9 Best L-Ascorbic Acid Serums for Glowing Skin

There are loads of buzzy new skincare ingredients out there, but sometimes it’s safer to stick to the ones that have stood the test of time. Take vitamin C, for example. Once you’ve found the best vitamin C serum for your skin type and start to use it consistently, you’ll see results for skin tone, laxity, dullness and pigmentation that few other ingredients can deliver.

Of course, not all vitamin C serums are created equally. Since vitamin C is a notoriously unstable ingredient, some forms may not be effective or may even cause irritation to skin. Ask any skincare expert or professional and they will tell you that the best and most reliable form of vitamin C is L-ascorbic acid. Why? Because it’s the purest form of vitamin C, with extensive proven skin benefits and plenty of data and research to back its efficacy. If you want to firm, brighten, address signs of skin ageing or simply amp up the glow, L-ascorbic acid is guaranteed to deliver results—and you’ll find it in a whole bunch of vitamin C products.

To help you find the best L-ascorbic acid serum for your skin type or concerns, I’ve compiled a list of the ones I love the most. It took a while, mind you. I took into account everything from how they play with other products to whether they triggered sensitivity and, of course, how efficiently they delivered results.