Best Vitamin C skincare: From brightening serums to glow-boosting scrubs, these are the tested wonder-ingredient products guaranteed to banish dull skin and dark spots

This is the first product I’ve tested from Aroma-Zone and to say this serum made a good impression would be an understatement.

At just £9, this has got to be one of the most affordable Vitamin C products on the market, and yet the formula is anything but basic.

Rather than being a one-trick pony, this little orange bottle also contains hyaluronic acid for hydration, as well as antioxidant-packed Astaxanthin, extracted from microalgae.

They work together to immediately make you skin feel bouncy and bright, while also protecting against pollutant and protecting against the signs of ageing over time.

I loved the lightweight feel of this serum and found it layered wonderfully under moisturisers and makeup with no pilling whatsoever.

At 10%, the concentration of Vitamin C here is perfect for beginners, and those with sensitive skin will love that it’s also free from fragrance. I experienced no irritation or redness whatsoever upon application.

I recommend using this every morning after cleansing and found two pumps to be plenty for my face and neck. Just remember to slap on some SPF afterwards so you don’t undo the benefits.

As if it weren’t already cheap enough, you can bring the price down even more by keeping your bottle and buying refills for just £6. Bonkers.

Sometimes a product just seems to instantly click with your skin, and this was the case for me with this brightening beauty.

Supplementing Vitamin C with super moisturising squalane and a white shiitake mushroom blend, this serum is a one-stop-shop when it comes to radiant, even skin.

The silky texture helps it glide over the face, leaving a slightly dewy, plumped-up finish which layers fantastically under moisturiser, SPF and makeup.

I experienced no redness or irritation whatsoever and noticed after a weak to two, some dark spots from recent blemishes had been substantially minimised.

The formula is completely cruelty and paraben free, along with being vegan, so ethical shoppers can rest easy.

At £50 it’s fair to say that there are cheaper options on the market, but if you’re willing to splurge a little your skin will lap this up.

This serum is further proof that some of the best skincare in the world is coming out of South Korea.

With a seriously potent 23% of Vitamin C in its formula – more than double that of many others in this roundup – this product is perfect for those looking for maximum brightening power.

Alongside the ascorbic acid, the purest form of Vitamin C, is hyaluronic acid for hydration, along with Panthenol, a for of Vitamin B5 that is both anti-inflammatory and improved skin cell turnover.

This has a slightly stickier feel on the skin than some of the more watery alternatives, however this quickly dissipates when you apply your moisturiser over the top, so don’t let that put you off.

Because of its strength and the fact that the packaging isn’t airtight, I’d advise keeping this in the fridge to slow down any potential oxidation, which can degrade the Vitamin C over time and risk irritating the skin.

Of all the products I tried this one packed the biggest punch when it came to fading dark spots and improving radiance.

However, if you’re a Vitamin C beginner you’re probably better off starting with a gentler product and working up to this, as there’s a risk throwing yourself in the deep end with this could leave your face slightly tight and inflamed.

However for £26 I think this is fantastic option for skincare aficionados looking to take their serums to the next level.

I confess I was initially cynical about whether I’d feel any difference using a microdermabrasion product rather than a bog standard face scrub, but now I have, there’s no going back.

This resurfacing wonder left me with the skin so smooth, I felt like I’d just had a facial – with even the little bumps on my nose where I can sometimes develop blackheads completely flattened.

You want to use this after cleansing and spend about a minute gently buffing it in small circles all over your face – with the exception of the delicate eye area. Try not to press too hard, otherwise you risk damaging your skin barrier, as this stuff is POTENT.

Once a week is enough, and I’d avoid using any kind of exfoliating acid a day or two before use, to minimise any risk of irritation.

The two key ingredients here are 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic acid – a stable form of Vitamin C – which is radiance-enhancing and brightening. Meanwhile camu camu berries are packed full of antioxidants and papayza enzymes provide additional chemical exfoliation to supplement the crystals in the scrub.

I recommend following this up with a hydrating serum and heavy duty moisturiser – which your newly-unclogged and purified skin will drink up.

You only need a penny-sized blob to cover your whole face and given the weekly usage, this should last a full year, representing great value at £22.

I’ll admit – I haven’t historically made the effort moisturising my body with anywhere near the level of diligence I reserve for my face.

However, this lotion may be the product that turns me around, and so far it has actually managed to make me look forward to applying it after the shower.

It might not scream glamour, but this hefty bottle packs a punch.

The lightweight consistency is very easy to spread over the body, meaning just a few pumps will do the trick.

The citrus scent is fresh and invigorating – but don’t be put off if you prefer fragrance-free skincare, as it’s on the milder side and doesn’t stick around for long.

Of course the star ingredient is Vitamin C, exactly what my freckled, sun-damaged skin needs.

However there’s also glycerin and niacinamide in the mix for extra hydration, while also bolstering your skin barrier.

I loved how this brought a subtle glow to my skin, making it feel soft and supple, but not greasy in the slightest. Top tip: if you like a golden glow then add a few bronzing drops to this in your palm, mix together and enjoy instantly sun-kissed skin.

You’ll be ready to dress a few minutes after application, as it soaks in almost immediately and so won’t feel sticky against your clothes.

£15 is a great price for such a large bottle – even after a month of use I’ve barely made a dent in it, so I expect it’ll last at least six.

I’ve even decanted some of this into a mini bottle so I have it for my travels, suffice to say, I won’t be without it now.

This is officially my new favourite body scrub – and since it only costs £10, that’s great news for my pocket, as well as my skin.

I never really thought about Vitamin C as a shower-friendly ingredient, but how wrong I was!

This sugar-based exfoliator manages to smooth and moisutrise at the same time. In fact, I found the citrus essential oils and evening primrose oil to be so hydrating that I could get away with skipping body moisturiser altogether after showering if I was in a rush.

On top of that, the oils give this product a gloriously zingy scent, filling the entire bathroom with the smell of oranges and grapefruits.

I love the texture of this scrub – densely packed and not too slippery, so you don’t have to worry about it sliding off your hand and straight down to drain as you scoop it out.

As someone with freckles and sun damage on my arms, it actually makes a lot of sense to use body products containing Vitamin C, given its dark spot-correcting properties.

This far outperformed some luxury products retailing at several times the price point, proving that you don’t always need to break the bank to bag a highly effective product.

If you don’t have room in your skincare routine to introduce another serum, or perhaps don’t want to swap out your current favourites, a Vitamin C toner is a great alternative.

The toners I’ve historically reached for have either been for exfoliation (containing salicylic or glycolic acid), or for hydration (containing ceramides).

This one however is totally unlike anything I’ve tried before, packed full of brightening Vitamin C in the form of Barbados cherry, which also lends the formula a delectable scent.

To round up the ingredients list there’s also niacinamide, to fight excess shine and further even skin tone, along with Australian lemon myrtle and witch hazel water to reduce oiliness and refine pores.

Meanwhile green tea and fig help defend against environmental stressors, while cactus flower provides a hit of hydration.

I loved that the consistency of this product is thicker than other toners – meaning I could pour it straight into my hand and press it into my face, rather than having to use a cotton pad.

Unlike toners containing alcohol, this won’t leave your skin feeling stripped or tight at all, instead leaving your complexion quenched and bouncy.

If you’re prone to spots you’ll be pleased to know the formula is oil-free and noncomedogenic, meaning it won’t clog pores.

In fact, I noticed a reduction in the visibility of my pores around my T-zone almost immediately, along with a more even skin tone over time.

To top it all off, I loved how this layered under my subsequent serum, moisturiser and SPF, experiencing no pilling whatsoever.

I never thought toner would be a skincare step I got excited about but consider me enlightened, Rihanna.

Trinny London’s Naked Ambition serum is as good as it gets if you have sensitive skin but still want to enjoy the brightening powers of Vitamin C.

If your complexion is reactive and delicate, chances are at some point you’ve slapped a potent serum on, only to feel your face tingle, before looking in the mirror and being confronted with a whole lot of blotchiness.

That’s where this formula’s azelaic exosome comes in – it combats redness by reducing inflammation, even for those suffering from rosacea.

On top of that it supercharges the serum’s antioxidant protection and hyperpigmentation-busting properties.

I found two pumps of this milky serum every morning was more than enough to cover my face.

It layers well with other products, including makeup, with no pilling whatsoever.

Even if your skin isn’t sensitive, this is a great choice for anyone who’s prone to using lots of active ingredients on their skin (retinols, exfoliating acids etc) and wants to give their skin some respite with a gentler formula.

It’s also perfect for Vitamin C beginners who are concerned about how well their skin will tolerate the product.

Like with many other Trinny products, you only need to buy the dispenser once, before ordering cheaper refills to restock, saving you just over a tenner each time, but admittedly this is a splurge rather than a steal.

If you’re looking for a spot of at-home pampering few products feel as decadent as a sheet mask – and this Vitamin C packed sachet comes with a range of anti-ageing benefits.

Clearly this product is targeted at men, who are increasingly taking better care of their appearance, but I should point out it would work just as well for a woman, so ladies, don’t be scared off.

The instructions recommend leaving this on for 20 minutes but I personally keep it on until the mask feels almost dry and starts to peel away at the edges, normally closer to an hour.

Other than Vitamin C, the star players in the ingredient list include blueberry extract and yuzu, both of which are packed full of antioxidants to protect against environmental aggressors.

Meanwhile sea buckthorn is rich in omega 6 and 9 fatty acids for mega moisturisation.

The luminosity and bounce that comes from a sheet mask really is unparalleled and I try to use one weekly as a self-care ritual.

Anyone concerned about sheet masks producing excess waste can rest assured that this product is 100% biodegradable, including both the bamboo fibre mask itself the plastic packaging, so this treat is entirely guilt free.

At £5 this doesn’t break the bank either – although considering you can get as whole bottle of Vitamin C serum for around a tenner, this is definitely more of an ‘icing on the cake’ type product rather than a key staple, particularly if you’re on a budget.