When it comes to skincare ingredients, celebrities would likely give vitamin C an A+.
After all, while stars have plenty of skin in the skincare game (thanks to celeb-owned companies like Fenty Skin and Skkn by Kim), not all of the products they use come from their own lines.
These days, everyone from Brooke Shields to Lizzo is packing vitamin C-packed products into their beauty routines, making the antioxidant-filled formulas among the hottest skincare staples in Hollywood right now.
But according to dermatologists, these buzzy serums shouldn’t be a fleeting fad.
“This isn’t, and shouldn’t be, just a trend — as a dermatologist, I strongly recommend that most people include vitamin C in their daily skincare routine,” board-certified dermatologist Dr. Dendy Engelman tells Page Six Style of the popular ingredient.
Not sure where to start? We’ve broken down all the vitamin C serums stars have praised — plus the science behind the ingredient.
What are the benefits of vitamin C?
“It is an antioxidant that works to defend the skin from environmental aggressors like UV rays, pollutants, and more,” says Engelman. “It also helps improve collagen production, reduce fine lines, wrinkles and hyperpigmentation and brighten skin.”
While there’s a sea of vitamin C products on the market, her recommendations include the Isdin Flavo-C Serum ($105), which also contains “ginkgo biloba to brighten, protect and improve the elasticity of the skin,” and the Vitamin C Ceramide Capsules ($54) from celeb-loved label Elizabeth Arden, which she says feature vitamin C “178 times more potent than traditional vitamin C,” plus ceramides “to strengthen and moisturize the skin barrier.”
If it’s makeup you’re after, the derm also praises the Glo Skin Beauty C-Shield Anti-Pollution Moisture Tint ($50), which she says “blurs imperfections while providing excellent daily protection thanks to the SPF 30 and vitamin C.”
Isdin Flavo-C Serum ($105)
How to use vitamin C serums
When it comes to adding the buzzy ingredient into your routine, Dr. Engelman recommends applying a topical vitamin C serum — she especially likes ones that “also contain hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and peptides” — in the morning before slathering on your SPF, as the serum “provides additional protection and helps prevent acne breakouts from sunscreen.”
“I usually recommend a serum because the small molecule size of serums allows the formula to penetrate deeper into the skin,” she explains.
But while vitamin C is a “powerful ingredient” and “great for getting the protective and anti-aging results” that you want, according to Dr. Engelman, it also can also be “irritating” to sensitive skin in particular. (She recommends “using a low-concentration formula in the 8-10% range” in certain cases — plus avoiding using vitamin C and retinol together.)
Below, discover (and shop) five additional vitamin C products celebrities love.
SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic ($182)
From the runway to the set of “Euphoria,” this product is among celebrities’ favorite skincare formulas. Sydney Sweeney told Byrdie she uses it daily, while supermodels like Brooke Shields and Ashley Graham have also praised its powers.
“It’s packed with antioxidants and really brightens my skin, and since I began using it, I’ve noticed a difference in my fine lines,” Shields told Redbook, while Graham similarly told the Strategist, “It’s really brightened my complexion. I don’t even use a moisturizer over it sometimes because it’s super hydrating.”
BeautyStat Universal C Skin Refiner ($85)
Hailey Bieber’s known for all things glazed and glowy, so it’s perhaps no surprise she’s a fan of vitamin C. Her pick is this formula from BeautyStat, which she called “one of my holy grail products” in a YouTube video.
Sunday Riley CEO Glow (from $40)
Wondering how Lizzo keeps her skin looking “Good as Hell?” The star called this vitamin C- and turmeric-packed product “so sick” in an interview with The Cut.
Paris Hilton also told Glamour she uses the face oil — designed to give skin a
“luminous boost,” per the product description — as part of her nightly routine.
Bliss Bright Idea Vitamin C + Tri-Peptide Brightening Serum ($28)
Bethenny Frankel put this serum to the test on TikTok. “Not all vitamin C is created equal,” she said in her video. “It should function as your serum, and hydrate and plump and brighten — and it shouldn’t cost you $160, which is what we’ve been paying for good vitamin C,” she explained.
Rachel Zegler is also a fan, as she incorporated it in her go-to routine for a 2021 Vogue “Beauty Secrets” video.
Dr. Barbara Sturm The Good C Vitamin C Serum ($145)
Bieber also highlighted this serum from celebrity-loved brand Dr. Barbara Sturm, as she shared a snap of the bottle with heart-eyed emojis in 2021. The brand’s a clear favorite among other A-listers too, with fans including everyone from Oprah to Victoria Beckham.
L’Oréal Revitalift Vitamin C Vitamin E Salicylic Acid Serum ($33)
Seeking your vitamin C skincare fix at the drugstore? L’Oréal Paris has enlisted stars like Eva Longoria and Camilla Cabello as ambassadors over the years, with both becoming fans of this serum.
“It’s so hydrating,” Cabello told Women’s Health. “I’m from Miami, so when I come to Los Angeles, my skin really feels the dryness. I always need extra hydration.”
Ole Henriksen Banana Bright 15% Vitamin C Serum ($17)
Forget about oranges; this vitamin C serum is “banana bright.” Celebrity makeup artist Hung Vanngo prepped Selena Gomez for the 2021 Critics Choice Awards using this formula from Ole Henriksen — a label Kris Jenner once name-dropped in an Instagram Story, saying she’d been going to the brand’s spa for facials “for 30 years.”
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