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Nope! The bond that makes ascorbic acid prone to oxidation and color change is stabilized by the gold-glutathione complex. Not only will the product not change color or smell, but its efficacy will not be compromised over time. The bottle itself also helps: the inside is designed to contract inward as product is dispensed, rather than pulling in outside air to replace what's used, so the formula stays protected from oxidation between first use and last.

Many brands promote the percent of ascorbic acid in their formulas — but the gold-stabilized complex allows us to take a "less is more" approach, and the details are proprietary. Because the molecule is so unstable in most formulas, much of it oxidizes before it has a chance to exert its beneficial effects. By using a 100% stable version of the molecule, we don't need to add a ton in order for our serum to still give you benefits the week after you open it.

By stabilizing the ascorbic acid molecule, your product will not lose efficacy before you've even gotten a chance to apply it to your face. The gold molecule also helps improve bioavailability of the vitamin C molecule to ensure that you're getting maximal benefits from the ingredients that you're paying for in the product.

The exfoliants in this product are components of a fruit extract blend that naturally contains alpha-hydroxy acids, and this ingredient has actually been studied and proven to provide equivalent efficacy to other alpha-hydroxy acids with reduced irritation potential. The percentage in our product is low enough to still be safe for those with sensitive skin, but high enough to effectively promote a more radiant, even skin tone.

In most cases, yes. Vitamin C and retinol are often assumed to clash, but that's usually because retinol can make skin more reactive, and many Vitamin C products are formulated at a low pH that adds to that sensitivity. Golden Hour's gold stabilized complex lets us formulate at a less sensitizing pH without giving up efficacy or stability, so it generally layers well with retinol, retinoids, azelaic acid, and other actives. That said, everyone's skin is different, so if you're new to combining actives or have reactive skin, introduce them gradually or alternate AM/PM to start.

No— the fruit extract in Golden Hour is a furocoumarin-free (bergapten-free) formulation, so it won't increase photosensitivity. That said, as with any Vitamin C serum, we always recommend daily SPF to protect your results.