Best vitamin C serums for 2021: Obagi, Skinceuticals and Marie Veronique – CNET [CNET]

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that can help you when you’re sick or even stressed. While it already likely has a spot in your supplement routine, you should also consider adding it your skincare routine. Topical vitamin C is found in a ton of different skincare products and many skincare experts recommend it for better skin. Just ask dermatologist, Dr. Elyse Love. 

“Vitamin C is a great ingredient because it is a multitasker. It’s an antioxidant, so it helps to protect the skin against any UV damage that may have made it through your sunscreen defense,” says Love. “It also helps to regulate pigmentation production, producing a more even skin tone. For this reason, I recommend vitamin C a lot — for its anti-aging protective effects and pigment-regulating function,” says Love. 

We curated some of the best vitamin C serums for your skin below based on extensive research, expert recommendations and top-rated and reviewed products online. 

What to look for when shopping for a vitamin C serum

What to look for in a vitamin C serum depends on your personal skin concerns. If you’re concerned about acne, be sure to look for products that are oil-free. “Vitamin C is often formulated with vitamin E for their synergistic antioxidant effects, but vitamin E is an oil and may cause flares on acne prone skin,” says Love. 

Keep in mind that vitamin C serums can be irritating to the skin. If you’re concerned about sensitivity, look for brands that advertise “sensitive skin” or note that the product is formulated to reduce irritation when you shop for products. 

Sometimes it’s ok to buy skincare products and let them sit on the shelf for a few months before using them. But you don’t want to do that with products that contain vitamin C. “L-ascorbic acid [vitamin C] is difficult to stabilize, which is why a ‘steal’ is probably too good to be true. Both air and sunlight can oxidize vitamin C, causing it to lose some of its efficacy,” says Love.

Besides using the product as quickly as you can, Love also suggests opting for a serum that comes in a container that blocks out light. “Minimize the amount of time the product is exposed to air by applying it quickly to your hands and screwing the top back on the bottle securely. Some products now come in containers that don’t require opening the top, so this is also helpful,” says Love.   

How to use vitamin C serum 

Dermatologist Dr. Caren Campbell recommends applying vitamin C in the morning. “Apply 2-3 drops in the morning after washing your face. Vitamin C helps your sunscreen work better so it’s best used during the day, [which] is also when you are exposed to oxidative stressors like sun and pollution,” says Campbell.