The 8 Very Best Vitamin-C Serums

Contains L-ascorbic acid, ferulic acid, and vitamin E | 15 percent vitamin C | Translucent amber bottle

Four of our dermatologists recommend SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic, which they (and our editors) hail as the gold-standard vitamin-C serum and is suitable for all skin types. “I think it’s the best out there,” declares Howe. He says it has a light, non-greasy feel, while still delivering “the maximum amount of its active ingredients to the skin.” I’ve also used C E Ferulic off and on for the past few years and can confirm its light consistency. It sits seamlessly underneath my other skin care and even layers well under makeup. It is expensive but worth the price due to its super-stable, patented formula. Its main active ingredient is L-ascorbic acid (it comprises 15 percent of this serum) and despite the high concentration of pure vitamin C, it is both stable and easily penetrates the skin. Part of this serum’s patented formula includes a pH level higher than those of its competitors, meaning it won’t cause the redness and sensitivity that serums with a lower pH can. As Dr. Julie Russak, founder of the Russak Dermatology Group, puts it, this serum “delivers vitamin C through the top layer without disrupting the protective barrier of the skin.”

Whatever vitamin-C serum you choose, Howe suggests applying it in the morning. “That way a reservoir of active vitamin C is present in the skin during the daylight hours, when ultraviolet radiation is strongest,” he explains.