The Best Vitamin C Serums for Women Over 50

Doctors and consumers alike have gone gaga for Skinceuticals’ CE ferulic serum. Ironically, the star of the show in this serum isn’t vitamin C, but ferulic acid. A great companion for vitamins C and E, ferulic acid has been shown to improve their chemical stability. That means that all those brightening, hydrating benefits will be even prominent. While it’s on the pricier side, it’s high potency means it will take less product to get the results you’re after — this little bottle will last you a good, long while.

Happy customer: “Amazing product! Really works with results visible after 1 month! Don’t let the price deter you! Skinceuticals products are the best and the CE Ferulic is a must have in your arsenal to ward off the signs of aging and defend your skin against the elements!”

For many, Amazon has become a one-stop beauty shop for the hottest products around. One of customers’ most popular picks? Clean-beauty powerhouse InstaNatural’s vitamin C serum. With an almost five-star rating and more than 5,000 reviews, this vitamin C serum is beloved for its powerful blend of hyaluronic acid, ferulic acid, sea buckthorn oil, and plant stem cells. This formulation fights blemishes, hydrates parched skin, and banishes signs of aging. Yes, please!

Happy customer: “I gotta say, this serum is great. I have used it for years and recently stopped to try and save money even though the price isn’t that bad in comparison [to others]… it took a while but I began to notice my skin got worse when I stopped using it… I have hormone-related acne on my chin still at 41 years and it already has improved and wrinkles have smoothed out. I don’t know why I even attempted to switch. I also am sensitive to smells and this stuff has a light clean smell. Nothing offensive at all.”

Does your skincare routine include lactic acid? It should! It exfoliates, soften wrinkles and removes dulling dead skin cells. This lovely serum from Dr Dennis Gross has it, as well as brightening vitamin C. It smells like being kissed by the sun, and makes your skin soft and glowy. Vitamin c is essential to collagen production, so if you want to lift and firm this is the product for you. Also great for fading sun spots!

Happy customer: “I’ve been using this serum every day, and love the way it makes my skin feel! It leaves it looking brighter, and feeling hydrated and supple! I love using it at night to wake up with a glow.”

Is your skin looking dry, tired, and sun damaged? Give it a double dose of vitamin C with this two-step kit from Philosophy. It’s a must, combining the super star ingredient with the power of exfoliation and peptides. Gently message the vitamin C peptide resurfacing crystals onto skin, and then follow with the activation gel. It’s the ultimate treat, rejuvenating the epidermis by buffing away dead skin cells. When you can’t get to your medi-spa for a peel, this is the next best thing!

Buy from Kiehl’s, $75

Buy from Amazon, $22 (.5 ounce tube)

If you’re looking for a vitamin C serum with a healthy dose of hydration, pick up Kiehl’s Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate. Made with a staggering 12.5 percent of vitamin C and fragmented hyaluronic acid, this serum not only provides all the brightening and anti-aging benefits you’d expect from a vitamin C serum, its moisturizing properties penetrate deep into the skin, leaving it hydrated, plump, and smooth.

Happy customer: “I gotta say, this serum is great. I have used it for years and recently stopped to try and save money even though the price isn’t that bad in comparison [to others]… it took a while but I began to notice my skin got worse when I stopped using it… I have hormone-related acne on my chin still at 41 years and it already has improved [since I started using it again] and my wrinkles have smoothed out. I don’t know why I even attempted to switch. I also am sensitive to smells and this stuff has a light clean smell. Nothing offensive at all.”

Buy from Amazon, $75

Buy from QVC, $112 ( for Sunday Riley C.E.O. Vitamin C Brightening Serum, and C.E.O. Glow Facial Oil)

Buy at Sephora, $122

One skin condition vitamin C has long been known to help with is acne. Whether you’re dealing with active blemishes or acne scarring, incorporating a serum that’s packed with this essential nutrient, like Sunday Riley’s C.E.O. 15 percent vitamin C brightening serum, into your skincare routine is a must. Made with the créme de la créme of vitamin C (THD, or tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate) and glycolic acid for exfoliation, this rich solvent helps to fade spots while also preventing any future pimples, making it a very worthwhile addition to your medicine cabinet.

Happy customer: “I’ve tried so many vitamin C serums and I always come back to CEO! It’s my favorite one, it’s so nice and hydrating and it really lightens my acne scars! I always notice a difference after. The smell is amazing too! I love the CEO rich cream as well. This will always be apart of my AM routine.“

Serums are great but if you have oily skin, it can be difficult finding one that doesn’t make pores appear larger. We suggest trying Tula Triple Vitamin C Serum if that’s your concern. Along with being one of the best vitamin C serums for women, this happy customer with oily and textured skin says that it’s “the best vitamin C” she’s ever tried. The oil free serum has two types of vitamin C to fight hyperpigmentation and dullness, as well as probiotics to balance skin health. In a 6 week clinical trial, 77 percent of participants saw a reduction in sun damage and blemish marks, and 96 percent said their skin looked brighter in a single week!

Happy customer: “I’ve been looking at adding a vitamin C serum into my routine for awhile, and this was the perfect first one to add in! It’s very light, and I started seeing results right away.”

Buy from Amazon, $23

Buy from Ulta, $23

Characterized by redness, inflammation, and red bumps on the skin, the skin condition that is rosacea isn’t exactly a walk in the park. If you’re looking for some sweet relief for your sensitive complexion, try Klaris’ Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop Serum. Featuring a blend of healing lavender oil, redness-reducing centella asiatica extract, and the anti-inflammatory powers of pure vitamin C, it’s gentle enough for rosacea sufferers, but powerful enough to make a marked difference.

Happy customer: “I just bought this and my skin already loves it. I have very sensitive skin and this is the first pure vitamin c serum I’ve used, and the redness has already decreased. I love that it’s not too thick and not too thin or oily, it’s the perfect texture for a serum!”

As one of the most beloved vitamin C serums to hit the market in recent years, Mad Hippie’s all-natural serum wowed customers with the potent punch it packs without any additives or preservatives. Made with a blend of stabilized vitamin C, vitamin E, ferulic acid, and hyaluronic acid, it’s got has all of the ingredients you want in your skincare and none of the ones you don’t: a win-win!

Happy customer: “I decided to hold on writing a review for the Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum until I had used it for at least a month to give my own personal assessment on the product, and I can easily say that I LOVE IT! Most Vitamin C serums that I have encountered will leave a subtle orange tinge to your face and make your skin feel tight and tacky. This serum is very lightweight and goes on clear, leaving my skin feeling hydrated yet balanced.“

A staple in the world of skincare, Olehenriksen’s Truth Serum is like a shot of vitamin C to the face. This silky formula gets an added anti-aging boost thanks to a dose of collagen, antioxidant-rich green tea extract, and healing aloe. The result? An enriched serum that helps brighten, visibly firm, and deliver all-day hydration. A delicious citrus scent serves to seal the deal.

Happy customer: “Discovered this product by accident at Sephora and have been buying for several years now. Found it on line for less money and will buy direct now from OleHenriksen in larger containers. Truth Serum Collagen Booster tightens the skin and gives old lady skin new life. It is like getting a face lift in a bottle. It is amazing. Would buy it by the bucket full if I could. It is worth every penny. Lifts and tightens the skin building the collagen helping to give new life making it appear younger and healthier. Love it. Great product!“

Don’t forget your peepers. After all, they’re the windows to your soul. The skin beneath them, unfortunately, is very delicate. We love how this formula gently brightens, while also fighting signs of aging. It has ceramides for hydration, lactic acid for cell turnover, and Tranexamic Acid to fade sun spots. In a clinical trial, users saw softer lines, less puffiness, and improved firmness in a week.

Happy customer: “The perfect eye treatment for day and night. It’s not too light or too heavy or greasy, and absorbs beautifully. My eye area looks hydrated and moisturized when using. I’ve noticed it’s brighter, and the fine lines aren’t as deep as before.”

For a vitamin C serum you can pick up at your local drugstore, put your trust in the skincare experts at L’Oreal and their Revitalift Pure Vitamin C Concentrate. Made with 10 percent pure vitamin C, this concentrated cream formula works hard to diminish fine lines and wrinkles, brighten skin, and even tone. It also absorbs quickly into skin, leaving behind a matte finish that makes for a great makeup base.

Happy customer: “I have tried a lot of serums, creams and treatments over the years. I have highly sensitive skin and cannot tolerate retinol products. This stuff, though, is pure gold. It literally brightens my skin. I used for an entire month and noticed a huge difference in the brightness of my skin. I also noticed a couple small dark spots fade. I use this in conjunction with Olay Regenerist creams and have had no reaction, no redness, no stickiness, no greasiness – just smooth skin that looks better and brighter!“

Buy from Amazon, $13

Buy from Ulta, $25

Who said a good vitamin C serum had to be expensive? For an affordable option, we recommend Derma E’s vitamin C concentrated serum. Though it rings in under $20, this serum is a best-seller not because its cheap, but because it works. Its key ingredients, including vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, green tea extract, and a host of other antioxidants, promote a brighter, more even complexion at a budget-friendly price point that won’t hurt your wallet.

Happy customer: “I have sensitive skin and like to take good care of it without spending a fortune. This Derma E Vitamin C Serum is easy to apply from the pump bottle; it spreads evenly and easily and dries in quickly. It does not pill under my sunscreen and makeup. It has a pleasant scent and does not irritate my skin. I will definitely buy this product again in the future.“

Buy from Ulta, $79

Buy from Amazon, $128 – Comes with Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive HydrationSerum

Drunk Elephant has reached the skincare stratosphere in the last 10 years, and with star products such as this C-Firma Vitamin C Day Serum, it’s no wonder. One of the best vitamin C serums for sensitive skin, this liquid is packed with superstar ingredients, such as exfoliating pumpkin and pomegranate enzymes, ferulic acid, and of course, vitamin C. Best of all, thanks to its cooling application, this serum not only heals inflamed skin, it soothes upon application.

Happy customer: “Love this serum. I use it during the day in combination with my moisturizer. I have sensitive dry skin and this vitamin C gives my skin a beautiful glow and if I wear it alone by night I can see the difference in my skin right away.“

If skin discoloration has got you feeling down, reach for one of the best vitamin C serums for hyperpigmentation — Mario Badescu’s vitamin C serum. Made with a combination of 7.5 percent ascorbic acid (better known as pure vitamin C), hydrating sodium hyaluronate, firming collagen, soothing lavender oil, and refreshing cucumber extract, this potent blend offers up an affordable-yet-effective way to even out your skin tone. Apply directly to the skin or infuse it with your favorite moisturizer for glowing results you can see.

Happy customer: “EXCELLENT SERUM! High concentrate of C, great consistency that feels wonderful and sinks in well. Have been using it for ages – get compliments on my skin. Don’t waste your money on comparable products costing a lot more. This product is perfect.“

The Tatcha Violet-C brightening serum may be one of the newer products on this list, but it’s already gaining a cult following, and one look at its list of ingredients makes it easy to see why. Made with a unique blend of fast-acting 20 percent vitamin C, exfoliating α-Hydroxy acids (AHA)’s that are derived from seven different fruits, and Japanese angelica root extract, which is known for its ability to help fade dark spots and hyperpigmentation, it’s clear the skincare experts at Tatcha knew what they were doing with this one.

Happy customer: “I didn’t want to love this product because of its price but wow I’m so impressed. Usually I don’t expect to see a difference in my skin in less than a month because it’s simply not realistic but after only a week I could see my acne scars fading. How?! I love everything about it. The smell is subtle but refreshing and the texture is perfect and doesn’t make my other products peel. I’ve tried every vitamin C serums at Sephora besides the one by Josie Maran (it’s next on my list) and Tacha is my absolute favorite. If it’s in your budget do yourself a favor and buy it now!“

The face isn’t the only place that sees signs of aging — unfortunately. The body also loses collagen and can suffer dark spots and scarring. Supergoop!’s PLAY Antioxidant Body Mist can help combat this, plus it has SPF 50! The lightweight mist has antioxidant-rich green tea extra, as well as omega 3 and 6 fatty acids to keep skin supple. And of course, it has vitamin C to brighten and promote collagen production. Obviously, this can be worn from head to toe. However, we love this even in the winter for our neck, chest and hands. We even carry it in our purse for SPF touch-ups throughout the day.

Oily skin needs love too, so if you’re looking for an option that will rejuvenate skin without adding shine, The Body Shop’s vitamin C overnight mask just may become your new favorite. A best-seller, this silky-smooth serum comes infused with vitamin C, resurfacing lactic acid (AHA) and papaya enzymes, helping to improve pigmentation & leaving skin softer and smoother Talk about packing a punch!

Happy customer: “I’ve used Body Shop products for years now and just tried this overnight serum. It’s amazing. My face feels and silky after putting it on and I wake up feeling good about my skin.“

We all know how important it is to be gentle with the delicate skin around your eyes. Those seeking an eye cream that can nourish this thin skin with the potent powers of vitamin C without irritating can pick up Drunk Elephant’s C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream. Rich and restorative, this cream is made with a blend of eight peptides, five forms of vitamin C, moisturizing ceramides, and cucumber extract that promise brighter, firmer, and stronger-looking skin. Use day and night to watch your dark circles fade away.

Happy customer: “I have tried so many eye creams and never really felt like any of them were worth it. I started using the DE Vitamin C Serum and noticed a different immediately in my skin, so I decided to give their Vitamin C eye cream a go as well and I’m glad I did. I use this during the day and it helps to brighten and depuff my under-eye area while also feeling very hydrating and soothing. It can feel a little sticky immediately upon application but it quickly melts into the skin and it’s no longer an issue. I have yet to be disappointed by a Drunk Elephant product!“