Happy Fall everyone! Today is September 23rd, marking the first day of the season of Autumn. Fall is my second favorite season, after Summer. I love Fall Fashion, Fall Décor, Fall Beverages and Fall Makeup. There isn’t really anything about Fall that I don’t like, aside from the fact that winter is coming.
Today I’m continuing with reviews of the products I picked up in my latest ColourPop/FRB/Sol Body haul. We’re talking about the Fourth Ray Beauty Raydiate Vitamin C Elixir today. I had amazing results from my Pixi Beauty Vitamin C serum, so I hoped this cheaper alternative would work just as well for me. Unfortunately I was wrong…
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Fourth Ray Beauty Raydiate Vitamin C Elixir Review
RAYDIATE Vitamin C Elixir is a specially designed bi-phase serum + oil that is powerfully formulated to enhance skin radiance for a brighter, more luminous complexion.
The Fourth Ray Beauty Raydiate Vitamin C Elixir retails for $15USD and contains 1oz of product. Raydiate is a bi-phase serum-oil mixture. The key ingredients are Vitamin C from Camu Camu berry, Hyaluronic Acid and Turmeric. Vitamin C is known to brighten the skin and provide anti-ageing benefits. I have a breakdown on Vitamin C as a skincare ingredient in my Pixi Beauty Vitamin C Skintreats Feature.
Packaging
I love the dropper bottles that FRB uses for their serums & face milks. They pick up product easily and dispense the perfect amount of serum. The bottles can also be reused for face & body oils, or whatever you want to put in them. It’s harder to reuse bottles with pumps depending on how they’re designed, so I’m all for reusable packaging.
The Fourth Ray Beauty Raydiate Elixir is very pretty in the bottle. The bi-phase mixture is eye catching with the yellow & orange contrast. When you shake up the bottle the serum & oil phases combine.
I loved the bi-phase Tarte Deep Sea Collagen Serum so I was expecting Raydiate to have a similar feel on the skin.
First Impressions
Okay so the first few days using the Fourth Ray Beauty Raydiate Elixir went alright. I used the serum daily after putting a hold on the Pixi Vitamin C Serum. Each night I would shake up the bottle and dispense 3-4 drops into my palms and press into my skin.
Raydiate isn’t as slippery as a full on oil but it still felt a little bit oily on the skin. I love that it contains Hyaluronic Acid. Since discovering the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Cream I have been hooked on Hyaluronic acid. If you suffer from dry skin HA is the way to go.
I didn’t notice any immediate brightening effects, but I continued using Raydiate daily hoping that I would see radiant, glowing skin in my future. I wasn’t prepared for what came next (insert dramatic music here)…
Results (or lack thereof)
I broke out like a thirteen year old! Oh my gosh you guys, my chin looked AWFUL! I had not one, not two, not three, but SIX blemishes on my chin. TWO under my nose, one on my cheek, and several small spots on my forehead.
I couldn’t cover the breakout with makeup because the blemishes were so red, textured & blotchy. Every single time I used Raydiate for more than a day or two at a time I broke out. I don’t know why it happened, whether it was from the oil or serum phase, but acne is a deal breaker for me.
My skin no longer seemed to glow and I found myself reaching for more makeup instead of less. Before switching to Raydiate I had gotten to a good place with my skin. I liked my makeup-free face! After Raydiate I just wanted to cover it up.
NOPE!
To be completely honest almost everything I have tried from Fourth Ray Beauty at this point has been mediocre at best. The price points are awesome, the products look appealing, but every time I’m left wanting.
The Rose & Matcha Face Milks were disappointing.
The Fresh AF Mist was disappointing.
The Face Oils were nothing special.
… and sadly, so was the Fourth Ray Beauty Raydiate Vitamin C Serum. I can’t recommend it based on my experience, and I can’t say I would spend my money on it again. Please remember that all of us have different skin and some ingredients may work fine for one person and cause issues for someone else. Just because my experience with this product was negative doesn’t mean that it will be for you!
I know you say that everyone has different skin, but our skin types seem so similar to one another! Since this gave you terrible acne, i’m probably going to stay away from this product! I’m currently using a serum from first aid beauty, and i love it! It hydrates and is meant for sensitive skin! Great post xxx
Melina | melinaelisa.com
Author
Yes that’s true! We tend to like a lot of the same skincare products. I’m hoping that the acne issue was unique to me but I’m skeptical now. The Pixi vitamin C is much nicer anyways! Ooh I’ll have to look into that first said beauty serum, it sounds perfect 🙂
Oh gosh, that sounds terrible! Their packaging is appealing & cute but, I’ll def be staying away from FRB. Thanks your honest review, Cleia!!
That sucks that it made you break out that easily! I wonder what it could have been. I hope your skin is looking and feeling better by now.
Author
It’s doing much better now. I’m staying far away from this serum!
I’ll be sure to stay away too. Shame because I thought about purchasing it too 🙁
Yikes! So sorry this didn’t work out for you! Bad breakouts are horrible, and take away all your confidence. I’ve never tried anything from Fourth Ray before, but I get the feeling it’s more style over content. I just don’t get the feeling it’s a “serious” skincare range. I hope your skin is feeling better now!
Author
They do! I spent the whole week trying to hide my chin 😭
I think that Colourpop’s approach to quick makeup releases works for them, but skincare shouldn’t come out that fast. All the face milks with different key ingredients feel gimmicky and I don’t know if they’re even testing trials when they release skincare this quickly. My skin has improved thankfully!
That’s a good point, I never thought of that. I’ve never investigated whether or not they make claims based on clinical trials, but my gut tells me they don’t. Who knows.
Author
Their website doesn’t say anything about trials so I doubt it!
Not cool!
Aww no, breakouts instantly make someone dislike a product! Random thought, but it wouldn’t be the hylauronic acid and vitamin c combo would it?
Author
I don’t think so, I usually use a hyaluronic acid moisturizer and I’ve been using the ordinary’s and pixi’s vitamin C with it 🤔 I’m not sure what it could be!
Breakouts are the worst! I get a few hormonal breakouts every month when it’s that time of the month and I hate it! But I deal… but when skincare or makeup cause them… NOPE!
Author
If it’s preventable then no way! I can’t use things that make me break out
How disappointing! It sounded like a great product too. I’d be furious if I were you. I had a breakout(don’t know from what) on the corner of my chin and I’ve tried a few different things, nothing seems to help now I just don’t do anything. It comes and goes as it pleases. I chalk it up to adult acne…not good 🙁
Author
There were so many good reviews online, but I doubt that most of the reviewers actually tested this for very long. Aw that sucks! Adult acne is the worst 🙁
You are probably right and yeah it does. It comes it goes but it never really goes away.