Among New High-Tech Ingredients, Does Vitamin C Still Rule?

Sometimes, skin care feels like it’s all about novelty: new ingredients, new formulas, new delivery systems. But the best vitamin C serums can still hold their own among the onslaught of new ingredients like exosomes, growth factors, and PDRN. While the newcomers might offer some benefits to skin, nothing really compares to the time-tested and science-backed efficacy of good, old vitamin C. Not only does it work, but it brings a lot of benefits to the table. “It has the advantage of addressing several concerns at once by providing antioxidant protection, supporting collagen production, and helping brighten uneven pigmentation,” says Supriya Rastogi, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City.

Vogue’s Favorite Vitamin C Serums

All told, that’s “pretty remarkable for a topical that takes little effort to apply,” says Rachel Nazarian, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, who adds that it’s “worth the hype.” For that reason, it remains a linchpin of most antioxidant serums, where it can help address wrinkles and age spots in equal measure. That said, vitamin C serums can vary in their potency. For one, “not all vitamin C products are created equal, and the formulation of the product matters,” says Dr. Rastogi. With that in mind, these are the formulas in which it stands out.