Disclaimer: I have never used the Devita C serum. I'm posting the following just so that a different opinion can be weighed. I certainly hope that it does not offend anyone:
DeVita claims this product contains 17% Vitamin C, but the ingredient list suggests otherwise. According to the list, it contains more citric acid than it does real vitamin C. That means that if this product really does contain 17% vitamin C, then it must also contain more than 17% citric acid, and such a high amount of citric acid would be a significant risk for irritation to skin. Citric acid is NOT vitamin C, nor does it provide the same benefit as vitamin C in a skin-care product.
DeVita-C Serum also contains lemon and orange peel oils, both fragrant skin irritants that can cause a phototoxic reaction when skin is exposed to the sun, which can lead to skin discolorations (Source: www.naturaldatabase.com). We doubt very much that this is the result you're looking for when shopping for a product promising to improve skin tone and elasticity.
As is the case with nearly every DeVita product we've reviewed, the ingredient list isn't compliant with FDA or INCI standards. Also, the ingredients do not include broad-spectrum preservatives or any ingredients to stabilize the legitimate forms of vitamin C, which are l-ascorbic acid and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate. The ingredient "Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil" doesn't actually exist—there is "Citrus medica limonum (lemon) peel oil" and other forms, but who knows which one they're referring to. What about "Aloe Barbadensis"? Is that the leaf, flower extract, pure leaf juice, or the leaf juice with water added? You don't know because DeVita doesn't indicate the name of the full ingredient, and it's important to know what your product contains!
You can do a lot better than what DeVita offers in this serum—there are many alternatives with skin-friendly combinations of ingredients in our list of Best Serums.
Cons:- Appears to contain an extreme amount of citric acid, which can be irritating for skin.
- The fragrant oils pose a strong risk of irritation.
- Lemon and orange peel oils put skin at risk of a phototoxic reaction if exposed to sunlight.
- Ingredient label doesn't comply with FDA or (global) INCI cosmetics regulations, so you really don't know what you are putting on your face.
More Info:Daily use of products that contain a high amount of fragrance, whether the fragrant ingredients are synthetic or natural, causes chronic irritation that can damage healthy collagen production, lead to or worsen dryness, and impair your skin's ability to heal. Fragrance-free is the best way to go for all skin types. If fragrance in your skin-care products is important to you, it should be a very low amount to minimize the risk to your skin. What is perhaps most shocking is that all of these damaging responses can be taking place underneath the skin and you won't even notice it on the surface. The clearest example of this is the significant and carcinogenic effect of the sun's "silent" UVA rays. You don't feel the penetration of these mutagenic rays, but they are taking a toll on your skin nonetheless. (Sources: Inflammation Research, December 2008, pages 558–563; Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, June 2008, pages 124–135, and November-December 2000, pages 358–371; Journal of Investigative Dermatology, April 2008, pages 15–19; Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, March 2008, pages 78–82; Mechanisms of Ageing and Development, January 2007, pages 92–105; and British Journal of Dermatology, December 2005, pages S13–S22).
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