- sylviajast
Review: Rationale Super Antioxidant Serum đ§đđâď¸
Another day, another serum LOL Iâm like a broken record I know⌠I canât help but try another vitamin C serum. Whatâs a girl to do?!? At least itâs not damaging to anyone else except my poor waller *sigh but thatâs a discussion for another day. Today, itâs all about Rationaleâs number â2â serum: Super Antioxidant Serum. Why is it serum number â2â? Well Rationale has a skincare system based around 6 essential steps. Step â1â is their Immunologist Serum, which I believe you are to use first in the morning and then use serum â2â on top of it. Rationale is a very pricey Australian cosmeceutical brand. I chose serum 2 instead of 1 because itâs based on vitamin C, E and A (Iâm interested in vitamins C and E for morning use, because they protect against free radical damage, they ârechargeâ each other on a molecular level and protect against pigmentation/sun damage). Serum 1 also protects your skin against pigmentation but in a different way (it boost your skins ability to protect itself and heroes different active/central ingredients). Why didnât I buy or try both? Because I canât bring myself to do it⌠The Immunologist Serum costs $170 AUD while the Super Antioxidant Serum costs $162 AUD. I just canât justify to myself spending $300 plus on serums that I would use only in the mornings. Iâm sure they would work amazingly together but maybe seeing what each serum does on its own is also a good idea. Itâs a shame they donât offer a duo pack that saves you some pennies, however, I think Rationale is one of those âso luxe and exclusive brands we donât do salesâ bullshit. Yes, I call it bullshit because I think itâs elitist. I get that well formulated products designed and made in Australia will be pricey and Iâm happy to pay more, but come on. Anyways, Iâve gone off on a tangent LOL letâs get back to the Super Antioxidant Serum and what I think of all itâs qualities đ đđđ§đ

Super Antioxidant Serum 30ml Youthful Skin Tone + Texture Rejuvenates, re-firms and reactivates luminosity with Broad Spectrum Antioxidants. Australian SolarProtective Botanicals prevent sun-induced oxidation and glycation.This Broad Spectrum Antioxidant formula combines skin identical Vitamins A, C + E, Glutathione, Superoxide Dismutase and Ubiquinone with native Australian SolarProtective Botanicals to protect skin from oxidative stress and rejuvenate sun damaged tissue. Ceramides and Lipids replenish the skinâs natural barrier responsible for maintaining skin hydration and radiance.
Benefits
Re-firms and rejuvenates sun damaged skin
Prevents glycation, maintaining skin firmness and elasticity
Defends against UVR and formation of ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species)
Promotes collagen synthesis for firmer skin
Improves skin translucency and radiance
Helps fade pigmentation and boost brightness Directions
Smooth gently over face, neck, chest and back of hands each morning.
Use in conjunction with your prescribed Rationale Essential Six formulas for maximum daily rejuvenation and protection. Active Ingredients Vitamin C (Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate)
Potent, stable form of Vitamin CÂ
Stimulates collagen synthesisÂ
Brightens hyperpigmentation
Re-firms and rejuvenates skin Vitamin A
Stimulates collagen synthesis Â
Protection of DNA when absorbing UVRÂ
Encourages healthy skin cell rejuvenation Vitamin E (Tocopherols + Tocotrienols)
Enhances solar protection
Blocks the formation of ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species)
Reduces visible signs of UV damage
Helps fade hyperpigmentationÂ
Augments Natural Moisturising Factors within skin Ubiquinone (Coenzyme Q10)
Supports cellular energy production
Neutralises superoxide radicals
Augments + protects intercellular lipids Glutathione
Potent Antioxidant
Prevents the formation of free radicals Superoxide Dismutase
Deactivates damaging superoxide radicals Australian SolarProtective Botanicals
Enhances skinâs natural solar defence mechanismsÂ
Prevents solar-induced DNA damageÂ
Stimulates healthy collagen productionÂ
Strengthens barrier functionÂ

First of all, this serum uses a new and flashy form of vitamin C â ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate. Before I get into this, Iâll mention that for me vitamin C and E is much more important than vitamin A. I know from reading Nickiâs Futurederm blog that vitamin C needs to formulated into a product with a specific PH level to be extra effective/absorb, while the PH level for vitamin A absorption is different to this, so thereâs no major benefit in having BOTH vitamins in a serum/treatment product. Added to this, most of us know that vitamin A makes your skin photosensitive, but retinol is listed higher than ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate in the ingredient list. We donât know how much vitamin C or retinol (vitamin A) is actually in the serum percentage wise because Rationale doesnât tell us (I hate it when companies donât tell you this!) but these two ingredients are high up in the ingredient list so thereâs a decent amount I would think. Hey, maybe this is such an innovative formula that the PH problem isnât a problem (but I doubt itâŚ).
Back to  ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate! This is the newest form of vitamin C to hit the cosmeceutical market. Here is what Futurederm say about this new form of vitamin C and what it can do;
âA molecule derived from vitamin C and isopalmitic acid, ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate has been shown to absorb into skin faster than any of the other forms of vitamin C tested (Clinics in Dermatology, 2008). Aside from that benefit, it appears to have similar collagen-rebuilding properties to other forms of vitamin C, as shown in its ability to increase UVA/UVB photoprotection and to aid in the healing of burns (Photochemistry and Photobiology, 2008; Burns, 2010; International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2007).â Futurederm
It could potentially be irritating for sensitive skin, but I donât find that it tingles or âburnsâ for that matter on my skin. The serum has a great non-oily texture, which sinks and absorbs into the skin beautifully. It has a sweet orange scent and a bright yellow colour. I wouldnât say that may skin instantly looks better after applying this serum, but over a few weeks Iâve definitely noticed that my skin looks brighter and just healthier. Itâs hard to pin-point perhaps, but my skin feels like it can function better. If it can function better it can also protect itself better from aggressors like free radicals but also dryness (environmental stress) and UV rays (pigmentation, DNA damage etc.). This would also be thanks to the other ingredients in this serum (yes, thereâs a lot of stuff in there!) from the ceramides, to the peptides, glycerin and other hydrators, powerful antioxidants like vitamin E and Ubiquinone (CoQ10). So despite the âcontradictionâ of pairing vitamin C and A together perhaps, itâs a wonderfully intense formula that packs a punch. And thatâs what you want from a serum right?!
The serum contains a pipette applicator which I hate lol⌠Firstly, because you need to open the bottle every time you use it, serum degradation thanks to air and light is inevitable. Even a stable form of vitamin C can break down. Luckily it doesnât contain L-ascorbic acid (the most popular form of vitamin C), which is notoriously unstable. ButI hate the pipette most of all because the dropper is big, which means when you start running out of serum, itâs harder and harder to dispense the serum. I like the glass bottle it is housed in and think the packaging looks elegant â but it could be improved and made more practical.

Above: Iâm not sure why the colour of the serum doesnât translate on camera- itâs much brighter in person â almost a neon yellow!
All in all, I do like this serum a lot. Yes, thereâs things that annoy me because itâs not perfect, but hey who is?! Lol! Itâs up to you to decide if you can put up with the serums âquirksâ. I do really like the formula and how it leaves my skin feeling and looking. Itâs not going to be accessible for everyone because of the cost, it comes in at $162 AUD for 30ml. International shipping is also available for $20, which is awesome. Will I repurchase it again? I think so. Iâll keep searching for new and exciting vitamin C serums because Iâm fickle like that, but I would happily try this one again if I had the extra cash to spend. My other go-to serums which Iâve gone back to time and time again, is any Futurederm vitamin C serum, Aspect Extreme C 20 serum and SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic serum.
So tell me Beauties, would you try this serum if you could? What are your go-to vitamin C serums? Let me know!
Catch ya next time,
Beauty Bee~
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#Tocotrienols #Ubiquinone #Retinol #AscorbylTetraisopalmitate #VitaminC #CoenzymeQ10 #VitaminE #RationaleSuperAntioxidantSerum #Tocopherols