SKINCARE JUNKIES' REVIEWS

2022's Best Vitamin C Serums


If you’ve ended up on this page, it means you’re either interested to learn more about Vitamin C serums, or you’d like to find out what some of the best serums are out there on the market!

As skincare junkies, we try to find great products for personal use. We then, share the results with our audiences and present them with five to ten options, that we would personally vouch for.

We know you’re excited to see which Vitamin C serums are worthy of our list, so without further delay, we’d like to reveal our top 5 Vitamin C serums:

#1 Rated: bioBare®
Vitamin C, B, E & Ferulic Serum

bioBare Vitamin C, B, E & Ferulic Serum

Our Rating: 9.5/10
Customer Rating: 9.62/10 (638 Votes)

Positives

  • 20% L-Ascorbic Acid in a water based solution.
  • Does not contain Parabens, colorants or fragrances.
  • Contains Vitamins E, B3, and B5.
  • Contains both Hyaluronic & Ferulic Acids, which seems to be the secret key.
  • Packaged in a special white glass bottle, specifically designed for Vitamin C serums. (Preserves the serum significantly better than the common amber bottles).
  • Hypoallergenic, effective for all skin types.
  • Cruelty-free and made in the USA in an ISO 22716 certified, cGMP accredited and FDA-Registered facility.
  • Recommended by Board Certified Plastic Surgeons.
  • 30-Day money back guarantee, combined with excellent customer service.

Negatives

  • Sells Out quickly (We had to figure this one out, so we contacted the company and they stated: “It’s mainly due to high demand, but also, due to our commitment to providing fresh batch of serums to our customers.”
  • Not available in stores (online only).

Analysis

Loaded with all the ingredients of an ideal Vitamin C serum, and then some, bioBare® offers the most effective Vitamin C Serum that we’ve personally tried out. Consisting of 20% Vitamin C, and 1% Ferulic Acid, this serum offers premium protection against the harmful effects of free radicals. Free radicals are toxic byproducts of oxygen metabolism that can cause significant damage to living cells and tissues, proteins, and your DNA, in a process called "oxidative stress."

We really appreciate that bioBare® has enriched their serum with the powerful combination of Vitamins B and E, providing extra protection against damaging oxidation, resulting from pollution and environmental toxins.

In addition to being produced by one of the leading skin-care manufacturers in the world, we’d like to point out that this Vitamin C serum is rich in plant-based and natural ingredients.

The bioBare® Vitamin C, B, E & Ferulic serum with Hyaluronic Acid has the most complete and advanced formula on the market. Considering it contains all the essential skin care ingredients, at $49 a bottle, you get a big bang for your buck!


#2 Rated: SkinCeuticals
C E FERULIC® WITH 15%
L-ASCORBIC ACID

Our Rating: 8.0/10
Customer Rating: 71%

Positives

  • 15% L-ascorbic acid in a water based solution.
  • Does not contain Paraben or additives
  • Protects against atmospheric aging
  • Suitable for Post-Laser treatment
  • The second highest success rate
  • Suitable for normal, dry, and sensitive skin
  • They offer free samples with product purchases
  • Made in the USA

Negatives

  • ​​​​Questionable claim of effectiveness for 72 hours
  • ​​​​5% less L-ascorbic acid, compared to #1 rated product
  • Counterfeit Products Sold on Internet
  • May not be suitable for all skin types
  • Extremely Expensive at $169 USD

Analysis

Marketed as a “24X Beauty Award Winner”, SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic serum claims to deliver advanced environmental protection and improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Examining CE Ferulic’s ingredients, we found the product to contain a combination of 15% Vitamin C, 1% Vitamin E, and 0.5% Ferulic Acid.

Claiming to be suitable for most skin types, SkinCeuticals' Vitamin C serum is Paraben-free and is suitable for Post-Laser treatment. One claim made by the manufacturer that our review team found questionable is that they claim the serum “remains effective for a minimum of 72 hours”; our research team found no evidence that the company has clinical trials to support this claim.

Our review team was also very surprised to learn that there appear to be several imposters or “knock-off” SkinCeuticals products on the market. Several user reviews claim to have received products that appear to be spoiled or different in color from the original; more concerning were several reviews indicating that theses imposter products have caused users facial discomfort and have even caused breakouts.

Available for $166 per fl oz, SkinCeuticals C, E Ferulic serum is very expensive and was ranked second in our review of the best vitamin C serums.


#3 Rated: Dr Dennis Gross
C + Collagen™ Brighten & Firm Vitamin C Serum

Our Rating: 7.0/10
Customer Rating: 63%

Positives

  • Contains 3-O –Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
  • Clinically Proven Results
  • Positive User Feedback
  • Made in the USA

Negatives

  • Leaves a Orange/Tan Tinge on Skin
  • Undesirable Smell
  • Made with Synthetic Ingredients

Analysis

Described as a weightless, fast-absorbing gel-serum, Dr. Dennis Gross’ C+ Collagen Brighten & Firm Vitamin C Serum is our third-ranked vitamin C serum and claims to use the most effective stabilized form of Vitamin C, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, as the key ingredient.  

While 3-0 ethyl Ascorbic Acid is a stable vitamin C derivative often used in skin care products, our research failed to convince us that is the most effective stabilized form of vitamin C – as claimed by the manufacturer.

The product description claims the product will immediately brighten and smooth completion by “boosting skin’s energy and tackle the toughest visible signs of aging.” Users posting reviews on the Dr. Dennis Gross website provide mostly favorable feedback; including “noticeable fading of age spots on cheeks” and “does an excellent job of brightening and firming.” However, the same users also warned that this product will leave a “brown/orange tinge” on the skin, has an undesirable texture when dry, and using the product is “not the most pleasant experience to use due to the smell.”

Available for $78 per fl, Dr. Dennis Gross’ C+ Collagen Brighten & Firm Vitamin C Serum is among the more affordable serums in our review.


#4 Rated: Cellex-C
Advanced C Serum

Our Rating: 6.5/10
Customer Rating: 55%

Positives

  • Rich in Ascorbic Acid
  • Contains only 4 Ingredients
  • Made in Canada

Negatives

  • Not Clinically Tested
  • Poor Customer Reviews & Feedbacks
  • Questionable Results and Effectiveness

Analysis

Advertised as a lightweight and oil-free aqueous solution, Cellex-C Advanced-C Serum claims to contain a “high concentration of Cellex-C Complex ingredients, plus powerful free radical scavengers and natural collagen protectors”.

With no further information provided on the product’s website, members of our review team were left to assume the ascorbic acid and L-ascorbic acid were the ingredients referenced as “powerful free radical scavengers”. Despite our attempts, we were unable to determine what ingredients are considered to be the “high concentration of Cellex-C Complex ingredients”, leading us to question the overall quality and effectiveness of the product.

User reviews reveal further concerns as the product is described as “very watery and hard to apply”, “expense is not worth the results”, “did not notice a difference in my skin and also made me breakout”, and “takes forever to apply…skin feels dry and has an unpleasant film.”

Available at $150 per fl oz, Cellex-C Advanced-C Serum is pretty pricy for what it offers.


#5 Rated: OBagi
Professional-C® Serum 10%

Our Rating: 6.0/10
Customer Rating: 49%

Positives

  • Contains 10% L-Ascorbic Acid
  • Widely Available Online And In Retail Stores
  • Designed For All Skin Types

Negatives

  • Doesn't Have Many Customer Reviews
  • Long Term Results Weren't Very Impressive
  • Only Suitable For Combination Skin

Analysis

With our review showing a customer satisfaction rate of 55%, Obagi’s Professional-C Serum 10% is our lowest ranked vitamin C serum. Promoting its product as the “Professional”, Obagi’s website states “Obagi’s line of products formulated with Vitamin C help address the appearance of aging skin.” That description alone concerned our review team. Specifically, we wondered why the company would not create or market a product that “prevents damage that causes the skin to age” rather than “address the appearance of aging skin.”

With the lowest customer approval rating, and considering the low number of reviews, our team questioned if the product’s effectiveness is actually worth the cost of the product.

Available for $92 for 1 fl oz, Obagi Professional-C Serum 10% was the lowest rated product in this review.