It also isn’t sticky or tacky and layers really nicely under other skincare products. There are a ton of other useful ingredients in here for overall skin luminosity, clarity, and hydration! Centella asiatica, for instance, is a powerful skin soother that improves overall skin tone and may also help with pigmentation https://purdori.com/collections/ro-ice/products/age-protective-brightening-serum.


If you can relate, keep scrolling for the very best radiance-boosting formulas to restore some much-needed light back into a dull visage. Great for oily skin types, Clinique’s Even Better Clinical’s “botanical blend of lightening ingredients, along with vitamin C and salicylic acid, make for a great brightening serum,” says Dr. Chang. Enter illuminating, radiance-boosting serums; your key to getting the perfectly toned, even skin that we all dream about. These formulas can help diminish dark spots, refine skin texture, and create an overall luminous complexion.


Not only will its playful pineapple shaped bottle look great in your medicine cabinet, but also its formulation is infused with—you guessed it—pineapple juice. Pineapple juice isn't just a good cocktail mixer, it also seriously brightens, smooths, and hydrates skin. As for skincare, it works as an emollient and skin-identical ingredient. A multi-functional helper ingredient that acts as a humectant and emollient. A corn sugar-derived, water-soluble, pale yellow syrup, that nicely moisturizes the skin.


"I had tried other vitamin C creams and this is the first one that did not irritate my sensitive skin." Just an FYI, some users noted the strong scent. Packed with powerhouse ingredients like vitamin C, peptides, niacinamide and lactic acid, GH Seal star Olay's antioxidant serum helps you get your glow on. GH Beauty Lab data evaluation confirmed that the formula significantly improves skin brightness and dark spots starting at two weeks of twice daily use, per a study on 120 women. This may not be ideal for those with acne-prone skin, as some users did report breakouts after application. Its re-texturizing effect on the skin helps reverse dullness, dryness, discoloration, uneven texture and loss of firmness. Offering an organic skin care solution to everything from dark spots to fine lines, The Organic Pharmacy’s Stabilised Vitamin C Serum is formulated with 15 percent of concentrated vitamin C to reverse dullness in the skin.


However, the scent doesn’t linger on the skin, so it’s not a dealbreaker for us. "They work to stimulate collagen, lighten dark spots, and protect against sun damage," Madfes tells Byrdie. Japanese Angelica Root extract is the secret ingredient in this serum, which has been used in Eastern herbal medicine to heal skin and improve the appearance of acne scarring for centuries. When combined with a whopping 20% vitamin C blend and fruit enzymes, it creates a gentle yet effective powerhouse that'll soften and smooth uneven skin. Dark spots can be distracting when applying makeup, and if you have a ton, you might need more than just a spot treatment.


Glycolic acid makes the skin a little more sensitive to the sun so make sure to use a good sunscreen in the daytime. Exfoliating too frequently can irritate the skin, so while this serum might be fine on a daily basis, those with sensitive skin should only use it a few times a week. Even if you’re just dealing with dull skin, this serum is still a great choice.


As you may know, vitamin C is one of the top brightening serum power players in terms of brightening effects “since it acts as an antioxidant by reducing free radical formation and preventing future sun damage,” says Dr. Caufield. Other glow-getting ingredients to look for in a brightening serum include vitamin E, glycolic acid, and even lightening agents like kojic acid. ‌‌Skin brightening serums have gained popularity over the years as a go-to solution for various skin concerns such as hyperpigmentation, dark spots, and uneven skin tone.


By combining vitamin C, ceramides, hyaluronic acid and vitamin B5, the CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum brightens, repairs, hydrates and strengthens your skin to unveil a glowing and firmer complexion. It’s also rich in antioxidants, making it great for defending your skin against free radicals, environmental stressors and UV exposure. Daily Dose is powered by 10% ethyl ascorbic acid (a pure, oil- and water-soluble form of vitamin C) and 4% Kakadu plum. Once applied, it doesn’t immediately make the skin look radiant, but over time we did notice an improvement in the overall brightness of our complexions. We also noticed that it helped visibly reduce some of our hyperpigmentation, resulting in a more even, less dull-looking skin tone. If you struggle with dull skin, incorporating this brightening vitamin C serum into your skincare routine might be just what you need to achieve a more radiant complexion.


Brightening Serum
When we review vitamin C serums, we look for technology to preserve the vitamin C, unique packaging to protect against light degradation and ingredients with synergistic benefits to improve efficacy. The below picks include GH Beauty Lab-approved products, Good Housekeeping Seal holders and top-rated affordable items from trusted brands, plus favorites from consumers and dermatologist recommendations. It sunk into our skin with ease while leaving it feeling moisturized, and we also noted that after each application, our skin looked radiant. We were also thrilled with how well this serum worked to brighten our complexions and smooth our skin textures over time. We noticed a visible improvement in texture in just a few days, and at the end of the testing period, our skin felt soft and slightly more firm, and our skin tone looked more even. Retinol may be the gold standard for anti-aging, but it can often prove too strong for sensitive skin.


The Science Behind Skin Brightening Serums

According to the brand, stabilization and efficacy were of the utmost importance in the development of this formula, which was created by a cosmetic chemist. A Dermstore best seller, this pricey pick from Obagi Medical contains one of the higher concentrates of vitamin C at 20%. Key ingredient hyaluronic acid helps bind moisture to the skin, and online reviewers said they liked that the formula wasn't drying. Below, explore the best brightening serums that will transform your skin and reveal a lit-from-within-glow. According to Dr. Herrmann, you should apply vitamin C serum either daily or every other day, depending on your routine and the result you want. If you already alternate several other actives, you might apply it every other day; if you’re looking to dramatically fade hyperpigmentation, you may want to use it daily.


For example, you can use the CeraVe Vitamin C Serum in the morning and alpha-arbutin at night. Some users find that regular exfoliation also increases the efficacy of arbutin, in which case we’d recommend also purchasing the L’Oreal Revitalift 10% Glycolic Acid Serum. Vitamin C and other skin brightening ingredients generally don’t smell very good, but fragrances can be irritating for some users.


A brightening serum, in a nutshell, helps your skin look even toned and radiant. It can help fade dark spots from acne scarring, reduce pigmentation caused by sun damage (if you’re not alreadywearing an SPF every day, here is your sign) and imparts dull, lacklustre skin with a little more glow. Most brightening serums work by reducing melanin production, which can help to fade areas of skin discolouration. You can find brightening serums in a variety of textures with other skin-benefitting ingredients to help cater to your specific skin type and concerns. Skin lightening and whitening products can be incorporated into your skincare routine to further enhance the effects of a skin-brightening serum.


Butylene glycol, or let’s just call it BG, is a multi-tasking colorless, syrupy liquid. Give 72-hour hydration & energy on skin with GinZing™ Energizing Gel Cream infused with Coffee & Ginseng. Receive weekly skincare advice and exclusive offers — starting with 10% off your first order. Each product is hand-selected by our editors because we think you'll love it. If you buy something through our link, we may earn a commission from the retailer or it may be a product that we produce or promote through one of our affiliated companies.


And when combined with lactic and azelaic acid, we're talking a complete reboot of your complexion.
Best of all, the formula absorbs super-fast while leaving the skin smooth, hydrated, and effortlessly dewy.
Not only will its playful pineapple shaped bottle look great in your medicine cabinet, but also its formulation is infused with—you guessed it—pineapple juice.
Be aware that hydroquinone is usually not recommended for those with darker skin tones because overuse can lead to ochronosis.

Oil-free to suit those with acne and oily-prone skin types, this top-rated serum also soothes away redness and boosts your skin’s moisture levels, making it great for sensitive and dry skin types as well. The simplest way to revive dull, lackluster skin is by using a brightening serum. Not only is it great for dark spots, acne scars and other sources of discoloration, but it also plumps fine lines and wrinkles as well. Perfect for those with stubborn dark spots, acne scars and hyperpigmentation, the Vichy LiftActiv Vitamin C Brightening Skin Corrector is packed with 15 percent vitamin C to fade away discoloration and boost your skin’s overall glow.


While formulas like CeraVe’s Vitamin C Serum are also stable and effective, this one is stronger so you can expect faster results, although you won’t enjoy the same level of moisturization. SkinCeuticals did groundbreaking and expensive research that proved that by combining ascorbic acid with antioxidants vitamin E and ferulic acid at a low pH, the result is a more effective formula that’s also stable for a lot longer. This is why they can justify the high price tag when many other brands can’t. Arbutin hasn’t been directly compared to other skin brightening ingredients like vitamin C, but most users find that it’s a little less intense.


Glow Recipe Pineapple-C Brightening Serum

Using a brightening serum like the CeraVe Vitamin C Serum or The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA will brighten the skin slowly, but adding this glycolic acid serum to the mix will speed the process. Among The Ordinary’s beloved, frill-free products, the brand’s array of serums have attracted something of a cult following. With this particular serum, hyaluronic acid is combined with alpha arbutin, increasing absorption of the plant extract while reducing hyperpigmentation. Made with 20% vitamin C and 10% AHAs, Tatcha’s brightening serum targets dark spots, dullness, uneven texture, and signs of aging.


A corn sugar derived, water-soluble, pale yellow syrup, that nicelymoisturizes the skin.It has alight and smooth skin feel, it is non-tacky, and it canimprove the after-feelof the formula. If you want to get the best results from your brightening serum, you should use it as part of a brightening skincare regimen. Paired with a cleanser, toner, face cream,eye cream and mask , your skin will look radiant. Ascorbic Acid and Ascorbyl Palmitate - it provides antioxidant protection, blocking the formation of free radicals that trigger melanin production and reversing the damaging effects.


At 2% it’s available over-the-counter, but any higher and it requires a prescription. It is the fastest-acting and most powerful option for reducing pigmentation, although it can also have side-effects like irritation. Like the Eva Naturals Skin Clearing Serum, this is another intense brightening serum that we recommend with a few caveats.


It’s also fortified with the brand’s “15 Super-Greens Complex” – a blend of vegan collagen and spinach, designed to pump the skin full of nutrients and antioxidants. If you have hyperpigmentation this powerful formula will help fade it over time. Remember to slather on the sunscreen to prevent dark spots from coming back. We appreciated how user-friendly the packaging is, that the formula absorbed into the skin quickly, and that it left us feeling moisturized and looking glowy. After the six-week period, our skin was left looking hydrated, illuminated, and refreshed.


She ignores marketing buzzwords and instead dives deep into formulations and performance, to always recommend the most effective cosmetics on the market. We always recommend allergy-testing new skincare on a small patch of skin, but with this product, this safety measure is even more important. We also suggest only using it a few times a week at first, to prevent over-exfoliating the skin.



We don’t recommend using this along with other exfoliating serums, but it’s fine in conjunction with a gentle serum like the CeraVe’s Vitamin C Serum. Once you achieve the results you want you can keep using the gentle brightening serum for maintenance. For best results, use this at night while using a gentle melanin-inhibitor like the CeraVe Vitamin C Serum in the daytime. If you love the idea of skin renewal but don’t want to use something so strong, you can try the L’Oreal Revitalift 10% Glycolic Acid Serum, instead. While there is vitamin C in here, it’s a stabilized form that has antioxidant and anti-acne effects but doesn’t reduce existing pigmentation. If you’re looking for a serum that can give the skin hydrated luminosity while also targeting pigmentation, this one absolutely fits the bill!


If you do use it daily, it may run out quickly due to it small size, according to some users. However, multiple reviewers noted that it mixes well with their moisturizers and was easy to use. To keep the vitamin C potent and fresh, this Clinique product keeps it isolated in an airtight dispenser. To use, press the button to release the vitamin C powder into an emulsion serum, ensuring optimal efficiency and a strong, potent product to perfect your skin.


Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster contains the trifecta of vitamin C, vitamin E and ferulic acid that has been shown to have synergistic benefits and help protect vitamin C formulas from losing efficaciousness quickly. The container is opaque so it protects the vitamin C from sunlight, which can degrade it. Thus, this shelf-stable product will last and last, even if you don't use it every day.


We didn’t feel that this formula made our face look or feel greasy, rather, it provided the necessary hydration and a bit of glow. Over time, we noticed a real improvement in the radiance and texture of our skin. It didn’t do much in terms of firming the skin, but if improving radiance and skin texture is your goal, we don’t think you’ll be disappointed with this product.


You should only use it if you have very stubborn pigmentation that hasn’t budged in the face of any other serums. If this is your first time trying a serum and you’re a little nervous, this is a very beginner-friendly option. The only thing that prevents this serum from being truly appropriate for everyone is the addition of some floral essential oils that can be irritating for some. One minor drawback is that the serum can crystalize in cold weather, which is a sign of an overly-minimalist formulation.


A potent blend of kelp extract, antimicrobial mushroom extract, and de-clogging white willow bark makes this a clinical-strength addition to your medicine cabinet. Coming in as our best-budget buy, this serum packs a huge punch without breaking the bank. It's formulated with a 2% concentration of alpha arbutin, a powerful skin illuminator known for being gentler than its counterparts. Maya is a makeup artist, writer, and total geek about all things beauty. She loves researching the latest techniques and reading about new skincare ingredients.