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As a shopping editor who covers beauty, I’ve had many conversations with dermatologists and aestheticians about skin-care routines. The one thing they always recommend? Vitamin C. Despite the serum formulas smelling like hot dogs, the antioxidant is pretty much an all-in-one, targeting hyperpigmentation, fine lines, and sun damage. However, there’s a lot to consider when trying them out. Since nobody wants to mess up their skin barrier, we reached out to Dr. Angela Lamb, M.D., Dr. Dusan Sajic, M.D., Ph.D., Dr. Loretta Ciraldo, M.D., F.A.A.D., and Dr. Ashley Magovern to help you pick the right vitamin-C serum for your face.
FAQs
The Best Vitamin-C Serums
The Cult Favorite
SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic
Key ingredients: 15 percent L-ascorbic acid, vitamin E and ferulic acid for environmental protection, brightening, smoothing
Best for: All skin types
The pricey cult-favorite serum comes highly recommended by derms, Cut staffers, and pretty much everyone else. This is a powerful combo of ingredients, which we guess contributes to the price tag. It has 15 percent L-ascorbic acid and a blend of additional antioxidants that help protect, smooth, and brighten.
The Affordable Favorite
Maelove Glow Maker
Key ingredients: 15 percent L-ascorbic acid, vitamin E, and ferulic acid for environmental protection, brightening, smoothing
Best for: All skin types
Another Cut favorite we’ve raved about before. This has a similar ingredients list to the Skinceuticals product above: 15 percent L-ascorbic acid, vitamin E, and ferulic acid, at a fraction of the price.
The DIY Version
Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Vitamin-C Day Serum
Key ingredients: 15 percent L-ascorbic acid, vitamin E, and ferulic acid for environmental protection, brightening, smoothing
Best for: All skin types
This is one of Lamb’s favorites for the opaque packaging and combination of ingredients (15 percent L-ascorbic acid, vitamin E, and ferulic acid). It comes in two separate parts that you mix before your first use for the freshest product each time and the best results.
The Best for Targeting Hyperpigmentation
Hyper Skin Brightening Dark Spot Vitamin-C Serum
Key ingredients: 15 percent L-ascorbic acid, hyaluronic acid, and kojic acid for environmental protection and hyperpigmentation
Best for: All skin types, hyperpigmentation
As someone who’s had many not-so-great experiences with vitamin-C serums, this one is one of my favorites. Along with 15 percent vitamin C, it also features kojic acid, a favorite for fading dark spots.
A Good Nonirritating Option
Kiehl’s Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate
Key ingredients: 10.5 percent L-ascorbic acid, 2 percent ascorbyl glucoside, and hyaluronic acid for brightening, smoothing, and hydrating
Best for: All skin types
Features writer Matthew Schneier’s favorite is within the 12.5 percent, nonirritating range. He likes that despite its thick texture and potent formula, it doesn’t irritate his skin or make him break out.
The Exfoliating One
Tatcha Violet-C Brightening Serum
Key ingredients: 20 percent vitamin C derivative blend, and AHAs for smoothing and brightening
Best for: All skin types
Junior fashion and beauty writer Asia Milia Ware’s favorite comes from Tatcha. Besides being one of the most aesthetically pleasing bottles on this list, it has 20 percent vitamin C to target skin texture and hyperpigmentation.
The Brightening Booster
Dr. Dennis Gross C + Collagen Brighten & Firm Vitamin C Serum
Key ingredients: 15 percent L-ascorbic acid, niacinamide, and lactic acid for brightening and firming
Best for: Combination skin
Ware also recommends this brightening and firming serum from Dr. Dennis Gross. The active ingredient is a stabilized form of vitamin C, 3-O-Ethyl ascorbic acid, along with amino acids for elasticity and niacinamide to aid in brightening.
The Safe One
Veracity Brightening Support
Key ingredients: Ascorbyl glucoside for brightening and smoothing
Best for: All skin types
Ascorbyl glucoside is the key ingredient in this favorite from Lamb. “The formula is boosted by garland lily extract, which protects the skin from UV and blue light, and it also contains hyaluronic acid to deeply hydrate for radiant luminous skin,” she explains. “It excludes all endocrine-disrupting ingredients and therefore is safe to use when pregnant or breastfeeding.”
The Collagen-Boosting One
VivierSkin C E Peptides
Key ingredients: 10 percent L-ascorbic acid and peptides for brightening and smoothing
Best for: Sensitive skin
Featuring a low but not too low percentage of L-ascorbic acid (10 percent), this recommendation from Sajic is on the gentler side — but reviewers also love the collagen-boosting peptides that help smooth skin.
The Moisturizing One
ZO Skin Health 10% Vitamin C
Key ingredients: 10 percent ascorbic acid, squalane, and tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate for brightening and smoothing
Best for: All skin types
Featuring tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate and additional antioxidants for skin protection, you’ll also find squalane in this pick from Sajic.
The Best for Mature Skin
Dr. Loretta Anti-Aging Repair Serum
Key ingredients: Tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, and algae extracts to brighten, hydrate and smooth
Best for: Mature skin
Featuring tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, this recommendation from Ciraldo is for those with mature skin since it has ingredients like marine algae extracts to support hydration and elasticity in the skin.
The Beauty-Editor Favorite
Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum
Key ingredients: 5 percent tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, aloe, and hyaluronic acid for brightening, smoothing, and hydration
Best for: Sensitive skin
Former beauty director-at-large Maya Allen’s favorite is this gentle formula with 5 percent tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, and aloe and hyaluronic acid for hydration.
The One Worth Saving Up For
Joanna Czech Skincare The C+ Serum
Key ingredients: Tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate for hydrating and babbu and marula oils for brightening
Best for: Sensitive skin and hyperpigmentation
If you’re really willing to splurge, this serum from the facialist to the stars is recommended by Allen. With more of an oily texture, the tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate formula also features a number of anti-inflammatory ingredients and oils like hempseed to help keep skin moisturized.
The Extra-Strength One
Obagi Professional-C Serum 20%
Key ingredients: 20 percent L-ascorbic acid for brightening and smoothing
Best for: Experienced skin
At 20 percent L-ascorbic acid, this serum isn’t beginner-friendly but comes recommended by Dr. Magovern. While she usually wouldn’t recommend a high percentage of this powerful ingredient, she explains that this formula provides, “all of the great benefits of a vitamin-C serum but it includes hyaluronic acid to combat any dryness you may experience from a potent ingredient.”
The Lightweight Option
BeautyStat Universal C Skin Refiner
Key ingredients: 20 percent L-ascorbic acid, squalane, and tartaric acid for brightening and hydrating
Best for: All skin types
A similar rec from Dr. Magovern is this one from BeautyStat. The gel-cream formula is lightweight and has long-lasting results from the ingredients that help balance the L-ascorbic acid, such as squalane for moisture and “tartaric acid, which provides the optimum pH level for skin absorption,” she explains.
Another More Affordable Option
Paula’s Choice C15 Super Booster
Key ingredients: 15 percent L-ascorbic acid for environmental protectio, brightening and smoothing
Best for: All skin types
Paula’s Choice is a favorite for high-quality formulas, and this pick from Dr. Magovern is no different. “It brightens a dull complexion and improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and the concentrated formula is made for all skin types, especially those with sensitive skin,” Magovern explains.
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