16 Best Vitamin C Serums of 2023, Recommended by Dermatologists | Glamour

No matter which skin issues you’re currently dealing with, chances are your routine could benefit from the best vitamin C serums. The antiaging ingredient is one of the few that dermatologists will back for its noticeable brightening, protective, and firming properties, as well as its ability to boost collagen production—which has a plumping effect.

“Vitamin C is an antioxidant,” says Kenneth Howe, MD, of Wexler Dermatology in New York City. “When ultraviolet light penetrates your skin, it causes lasting damage by producing free radicals. Vitamin C can prevent that damage by ‘quenching’ the free radicals as they form.” It also inhibits a key enzyme in melanin production, so it can improve pigmentation like dark spots too. The end result? A more radiant complexion and smoother skin texture over time. (Think glass skin.)

Derms will often tell you to get your daily dose of vitamin C in the form of a great face serum since they “typically have the highest concentration of active ingredients,” says Dr. Howe. In order to get maximum results, though, you’ll need these highly concentrated actives to be properly formulated and applied.

Here’s what to look for in a vitamin C serum:

The key ingredient is L-ascorbic acid. “It’s a pure form of vitamin C,” says NYC dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD. Howe adds that it penetrates more deeply than other forms, making it more likely to reach the layers of skin where you actually need it to work. Another popular one? Tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, which tends to be more stable than its counterparts.

“You should look for serums that contain 10% to 20% vitamin C,” says New York City dermatologist Morgan Rabach, MD. “Less than 10% is not as effective, and over 20% causes more skin irritation.” A supporting cast of characters can also boost its efficacy. “Vitamin E stabilizes vitamin C for maximum skin protection, and ferulic acid helps lower the pH level of vitamin C so your skin can use the vitamins easily,” she says.

And don’t forget the bottles! Vitamin C is notoriously unstable, so it can oxidize with light and heat. “Look for darkly tinted glass bottles with airless delivery, as air causes vitamin C to degrade,” says Dr. Rabach.

And yes, you can use vitamin C serum every day.

A vitamin C product can help slow or undo signs of aging—80% of which are caused by sun damage, research shows. There’s just one caveat: It has to be present within the deeper layers of your skin in order to do that. (As for when to use vitamin C serum: Because of its ability to protect skin cells from UV rays, it’ll offer the max benefit if you apply it in the morning.)

That daily application can go a long way over time. “That extra layer of protection may help reduce the wear and tear that skin is subject to and prevent signs of aging and discoloration,” says Nava Greenfield, MD, dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology in New York City.