Melano CC Vitamin C Essence
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Rohto Mentholatum Melano CC Vitamin C Essence is a stable, affordable vitamin C serum that targets dark spots and acne marks, according to board-certified dermatologist Dr. Jenny Liu. The aluminum tube packaging keeps the pure ascorbic acid fresh, but Tina Yong notes it feels oily and prefers using it only at night. It works best on newer hyperpigmentation, not deep melasma, and may be suitable for all skin types if introduced slowly.
FULL REVIEWS
POSITIVE
- “I think it is literally the most well-known vitamin C serum to come out of Japan”11:43–11:48
- “It is also very oxidation free. It is an opaque packaging and only very small amounts of the product come out at a time. So, you know, it does keep that vitamin C really fresh”13:16–13:29
- “In terms of ingredients, cost and efficacy, it still holds up. It is literally a vitamin C serum for less than like $10. I feel like it is still unbeatable and no one has really come out with anything much better in terms of bang for bucks”13:29–13:41
- “Is it still a holy grail? Yeah, I'd say so”13:47–13:50
- “When it comes to traveling, I feel like I always choose my holy grails. And this is one that I always, always travel with”13:07–13:16
- Source: Still my holy grails? Top skincare products part 2 - Aug 29, 2025
- “It's not only my favorite vitamin C serum, but I think it's actually Japan's number one bestseller”3:15–3:18
- “It's affordable, effective, and you know, it's just often sells out”3:28–3:32
- “Really helps to target like dark spots, may help to protect your skin against additional environmental aggressors, or if you suffer from even acne”3:34–3:40
- “It's got pure vitamin C ascorbic acid that is the most effective form of vitamin C along with vitamin E”
- “It is hydrating, it is a little bit more nourishing with the plant oils but in no way is it heavy, greasy”
- “I do feel like this is one vitamin C that could be suitable for all skin types, including acne prone skin and sensitive skin”3:41–3:48
- Source: Japanese skincare routine: what a derm uses morning & night - Jun 19, 2025
- “This is one of the most popular Japanese vitamin C products”12:15–12:20
- “What's really interesting about this is how they formulated and what type of packaging they used for this product. The tube itself is an aluminum tube and the tip is so small and fine, so that doesn't let air through, which keeps the product stable”12:39–12:45
- “I find that it works well on hyperpigmentation that's newer, not like deep pigments that have been there for a while like melasma. This won't really get rid of that”13:15–13:25
- “If you've had breakouts and they've sort of like turned into just dark spots and you want to sort of fade that, this is a great product to use”13:29–13:33
- “The only thing is that it feels oily. It feels like a dry oil, not like a watery serumy type”13:34–13:41
- “I only like to use it at night, but you could use it morning and night if you really wanted to. I just don't like that oily feeling in the morning, especially when I'm applying like makeup over it”13:41–13:44
- “I think a tube like this will last you a while because you don't need a lot of product and the product is stable”13:55–14:00
- “If you have sensitive skin, maybe you want to try something like this, but only use it every second or third day to see if your skin can handle it”14:00–14:06
- Source: Ranking viral Japanese beauty products - May 22, 2026
MIXED / NEGATIVE
No negative reviews yet — creators have only had good things to say.
WHAT CREATORS SAY
- Consensus
- 4.5 / 5 from 3 creator reviewsGrailPeople ratings based on creator reviews.
- Good for
- Dark spots (2) · Sensitive skin (2)
- Features
- Good packaging (2)
- Value
- Value for money (2)
- ⚠ can feel greasy (1)
Product details
Details
- Type
- facial serum
- Finish
- —
- Shade
- —
- Key ingredients
- ascorbic acid, tocopherol acetate, dipotassium glycyrrhizinate, isopropylmethylphenol, vitamin C tetraisopalmitate, ethoxydiglycol, Alpinia katsumadai seed extract
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