Editor Tip: For an added dose of dark circle-brightening vitamin C for your undereyes, we recommend pairing this serum with BeautyStat’s Universal C Eye Perfector, an Allure Best of Beauty Award winner.
Key Ingredients: L-ascorbic acid, green tea extract, squalane, tartaric acid | Who It’s For: Anyone who wants to effectively target hyperpigmentation and discoloration | Fragrance-Free: Yes
Frequently Asked Questions
What does vitamin C do for the skin?
“Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant,” explains board-certified dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD, the director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai’s Department of Dermatology in New York City. “It interferes with pigment production and keeps inflammation at bay.” Not only that, but it can also support collagen production. Collagen is an important protein in your body that supports your skin’s elasticity and firmness. “It is the scaffold that gives these tissues structure,” Connecticut-based board-certified dermatologist Mona Gohara, MD previously told Allure.
Vitamin C’s antioxidant properties mean that it can neutralize free radicals, which are molecules created by external factors like air pollution and sunlight, says Dr. Zeichner. And since free radicals speed up signs of aging, vitamin C helps address fine lines they cause, too. Think of it as the ideal daytime counterpart to the retinol or acids you might use at night to smooth over your skin, speed up cellular turnover, and treat acne scars left over from breakouts.
Does vitamin C help fade dark spots and discoloration?
It’s also a staple in brightening products since vitamin C can inhibit your skin’s melanin production, which is what causes skin discoloration like dark spots and hyperpigmentation, New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Patricia Wexler, MD, previously told Allure. Over time, she says, vitamin C can help prevent dark spots from forming in the first place — in addition to evening out skin tone.
How we test and review products
When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.
For our list of vitamin C serums, we considered each product’s performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors — along with special consideration from board-certified dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors — in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon — is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the “best” for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we can fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
Meet the Experts
- Robert Finney, MD, a New York City board-certified dermatologist
- Tiffany Clay, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Atlanta, Georgia
- Caroline Robinson, MD, a Chicago-based board-certified dermatologist
- Joshua Zeichner, MD, a board-certified dermatologist the director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai’s Department of Dermatology in New York City
- Patricia Wexler, MD, a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist
