While drinking your morning OJ can boost your vitamin C intake, the best way to experience all the benefits vitamin C has to offer is to apply it directly to your skin.
Vitamin C Serums have undoubtedly been one of the most popular serums to hit the market over the past couple of years and a favorite among dermatologists—all for good reason, too. This power-packed serum possesses unmatched benefits that can boost your skin’s overall appearance and level up your skincare routine.
There are a ton of options for facials serums on the market. Oftentimes, most people will purchase the first or cheapest one they can find. Luckily, we’re here to help investigate some of the top Vitamin C serums on the market in 2023 and find out what they have to offer.
The majority of quality vitamin C serums come with hefty price tags, however, we discovered the company 'Aloe Infusion' that has been creating waves on social media and in the news with their high-quality Vitamin C Serum that comes at a wallet-friendly price tag!
Not all vitamin C serums are created equal. When shopping for the ideal vitamin C serum, there are a few things to keep in mind, such as concentration levels, packaging, and additional ingredients.
It can be difficult to know which are the best Vitamin C Serums on the market. That's why Great Life Tips has compiled months of research about this emerging category. We’ll show you what to look for and what to avoid when picking your perfect serum, and how it can help transform your skin.
Benefits of Vitamin C Serum:
Helps Boosts Hydration1
- Rejuvenates Skin
- Lowers Inflammation & Reduce Eye Bags
Improves Skin’s Appearance2,3
- Promotes Collagen Production
- Helps Slow Down Aging Process
Helps Healing & Scarring4,5
- Minimizes Scarring
- Aids in Fading Hyperpigmentation
Smooths Skin Texture2
- Increases Skin’s Elasticity
- Helps Prevent Sagging & Wrinkles
What You Need In The Perfect Vitamin C Serum
Taking all of the healthful attributes listed above into consideration, we've boiled down a list of four key characteristics you should always look for in you should always look for in a great Vitamin C Serum. Try to seek out all of these qualities:
Quality Ingredients
When investing in vitamin C serums, it is essential to look for one with quality, effective ingredients. After all, the purpose of vitamin C serum is to hydrate, rejuvenate, and protect the skin. Applying a formula with ingredients that are not beneficial to the skin, especially broken or damaged skin, can cause even greater problems.
Look for Vitamin C Serums that contain additional ingredients like vitamin E, aloe, hyaluronic acid, and green tea—all of which help promote your skin’s health and appearance.2
Level of Concentration
A concentration lower than 8 percent will be highly ineffective, while a concentration above 20 percent could lead to skin irritation. Additionally, anything above 20 percent has no increase in benefit, so there’s no reason to pay for the extra.
Look for a concentration right in the “sweet spot”—between 10 and 20 percent.1
Ideal Packaging
When searching for the perfect vitamin C serum, the packaging it comes in may be an afterthought, but can ultimately change the overall quality and effectiveness of the serum. Since exposure to light, air, and heat can negatively affect your serum and make it unstable, it is best to avoid serums that come in clear glass bottles with air pump delivery.6
Instead, you should look for a serum that comes in a darker glass bottle and features a medicine dropper delivery.
Safe for Sensitive Skin
Whether you have sensitive skin or not, choosing a Vitamin C Serum that works well for sensitive skin will lessen the chance of any harsh reactions, especially on broken skin.
What To Avoid when buying a Vitamin C Serum
Low-Quality Ingredients
As we mentioned previously, it’s important to not only read the ingredients but be aware of the quality of these ingredients or their reason for being in the serum. In terms of serums, the more ingredients listed in the formula, the less likely it is to be at the level needed to be effective.
When choosing your vitamin C serum, avoid ones that contain cheap, ineffective, or low-concentrated ingredients. If a serum claims to have an active ingredient, but in reality, it is the last ingredient listed on the label, it is of low concentration.
It’s best to look for clean ingredients when purchasing aloe vera gel.
Sacrificing Quality for Price
Many people believe that the higher the price of a skincare product, the better quality it is. However, that is not always the case. Many higher-priced serums come with ineffective or low-quality ingredients. They may also come with additional filler ingredients that can have negative impacts on your skin’s health.
Avoid looking at the price tag, and rather look at factors like formulation and concentration.
Top 5 Vitamin C Serums of 2023
Based on our own extensive research, the metrics provided by our Great Life Tips Ranking System, and consideration of thousands of reviews by Shoppers just like you, we've compiled a list of what we've found to be the top five products in this category, on the market today.
Vitamin C Facial Serum
Total Ranking
375 votes
9.7/10
A+
Overall GradePROS
- 15% Concentration
- Collagen-conscious blend of Vitamin C, E, & Hyaluronic Acid
- Helps Enhance & Rejuvenate Skin
- Lightweight & Easy Application
- Paraben-Free & Vegan-Friendly
- Cruelty-Free & Made in the USA
- Excellent US-based customer service
CONS
- Only available online
The Bottom Line
Aloe Infusion’s Vitamin C Facial Serum offers an incredible value featuring a potent 15 percent concentration of vitamin C. Packed with many healthful benefits, this serum also features ingredients like aloe, hyaluronic acid, green tea, and vitamin E to enhance this formula.
This collagen-boosting blend helps rejuvenate, hydrate, and enhance the skin, while also providing anti-inflammatory properties. This serum is bottled in a dark bottle, complete with an eye dropper applicator, to ensure the quality of the serum lasts.
Use with peace of mind knowing this Vitamin C Serum is cruelty-free and is never tested on animals. It is also a fantastic price per ounce.
*Results are based on the Great Life Tips Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
Learn About Our Top Pick2. Vitamin C Serum
Total Ranking
214 votes
9.1/10
A-
Overall GradePROS
- 15% Concentration
- Lightweight & Easy Application
- Paraben-Free & Vegan Friendly
- Cruelty-Free & Made in the USA
CONS
- Only Available Online
- Runs Out of Stock Frequently
The Bottom Line
Our next pick is the cruelty-free Argan Cosmetic’s Vitamin C Serum.
This product features a power-packed formula that contains 15 percent concentrated vitamin C, along with argan oil, aloe, and many other beneficial ingredients to enhance your skin. Their packaging is similar to Aloe Infusion’s serum, which we love because that means the quality of your serum will last and it is easy to apply.
This lightweight and easily absorbed serum is a great option for those looking to level up their skincare routine.
*Results are based on the Great Life Tips Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
Learn More3. 20% Vitamin C Serum
Total Ranking
263 votes
8.7/10
B+
Overall GradePROS
- 20% Concentration
- Powerful Blend
- Mindful Formula
CONS
- Odor
- Not for Sensitive Skin
- 30-Day Return Policy
The Bottom Line
PURA D’OR’s 20% Vitamin C Serum is a great affordable option. Although, it is important to note that their formula includes ingredients that—if mixed with vitamin C—can cause skin irritation to those with sensitive skin.
However, their serum does include some powerful and beneficial ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid, argan oil, and vitamin E. We also appreciate their mindful approach to their products by being free of parabens, sulfate, silicone, and harsh chemicals.
While this is a great option, this serum has been said to have a slight odor, which may turn away some consumers.
*Results are based on the Great Life Tips Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
Learn More4. BOOST C15 Super Booster
Total Ranking
299 votes
8.1/10
B-
Overall GradePROS
- Brighter Skin
- 15% Concentration
- Eye-Dropper Applicator
CONS
- Expensive
- Oxidized Quickly
- Tacky & Heavy Feel
- 30-Day Return Policy
The Bottom Line
We were excited to review the Paula’s Choice Super Booster Serum since it had extensive good reviews.
We love the eye dropper applicator since it makes for easy application to the skin. The formula includes 15 percent vitamin C, along with vitamin E and ferulic acid. Many consumers state they did see a difference in their skin.
However, the cons, in this case, may outweigh the pros for some people. It is a slightly higher price per ounce—at the time of writing this serum is $52.00 for only 20ml. Many consumers also stated that their serum oxidized quickly. Between those issues and the feel on the skin, we just don’t know if the price point is completely worth it.
*Results are based on the Great Life Tips Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
Learn More5. Vitamin C Super Serum Plus
Total Ranking
194 votes
7.9/10
C+
Overall GradePROS
- Effective Ingredients
- Clean Formula
CONS
- Quality of Packaging
- Contains Retinol
- Slow to Take Effect
- 30-Day Return Policy
The Bottom Line
Naturium is a newer, yet more popular skincare brand, specializing in healthful beauty products. Their Vitamin C Serum has many fantastic features and some not-so-nice ones.
The pros are high with this Vitamin C Serum. The formula includes some great ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and salicylic acid. However, it does include retinol, which is oftentimes said not to be mixed with vitamin C. So those with sensitive skin should use this serum with caution. This serum is a “clean formula,” meaning it is cruelty-, paraben-, and fragrance-free.
Overall we love this product but do consider the cons before purchase. Unlike all the other options on this list, this Vitamin C Serum comes packaged with an air pump delivery. This may make the serum oxidize quicker. Additionally, this type of packaging may make it harder to get the product out. Additionally, many consumers said it took them quite a while to see any noticeable improvements.
*Results are based on the Great Life Tips Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
Learn More
Leave a Reply