6Rank 06 of 10 · Vitamin C Serums
La Roche-Posay Pure Vitamin C12 Serum
A fragrance-labelled but otherwise carefully built 12% L-ascorbic acid serum for sensitive skin, with a 63-person, 56-day brand test — at almost three times the price of its L'Oréal sibling.
6.6BPR score
- €50Price
- 12% pure ascorbic acid — stated in the Notino.de listing; La Roche-Posay's page names „reines Vitamin C12“Form of vitamin C and declared concentration
- 6 of 10in Vitamin C Serums
- 6.6BPR score 0–10
Review
What this product is
Written after the analysis, from the same sources the score is built on: the manufacturer's documentation, available studies and verified owner feedback.
This suits buyers with reactive skin who prefer a pharmacy brand and want a published test with numbers. The Notino.de listing states 12% pure vitamin C; ascorbic acid is second in the INCI list, followed by dimethicone, glycerin and alcohol denat. Supporting ingredients include sodium hyaluronate, hydrolysed hyaluronic acid, adenosine, salicylic acid, Neurosensine (acetyl dipeptide-1 cetyl ester), citric acid and tocopherol. Parfum is listed last.
La Roche-Posay reports a test on 63 subjects over 56 days: 92% of women noticed improved fine lines, 70% had suppler skin and 83% said their skin was smoother. These are self-assessments in a brand-run test; useful as a disclosure, but not a controlled trial.
The value question is sharp. The ingredient list overlaps heavily with L'Oréal Paris Revitalift Clinical, which costs €17.90 for the same 30 ml. You pay €50.50 here for the pharmacy positioning, the added hyaluronic acid and the published test. La Roche-Posay's German product page loads mostly via script, so we could confirm only the name and the headline ingredients there. pH is not published. Notino shows a 3.0/5 average from just four reviews.
Technical data
Specification
Figures from the manufacturer's documentation, verified against available outside sources. Values we could not confirm are marked as declared.
- Vitamin C form
- Ascorbic acid (L-ascorbic acid)
- Declared concentration
- 12%
- Pack size
- 30 ml
- Price (Notino.de)
- €50.50
- Price per 30 ml
- €50.50
- Vitamin E
- Tocopherol (% not published)
- Ferulic acid
- No
- Other actives
- Salicylic acid, sodium hyaluronate, hydrolysed hyaluronic acid, adenosine, Neurosensine
- Fragrance
- Yes (parfum)
- Brand test
- 63 subjects, 56 days
- pH
- Not published
- Notino rating
- 3.0/5 (4 reviews)
Component scores
Where the score
comes from.
Four components, equal weight, each on a 0–10 scale and each resting on a named source. The overall score is their mean — the full procedure is in the methodology.
What we liked
- 12% ascorbic acid, second in INCI
- Brand test with numbers: 63 subjects, 56 days
- Contains tocopherol and two forms of hyaluronic acid
- Positioned for sensitive skin (Neurosensine)
Worth knowing
- €50.50 for a formula close to a €17.90 sibling
- Contains parfum and alcohol denat.
- pH not published
- 3.0/5 from only four Notino reviews
Comparison
How it compares
within the category
All values come from the same analysis and are comparable only within the category Vitamin C Serums.
| Product | Score | Form of vitamin C and declared concentration | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revitalift Clinical Vitamin C SerumTop score | 7.5 | 12% ascorbic acid (L-ascorbic acid) — percentage stated in the Notino.de listing; L'Oréal's own page could not be opened | €18 |
| Pure Vitamin C12 SerumThis product | 6.6 | 12% pure ascorbic acid — stated in the Notino.de listing; La Roche-Posay's page names „reines Vitamin C12“ | €50 |
| Category average10 products analysed | 6.7 | — | — |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What did La Roche-Posay's test show?
In a test on 63 subjects over 56 days, 92% of women noticed improved fine lines, 70% had suppler skin and 83% said their skin was smoother. These are self-assessments from a brand-run test.
Does Pure Vitamin C12 contain fragrance?
Yes. Parfum is the last ingredient in the INCI list we read.
From the same ranking
Other products in Vitamin C Serums.
The same protocol, the same key parameter, the same set of sources.
-
No. 017.5/ 10
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No. 046.9/ 10
Vitamin C+ Glow Booster Serum
A cheap, well-reviewed brightening serum that uses the derivative 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid…