Stark Skincare

CITY Brightening Antioxidant Serum | Vitamin C Oil

Name: CITY Brightening Antioxidant Serum | Vitamin C Oil
Brand: Stark Skincare
Price: 58.0 CAD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.91 (164 reviews)

Urban Defense Facial Oil Serum for Pollution Protection & Brightness

$58.00

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One-time purchase

Keep your daily ritual fully stocked! Subscribe and save:

Deliver every 4 months, 10% off
Deliver every 2 months, 15% off

Auto-renews, skip or cancel anytime.

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In stock

free shipping: orders over $125. $10 flat rate for orders under $125.

Made in Canada

Key Functions: Brightening, Moisturizing, Nourishing, and Protecting.

Best for: All skin types, Hot / Humid Weather, Transitional Seasons, City Dwellers, and Oily

Some Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, Hemp oil, Green tea, Vitamin E, and Hemisqualane.

30 mL

Product Description

Brightening Antioxidant Serum for Pollution Protection & Brightness

2026 Beauty Shortlist Awards: Winner for Best Antioxidant Face Oil & Best Face Oil w/Hemp
Shields skin from urban pollution and environmental stress
Brightens complexion with vitamin C, niacinamide, and licorice root
Lightweight texture absorbs quickly without greasiness
Rich in botanical oils that support the skin's lipid barrier

City is a lightweight defense serum formulated to address the visible effects of environmental factors while brightening and revitalizing the complexion. This oil-based emulsion targets the specific challenges faced by skin in urban environments with a blend of antioxidants and brightening agents. Its formulation provides protection without heaviness, making it suitable for all skin types and particularly beneficial for those in high-pollution areas.

The serum combines botanical oils rich in essential fatty acids that help maintain the skin's lipid barrier. Rice bran oil provides a stable, non-comedogenic base, while hemp seed, camelina, raspberry, and cranberry seed oils contribute complementary fatty acid profiles and natural antioxidants. Plant-derived hemisqualane enhances spreadability and absorption without residue.

City's brightening capabilities come from vitamin C (as stable tetrahexadecyl ascorbate), niacinamide, and licorice root extract—ingredients shown to reduce hyperpigmentation, even skin tone, and enhance radiance. These components work together to address dullness caused by environmental exposure, inflammatory responses, and natural aging processes without causing irritation.

The serum features a comprehensive antioxidant system. Beyond vitamins C and E, the formula incorporates specialized botanical extracts including olive leaf, edelweiss, and elderberry that provide broad-spectrum protection against various environmental factors. This multi-faceted approach neutralizes free radicals and supports the skin's own protective mechanisms, reducing reactivity and supporting long-term skin health.

Scented version is a evergreen/herbal blend of yarrow, black spruce, clary sage and geranium. Unscented naturally smells a little like fresh cut grass.

Ingredients INCI

Ingredients INCI:

Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, C13-15 Alkane (Hemisqualane), Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil (Hempseed Oil), Camelina Sativa Seed Oil (Camelina), Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Seed Oil, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil (Soy Butter), Cetyl Alcohol, Aqua (Water), Propanediol, Lecithin,Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (vitamin C), Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Olea Europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract, Leontopodium Alpinum (Edelweiss) Extract, Tocopherol, Niacinamide, Silica, Dimethyl Isosorbide (DMI), Myristyl Myristate, Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Sambucus Nigra (Elderberry) Fruit Extract (Phytocide elderberry), Titanium Dioxide, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Wax, pure essential oils.

Shipping:

Ships from Ottawa, Canada on Monday and/or Wednesday and/or Friday.
Shipping fees: $10 flat-rate shipping in North America.
Free Shipping: In Canada & USA for orders over $125.
Ships completely tariff-free to the USA (no surprise fees!)
International: No surface shipping. Please choose a tracked method if available. Customs & Duties depend on your country.

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City vitamin C oil serum by Stark Skincare — lightweight brightening antioxidant serum for hyperpigmentation

Urban Defense Facial Oil Serum for Pollution Protection & Brightness

Using this Serum

Experience it

City has a lightweight, silky texture that glides effortlessly across the skin before absorbing rapidly, leaving a dewy but non-greasy finish that feels refreshingly hydrating. Crisp black spruce and herbaceous blue yarrow notes provide a brief moment of forest-inspired freshness during application. (Also available in unscented, which naturally smells like freshly cut grass.) Upon absorption, skin immediately appears more luminous with a natural, healthy glow while feeling comfortably protected and nourished—creating the perfect canvas for makeup or the ideal finishing touch to a minimalist skincare routine.

How to Use it

An excellent year-round "layering-piece". Incorporate City into your morning routine by applying 2-5 drops onto slightly damp skin after cleansing and water-based serums, gently pressing rather than rubbing to enhance absorption and stimulate circulation. For enhanced protection in urban environments, layer City beneath your daily sunscreen to create a comprehensive defense system against both UV radiation and pollution particles. During seasonal transitions or travel, when skin tends to become reactive, use City as your primary moisturizer morning and evening to calm sensitivity while maintaining balanced hydration; for extra nourishment, mix a drop with your foundation to create a luminous, protected finish that combats environmental stress throughout the day. Dry skin? City combines perfectly with Equinox!

Why You Need it

Unlike heavy protective creams that can feel suffocating or single-action brightening products that lack defensive capabilities, City delivers comprehensive environmental shielding while actively improving skin tone and luminosity. The formula's intelligent balance of oil-soluble antioxidants and water-phase brightening agents ensures that protection and repair happen simultaneously, making it particularly valuable for busy lifestyles where skincare efficiency matters. Whether you're navigating urban pollution, experiencing seasonal dullness, or simply seeking to maintain skin vitality against daily stressors, City provides essential defense in a texture that's universally appealing and genuinely enjoyable to use.

Boreal Plants for skin strength 🖤 Clinically Proven Actives 🖤 Cruelty- Free 🖤 small batch freshness 🖤 Vegan formulas 🖤 no synthetic fragrance 🖤 No synthetic colours 🖤 in-house formulas 🖤 Boreal Plants for skin strength 🖤 Clinically Proven Actives 🖤 Cruelty- Free 🖤 small batch freshness 🖤 Vegan formulas 🖤 no synthetic fragrance 🖤 No synthetic colours 🖤 in-house formulas 🖤

Key Ingredients in CITY Brightening Antioxidant Serum | Vitamin C Oil

Licorice Extract (Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract)

A serious brightening ingredient that works by inhibiting tyrosinase, the enzyme responsible for excess pigmentation. Also anti-inflammatory, so it tackles dark spots and redness simultaneously. Gentle enough for sensitized skin.

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (Vitamin C)

An oil-soluble, ultra-stable form of vitamin C that doesn't sting, doesn't oxidize quickly, and doesn't depend on a low pH to work. Penetrates deeper into skin than L-ascorbic acid and brightens, protects, and supports collagen without any of the irritation.

Hemisqualane

A lightweight plant-derived emollient that mimics your skin's own lipids. Absorbs instantly without greasiness, leaving skin smooth and soft. Also helps other ingredients penetrate more effectively.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can vitamin C serum cause breakouts?

Traditional vitamin C serums can cause breakouts in some people due to low pH formulations or unstable forms that oxidize quickly. City uses tetrahexadecyl ascorbate — an oil-soluble, stable form of vitamin C that works at a skin-friendly pH and doesn't trigger the irritation or congestion associated with L-ascorbic acid. It's non-comedogenic and suitable for acne-prone skin.

Can vitamin C serum cause redness or irritation?

L-ascorbic acid, the most common vitamin C form, requires a low pH to be effective and frequently causes stinging, redness, or peeling — especially on sensitive skin. City uses tetrahexadecyl ascorbate instead, which is oil-soluble, pH-independent, and penetrates deeper without irritation. It brightens and protects without any of the reactivity that puts people off vitamin C serums.

Does vitamin C serum expire or go bad?

Yes — most vitamin C serums use L-ascorbic acid, which oxidizes quickly when exposed to light and air, turning orange and losing effectiveness. City uses tetrahexadecyl ascorbate, a stable oil-soluble form that doesn't degrade the same way. Stored away from direct sunlight, City maintains its potency significantly longer than conventional vitamin C formulas.

What does a brightening serum do?

A brightening serum targets uneven skin tone, dullness, and hyperpigmentation using ingredients that interrupt melanin production or neutralize the oxidative damage that causes skin to look tired. City combines vitamin C, niacinamide, and licorice root extract — three brightening pathways working simultaneously — alongside a full antioxidant system that protects against the pollution and UV exposure that cause dullness in the first place.

When should you use vitamin C serum in your routine?

Morning is ideal — vitamin C is an antioxidant that neutralizes free radical damage from UV and pollution throughout the day, so it works best as a preventative layer before sunscreen. Apply City after cleansing and any water-based serums, then follow with SPF. It can also be used in the evening, and pairs well with a hydrating serum applied underneath.