Top 15 Vitamin C Serums For Better Looking Skin

Vitamin C, retinol, hyaluronic acid, and a million other words are creating a buzz in the cosmetic industry these days. If you are looking for ingredients that help you fight aging, chances are you already know about vitamin C and how important it is for your skin.

It protects your skin from the damage caused by UVA and UVB rays, hyperpigmentation, and sunburn. This wonder ingredient does a lot more than what we think our skin needs.

If you are still wondering why you need to use a vitamin C serum or are confused about where to begin, start by reading this article. You have come to the right place. Read on to find out more.

Why Use A Vitamin C Serum?

Dermatologists, bloggers, and beauty enthusiasts around the world are raving about vitamin C. Why? It reduces fine lines, battles signs of aging, boosts collagen production, and protects you from free radicals. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that soothes your skin and provides relief from skin burning caused by inflammation. It does all of this through just topical application.

Naturally, the most significant confusion lies in choosing a product based on its price and efficacy. But we cannot always take a product at its face value. Some factors can help you compare products before making a decision. Here’s what you need to know.

How To Choose the Best Vitamin C Serum

1. First, look at the ingredients. Try to choose products that are not harsh and filled with too many chemicals. See if the product contains other ingredients that that complement vitamin C – like vitamins A and E, ascorbic acid, hyaluronic acid, ferulic acid, and other plant-based nutrients.
2. Consider the potency of the serum. It should be at least 20-25% potent for it to show results.
3. The pH level of the product is another important factor you need to consider while buying a serum. The serum should be slightly acidic to penetrate into your skin easily. The typical range is anywhere between 2 to 3.5, but you can even go up to 5 or 6 depending on your skin type.
4. Your skin type plays a big role in choosing a serum. People with oily skin should choose a serum that contains L-ascorbic acid. Dry skin needs something with sodium and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate because they protect your skin from irritation, inflammation, and redness.
5. Choose a serum that is colorless and odorless (unless it is naturally scented). Colored serums contain additives that bring down the effectiveness of the product.
6. Be wary of cheap products as well as expensive ones that are not necessarily of good quality. Try and test out a few products before you finalize something that is tailor-made for you.

Now, that you know all the things you need to keep in mind when shopping for a vitamin C serum, let’s check out the best ones available on the market right now.

Top 15 Best Vitamin C Serums For Better Looking Skin

1. Skinceuticals C E Ferulic Acid
2. Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream
3. Obagi Professional-C Serum
4. Eminence Citrus And Kale Potent C + E Serum
5. Dermadoctor Kakadu C 20% Vitamin C Serum With Ferulic Acid & Vitamin E
6. Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum
7. Vichy LiftActiv Vitamin C Skin Corrector
8. Karuna Vitamin C + Pearls
9. Peter Thomas Roth Potent-C Spot Brightener
10.  Kiehl’s Powerful Strength Line Reducing Concentrate With Vitamin C
11.  Clinique Fresh Pressed Daily Booster With Pure Vitamin C
12.  Eva Naturals Vitamin C Serum For Face
13.  NaturaBisse C+C Vitamin Eye
14.  Korres Wild Rose 15% Vitamin C Spotless Serum
15.  Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum

1. Skinceuticals C E Ferulic Acid

SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic tops every chart when it comes to vitamin C serums. It is potent and gives visible results. It is suitable for all skin types, seeps into your skin quickly, and is the perfect anti-aging solution. It is a blend of pure vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) and ferulic acid that protect you from sun damage, repair wrinkles caused by photodamage, and reduce fine lines.

Pros

• Contains vitamin E and ferulic acid
• Suitable for all skin types
• Brightens your skin
• Free of chemicals and parabens

Cons

Rating

4.8 

2. Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream

Pros

• Can be used all over the face
• Brightens and tightens skin
• Vegan
• Gluten- and silicone-free

Cons

• Not suitable for all skin types

Rating

4.8

3. Obagi Professional-C Serum

It is established by now that the signs of aging appear vividly on your skin. Your skin loses its elasticity over time, which results in fine lines and wrinkles. Here’s yet another dermatologist-certified product that contains vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) that penetrates deep into your skin and shows results in a short time. Obagi is a world leader in making skin care products, so it knows what it takes to create an effective product.

Pros

• Works on all skin types
• Skin feels soft and silky
• Potent with 20% vitamin C concentrate

Cons

• You need to watch out for knock-off versions.

Rating

4.8 

4. Eminence Citrus And Kale Potent C + E Serum

It is a blend of potent ingredients that not only combats signs of aging but also fortifies your skin. The serum is a combination of superfoods like citrus fruits, kale, spinach, and broccoli. It also contains ferulic acid, L-ascorbic acid, vitamin E, and hyaluronic acid that penetrate into your skin and show visible results. It stimulates collagen and elastin production, thereby improving the overall health of your skin.

Pros

• Gentle on the skin
• Nourishes and brightens your skin
• Reduces redness
• Shrinks pores

Cons

• Strong fragrance

Rating

4.8 

5. Dermadoctor Kakadu C 20% Vitamin C Serum With Ferulic Acid & Vitamin E

Give your skin the attention it deserves with this vitamin C serum. It is enriched with Kakadu plums that have approximately 55 times more vitamin C than Florida oranges. Not only does it repair the damage caused by free radicals, but it also brightens and smoothens your skin.

Pros

• No artificial dyes or fragrances
• Sulfate- and paraben-free
• Leaves your skin looking radiant
• Reduces fine lines and wrinkles
• Not tested on animals

Cons

• A little sticky

Rating

4.7

6. Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum

Mad Hippie combines vitamin C, ferulic acid, vitamin E, and hyaluronic acid with exotic ingredients, which is what puts it in the front of its line. Its other unique components are Konjac root powder, which is rich in nutrients like zinc, copper, iron, magnesium, and folic acid; grapefruit extract, which is a rich source of vitamin C; chamomile extract that creates a protective shield while calming your skin; and sage that is a natural astringent.

Pros

• Mild on your skin
• Reduces dark spots caused by acne
• Value for money

Cons

• Not effective on all skin types.

Rating

4.7

7. Vichy LiftActiv Vitamin C Skin Corrector

This Vichy serum is a healthy mix of vitamin C, vitamin E, and hyaluronic acid that improves the overall texture of your skin in no time. It evens out your skin and makes it look visibly radiant in no time. It gives your great results without burning a hole in your pocket.

Pros

• Makes skin visibly bright and radiant
• Spreads and absorbs easily
• Lightweight
• Silicone-, paraben-, and chemical-free

Cons

None

Rating

4.7

8. Karuna Vitamin C + Pearls

Karuna uses one-of-its-kind flash-freeze technology that seeps out the moisture from the ingredients and freezes the active elements in their dry state (at the peak of their potency) to yield optimum results. The serum has a 79% concentration of vitamin C that comes out when combined with the serum activator. It works well on all skin types, brightens skin, and makes it look youthful instantly.

Pros

• Skin feels plump and radiant
• Suitable for all skin types
• Acts as a color corrector
• Preservative- and paraben-free
• Dermatologist- and ophthalmologist-tested

Cons

None

Rating

4.6

9. Peter Thomas Roth Potent-C Spot Brightener

Here’s a serum that unleashes onto your skin 50 times stronger than your average creams. It combines the strength of antioxidants and THD ascorbate with our miracle ingredient, vitamin C. It also contains vitamin E, ferulic acid, Gwennis (algae extract that reduces dark spots by 75%), and aloe that soothe your skin.

Pros

• Reduces dark spots
• Suitable for all skin types
• Soothes your skin
• Just a little product required for each use

Cons

Rating

4.6

10.  Kiehl’s Powerful Strength Line Reducing Concentrate With Vitamin C

Kiehl’s Line Reducing Concentrate is formulated to suit all skin types, even the most sensitive ones. It is infused with vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and ascorbyl glucoside that work effectively in improving the overall health of your skin. They make your skin firm, fill up the fine lines, and make your skin soft.

Pros

• Effective
• Value for money
• Lightweight

Cons

• You need to shake it before use.

Rating

4.6

11.  Clinique Fresh Pressed Daily Booster With Pure Vitamin C

Clinique has come out with a unique formula that works as an anti-aging agent by harnessing the power of pure and fresh vitamin C that evenly tones and retexturizes your skin. Think of it as the equivalent of a glass of fresh orange juice that has been condensed into a tube. Kick-start your anti-aging routine by mixing two drops of this serum into your moisturizer.

Pros

• Makes your skin radiant
• Repairs damage caused by sun exposure
• Works on all skin types

Cons

Rating

4.5

12. Eva Naturals Vitamin C Serum For Face

Eva Naturals Vitamin C serum is affordable, effective, and uses all natural ingredients to battle dark spots and other common skin concerns. It boosts collagen production. The vitamin C in it is combined with elements like CoQ10 that works on firming your skin and lavender that reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Turmeric, ginger, and juniper extracts promote circulation, skin brightening, and radiance, while vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, and ferulic acid take care of anti-aging issues.

Pros

• Improves skin elasticity
• Plant-based serum that uses all natural ingredients
• Repairs and protects your skin from sun damage

Cons

Rating

4.5

13. NaturaBisse C+C Vitamin Eye

NaturaBisse C+C Vitamin Eye contains three versions of Vitamin C. The first is in its purest form, the second is cyclodextrin that spaces out the release of vitamin C throughout the day, and the third is Vita C Assimil, which is known to assimilate vitamin C and ascorbic acid. They work together to reduce fine lines, prevent the formation of new wrinkles, and improve the elasticity of your skin.

Pros

• Contains pro-vitamin D, which is uncommon in most serums
• Improves cellular defense

Cons

None

Rating

4.5

14. Korres Wild Rose 15% Vitamin C Spotless Serum

Korres Wild Rose Serum is a powerful combination of 15% vitamin C, ascorbic acid, and sand lily extract that work on skin brightening while reducing the appearance of dark spots, acne scars, and pigmentation. Not to forget the wild rose oil that leaves you with luminous and radiant skin.

Pros

• Improves your skin’s elasticity
• Moisturizing
• Scars start to fade with consistent use

Cons

None

Rating

4.5

15. Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum

Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum is infused with advanced and ultra-stable vitamin C in its gold standard form that works rapidly to reduce fine lines and discoloration and plumps up your skin. The serum also hydrates your skin and gives it a polished finish. The phytosterols in it reduce redness. The extract of saccharide isomerate reduces the size of open pores and reinforces your skin’s moisture barrier to give you radiant skin.

Pros

• Reduces redness
• Shrinks your pores
• Light and easily absorbed
• Paraben- and sulfate-free

Cons

• Can cause breakouts

Rating

4.5

Even if you don’t have any of the issues that vitamin C addresses yet, it is a good idea to start using products that protect your skin from potential damage. They may be slightly more expensive compared to your generic creams or serums but are definitely worth the investment. Pick your favorite from the list and let us know how it worked for you in the comments section below.