These Are the Best Vitamin C Serums Money Can Buy

Though vitamin C is most synonymous with brightening and antioxidant protection when it comes to skin care, it’s also closely linked to collagen production, making it a no-brainer ingredient for all age groups. When pondering which one to try next, leave the guessing game out of it and stick to the expert recommendations to get real results. These are the top vitamin C serums money can buy, according to dermatologists and aestheticians who know what works.

1 / 9

SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic ($169)

“SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic is bar none the best vitamin C serum money can buy. It is the only product formulated using the Duke Antioxidant patent, which has been vigorously tested and proven to be the most effective formulation of vitamin C in combination with other antioxidants.” —Fort Lauderdale dermatologist Dr. Matthew Elias

“SkinCeuticals products, like this best-selling vitamin C serum, go through rigorous clinical testing. The formula includes 15-percent L-ascorbic acid in combination with vitamin E and ferulic acid, making it highly effective at protecting skin from environmental-induced damage for up to 72 hours.” —Omaha, NE dermatologist Joel Schlessinger, MD

“Though this blend of potent antioxidants is the most recommended vitamin C serum of all time, it’s worthy of the hype. It features three antioxidants—vitamin C, vitamin E and ferulic acid—that work synergistically to defend skin from free-radical damage while treating signs of aging like fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots, and skin laxity. It’s incredibly effective and a staple of many of my patients’ routines.” —Toronto dermatologist Geeta Yadav, MD

2 / 9

skinbetter science Alto Advanced Defense and Repair Serum ($199)

“This vitamin C wonderkid is brand-new and brilliant, and along with the usual antioxidant goodies that protect the skin from external oxidation, it also contains the remarkable and first-of-its-kind Allyl PQQ, which helps to protect the skin from intrinsic oxidative damage.” —Bloomfield Hills, MI dermatologist Linda C. Honet, MD

3 / 9

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

“This serum contains a 15-percent concentration of L-ascorbic acid in conjunction with vitamin E and ferulic acid, with the added benefits of super quick absorption into the skin.” —Mila Davis, aesthetician at Skin to Smile

4 / 9

Éminence Organics Citrus & Kale Potent C+E Serum ($110)

“For patients who prefer organic skin-care products, this serum is formulated with two doses of vitamin C, including 16-percent naturally fortified L-ascorbic acid, as well as sodium ascorbyl phosphate, also known as vitamin C salt. In addition to multiple organic fruit and vegetable extracts, it also uses ferulic acid derived from plant leaves to help keep the vitamin C stable and potent.” —Dr. Schlessinger

5 / 9

Replenix Vitamin C Pro Collagen Serum ($125)

“I love this serum because not only does it contain powerhouse levels of vitamin C and vitamin E, but it also harnesses the properties of many other antioxidants to further protect the skin. It contains medical-grade ingredients, it’s very elegant, and it plays well with other skin care and makeup when layered.” —Dr. Honet 

6 / 9

BeautyStat Universal C Skin Refiner ($80)

“This brand’s founder is a cosmetic chemist and he has a profound understanding of what ingredients—and at what concentration—will achieve results. This treatment contains gently exfoliating AHA tartaric acid, which allows a very high dose—20 percent—of vitamin C to better penetrate the skin for a firmer and brighter look. The formula also has a unique silky texture that sits well under makeup.” —Dr. Yadav

7 / 9

Emepelle Serum ($175)

“This one-of-a-kind serum designed for estrogen-deficient skin pairs 3-O ethyl ascorbic acid—an extremely stable form of vitamin C—with MEP Technology to address collagen loss in women that can occur leading up to and during menopause.” —Dr. Schlessinger

8 / 9

bioBare Vitamin C, B, E & Ferulic Serum ($49)

“This serum contains a 20-percent concentration of L-ascorbic acid—the active ingredient in many vitamin C serums—which is one of the highest concentrations on the market. It also combines other potent ingredients, including hyaluronic, ferulic acid and vitamin E, to impart greater effectiveness.” —Mila Davis

9 / 9

LovelySkin LUXE VITA-CE with Ferulic Acid ($85)

“This serum combines 15-percent L-ascorbic acid, tocopherol—vitamin E—and ferulic acid to deliver effective protection against free-radical damage and reduce wrinkle depth by 63 percent in just 28 days. It also features a unique trans-epidermal carrier, which helps deliver an octapeptide blend deeper into the skin offering additional anti-aging benefits.” —Dr. Schlessinger

It's Personal

At NewBeauty, we get the most trusted information from the beauty authority delivered right to your inbox

Find a Doctor

Find a NewBeauty "Top Beauty Doctor" Near you

Select a state State AL AR AZ CA CO CT DC FL GA HI IA IL IN KY LA MA MD MI MN MO NC NE NJ NV NY OH OR PA SC TN TX UT VA WA WI Select a state Specialty Cosmetic Dentist Dermatologist Facial Plastic Surgeon Hair Restoration Specialist Oculoplastic Surgeon Periodontist Plastic Surgeon Prosthodontist Vein Specialist Select a state Treatment Abdominal thread lifts Accent your Body Acne Treatments Alexandrite Laser Arm Lift Asclera Bellafill Belotero Blue Light Body Body Lift Botox Botox Browlift Brachioplasty Brazilian Butt Lift Breast Augmentation Breast Augmentation with Fat Grafting Breast Implants Breast Implants with Saline Breast Implants with Silicone Breast Lift Breast Lift with Implants Breast Reconstruction Breast Reduction Browlift Butt Enhancement Carboxytherapy Cellulite Treatment Cheek Augmentation Cheek Augmentation with Fat Grafting Cheek Implants Cheek Lift Chemical Peels Chin Augmentation CO2 lasers Cool Lipo CoolSculpting CoolTone Crowns Dental Bonding Dental Implants Dimpleplasty Diode Laser Dysport embrace Active Scar Defense Emsculpt Endermologie Endoscopic Browlift Endoscopic Facelift Endoscopic Tummy Tuck Erbium Lasers Exilis Ultra 360 Eyelift Eyelift with Fat Grafting Face Facelift Facelift with Fat Grafting FaceTite Fat Melters and Fat Reducers Fat Transfer Forma Fractional CO2 lasers Fractional Resurfacing Lasers Fractora Glycolic Peels Glytone Enhanced Brightening Cream Gum Dermabrasion Gum Lift Hair Hair Removal Hair Transplant Hair-Loss Treatment Injectables & Fillers for Cheek Augmentation Injectables & Fillers for Eyelift Injectables & Fillers for Lip Enhancement Injectables And Fillers Injectables and Fillers with Fat Grafting Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) Invisalign Isolaz Juvéderm Juvéderm Volbella Juvéderm Voluma Kybella Lactic Acid Peels Laser Liposuction Lasers Lateral Tension Tummy Tuck Limited Incision Facelift Lip Enhancement Lip Enhancement with Fat Grafting Lip Implant Lip Lift Liposculpture Liposuction Liquid Facelift Long Pulsed N: Yag laser Lower Blepharoplasty Lower Body Lift Lower eyelid surgery Lower Facelift MACS Lift Mandelic Peels Microdermabrasion Microinjection Microneedling Microwave Laser Treatment Mini Tummy Tuck Mini-Facelift Mommy Makeover Nd: Yag Neck Liposuction Necklift Nonsurgical Facelift Nonsurgical Rhinoplasty Obagi Blue Peel Otoplasty Perlane Phenol Peels Photobiomodulation Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) Photofacial PiQo4 Plasma Resurfacing Lasers Power Assisted Liposuction Prevelle Pulsed Dye Radiesse Radio Frequency with Microneedling Radio Frequency-Assisted Lipolysis Red Light Restylane Restylane Defyne Restylane Lyft Restylane Refyne Restylane Silk Revision Rhinoplasty Rhinoplasty Salicylic Peels SculpSure Sculptra Aesthetic Selphyl Silhouette Instalift Skin Skin Tighteners Skin Treatments Slim Lipo Smart Lipo SMAS facelift Smile Smile Makeover Smoothshapes Straightening Stretch Mark Treatments TCA Chemical Peels Teeth Whitening Thermage ThermiTight Thigh Lift Titan Tooth Contouring Traditional Facelift Tumescent Liposuction Tummy Tuck Ulthera Ultherapy Ultrasound Assisted Liposuction Umbilicoplasty Upper Blepharoplasty Upper eyelid surgery Vanquish ME VASER Lipo Vein Treatments Velashape Velasmooth Veneers Xeomin Search