Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2%
A water-free vitamin C suspension with pure L-ascorbic acid designed to brighten skin and improve the look of uneven tone.
A high-strength vitamin C option for people who want strong brightening support, but it is not the most beginner-friendly or elegant-feeling formula.
L-ascorbic acid at 23% in a stable, water-free formula from a brand with full transparency about formulation is a genuine rarity at this price. Most vitamin C products that claim L-ascorbic acid at effective concentrations cost 5–10x more or use significantly lower percentages while marketing the same results.
Evening, 2–3 times per week when building tolerance, then up to every evening once your skin has adjusted. Apply after water-based serums and before moisturizer.
Experienced skincare users who have already tried lower-percentage vitamin C and want to step up the brightening and collagen-synthesis intensity. Also ideal for people who have plateaued with gentler vitamin C forms and want the research-backed potency of pure L-ascorbic acid.
If you apply it to compromised or barrier-stressed skin — the 23% L-ascorbic acid will sting, irritate, and potentially worsen sensitivity. This is not an "ignore your skin and push through" product. If it stings significantly, your skin needs more barrier recovery time first.
Pause this entirely. High-percentage L-ascorbic acid on a compromised barrier will cause irritation, not brightness. Focus on barrier repair first — ceramides, squalane, allantoin — and reintroduce when skin is resilient.
- SPF 30+ the following morning — non-negotiable with any vitamin C use
- A ceramide moisturizer after to repair and seal the barrier alongside the brightening step
- Hyaluronic acid serum underneath on evenings you use this for extra hydration support
Best For
- Dull skin
- Uneven tone
- Antioxidant support
- Experienced vitamin C users
- Radiance and brightness
How to Use
Apply a small amount to the face in the evening after water-based serums. Start 2–3 times per week and build up. Always use SPF the following morning. Do not use with other high-active products on the same evening.
Key Ingredients
L-ascorbic acid neutralizes free radicals (antioxidant protection), inhibits tyrosinase to reduce melanin production (brightening), and stimulates fibroblasts to produce collagen and elastin (anti-aging). It is the most research-supported form of vitamin C in cosmetics and the benchmark against which all other vitamin C derivatives are measured.
Draws water to the skin and helps lock it in, making skin appear plumper, smoother, and more hydrated.
Softens and conditions the skin, reinforces the moisture barrier, and provides a lightweight emollient feel without greasiness.
Draws moisture to the skin, helps maintain hydration, and reinforces the skin barrier.
Ingredients to Note
May be a concern for some skin types. Tap to learn more.
May be a concern for some skin types. Tap to learn more.
Full Ingredient List
About This Product
The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2% is one of the most concentrated L-ascorbic acid products on the market. L-ascorbic acid is the pure, bioactive form of vitamin C — the one most supported by clinical research for brightening, collagen synthesis, and antioxidant protection. The formula is anhydrous (water-free) to preserve the stability of L-ascorbic acid, which rapidly degrades in water. The 2% hyaluronic acid spheres are encapsulated to survive the water-free environment and release on contact with skin, providing a counterbalancing hydration effect to the otherwise gritty, vitamin C-forward suspension. At 23%, this is significantly stronger than most vitamin C serums and is best suited for experienced users who have already worked up a tolerance.