The best vitamin c serum for dark spots

The best vitamin c serum for dark spots

Oprah Daily

There are a whole lot of serums out there, from eyelash serum to hyaluronic acid serum to anti-aging face serum. But what if you only have room in your makeup bag for one? Experts say to go with a vitamin C serum—because it really works. “Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that fights fine lines by stimulating collagen, brightens your complexion by blocking excess pigment creation, and protects your skin from damaging free radical and other environmental stressors,” says Michelle Henry, MD, board-certified dermatologist at Skin & Aesthetic Surgery of Manhattan. “As we age, though, the skin’s natural levels of antioxidant vitamin C decrease, which is why it’s so important to add it to your skincare routine.” The one downside? Compared to most products, it often costs more per ounce.

  • 1

    The best vitamin c serum for dark spots

    Best for Sensitive Skin

    Super Glow Glossier

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  • 2

    The best vitamin c serum for dark spots

    Best Vegan Vitamin C Serum

    C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum Drunk Elephant

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  • 3

    The best vitamin c serum for dark spots

    Best Serum With Hyaluronic Acid

    C serum 22 serumtologie

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  • 4

    The best vitamin c serum for dark spots

    Best Vitamin C Serum on Amazon

    Vitamin C Serum TruSkin Naturals

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  • 5

    The best vitamin c serum for dark spots

    Most Affordable Vitamin C Serum

    Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2% The Ordinary

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To make sure you get the best return on your investment, here are a few things to keep in mind: Skip creams spiked with vitamin C and instead choose a serum, which is more effective at penetrating the skin barrier, says Brooke Jackson, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Skin Wellness Dermatology Associates. Additionally, there are several forms of vitamin C—and not all are created equal, says Henry. Check the label for L-ascorbic acid, which is considered to be the vitamin C that’s best for skin. (Even better: if it contains 15 to 20 percent L-ascorbic acid, which is the most effective.) “Vitamin C is notoriously unstable—especially when it’s exposed to air and light,” says Jackson. “So it’s best to pick a formula that comes in an airtight pump or opaque bottle, and keep it away from direct sunlight.” Plus, once you begin to see the results of a good vitamin C serum, you can use less primer, less foundation, and less highlighter, ultimately saving you money.

So, which ones are worth it? Dermatologists say these face-brightening-and-tightening formulas—suitable for a wide range of skin problems, including acne, hyperpigmentation, oiliness, dryness, and sensitivity—are the best vitamin C serums money can buy.

      1

      Best for Sensitive Skin

      Glossier

      Super Glow

      2

      Best Vegan Vitamin C Serum

      Drunk Elephant

      C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum

      3

      Best Serum With Hyaluronic Acid

      serumtologie

      C serum 22

      4

      Best Vitamin C Serum on Amazon

      TruSkin Naturals

      Vitamin C Serum

      5

      Most Affordable Vitamin C Serum

      The Ordinary

      Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2%

      6

      Best Vitamin C Serum for Sensitive Skin

      CeraVe

      Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum

      7

      Best Vitamin C Serum for Hyperpigmentation

      Hyper Skin

      Hyper Even

      8

      Best Vitamin C Serum at Sephora

      Tatcha

      Violet-C Brightening Serum

      9

      Best Vitamin C Serum with Aloe

      Derma E

      Vitamin C Concentrated Serum

      10

      Best Scented Vitamin C Serum

      OLEHENRIKSEN

      Truth Serum

      11

      Best Serum for Oily Skin

      Vichy

      LiftActiv Vitamin C Brightening Skin Corrector

      12

      Best Vitamin C Serum for Dull Skin

      The Body Shop

      Vitamin C Skin Boost Instant Smoother

      13

      Best Vitamin C Serum for Dark Skin

      BeautyStat

      Universal C Skin Refiner

      14

      Best Brightening Vitamin C Serum

      Murad

      Vita-C Glycolic Brightening Serum

      15

      Best Vitamin C Serum with Natural Ingredients

      Ursa Major

      Brighten Up Vitamin C Serum

      16

      Best Vitamin C Serum for Skin Over 50

      Juice Beauty

      GREEN APPLE Age Defy Serum

      17

      Best Individually Packaged Vitamin C Serum

      Vitamin C Ceramide Capsules Radiance Renewal Serum

      18

      Best Vitamin C Serum for Dry Skin

      Paula's Choice

      Resist Super Antioxidant Serum

      19

      Best Pore-Minimizing Vitamin C Serum

      Kiehl's

      Powerful-Strength Vitamin C Serum

      20

      Best Vitamin C Serum for Redness

      SUNDAY RILEY

      C.E.O. Vitamin C Brightening Serum

      21

      Best Vitamin C Serum for All Skin

      Obagi

      Professional-C Vitamin C Serum

      22

      Best Vitamin C Serum with Squalane

      Biossance

      Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil

      23

      Most Expensive Vitamin C Serum

      SkinCeuticals

      C E Ferulic

      24

      Vitamin C Serum From a Black-Owned Brand

      ROSEN

      Bright Citrus Serum

      25

      Best Vitamin C Serum with Turmeric

      Herbivore

      Nova 15% Vitamin C + Turmeric Brightening Serum

      26

      Best Botanical Vitamin C Serum

      MARA

      Chlorella + Reishi Sea Vitamin C Serum

      27

      Best Vitamin C Serum for Boosting Elasticity

      iNNBEAUTY PROJECT

      Green Machine Serum

      28

      Best Affordable Serum for Dark Spots

      Olay

      Tone Perfection Serum

      29

      Best Drugstore Vitamin C Serum

      L'Oréal Paris

      10% Pure Vitamin C Serum

      30

      Oprah Daily Reader Favorite

      Protocol

      Vitamin C Superserum

      31

      Quick Facts on Vitamin C Serums

      What vitamin C does:

      • Vitamin C is an antioxidant that fights fine lines by stimulating collagen
      • It brightens your complexion by blocking excess pigment creation
      • It protects your skin from damaging environmental stressors

      Why you should use vitamin C:

      • The aging process reduces the skin's natural levels of antioxidants, leaving skin with more lines and less glow as you get older
      • Regularly using vitamin C will improve the look of your skin overall, so you can save money on primer, foundation, concealer, and highlighter

      What to look for in a vitamin C serum:

      • Skip creams spiked with vitamin C and instead choose a serum, which will more effectively penetrate the skin barrier
      • L-ascorbic acid is a more potent form of vitamin C, so check the ingredient label for that specifically
      • Vitamin C is unstable, especially when exposed to air and light, so pick a formula that comes in an airtight pump or opaque bottle, and keep it away from direct sunlight

      How to use vitamin C serums:

      • Apply vitamin C serums after cleansing, but before moisturizing, for optimal results

      Cassie Hurwitz Assistant Editor Cassie Hurwitz (she/her) is an assistant editor at Oprah Daily, where she covers everything from culture to entertainment to lifestyle.

      Can vitamin C serum removes dark spots?

      Vitamin C is known to reduce hyperpigmentation by reducing the effects of the tyrosine enzyme. The enzyme is responsible for the production of melanin that gives your skin its color. Vitamin C also functions as a brightening agent. It has properties that reduce dark spots without changing your skin color.

      Which serum is best to remove dark spots?

      Check out our top picks for face serums that target dark spots..
      SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF. ... .
      Murad Rapid Dark Spot Correcting Serum. ... .
      iS Clinical Brightening Complex. ... .
      Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum. ... .
      Dr. ... .
      Obagi Nu-Derm Clear Fx. ... .
      PCA Skin Vitamin B3 Brightening Serum..

      What Vitamin C serum is the most effective?

      Healthline's picks for the best vitamin C serums.
      Pixi Vitamin-C Serum..
      Murad Environmental Shield Vita-C Glycolic Brightening Serum..
      Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster..
      Peter Thomas Roth Potent-C Power Serum..
      Sunday Riley C.E.O. ... .
      La Roche-Posay Vitamin C Serum..
      SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic..
      Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Day Serum..

      Is vitamin C good for lightening dark spots?

      Might Lighten Dark Spots Vitamin C-based skin care products may lighten patches that are darker than the rest of your skin, called hyperpigmentation. In one study, vitamin C applied to the skin for 16 weeks significantly cut down on these spots.