Whether or not you’re coping with hyperpigmentation, pores and skin dullness, darkish marks, or sagging pores and skin, looking for out the very best vitamin C serum can assist handle the entire above. For many people, the antioxidant has grow to be a mainstay in a considerate magnificence routine. “I take a look at vitamin C as that little black gown in your closet,” Samantha Mims, esthetician and founding father of Dermasaa, tells Vogue. “It’s positively a kind of issues you should have. It really works to spice up circulation, amplify the pores and skin’s complexion, and stimulate collagen manufacturing.”
To learn to correctly incorporate it into our routines, we spoke with seven skincare specialists and examined a handful of formulation to curate this edit of the very best vitamin C serums on the market. Prepare to offer your pores and skin the radiance increase it deserves.
Our Prime Picks
- Greatest All-Round: SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic, $182
- Greatest Drugstore: La Roche-Posay 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum, $40
- Greatest for Delicate Pores and skin: iS Medical Professional-Heal Serum Advance Plus, $95
- Greatest Drugstore: La Roche-Posay 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum, $40
- Greatest Spot Remedy: Peach & Lily Transparen-C Professional, $43
- Greatest for Enlarged Pores: Sunday Riley CEO 15% Vitamin C Serum, $85
- Greatest for Mature Pores and skin: BeautyStat Common C Pores and skin Refiner, $85
- Greatest for Hyperpigmentation: Tatcha Violet-C Brightening Serum, $89
- Greatest for Oily Pores and skin: SkinCeuticals Silymarin CF, $182
- Greatest for Anti-Growing old: The Atypical Ascorbyl Glucoside Resolution 12%, $15
- Greatest for Dry Pores and skin: Isdin Isdinceutics Flavo-C Ultraglican Ampoules, $115
In This Article
Greatest All-Round: SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic with 15% L-Ascorbic Acid
- Why We Love It: “Skinceuticals CE Ferulic is the gold customary and works nicely for these with dry pores and skin,” says Dr. Corey L. Hartman. This Vogue Verified vitamin C serum delivers environmental safety, reduces fantastic traces and wrinkles, improves firmness, and brightens by way of a cocktail of vitamin C and the antioxidant properties of ferulic acid and vitamin E.
- Key Substances: 15% l-ascorbic acid, 1% alpha-tocopherol (a type of vitamin E), and 0.5% ferulic acid
- Advantages: Smoothing, moisturizing, firming, brightening
- Greatest For: High-quality traces, wrinkles, mature pores and skin, dry pores and skin, regular pores and skin, delicate pores and skin
- Find out how to Apply: In response to SkinCeuticals, 4 to 5 drops could be utilized to a dry face, neck, and chest every morning.
- Dimension: 30 mL
Greatest for Delicate Pores and skin: iS Medical Professional-Heal Serum Advance Plus
- Why We Love It: This iS Medical Professional-Heal Serum Advance Plus delivers pores and skin safety, in addition to remedy of pimples, rosacea, contact dermatitis, and bug bites by time-released vitamin C and a mix of botanicals.
- Key Substances: Vitamin C, olive leaf, vitamin A, vitamin E
- Advantages: Antioxidant safety, soothing, smoothing
- Greatest For: Oily pores and skin, delicate pores and skin (redness, rosacea), acne-prone pores and skin
- Find out how to Apply: In response to iS Medical, apply three to 4 drops throughout the face and neck.
- Dimension: 30 mL
Greatest Drugstore: La Roche-Posay 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum
- Why We Love It: “La Roche-Posay’s 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum is an inexpensive possibility that leaves pores and skin protected and radiant with out irritation,” says Hartman. Whereas the value is alluring, what actually units this aside is its cocktail of pure vitamin C paired with salicylic acid and neurosensine to refine pores and skin texture and tone on the face and neck with out harming delicate pores and skin.
- Key Substances: 10% Pure vitamin C, salicylic acid, neurosensine, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and thermal spring water
- Advantages: Resurfacing, night pores and skin tone, hydrating
- Greatest For: Enlarged pores, acne-prone pores and skin, boring pores and skin, all pores and skin sorts
- Find out how to Apply: In response to La Roche-Posay, apply three to 4 drops to the face and neck within the morning after cleaning.
- Dimension: 30 mL
Greatest for Enlarged Pores: Sunday Riley CEO 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum
- Why We Love It: This serum prevents getting older in all of its types: sensitivity, dehydration, dullness, uneven pores and skin tone, and wrinkles, and replaces it with a radiant, glowing complexion because of vitamin C, phytosterols advanced to assuage delicate pores and skin, and saccharide isomerate extract that regulates pore measurement.
- Key Substances: Vitamin C, a phytosterol advanced, saccharide isomerate extract, and glycolic acid
- Advantages: Brightening, night pores and skin tone, exfoliating
- Greatest For: Enlarged pores, boring pores and skin, all pores and skin sorts, delicate pores and skin
- Find out how to Apply: In response to Sunday Riley, apply two pumps of this serum to your complete face every morning.
- Dimension: 30 mL
Greatest for Mature Pores and skin: BeautyStat Common C Pores and skin Refiner
- Why We Love It: Based by beauty chemist Ron Robinson, this serum accommodates vitamin C in its purest kind, with a singular patented method of secure 20% pure vitamin C and secure epigallocatechin gallate, which is a skin-aiding ingredient present in inexperienced tea. The 2 substances work nicely collectively to forestall indicators of getting older, alongside squalane for moisture and tartaric acid, which helps the pores and skin take up product extra simply. Dr. Shereene Idriss is a fan of the method, too, as a result of “it’s a patented model of stabilized 20% L Ascorbic Acid (or vitamin C) that does not oxidize,” although she recommends approaching it with warning due to the excessive focus.
- Key Substances: 20% L-ascorbic acid, squalane, inexperienced tea energetic, and tartaric acid
- Advantages: Firming, smoothing fantastic traces, exfoliating
- Greatest For: Hyperpigmentation, wrinkles, combination-to-oily pores and skin
- Find out how to Apply: In response to BeautyStat, apply to scrub, dry pores and skin morning and evening.
- Dimension: 30 mL
Greatest Brightening Vitamin C Serum: CeraVe Renewing Vitamin C Serum
- Why We Love It: There’s little to not love about CeraVe’s vitamin C serum: The method makes use of a robust 10% pure L-ascorbic acid to fight free radical injury and promote a fair, luminous complexion, whereas the featured hyaluronic acid and ceramides assist guarantee pores and skin stays moisturized, nourished, and taut for hours on finish.
- Key Substances: 10% pure vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid), hyaluronic acid, ceramides
- Advantages: Brightening, tough texture, pores and skin barrier restore
- Greatest For: All pores and skin sorts
- Find out how to Apply: In response to CeraVe, apply the serum to the face and neck as soon as each day.
- Dimension: 30 mL
Greatest for Dry Pores and skin: Isdin Isdinceutics Flavo-C Ultraglican Ampoules
- Why We Love It: “Though primarily a vitamin C product, the hyaluronic acid on this serum provides to its attraction,” says Dr. Hadley King. “The sealed tinted glass ampules defend the vitamin C from publicity to air and lightweight. And the addition of hyaluronic acid and proteoglicans makes the formulation very hydrating. The feel is mild and the refined perfume is clear and refreshing.”
- Key Substances: Ascorbic acid, UltraGlycans, and hyaluronic acid
- Advantages: Brightening, hydrating, smoothing
- Greatest For: Mature pores and skin, all pores and skin sorts
- Find out how to Apply: In response to Isdin, apply half of the ampoule to the face, neck, and neckline.
- Dimension: 2 mL per ampoule (30 per package deal)
Greatest Anti-Growing old Vitamin C Serum: The Atypical Ascorbyl Glucoside Resolution 12%
- Why We Love It: Right here, The Atypical proves that an efficacious vitamin C serum could be purchased for a similar value as your lunchtime salad. Ringing in at simply $15, the method blends ascorbyl glucoside 12% (described as “a water-soluble vitamin C by-product”) into a light-weight water-based serum that’s appropriate for any pores and skin sort—that means bettering boring, uneven complexions is seamless as could be.
- Key Substances: Ascorbyl glucoside
- Advantages: Brightening, night pores and skin tone, antioxidant assist
- Greatest For: All pores and skin sorts
- Find out how to Apply: In response to The Atypical, apply the serum to the face morning and evening adopted by sunscreen within the daytime.
- Dimension: 30 mL
Greatest for Wrinkles: PCA Pores and skin C-Quench Antioxidant Serum
- Why We Love It: Combating fantastic traces and wrinkles is of high precedence with this PCA Pores and skin serum wealthy in antioxidants. The ingredient advanced comes collectively to scale back the look of traces and forestall irritation, mobile oxidation, and improve hydration on this PCA Pores and skin serum.
- Key Substances: Vitamin C, lilac leaf stem cell extract, and glutathione
- Advantages: Smoothing, firming, night pores and skin tone
- Greatest For: High-quality traces and wrinkles, mature pores and skin, combination-to-oily pores and skin, acne-prone pores and skin
- Find out how to Apply: In response to PCA Pores and skin, apply one to 2 pumps of this serum to the face and neck twice each day.
- Dimension: 29.5 mL
Greatest Reparative: Revision Skincare C+ Correcting Advanced 30%
- Why We Love It: In case you’re searching for brighter, extra even-toned pores and skin, take into account including the Revision Skincare C+ Correcting Advanced to your magnificence routine. Utilizing the model’s MelaPATH know-how, this product is supposed to ship antioxidant advantages, defend towards free radicals, and assist your pores and skin’s manufacturing of nutritional vitamins C and E.
- Key Substances: MelaPATH™ Know-how (Revision Skincare’s antioxidant mix, sodium carboxymethyl beta-glucan, diglucosyl gallic acid, and vitamin C
- Advantages: Brightening, night pores and skin tone, repairing the pores and skin barrier
- Greatest For: All pores and skin sorts
- Find out how to Apply: In response to Revision Skincare, one pump of this serum could be utilized to the face twice each day.
- Dimension: 30 mL
Greatest for Hyperpigmentation: Tatcha Violet-C Brightening Serum
- Why We Love It: Darkish spots, uneven pores and skin tone, texture, and fantastic traces don’t stand an opportunity towards Tatcha’s brightening serum. Via a mix of 20% stabilized vitamin C, Japanese Beautyberry, 10% fruit-derived AHAs, and Japanese Angelica root, this elixir protects towards free radicals and combats hyperpigmentation to disclose a radiantly glowing complexion.
- Key Substances: 20% Vitamin C and Japanese beautyberry, 10% gentle fruit AHAs, and Japanese angelica root
- Advantages: Resurfacing, brightening, smoothing
- Greatest For: Hyperpigmentation, boring pores and skin, enlarged pores, all pores and skin sorts
- Find out how to Apply: In response to Tatcha, apply one to 2 pumps of this serum at evening.
- Dimension: 30 mL
Greatest for Oily Pores and skin: SkinCeuticals Silymarin CF
- Why We Love It: Alongside SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic is one other sought-after formulation created particularly for greasy and acne-prone pores and skin sorts. In reality, each Hartman and Dr. Karen Kagha namechecked it as necessities of their each day skin-care regimens. The oil-free elixir blends l-ascorbic acid, silymarin, ferulic acid, and salicylic acid to guard towards free radical injury, stave off extra oil manufacturing, and make clear pores.
- Key Substances: 15% L-ascorbic Acid, 0.5% Silymarin (a plant-based antioxidant), 0.5% Ferulic Acid, and 0.5% Salicylic Acid
- Advantages: Resurfacing, lowering oiliness, stopping breakouts
- Greatest For: Oily pores and skin, acne-prone pores and skin
- Find out how to Apply: In response to SkinCeuticals, 4 to 5 drops could be utilized to a dry face, neck, and chest every morning.
- Dimension: 30 mL
Greatest Moisturizer: InnBeauty Challenge Slushy Serum Moisturizer
- Why We Love It: “Innbeauty’s Slushy is vegan and accommodates hyaluronic acid and bakuchiol and vitamin C. The feel is tremendous enjoyable—slushy is an ideal description,” says King, who thinks extremely of the retinol-alternative. “Bakuchiol appears to be activating the genes that regulate collagen and elastin manufacturing—the identical ones retinol prompts. And it doesn’t appear to annoy and redden pores and skin the best way retinol usually does, so it seems to be a gentler possibility.”
- Key Substances: Bakuchiol, hyaluronic acid, and yuzu
- Advantages: Hydrating, resurfacing, smoothing
- Greatest For: Enlarged pores, all pores and skin sorts
- Find out how to Apply: In response to Innbeauty Challenge, two to 3 pumps could be utilized to the face morning and evening as a serum, moisturizer, or each.
- Dimension: 50 mL
Greatest Spot Remedy: Peach & Lily Transparen-C Professional Spot Remedy
- Why We Love It: Aesthetician Lily Njoroge recommends this serum for acne-prone shoppers and people for whom irritation is a priority. “It’s the primary vitamin C serum I’ve discovered that I might advocate for acne-prone pores and skin,” she says, “as a result of it has oils excessive in linoleic acid, corresponding to sunflower seed oil, and this makes it useful at lowering irritation.”
- Key Substances: 20% Ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate (a secure vitamin C by-product, camellia extract, ferulic acid, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin E
- Advantages: Night pores and skin tone, resurfacing, brightening, lowering irritation
- Greatest For: Hyperpigmentation (darkish spots, post-acne scarring), all pores and skin sorts, delicate pores and skin, boring pores and skin
- Find out how to Apply: In response to Peach & Lily, that is finest utilized to scrub, dry pores and skin morning or evening instantly onto discoloration.
- Dimension: 20 mL
Greatest Protecting: Allies of Pores and skin 35% Vitamin C Perfecting Serum
- Why We Love It: “Don’t be fooled by the title as it’s a mixture of ethylated ascorbic acid in addition to tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate,” explains Idriss. “The ethylated L-ascorbic [in this serum] is a pure type of vitamin C and some of the confirmed types. The tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate is the secure oil soluble type of vitamin C that additionally penetrates your pores and skin to assist brighten and supply radical safety.” Basically, this serum works to guard your pores and skin from stress, air pollution, and even lack of sleep.
- Key Substances: 25% Ethylated l-ascorbic acid, 10% tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, superoxide dismutase, glutathione
- Advantages: Brightening, firming
- Greatest For: Boring pores and skin, mature pores and skin, all pores and skin sorts
- Find out how to Apply: In response to Allies of Pores and skin, apply three pumps to the face and neck to damp pores and skin, submit cleanser and toner. This can be utilized morning or evening.
- Dimension: 30 mL
Greatest Powder: The Nue Co. Topical – C
- Why We Love It: The Nue Co.’s powder is powered by an excellent mix of l-ascorbic acid, ferulic acid, tapioca starch, colloidal oatmeal, and aloe vera to guard towards free radical injury, handle hyperpigmentation, and fade fantastic traces. It may be blended along with your moisturizer or water to use with ease.
- Key Substances: L-ascorbic acid, ferulic acid, tapioca starch, colloidal oatmeal, and aloe vera
- Advantages: Brightening, night pores and skin tone
- Greatest For: Delicate pores and skin, boring pores and skin, oily-to-dry pores and skin
- Find out how to Apply: In response to The Nue Co., combine this powder with moisturizer or water, then apply to the face and neck each day.
- Dimension: 15 mL
The Advantages of vitamin C on your pores and skin
You have possible observed vitamin C serums are mainstays within the vanities of magnificence insiders—or actually, anybody with nice pores and skin. However why? We tapped dermatologist Dr. Azadeh Shirazi to offer us the within scoop on the advantages of vitamin C on your pores and skin.
- Reduces Hyperpigmentation: “Vitamin C and its derivatives cut back tyrosinase exercise, the enzyme accountable for producing melanin, thereby lightening hyperpigmentation,” she explains. “It additionally enhances safety towards UV rays that stimulate melanin manufacturing.”
- Anti Growing old: “As a strong anti-oxidant, vitamin C neutralizes free radicals that result in untimely pores and skin getting older thereby serving to assist pores and skin buildings,” she explains, including that it’s “essential for collagen biosynthesis, an essential structural protein our pores and skin loses with age.”
- Evens Pores and skin Tone: In response to Shirazi, vitamin C can assist even pores and skin tone by lowering hyperpigmentation and improve safety from damaging UV rays.
- Brightens complexion: How precisely does vitamin C brighten one’s complexion? Shirazi notes that “by inhibiting tyrosine’s exercise vitamin C reduces discoloration and brightens the pores and skin.”
- Antioxidant Safety: “Antioxidants like vitamin C assist neutralize free radicals by donating an electron to stabilize them, thus stopping them from inflicting pores and skin injury,” she says. “Vitamin C is a strong antioxidant that not solely performs a vital function in defending cells from oxidative stress, but additionally enhances different antioxidants like vitamin E.” Mainly, this safety limits elements that contribute to indicators of getting older like darkish spots, fantastic traces, and sagging.
What to search for in a vitamin C serum
- Substances: As for Dr. Paula Bourelly, she recommends merchandise with substances like arbutin and ubiquinone, as they each have “brightening properties which assist to lighten brown spots and, as antioxidants, the ascorbic acid and tocopherol add one other layer of protection to conventional sunscreens.”
- Vitamin C Method: Usually talking, you are searching for a method with a secure type of vitamin C that may ship ample antioxidant safety—of l-ascorbic acid or tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate. Consultants say you are sometimes searching for a vitamin C within the 10-20% vary.
- Packaging: Additionally, the product’s packaging makes all of the distinction: darkish or opaque bottles assist cut back the oxidation that would happen when vitamin C will get uncovered to daylight or warmth. Your treasured method is finest saved in a cool, darkish setting for finest utilization.
Find out how to use a vitamin C serum
Mims provides that there’s not essentially a proper or unsuitable method on the subject of making use of the serum– what’s extra essential is what you do afterward. “Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that protects the pores and skin from environmental elements corresponding to air pollution and UV mild. So whether or not you’re deciding to make use of your serum within the morning, night, or each, it’s essential you’re following up with a layer of broad spectrum sunscreen each day.”
Meet The Dermatologists
- Dr. Paula Bourelly, board-certified dermatologist at Olney Dermatology Associates
- Dr. Corey L. Hartman, board-certified dermatologist and founding father of Pores and skin Wellness Dermatology in Birmingham, Alabama
- Dr. Shereene Idriss, New York Metropolis-based board certified-dermatologist who focuses on facial rejuvenation
- Dr. Hadley King, New York Metropolis-based board-certified dermatologist and medical teacher of dermatology at Weill Medical Faculty of Cornell College
- Samantha Mims, founding father of Dermasaa and in-house esthetician at Brooklyn Face & Eye
- Lily Njoroge, licensed esthetician and pimples specialist
- Dr. Azadeh Shirazi is a California-based board-certified dermatologist specializing in medical, surgical, and beauty dermatology.
