).
Mary’s best tips for applying and storing the COSRX Triple C Lightning Liquid:
I started with one to two drops every night after I apply my essence. When I first started using Triple C, I would apply the drops directly on the areas where I had the acne scars, but now I use it all over my face for radiance. I keep it in the fridge for an extra cooling effect. I then continue on with my 10-step routine.
Adriana
Skin issues she was dealing with before: Hormonal acne, pigmentation, acne scars
Why the COSRX Triple C Lightning Liquid is her favorite vitamin C product:
This is the only product that is working for me when it comes to getting rid of my acne scars, hyperpigmentation, and evening out my skin tone.
How did your skin react at first when you started using it? How did it change over time?
The first time I used this product, I felt a slight tingle, but that made me feel like it was working. My skin reacted very well to this product, and after about a month, I saw a difference in my overall complexion. My acne scars and hyperpigmentation were slightly lighter and were fading. Over time, my scars faded more, but I still have a long way to go.
Describe the moment you knew you had to repurchase the Triple C Lightning Liquid:
The moment I knew I had to repurchase the product was after the first month of using it and I saw a difference in my skin. My skin was more even and I almost never got extreme breakouts.
Adriana’s best tips for applying and using the COSRX Triple C Lightning Liquid:
The product is really fun to use. I like using the dropper and applying it directly on my face. Start out by using a small amount and work your way up because you don’t want to put to much product on your face and have your skin react badly. Also, be consistent. The product takes time to work, so don’t expect all your scarring to go away overnight. But if you stick with it, you will definitely start to see a difference.
Bottom line:
The COSRX Triple C Lightning Liquid has become a glorified cult favorite skin care product because it actually transforms skin, and does so fast. While I don’t use it every single day, I always make sure to keep it in my fridge for those times when I have stubborn acne scars or when I wake up with a patch of melasma (it happens to me more than I’d like to admit). I drop a few drops of Triple C on the spot every night, and I swear that within a week, everything has lightened up to where the spots are almost invisible.
The stuff is magic—happy anniversary COSRX Triple C Lightning Liquid!