Tsujimoto Market: Our Guarantees
Description
Obagi C25 Serum NEO — Pure Vitamin C Serum, 12 ml
Overview
Obagi C25 Serum NEO is the top of ROHTO's Obagi C Serum range. Pure vitamin C — ascorbic acid, not a derivative — is the first ingredient on the declaration, ahead of water. That is unusual, and it is the whole point of the product.
ROHTO describes it as the highest pure-vitamin-C concentration in the C Serum line. ROHTO does not publish a percentage figure, so we do not quote one: the 5, 10, 20 and 25 in the range names are product tiers, not declared concentrations. What ROHTO does state is the effect that has passed efficacy testing — making dry fine lines less noticeable (乾燥による小じわを目立たなくする, 効能評価試験済み).
See also: Japanese Serum | Japanese Anti-Aging Skincare
Key Benefits
- ✓ Ascorbic acid first on the list — pure vitamin C, not a stabilised derivative, and declared ahead of water. Derivatives have to convert in the skin; this does not.
- ✓ A second vitamin C form alongside it — 3-O-glyceryl ascorbic acid (amitose 3GA), a water-soluble derivative that behaves differently from the pure acid.
- ✓ Vitamin E in the same formula — tocopherol, the usual partner to ascorbic acid in an antioxidant serum.
- ✓ Efficacy-tested claim, stated exactly — ROHTO's registered wording is that it makes fine lines caused by dryness less noticeable. That is the claim; we are not adding to it.
- ✓ Botanical complex ROHTO names — iris root, Centella asiatica, artichoke leaf, hydrolysed white mustard seed, Harpagophytum root, Salicornia and yeast extracts, all declared as conditioning and moisturising components.
- ✓ 12 ml on purpose — ascorbic acid oxidises once the bottle is open. A small bottle gets finished while it is still working.
- ✓ Bought in Japan, shipped from our Kobe warehouse with tracking.
Product Details
| Brand | Obagi (licensed and sold in Japan by ROHTO Pharmaceutical) |
|---|---|
| Product name (JP) | オバジ C25セラム ネオ |
| Japanese regulatory category | Cosmetic (化粧品) — not a quasi-drug |
| Product type | Facial serum / essence |
| Volume | 12 mL |
| Country of origin | Japan |
| Fragrance | Contains fragrance (香料) |
| Alcohol | Contains ethanol |
| Stated concentration | Not published by ROHTO. Described only as the highest pure vitamin C in the C Serum range |
| Vendor | Tsujimoto Market, Kobe, Japan |
Who Is This For?
- You have used a vitamin C serum before and want a stronger one. This is the top tier of the range. It is not the place to start.
- Your concerns are pores, dullness from dryness, rough texture and makeup that does not sit well. Those are the four concerns ROHTO itself names on the pack.
- You are fine with a serum that has a little kick to it. ROHTO says a slight tingling as it absorbs is normal and settles.
- You are not sensitive to fragrance or to alcohol in skincare. Both are in this formula. If either is a problem for you, look at a lower tier or a different line.
- You will actually wear sunscreen. Vitamin C and daily UV protection are a pair; one without the other is half a routine.
How to Use
- Cleanse, then prepare the skin with toner or lotion as usual.
- Take 4–5 drops with the dropper into the palm. ROHTO specifies 4–5 drops for C25 Serum NEO; 3–4 is the dose for C5, C10 and C20.
- Spread over the whole face with the fingertips, concentrating where dullness bothers you.
- Layer a little more on the areas you care about most.
- Follow with your usual moisturiser. On dry days ROHTO also suggests using it after the emulsion rather than before.
Frequency: Morning and evening, after cleansing and toner — this is ROHTO's own instruction, not a once-a-day product.
Full Ingredients
Full declaration, in ROHTO's order: Ascorbic Acid, Water, Propanediol, Ethanol, PG, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Betaine, PEG-4, Glycerin, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid (3-glyceryl ascorbic acid), Tocopherol, Iris Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Hydrolyzed White Mustard Seed Extract, Artichoke Leaf Extract, Harpagophytum Procumbens Root Extract, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Yeast Extract, Grapefruit Fruit Extract, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Disodium Succinate, PEG/PPG-300/55 Copolymer, PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30, BG, Serine, Fragrance
Two things worth naming out loud, because the previous version of this page did not: the formula contains ethanol and fragrance. Neither is a fault — they are ordinary in a high-strength vitamin C serum — but you should know before you buy, not after.
In Japan this product is registered as a cosmetic (化粧品), not as a quasi-drug. That matters for what it may claim: a cosmetic is not permitted to state a recognised active ingredient or an approved medicinal effect, and neither do we.
Cautions
- For external use only. Avoid the eye area; if the product gets into the eyes, rinse at once with water or lukewarm water.
- Do not use on skin with wounds, swelling, eczema, sunburn or any other abnormality.
- Patch test before the first full-face use: apply a little to the inner forearm and leave it 24 hours.
- Stop using it and speak to a dermatologist if redness, swelling, itching, stinging or any other reaction appears during use or afterwards. Continuing can make it worse.
- Keep out of reach of children.
- Close the pack after use and store away from direct sunlight, heat and damp.
- A slight tingling as the serum sinks in is described by ROHTO as normal; if it settles shortly there is nothing to worry about. If it does not settle, stop.
- ROHTO warns specifically about reactions that appear after sun exposure following use — redness, swelling, itching, irritation, loss of pigment or darkening. Stop and see a dermatologist if any of those appear.
- Contains fragrance and ethanol; not a good match for skin that reacts to either.
- Wear sunscreen daily while using this. Vitamin C is not a sunscreen.
Package Contents
- 1 × Obagi C25 Serum NEO, 12 mL, with dropper
- Japanese-language carton and instructions
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 this 25% vitamin C?
ROHTO does not publish a percentage for any serum in the C range, and we are not going to supply one it has not stated. What ROHTO says is that C25 Serum NEO carries the highest pure vitamin C concentration in the C Serum line. The 5, 10, 20 and 25 in the names are tier numbers. Ascorbic acid being the first ingredient on the declaration, ahead of water, tells you more than a number would.
Is this a quasi-drug?
No. ROHTO registers it as a cosmetic (化粧品). An earlier version of this page said it was a quasi-drug with ministry-confirmed active ingredients. That was wrong and we have removed it. It has no 有効成分 and no approved medicinal effect. The one claim it does carry — making dry fine lines less noticeable — has passed efficacy testing, which is a separate thing from quasi-drug approval.
How is it different from C10 or C20?
Same family, different tier and different formula, not simply a dilution. C25 Serum NEO adds ingredients the lower tiers do not have — Harpagophytum root extract and the hydrolysed white mustard seed complex among them — and takes a larger dose, 4–5 drops against 3–4. ROHTO's own advice is to work up the range rather than start at the top.
Should I keep it in the fridge?
ROHTO does not ask you to, and we are not going to invent an instruction the maker has not given. Store it away from direct sunlight, heat and damp, keep the cap on, and use it up. If the liquid turns noticeably darker, that is oxidation and it is time to replace it.
Why does the web address say C10 when the product is C25?
The page URL is an old one left over from an earlier listing, and we have flagged it internally. The product you are buying is the one named at the top of this page: Obagi C25 Serum NEO, 12 mL. If anything about the item you receive does not match this description, write to us and we will sort it out.
