14 Vitamin C Serums For Your Brightest Skin Ever

L'Oréal Paris Revitalift 12% Pure Vitamin C Serum ($26, originally $28)

L'Oréal Paris's Revitalift 12% Pure Vitamin C Serum is one of our favorites for its effective formula and affordable price point. In fact, we deemed it the best vitamin C treatment in our 2023 Beauty Awards. This serum contains 12 percent L-ascorbic acid, along with salicylic acid and vitamin E, to deliver the skin-smoothing and tone-evening effect. It's a nongreasy, fast-absorbing serum that you can use both morning and night. The Revitalift 12% Pure Vitamin C Serum is great for people with oily combination skin, those dealing with acne, or those with textured skin.

Herbivore Nova 15% Vitamin C + Turmeric Brightening Serum ($65)

Herbivore's Nova serum is a gentle vitamin C serum perfect for those with sensitive skin. It's packed with active ingredients meant to tackle dark spots and uneven skin tone, including 15 percent THD vitamin C, a highly stable form of vitamin C; turmeric-root extract, an anti-inflammatory; and arbutin. It's something you can use in your morning and nighttime routine.

Editor Quote: "The serum has a creamy, silky texture — almost like a lightweight moisturizer. It feels hydrating on my skin but absorbs quickly without a sticky or tacky residue. . . . It smells exactly like pure turmeric, which I love. After using the serum for just a few days, I already noticed a big difference in my overall skin tone. Because of my sensitive, reactive skin, I sometimes get irritation-induced breakouts. However, with this formula, my breakouts subsided and healed. With consistent use for 15 days, I noticed subtle yet promising changes in my skin. My dark spots were slowly fading, and my complexion was getting more even-toned." — Anvita Reddy, assistant editor, commerce

Check out our in-depth review of the Herbivore Nova 15% Vitamin C + Turmeric Brightening Serum.

TruSkin Vitamin C Serum ($22, originally $30)

The TruSkin Vitamin C Serum is a bestseller on Amazon and grows in popularity each day. It's a powerful vitamin C serum that contains hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, witch hazel, and jojoba oil. With consistent use, you'll notice a brighter complexion with smoother and even-toned skin.

Editor Quote: "I have tried the serum myself and can say that I started seeing results after one week of using it. My dark spots faded quickly and my skin has never looked so clear. Grab a bottle now — you'll be doing yourself a favor." — Macy Cate Williams, former content director, Commerce

Check out our review of the TruSkin Vitamin C Serum here.

Naturium Vitamin C Super Serum Plus ($25)

Naturium's Vitamin C Super Serum Plus can tackle many issues at once and is perfect for those with acne-prone skin. It contains retinol, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and salicylic acid. It's gentle yet effective at brightening the skin while preventing breakouts. You can use this morning and night.

Olay Super Serum ($30, originally $35)

Olay's Super Serum contains a powerful and effective combination of vitamin C, niacinamide, and a blend of AHAs to help balance, brighten, and smooth out the skin. It also contains vitamin E and collagen peptides to help infuse the skin with hydration. This serum is fast-absorbing and doesn't leave behind a sticky feel, but rather a healthy glow.

Editor Quote: "I've noticed a big difference in the appearance of my skin — specifically the texture. The Super Serum claims to have five main benefits, with improved skin texture being one of them. The other four include an even skin tone, an increase in firmness, smoothed lines, and hydration. While I can't speak to claims of firmer skin or smooth lines after just one week of use, the tone and texture of my complexion have gotten better." — Taylor Augustin, contributor

Check out more of her thoughts in her review of the Olay Super Serum.

Paula's Choice BOOST C15 Super Booster ($55)

The Paula's Choice BOOST C15 Super Booster can be used on its own as a daily serum or with a few drops in your moisturizer or other serums. It contains 15 percent pure vitamin C, ferulic acid, and vitamin E. This will help fade dark spots, even out skin tone, and brighten your complexion.

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Vitamin C Lactic 15% Firm & Bright Serum ($85)

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare's Vitamin C Lactic 15% Firm & Bright Serum is a unique formulation that combines the hydration and gentle exfoliation of lactic acid with everything vitamin C has to offer. According to the brand, "clinical studies show that when vitamin C is paired with lactic acid, vitamin C absorption and performance improve." It also contains licorice root extract, mulberry extracts, vitamin E, ferulic acid, and glycolic acid. The serum is formulated for those with normal or combination skin types, looking to fade dark spots, even out the skin tone and texture, as well as reduce the appearance of fine lines.

Editor Quote: "After using this serum for 16 days . . . my dark spots have gradually faded, and my overall skin tone is brighter. On top of that, my skin's texture has improved significantly; my pores don't appear as big, my breakouts have decreased, and my skin looks more refined. This serum has tyrosinase inhibitors that help target and diminish dark spots . . . AHAs like lactic acid and glycolic acid chemically exfoliate the skin, which helps with preventing breakouts, smoothing out texture, and increasing the efficacy of the tyrosinase inhibitors. . . . The tricky thing with dark spots and hyperpigmentation is that it takes a long time to fade, but this serum is effective in not only fading existing ones, but also preventing new ones from forming via breakouts. To see this much of a difference in a little over two weeks is worth every cent." — AR

Read our in-depth review of the Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Vitamin C Lactic 15% Firm & Bright Serum here, and check out the before-and-after pictures for proof.

BeautyStat Cosmetics Universal C Skin Refiner Vitamin C Brightening Serum ($85)

The Universal C Skin Refiner Vitamin C Brightening Serum from BeautyStat Cosmetics is not only an editor favorite but also a favorite of Hailey Bieber's. The serum has 20 percent stabilized L-ascorbic acid that's delivered through a patented encapsulated system, which helps prevent oxidation. It also contains hydrating and calming ingredients like squalane, tartaric acid to balance the skin's pH, and pure green tea active to soothe skin and reduce redness. One of our editors with sensitive, acne-prone skin says it's gentle enough, too.

Editor Quote: "One of the first things I noticed when I tested it for the first time was that the texture is different from other vitamin C serums I've tried in the past. While most of them were a watery liquid formula, the BeatyStat serum had a creamy, satin finish. . . . After a few months of use, I noticed a reduction in my hyperpigmentation as well as a huge improvement in the texture of my skin. It feels smoother to the touch, and my makeup always goes on perfectly layered on top — I never have issues with pilling, which is a big pet peeve of mine." — Renee Rodriguez, staff writer and social producer

Want to know more? Check out her review of the BeautyStat Cosmetics Universal C Skin Refiner Vitamin C Brightening Serum here.

Summer Fridays CC Me Vitamin C + Niacinamide Serum ($68)

The CC Me Vitamin C + Niacinamide Serum from Summer Fridays contains two kinds of vitamin C to take on dullness and dark spots. Along with skin-balancing niacinamide, the formula contains squalane to keep skin moisturized and peptides to firm. This serum is ideal for all skin types and helps brighten and even out skin tone. Use this as a part of your morning routine, followed by a moisturizer and sunscreen.

Editor Quote: "It's the only serum I've tried where I see results overnight. I wake up in the morning and my skin is glowing like I cannot believe. Plus, it doesn't have a weird smell, and it doesn't dry out my skin, make it overly oily, or make me break out. It comes in a great little bottle that's easy to travel with, too. . . . This bottle lasted me months without oxidizing, which means the ingredients are potent and packaged properly." — India Yaffe, former associate editor, Commerce

Read more in this review of the Summer Fridays CC Me Vitamin C + Niacinamide Serum.

Glow Recipe Guava Vitamin C Dark Spot Brightening Treatment Serum ($45)

The Glow Recipe Guava Vitamin C Dark Spot Treatment Serum is a fruity serum formulated with guava extract and seed oil that is rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants. In fact, this serum utilizes five different forms of vitamin C, along with ferulic acid, vitamin E, and peptides. It also contains tranexamic acid, which is another ingredient great at diminishing dark spots and hyperpigmentation. This serum has a thicker, hydrating texture that's fast absorbing onto the skin. Plus, the packaging is giving major Barbiecore vibes.

Editor Quote: "You'd think that the bright pink packaging is what caught my attention, but it was the fact that one of their star ingredients is my favorite fruit, guava. . . . I consistently used it for about five weeks, and just a few days ago I realized that it faded a good amount of my dark spots while making my complexion look glowy and radiant. It's not a product where you'll see results overnight or in two weeks. It takes its time and, with consistency, does the job without enabling my reactive skin. It's a great vitamin C serum that targets dark spots and hyperpigmentation." — AR

Want to know more? Read our in-depth review of the Glow Recipe Guava Vitamin C Dark Spot Brightening Treatment Serum.

Drunk Elephant C-Firma Vitamin C Day Serum ($78)

Brighten your complexion with the potent Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Day Serum. It contains a powerful blend of antioxidants and fruit enzymes to reveal a radiant, even-toned complexion. To make sure you get the freshest batch of vitamin C serum, you have to mix the pure vitamin C powder into the liquid base right before you start using it.

FaceGym Youth Reformer Firming Vitamin C Oil Serum ($110)

FaceGym's vitamin C serum is a hydrating option infused with hyaluronic acid and microalgae molecules, ideal for those with drier skin types. It can help brighten the skin, while reducing the appearance of redness and fine lines. This serum-meets-oil formula contains nootropics that helps soothe the skin while providing a calming sensorial experience with patchouli and palo santo. It can be applied morning and night, and it's best paired with a relaxing facial massage.

Editor Quote: "Though it's pricey, it's luxurious in every sense of the word. Not only does it smell delectable and soothing with patchouli and palo santo, but the texture is silky smooth and leaves my face looking glowy and refreshed and feeling super moisturized (which is why I often reach for it during the winter months)...I highly recommend it if you're committed to incorporating facial massage into your routine and truly relishing the product." — Marisa Petrarca, contributing editor, commerce

Read more of her thoughts in this in-depth FaceGym Youth Reformer Firming Vitamin C Oil Serum review.

Obagi Professional-C Serum 20% ($142)

With 20 percent pure l-ascorbic acid, the Obagi Professional-C Serum 20% is a powerful antioxidant serum that's ideal for those dealing with more stubborn anti-aging or hyperpigmentation concerns. Around five drops every morning of this serum can help brighten and even out your skin tone, while providing effective antioxidant protection, especially when paired with a quality sunscreen. Since it has a higher concentration of pure l-ascorbic acid, this may be irritating to those with sensitive skin. However, the fast-absorbing serum is cushioned with hyaluronic acid, making it hydrating, too.

SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic ($182)

SkinCeuticals discovered the beneficial relationship between ferulic acid, vitamin E, and vitamin C through the development of this serum, and it became known as the gold standard of vitamin C serums. It contains 15 percent pure vitamin C and helps with brightening and evening skin tone, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and providing antioxidant protection. All you need is about four to five drops on your face and neck in the morning.

Editor Quote: "I saw pretty significant results from C E Ferulic after about a week of continuous use. . . . When I use the SkinCeuticals serum every morning (followed by SPF 40), I find that my brown spots fade faster and are often less dark from the get-go. . . . Long story short, anyone who wants to brighten and even out their skin tone, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and get serious antioxidant protection should add this serum to their morning routine." — Aviel Kanter, editorial director, branded content

If you want to read more about this bestselling serum, check out our in-depth review of the SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic serum.

Anvita Reddy is an assistant editor for POPSUGAR Shopping. She has a passion for products and is an avid reviewer of everything including furniture, mattresses, home gadgets, cookware, tech, and more. Having dealt with acne as a teenager and into adulthood, her expertise lies in beauty. She has tried and tested plenty of skin care, makeup, hair care, and countless other beauty products.