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Gentler in concentration and more focused on preventative skincare, the best Korean vitamin C serum comes in lightweight, fast-absorbing formulas that brighten skin and fade hyperpigmentation and scarring. Thoughtful packaging preserves their stability, while a gentle formulation helps deliver on the key tenements of glass skin: smoothness, clearness, and luminosity. Paired with the best Korean cleansing oils and toners, you’re well on your way to creating a well-rounded K-beauty regimen that places its biggest focus on restoring, maintaining, and repairing the skin barrier.
Vogue’s Favorite Korean Vitamin C Serums
- Best Brightening: Numbuzin No.5+ Vitamin Concentrated Serum, $21
- Best for Hyperpigmentation: Goodal Green Tangerine Vita C Dark Spot Serum, $21
- Best With Retinol: PRMR Youth Radiance Vitatinol Serum, $45
- Best Stability: CosRx The Vitamin C 23 Serum, $21
- Best Spicules Serum: VT Vita-Light Reedle Shot 100, $35
- Best Exfoliating: Mediheal Vitamin C Brightening Serum, $20
- Best With Ferulic Acid: Glow Recipe Guava Vitamin C Dark Spot Serum, $45
To start, there are three main forms of vitamin C: L-ascorbic acid, tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, and 3-O-Ethyl-L-ascorbic acid. All have varying levels of stability and solubility. But regardless, vitamin C has three main benefits, says David Kim, MD, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist based in New York City. “For starters, it’s a great antioxidant and keeps the skin cells really healthy. It also has brightening properties, alongside UV protection, so it’s great to use during the summertime.”
Paula Brezavscek, a board-certified physician assistant, previously told Vogue as well that “vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that plays several important roles in skin health,” including helping protect the skin from environmental stressors like UV rays and pollution; supporting collagen production, and helping even out skin tone by fading dark spots and hyperpigmentation. “It’s one of the most well-studied and effective ingredients we have for brightening and protecting the skin,” Dr. Brezavscek added. To add the ingredient to your regimen, take stock of the best Korean vitamin C serums—a look at some Vogue editor and dermatologist favorites below.
In This Story
- Is vitamin C popular in Korea?
- What makes Korean vitamin C special?
- Meet the experts
Best Stabile: CosRx The Vitamin C 23 Serum
- Why We Love It: While L-ascorbic acid is the most biologically active form of vitamin C, it is also notoriously one of the most unstable. This bottle however helps deliver a more stabilized serum thanks to a dropper that delays the oxidation. Its dark-colored bottle additionally helps prevent light from damaging the formula, as well as internal gases from escaping. While a high content of vitamin C (23% here) can be irritating for some, this serum gently removes dark spots and blemishes for all skin types.
- Key Ingredients: L-ascorbic acid, vitamin E, allantoin
- Best For: Hyperpigmentation, brightening
- Size: 0.70 oz
Best With Retinol: PRMR Youth Radiance Vitatinol Serum
- Why We Love It: This serum pairs the synergistic benefits of vitamin C capsules with retinol to improve overall skin tone. While retinol works to increase skin turnover, vitamin C accelerates the healthy radiance and glow. Keeping the ingredients in capsules allows for a more stable formulation and a more impactful use of the product.
- Key Ingredients: Retinol, vitamin C
- Best For: Mature skin, hyperpigmentation, acne-prone skin
- Size: 0.74 oz
Best With Glutathione: Numbuzin No.5+ Vitamin Concentrated Serum
- Why We Love It: The powerful antioxidant ingredient glutathione is stabilized in capsules to help achieve a bright complexion. Studies show glutathione has anti-melanogenic properties which decrease the production of melanin. Combined with vitamin C and niacinamide, dark spots are targeted efficiently and effectively.
- Key Ingredients: Glutathione, niacinamide, vitamin E, panthenol
- Best For: Hyperpigmentation, brightening
- Size: 1.01 oz
Best for Hyperpigmentation: Goodal Green Tangerine Vita C Dark Spot Serum
Goodal
Green Tangerine Vita C Dark Spot Serum
Your skin will be extra glowy this summer thanks to Goodal’s Green Tangerine Vitamin C Serum.
- Why We Love It: The refreshing texture of this gel serum is made up of green tangerine extract sourced from Korea’s lush Jeju island and is especially rich in vitamin C. The mild formula works to fade hyperpigmentation, acne scarring, and blemishes with citric bliss.
- Key Ingredients: Tangerine extract, niacinamide
- Best For: Hyperpigmentation, sensitive skin, brightening
- Size: 1.01
Best Naturally Derived: Dr. Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum
- Why We Love It: Hippophae rhamnoides, also known as sea buckthorn, is a plant more rich in vitamin C than citrus fruit. This naturally derived form vitamin C can be more suitable for those with sensitive skin. Here, it’s paired with hyaluronic acid as a lightweight serum that leaves a pleasant glow.
- Key Ingredients: Hippophae rhamnoides, hyaluronic acid
- Best For: Sensitive skin, hyperpigmentation, hydration
- Size: 1.01 oz
Best With Ferulic Acid: Glow Recipe Guava Vitamin C Dark Spot Serum
- Why We Love It: On top of the five types of vitamin C, the guava extract and ferulic acid work to even skin tone and brighten skin. The variety of oil-soluble and encapsulated water-soluble vitamin C helps combat dull tone and lessen the appearance of hyperpigmentation. Silky in texture, this sinks right into skin and delivers a visible radiance boost—illuminating skin on its own or under makeup.
- Key Ingredients: Guava extract, tranexamic acid, vitamin C
- Best For: Hyperpigmentation, brightening
- Size: 1 oz
Best Lightweight: Physiogel Scienceuticals Daiimune Ampoule Serum
- Why We Love It: Made up of ascorbic and ferulic acid, this watery serum is full of antioxidants to maintain healthy skin. A great pick for those with rough and dry skin, the brightening formulation prevents moisture loss to keep the skin hydrated.
- Key Ingredients: Ascorbic acid, ferulic acid
- Best For: Hydrating, hyperpigmentation, brightening
- Size: 1.01 oz
Best Spicules Serum: VT Vita-Light Reedle Shot 100
- Why We Love It: This spicules serum uses patented Cica Reedles, which are 14 times thinner than a pore, to create microneedle-like channels into the skin that can efficiently deposit encapsulated vitamin C. Other ingredients such as Centella asiatica and hyaluronic acid work to calm and moisturize while quickly being absorbed.
- Key Ingredients: Cica Reedle, Centella asiatica, hyaluronic acid
- Best For: Mature skin, hyperpigmentation, brightening
- Size: 1.69 oz
Best for Enlarged Pores: Innisfree Green Tea Enzyme Vitamin C Brightening Serum
- Why We Love It: This award-winning vitamin C aids in a gentle exfoliation via green tea enzymes to brighten any dull complexion. The stable and water-soluble derivative of vitamin C can be used by all skin types.
- Key Ingredients: Green tea enzyme, vitamin C
- Best For: Hyperpigmentation, brightening
- Size: 1.01 oz
Best Exfoliating: Mediheal Vitamin C Brightening Serum
- Why We Love It: The use of two types of acids (PHAs and LHAs) in this formula work to gently exfoliate while vitamin C brightens the skin tone. (PHAs are more gentle than common chemical exfoliants such as AHAs and BHAs, while LHAs are a derivative of salicylic acid.) Nourishing the skin with a mix of niacinamide and three types of hyaluronic acid, expect glass skin in a bottle with this beloved serum.
- Key Ingredients: PHA, LHA, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid
- Best For: Mature skin, acne-prone skin,
- Size: 1.35 oz
Everything You Need to Know
Is vitamin C popular in Korea?
Vitamin C is widely embraced in Korea according to board-certified general and cosmetic dermatologist Jenny Liu. The ingredient is especially loved for its role in “achieving the bright, even-toned complexion that underpins the ‘glass skin’ aesthetic.”
What makes Korean vitamin C special?
While Western vitamin C formulas focus on targeting existing concerns, Korean vitamin C’s are more gentle and preventative at a lower cost. Being effective without high concentrations, they are super layerable, fast-absorbing, and accessible to a wider range of skin types.
“In terms of formulation–Korean vitamin Cs will be lighter and more hydrating,” according to Dr. Christine Hall, a general practitioner and aesthetics doctor. “K-beauty places its biggest focus on the skin barrier—restoring, maintaining, and repairing it. Therefore, formulations tend to be gentler–this is achieved through the use of gentler, more stable forms of vitamin C.”
Meet the Experts
- Christine Hall, MD, is a general practitioner in medical aesthetics.
- Jenny Liu, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist based in New Jersey and host of the Skin Deep & Unfiltered podcast.
