For combination skin (dewy serums)
We liked the cool, fresh feel of Clarins Bright Plus Face Brightening Dark Spot Serum, but we were turned off by the floral fragrance and the fussy dropper.
Although we were intrigued by Dr. Althea Gentle Vitamin C Serum’s gentle formula, it felt tight on our skin after it dried.
With both the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Derm Intensives12% Vitamin C + E + Salicylic Acid Serum and the Olay Super Serum, we loved how emollient the drops felt. But they were edged out by the Olay and La Roche-Posay serums, which also have other exfoliants (like salicylic or lactic acid).
While the Melano CC Essence has longtime fans on our staff, we were frustrated by the fact that it took almost a month for our order to arrive.
The Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum and the RoC Multi Correxion Revive + Glow Daily Serum both had nice, plump consistencies, but we didn’t love how sticky they felt as they dried. The TruSkin Vitamin C Facial Serum, on the other hand, looked unappealing—one tester likened it to snot—and it remained tacky on the skin.
For oily skin (liquid serums)
In this category, we wanted to tamp down shine, not enhance it, but that’s exactly what the Buttah Vitamin C Serum, the Dr. Brenner C Serum, and the Dr. Dennis Gross Vitamin C Lactic 15% Vitamin C Firm & Bright Serum all ended up doing: They made our skin feel greasy.
We loved how affordable Geek & Gorgeous 101 C-Glow was, but it left a lasting stickiness on our skin. Similarly, Maelove The Glow Maker was also just edged out due to its tacky texture, as well as its medicinal smell.
We loved how quickly Obagi Professional-C Serum absorbed—but on the flip side, liquid dribbled all over the place, wasting (a pricey!) product. Testers were deeply split over the odor: Some found it to be fine, but others didn’t want it anywhere near their faces.
Multiple testers said the Paula’s Choice C15 Super Booster made them look shiny, yet it also felt sticky. And the Prequel Lucent-C Brightening Vitamin C Serum had a thin, adhesive feel and a musty–meets–chem-lab aroma that was deeply unpleasant.
SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF has a cult following and over a decade of great online reviews, but we preferred the brand’s CE Ferulic formula. (Plus, we broke two fingernails trying to remove the stubborn shrink-wrapped plastic over its dropper.)
Nothing extraordinary stood out to recommend either The Ordinary Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12% or The Inkey List 15% Vitamin C And EGF Serum. Both felt sticky, and The Ordinary’s serum even seemed to accentuate redness and pimples, as opposed to minimizing them.
The formula for the Vichy Liftactiv 16% Vitamin C Brightening Serum seemed fine, if a little greasy. And it really lost points due to its fussy bottle and odd detachable plastic nozzle.
YonKa Serum C20 was a hands-down favorite for fragrance, with a fresh, subtle smell. Testers liked the self-care aspect of the emollient serum, but they ultimately deemed it a bit too greasy for daytime wear.
For dry skin (sheer lotion serums)
Biossance Squalane and Vitamin C Dark Spot Serum rubbed in easily, but it left behind a greasy film.
While its creamy texture felt hydrating at first, the CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum triggered a mild tingling sensation and a little redness.
The Derma-E Vitamin C with Hyaluronic Acid had an artificial scent, like old-school baby aspirin. While testers appreciated that the Drunk Elephant C-Luma Hydrabright Serum had virtually no fragrance, they disliked that the smooth formula never seemed to fully absorb into skin, and it pilled under moisturizer. Kiehl’s Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate also felt too heavy on skin.
A close runner-up to the Sunday Riley C.E.O. serum, the Peter Thomas Roth Potent-C Power Serum has a sheer consistency that sinks into skin easily. For all of its refinement, though, it smells like a pile of rotting leaves.
The only overwhelming positive for the Vanicream Vitamin C Serum was its lack of fragrance. Otherwise, testers appreciated how it made skin look glowy, but they didn’t love the tube-pump combo packaging.
This article was edited by Hannah Morrill and Jennifer Hunter.
