Tsujimoto Market: Our Guarantees
Description
DHC Advanced C Essence – 16% Vitamin C Derivative with Glutathione, from Japan
Overview
DHC launched this essence in February 2026, and its announcement framed it as a double act rather than a single headline number: high-concentration vitamin C together with glutathione. The vitamin C is bis-glyceryl ascorbate at 16%, the highest level DHC has put in a product, and it is a derivative rather than free ascorbic acid — which is the reason a 16% figure can sit in a formula described as low-irritation instead of one that stings.
The ingredient order confirms the claim rather than just repeating it. DHC's declaration opens water, bis-glyceryl ascorbate, glycerin, BG, pentylene glycol, glutathione: the vitamin C derivative is the second-listed ingredient in the formula, and glutathione is high enough to be named before the botanicals begin.
It is a 化粧品 — a cosmetic, not a quasi-drug, so what it may claim is texture and clarity rather than acting on pigmentation. The essence goes on first, straight after cleansing, out of a tube that releases a single drop at a time.
See also our Japanese serums and the wider essence range.
Key Benefits
- ✓ Bis-glyceryl ascorbate at 16% — the highest vitamin C derivative concentration DHC has used
- ✓ Second-listed ingredient in DHC's own declaration, so the figure is borne out by the formula's order
- ✓ Glutathione alongside it, with 3-lauryl glyceryl ascorbate as DHC's "glutathione booster"
- ✓ A derivative rather than free ascorbic acid, which is how a high figure stays low-irritation
- ✓ Five plant and bio-derived moisturisers: saxifrage, rosa multiflora, alpinia speciosa, tremella, hydrolysed royal jelly protein
- ✓ No fragrance, colourant, paraben or alcohol; weakly acidic (弱酸性); allergy, patch and stinging tested
- ✓ Single-drop tube for a controlled five drops, shipped from our own stock in Kobe
Product Details
| Brand | DHC |
|---|---|
| Product name | Advanced C Essence |
| Japanese name | アドバンスドC エッセンス |
| Japanese product class | Cosmetic (化粧品) — not a quasi-drug |
| Vitamin C | Bis-glyceryl ascorbate, 16% — DHC's highest |
| Paired with | Glutathione, and 3-lauryl glyceryl ascorbate as the "glutathione booster" |
| Moisturisers | Saxifraga sarmentosa; rosa multiflora fruit; alpinia speciosa leaf; tremella fuciformis polysaccharide; hydrolysed royal jelly protein |
| Free from | Fragrance, colourant, paraben, alcohol |
| pH | Weakly acidic (弱酸性) |
| Tested | Allergy, patch and stinging tests passed — which is not a guarantee for every individual |
| Form | Liquid essence in a single-drop tube |
| Net content | Not stated by DHC in any source we could reach — ask us and we will read the box |
Who Is This For?
- Anyone who wants a high vitamin C figure without the sting that free ascorbic acid brings
- Skin that finds L-ascorbic acid serums uncomfortable — this is a derivative, buffered and weakly acidic
- People building a routine around one clear first step rather than several overlapping actives
- Anyone who has reacted to fragrance or alcohol in a vitamin C product; neither is here
- Not suitable if you are allergic to bee products — the formula contains hydrolysed royal jelly protein
- Not marketed for compromised or broken skin; patch-test first if you react easily
How to Use
- Use it straight after cleansing, before your toner and before anything else.
- Dispense about five drops into the palm; the tube is built to release one at a time.
- Smooth it evenly over the whole face.
- For a spot you are watching, add one drop directly and tap it in with the fingertips.
- Follow with your usual toner, emulsion or cream.
Frequency: Morning and evening. If you use it in the morning, finish the routine with sunscreen.
Full Ingredients
DHC's declaration opens: water, bis-glyceryl ascorbate, glycerin, BG, pentylene glycol, glutathione. That order is the useful part — a vitamin C derivative in second position is consistent with the stated 16%, and glutathione ahead of the botanicals says it is more than a token inclusion.
Named beyond that: 3-lauryl glyceryl ascorbate (DHC's "glutathione booster", a registered trademark of Seiwa Kasei), saxifraga sarmentosa extract, rosa multiflora fruit extract, alpinia speciosa leaf extract, tremella fuciformis polysaccharide and hydrolysed royal jelly protein.
DHC states the formula carries no fragrance, colourant, paraben or alcohol, is weakly acidic, and has passed allergy, patch and stinging tests. The last of those is a test result and not a promise — DHC says so itself, and so do we.
The full 全成分 declaration is printed on the box. We hold the stock in Kobe and will read it for you on request.
Cautions
- For external use only. Stop if redness, itching or irritation appears.
- Keep it out of the eyes; rinse with cool water if it gets in.
- Do not apply to broken, irritated or sunburned skin.
- Contains hydrolysed royal jelly protein. Do not use if you are allergic to bee products.
- Patch-test before the first regular use if your skin reacts to actives.
- The allergy, patch and stinging tests it passed do not guarantee that no one will react.
- Keep out of reach of children; store away from direct sun, heat and freezing temperatures.
Package Contents
One tube of Advanced C Essence with a single-drop dispensing tip. DHC does not publish the net content and we do not want to guess at it — ask us before you order and we will read the figure off the box in Kobe.
Shipping & Store Notes
- Ships directly from Japan
- Processing time: 2–6 business days
- Tracking number provided after dispatch
- Import duties and taxes may apply depending on destination country
- Opened cosmetics cannot be returned for hygiene and safety reasons
Authenticity Guarantee
Every product at Tsujimoto Market is sourced directly from Japan and verified for authenticity. We never sell fakes or grey-market goods. Each order is carefully packed in Kobe, Japan and dispatched with full tracking.
FAQ
Is 16% vitamin C going to sting?
It should not, and the reason is what kind of vitamin C it is. The 16% figure refers to bis-glyceryl ascorbate, a derivative, not to free L-ascorbic acid. Free ascorbic acid needs a low pH to stay stable and that low pH is what stings; this formula is weakly acidic and DHC positions it as the low-irritation route to a high number.
Can I layer it with another vitamin C product?
There is not much point, and there is some risk of irritation. Pick one vitamin C step and let this be it. If you already own a vitamin C toner or cream you like, use those on alternate days rather than stacking both in one routine.
What does the glutathione actually do here?
DHC pairs it with the vitamin C as the other half of the formula's headline and adds a booster ingredient to support it. We will not go further than that. Glutathione is a cosmetic ingredient in this product, not a registered active, and this is a 化粧品 — so the claims it may carry are about skin texture and clarity, not about pigmentation.
Does it contain anything animal-derived?
Yes — hydrolysed royal jelly protein, which comes from bees. If you avoid bee products for allergy or for dietary reasons, this is the ingredient to know about. It is one of the five moisturisers, not an active, but it is in the formula.
Morning or evening?
Either, and DHC suggests both. It goes on first, straight after cleansing, before the toner. If you use it in the morning, finish with sunscreen as you would with any vitamin C step.
