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The holidays can make even the most put-together of us feel a little rough around the edges. With all that planning, shopping, partying and stress, it’s easy for things like our wellness routine to fall between the cracks.
That’s why adding a little bit of self-love to someone’s holiday gift bag can be an especially thoughtful present — and a vitamin C serum is a great way to help keep your friends and family looking their best during this frantic time of year.
That’s why we’ve put together a handy holiday guide for the best types of vitamin C serums on the market, including:
- Best Vitamin C Serum for Wrinkle Repair: AnnieMak Restore Vitamin C Serum
- Best Vitamin C Scrub: CLEARSTEM VITAMINSCRUB
- Best Vitamin C Serum for Men: Hims Vitamin C Serum
- Best for Instant Results: Zatural CBD + Vitamin C Serum
- Best Vitamin C Serum with CBD: cbdMD Botanicals Dynamic Serum
- Best Vitamin C Serum for a Glow: Foreo Serum Serum Serum
- Best Vitamin C Serum for Dry Skin: Vena Daily Hy
Best Vitamin C Serums for Holiday Gift Giving
Keep reading to find out more about what this wonder ingredient can do, and why we liked these brands in particular.
Best Vitamin C Serum for Wrinkle Repair: AnnieMak Restore Vitamin C Serum
Aging naturally is a beautiful thing. But that doesn’t mean we have to welcome every wrinkle that comes our way. And with AnnieMak’s formula, we don’t have to.
The mixture is a powerful antidote to many signs of aging, including wrinkles, thanks to its whopping 26% of vitamin C — which is the highest concentration found in the skincare industry.
All that vitamin C goodness can penetrate deeply into skin, working to make it brighter, tighter and all-together more youthful looking. But it’s not the only trick the company has up its sleeves.
The formula also uses organic witch hazel, to help open up the pores, and allow the ingredients to penetrate as deeply as possible. Organic aloe vera helps smooth out and replenish the skin. And plant-based hyaluronic acid works to hydrate from the inside, ensuring an all together refreshed looking face.
Pros:
- Promotes healthy collagen for firmer skin
- Increases skin’s elasticity
- Non-GMO
Recommended Usage: Shake before use. Apply one full pump to face and neck with fingertips
What Customers Love: Customers were grateful for this potent formula, saying it helped in all areas of their skin. Some mentioned the mix’s ability to lighten up age spots, while others marveled at their smoother complexions — but all loved how effective it was overall.
Best Vitamin C Scrub: CLEARSTEM VITAMINSCRUB
For those looking to add a bit of a rougher touch to their skincare routine, this scrub has a lot to offer. With all the brightening power of vitamin C behind it, and all the exfoliating potential of natural bamboo particles, CLEARSTEM’s formula brings the best of all worlds to the table.
The idea is to utilize the environmentally-friendly bamboo particles to break through weak, dead and dying skin, scrubbing away what the face no longer needs, before replenishing the new skin underneath. Stepping into that nurturing role are a number of all-natural ingredients, including vitamin C and hemp extract, which has a number of hydrating fatty acids that keep skin looking plump and pure.
And rounding out the bunch is green tea extract, which helps wake up the skin as much as it wakes up the brain, leaving a glowing, fresh-looking face behind.
Pros:
- Zero hormone disruptors
- Gently polishes the skin
- Cruelty-free
Recommended Usage: Rub vigorously into face for 6–8 seconds before washing off
What Customers Love: Users of this scrub were grateful for an exfoliating agent that utilized environmentally-friendly scrubbers, rather than the usual plastic beads that eventually clog up natural resources. And they raved that the effects were just as good for their faces as the overall product is for the environment.
Best Vitamin C Serum for Men: Hims Vitamin C Serum
It’s not just women who care about their skincare routine. After all, men have their own fair share of wrinkles, sagging skin and other signs of aging to deal with.
That’s why Hims came together to concoct a formula specially-tuned for male skin. And while that includes a lot of the same ingredients common to other skincare products, it’s all about the ratio.
Him employs just the right amount of vitamin C for men to let sink into their skin and do its best work at tightening, brightening and plumping things up. The formula also utilizes orange peel extract to help tone rough male skin, and hyaluronic acid completes the formula, bringing its knack for deep hydration to the mix.
Plus, the whole thing is made from ingredients not tested on animals, which is something men, women and everyone else can get behind.
Pros:
- Helps restore hydration
- Made for all male skin types
- Promotes healthy collagen production
Recommended Usage: Apply evenly to face and neck daily
What Customers Love: Most customers were thrilled with the simplicity of this product. Many commented that they weren’t sure where to even begin when it came to building a skincare routine, but that this vitamin C serum helped them start with a solid foundation.
Best for Instant Results: Zatural CBD + Vitamin C Serum
Help with wrinkles, sagging skin and dark spots, all without using any artificial products, may sound like a tall order for a skincare product — but Zatural delivers.
With their Vitamin C Serum, the company achieves the nearly-impossible, concocting a formula that jumps through all the hoops and really performs.
That’s thanks in no small part to the serum’s superstar ingredients, including plant-based hyaluronic acid, which helps improve skin elasticity and moisture retention, as well as vegetable collagen, which helps smooth out wrinkles and offer skin a lovely overall texture.
But these ingredients are really kicked off by the addition of CBD — the hemp plant part that adds its own boost of anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antifungal powers to the equation. And that’s nothing to say of the vitamin C, which works to up the collagen ante, as well as brightening skin and diminishing fine lines.
Pros:
- Delivers instant results
- Balances skin tones
- Good Manufacturing Practices-certified
Recommended Usage: Apply two times a day to freshly-washed skin
What Customers Love: Customers loved that this product was pure and simple, but safe and effective, naming the all-natural ingredients as a top takeaway from their experience. Still, as most users attested in the comments, Mother Nature knows what she’s doing — and this effective formula proves it.
Best Vitamin C Serum with CBD: cbdMD Botanicals Dynamic Serum
For those really looking to make the most of that other C-themed super-ingredient in their vitamin C serum, look no further than cbdMD Botanicals’ Dynamic Serum.
The formula is high in high-quality cannabidiol — better known as CBD — which is increasingly becoming a favorite in skincare products, thanks to a number of beneficial properties. The hemp plant part has been linked to anti-inflammatory qualities, as well as antimicrobial and antifungal properties, ensuring skin isn’t just glowing, but healthy from the inside out. Plus, CBD can help balance hormones in a way that helps keep skin clear.
But that’s not all the formula has to offer. Of course, there’s the vitamin C that makes it a vitamin C serum, bringing with it all the tightening and brightening abilities of the natural compound. And the mix also gets a kick from extras like hyaluronic acid and jojoba oil, an all-natural additive that helps encourage deep hydration.
Pros:
- Delivers superior hydration
- Domestically-grown hemp
- National Hemp Association member
Recommended Usage: Apply one full pump to freshly cleaned face and neck
What Customers Love: Customers loved the fresh feeling they got from using this product, saying it felt like having a whole new face. Others enjoyed the lightweight feel of the formula, which they said just kissed their skin.
Best Vitamin C Serum for a Glow: Foreo Serum Serum Serum
The thrice-repeated name of this product may sound like an encantation, but Foreo’s Serum Serum Serum is nothing short but modern-day magic.
But the results are no illusion; they’re backed by science.
The company utilizes something called micro-capsules, a type of technology that shrinks down the active ingredients to make them more readily absorbable by the skin. This means that the product penetrates even more deeply than most other skincare formulas, ensuring that warm radiation really starts from the inside out.
And that’s to say nothing of the ingredients themselves. Starring in this show are, of course, vitamin C, with its antioxidant and firming capabilities. But Foreo also takes advantage of something called squalene, a natural compound that mimics the skin’s natural oils, making skin glow even brighter than ever, all while appearing firmer and plumper.
Pros:
- Cruelty-free formula
- Fragrance-free (good for sensitive skin)
- Penetrates deeper layers of skin
Recommended Usage: Apply generously to face after cleansing
What Customers Love: Customers were thrilled with the all-natural glow this product gave their skin, comparing it to their best-ever suntan, without all the worry of damaging sun rays. Others appreciated the lightweight feel of the formula, saying if it weren’t for the feeling it gave them, they could forget they were wearing it at all.
Best Vitamin C Serum for Dry Skin: Vena Daily Hy
With its Daily Hy formula, Vena uses vitamin C to its maximum potential — not just for its skin brightening prowess, but for its ability to heighten the powers of hydrating agents.
Adding the element to the mix can help pump up the volume of other natural compounds, priming the skin to absorb even more moisturizing potential. And Vena delivers the goods, with an ingredients list filled with all-natural fillers, including hyaluronic acid, which works by drawing and retaining moisture to the skin; rosehip oil, which enriches things with its infusion of essential fatty acids; and the vitamin B-paced superfood lychee.
Plus, the formula includes cannabidiol, better known as CBD, another all-natural agent with no shortage of skincare benefits. And the crop is as thoughtfully chosen as the rest of the ingredients, being sourced from domestic farms, and tested at a third-party lab for safety and efficiency before it’s allowed anywhere near the rest of the formula.
Pros:
- Reduces appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
- Domestically-grown ingredients
- Third-party lab tested
Recommended Usage: After cleansing, gently massage into skin
What Customers Love: Customers said this serum felt like giving their skin a big drink of water, and loved the luscious feel it left behind, as well as the softness, scent and brightness provided by the clever mix of ingredients.
How Do Vitamin C Serums Work?
Vitamin C is routinely considered one of the best ingredients out there for turning back the clock on aging skin and offering the type of overall support that leads to a smooth and glowing complexion. But why?
One of the biggest tricks of the nutrient is its ability to court hydration. One way its able to so deftly do this is by stopping something called transepidermal water loss, which is the seeping out of liquid from the pores. Another is by helping to improve the skin’s overall barrier function, which not only stops water from getting out, but helps keep more moisture in.
The anti-inflammatory prowess of the formula is also a big boon to skincare. What this winds up looking like on the outside is not only skin that’s less inflamed and puffy, but skin that’s wiped clean of red spots or splotches, and an overall smoother and more even-looking complexion.
Similarly, vitamin C can also help deal with specifically uneven skin—namely, that which is marked with age spots, sun spots, or discolored areas known as melisma. It works like a magic eraser in these situations, by helping reduce the influence of an enzyme called tyrosinase, which is responsible for hyper-pigmented areas.
Giving skin a pumped up effect is another noted result of using vitamin C. This benefit comes from the compound’s ability to promote the production of something called collagen — the ingredient responsible for skin’s firmness and bouncy, youthful-looking quality.
Unfortunately, collagen production naturally wanes as time goes on, but vitamin C can help spark it back up. In fact, the compound is one of two essential ingredients in collagen synthesis, so the body literally couldn’t make more without it.
And finally, one of the biggest reasons vitamin C serums work so well for so many people is because the compound is almost universally accepted by skin cells. While there are no shortage of different skin types, ranging from dry to sensitive to oily, vitamin C can work well with nearly all of them.
How to Choose Vitamin C Serums for You?
One of the most intimidating things about the skincare world is the sheer volume of products on the marketplace. Consumers are anything if not spoiled by choice – but not all products are created equal.
Even after weeding out the bad apples, the realm of trustworthy vitamin C serums in itself can be overwhelming. So how do you start zeroing in on the best product possible for your own, unique skin?
First, you should assess your skin type as best as you can. Vitamin C serums come in all sorts of strengths, but they all may not be suitable for everyone. Those with sensitive skin may find themselves uncomfortable after using higher volumes of the stuff, so experts recommend starting on the lower end – around 5% or so, to give your skin a chance to get used to the additive.
Still, for those with more regular skin, higher doses of vitamin C do often correlate with faster results, so feel free to go as high as 20% in a given formula.
Getting more into the weeds, the actual form of the vitamin C can also make a difference. This is where things get a little tricky and scientific, but vitamin C derived from magnesium—which manifests in the form ascorbyl phosphate—is different from that which comes as L-acsorbic acid. Typically, the former is a bit more stable than the latter.
Still, if you’re concerned about picking out the very best vitamin C serum for you, you can always consult your dermatologist, who will be able to offer more specific details. But overall, take heart in knowing that the product isn’t only one of the safest on the skincare market, it’s also one of the most reliably effective, leaving a long line of happy and glowing skin in its wake.
FAQs
The skincare world can often beg a number of questions from users and would-be customers alike. These are among some of the most common.
What kind of skin care product is best for me?
This answer depends entirely on a number of various factors, including your skin type, your age, and the results you’re looking for.
Certain skincare products are aimed at cleansing skin, while others are built around firming and brightening, and that’s just the start of what skincare products are formulated to do.
The best way to determine what the best type of skincare product for you is, is to first think about the type of skin you have. Oily skin may respond differently than dry skin, sensitive skin, regular skin, or combination skin.
After you’ve determined that, think about the types of results you’re looking for. Are you interested in boosting hydration? Getting rid of wrinkles? Working on clearing up acne?
There are troves of information online that can help you narrow down your search from here. But regardless of which direction you go in, make sure to put in the extra research needed to ensure you’re buying your products from a reputable brand. The skincare industry can be sadly under-regulated, allowing a number of less-than-toward companies to sell their wares.
A good skincare company will usually boast safe, organic ingredients, have its products tested by a third-party lab, and utilizes formulas that are paraben-free, among other markers.
If you really want to zero in on your search, though, your best bet is to consult your dermatologist about the best skincare options for you.
Is Vitamin C safe?
Yes. Vitamin C is among some of the safest nutrients out there, with studies showing it has mild-to-no effects on most skin types, even after prolonged use.
How do I use vitamin C serum?
There are several theories about whether the best time to apply a serum in a skincare routine is before or after adding a moisturizer.
For our money, we go with the idea that it’s better to start with the lightest materials and work your way up. So in the course of a full skincare routine, that would place a vitamin C serum somewhere after a cleanser and a toner, but before heavier fare, like a moisturizing cream.
Regardless of how many steps you’d like to add to your routine, though, you should always apply serums to a face that’s freshly clean.
Another key point to remember is that less is more. Often, it only really takes a few drops of the stuff (if using a dropper) or no more than one pump to do the trick. Rub the amount between your fingers to get started.
Then, use your fingertips to gently dab the serum on your face. It’s recommended to use your ring finger, as it’s typically the weakest, and likely to apply the least pressure. Adding too much pressure during this process can help further damage skin.
Once your face is covered, give the product a minute or so to sink in before going on to the next step.
Skincare can be a transformational aspect of a daily routine, helping a face stay fresh-looking for far longer than one with uncared-for skin. And one of the most important steps in a good routine is a vitamin C serum.
These nutrient-packed products are great at helping with everything from boosted collagen production—which helps naturally plump up skin—to increased hydration that keeps skin looking dewy and young, to keeping a complexion that looks firmer, brighter, and overall more even.
And while vitamin C is one of the safest skin care products around, and typically able to adapt to nearly every skin type, it’s still important to do some research before settling on a product you’d like to try.
Try to keep in mind your skin’s level of sensitivity, the other products in your skincare routine, and, ultimately, the results you’re hoping to get from your vitamin C serum before making your choice.
Yet, in this case, a little research can go a long way. With a face that feels youthful and glowy from the inside out, you’ll know that it was time worth spent.
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