Why our beauty editor Covets these 5 vitamin-rich skincare products…

---

By contributor Allie White.

At this point in the self-care conversation, it might seem like there can’t possibly be more to say about vitamin C that hasn’t already been said. It’s an ingredient that is, understandably, everywhere right now: serums, creams, masks, scrubs, oils. You name it, vitamin C is in it, on it, around it. And while it’s true there’s no shortage of C-full products, there is a hierarchy; a “best of the best,” if you will.

So allow me to walk you through the C List (the self-care version of the A List, natch): the vitamin-C products that are so good they deserve a spot on your shelf, on your face, and on your “repeat buy” list forever and ever.

You know the saying, “a little goes a long way?” It’s never been more true than with this serum from Maya Chia. The formula is super-concentrated, which means that the smallest drop smoothed over your face, neck and chest will do the same work of restoring and rejuvenating skin that a dollop four times its size would. (This also means the bottle will last even longer…win-win!) And even though it packs a serious punch in such a small amount of product, the serum is extremely lightweight — by the time I’m done patting it in, it’s been fully absorbed, nary a sticky patch in sight.

With three types of bioavailable vitamin C — meaning how quickly active ingredients reach the layer of skin it's supposed to target — and active ingredients like orange blossom stem cells and pomegranate peptides, the Treatment not only does the brightening work vitamin C is known for, it also synthesizes the natural collagen in your skin to plum as well, so your face is as juicy as possible.

FWIW, the first time I used this, I woke up and quite literally gasped when I saw my reflection, picked up my phone, and immediately texted several other skincare junkies the following, verbatim: “Used the Maya Chia serum last night and I either got an *amazing* night's sleep (yeah right) or this stuff is worth its weight in gold.”

Vitamin C is having a much-deserved moment, but so is MARA, the genius formulator behind the Sea Vitamin C Serum (and another personal favorite of mine, the brand’s Universal Oil). First and foremost, this is the best-smelling vitamin C product I’ve ever used. A lot of C-forward products can smell pretty…funky. (I’ve seen the smell described fondly as “hot dog water.”) But MARA’s scent is closer (thankfully) to sweet citrus and thyme. Second to the smell, you’ll notice the texture: despite being billed as an oil-serum hybrid, this stuff has some heft behind it on the palm but evaporates into the skin as if it were weightless.

Once you pick your jaw up off the floor from the scent and texture, you’ll be blown away by the fact that this serum’s star ingredient is THD Ascorbate, the most stable form of vitamin C you can find. Since vitamin C is traditionally a fairly unstable product with a short shelf life, this form of vitamin C combined with 14 additional fruit extracts, herbs, and marine botanicals (helloooo chlorella and squalane!) is skin’s best friend when it comes to brightening, calming, and hydrating in a single product.

A new entrant to the vitamin C lineup but one that should most certainly not be ignored is cult favorite Sunday Riley’s latest offering: C.E.O. Afterglow Brightening Vitamin C Cream. Another product that deftly dodges any funk — this time in favor of neroli and orange — this cream is light, bouncy and bursting with skin-pleasing ingredients. While the aforementioned, super-stable THD ascorbate works to brighten and even skin tone, soybean-derived phytosterols calms pinkness, glycolic acid improves texture, sodium hyaluronate (a form of hyaluronic acid) keeps things hydrated, and allantoin and lutein offer an antioxidant boost. Basically, don’t be surprised if you find that you’re pushing other products to the back of the medicine cabinet in favor of this vitamin C cream, which punches so far above its weight, it’s crazy.

Sleeping masks combine three of my all-time favorite things: skincare, snoozing, and sloth. Slather one on, climb into bed and let it work its magic — no rinsing required. Luckily, this version from YTTP is one of the best out there. Again, a key player here is THD ascorbate, but the supporting cast ain’t too shabby: squalane, hyaluronic acid, betaine, and glycerin are uber-hydrating and emollient so they get to work and lock it in; cold-pressed superberries like maqui, goji, acai, and prickly pear are antioxidant powerhouses that prevent against oxidation, a major part of the skin aging process; and the rich, creamy texture makes for a deeply hydrating formula that plumps and firms as it brightens. Take one and call me in the morning.

Sheet masks are wonderful, but they require a bit of commitment: They work best when you can use them prone, on your back, with zero interruptions and maybe also a power nap. Of course you can wear one while upright and mobile, but I prefer to be selective about when I employ the “sorry, no, I can’t help, I’m doing a sheet mask” excuse, lest I find myself scaring the neighborhood kids as I drag the trash cans to the curb looking like Jason Voorhees. ORGAID’s Vitamin C Revitalizing Organic Mask is one I save for the “I’m doing a sheet mask” line, mostly because I don’t want one drop of the vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, orange peel, and pomegranate extracts to go to waste.

Delicious, orange-flavored and formulated with vitamin C and hyaluronic acid, this is the grown up version of the weirdly delicious vitamins you begged your parents for as a kid. (What? Only me?) Taste aside, what I love most about these gummies is how harmoniously their ingredients work together to benefit skin. All the vitamin C in the world won’t have long-lasting benefits unless it’s supported by ingredients that let skin retain the glow. Luckily, this formula also includes vitamin E, which supports the skin’s protective barrier and creates a healthy environment for the vitamin C and hyaluronic acid to not only get to work but to maintain the benefits.