Michelle Wong, the cosmetic chemist behind Lab Muffin Beauty Science, has reviewed more than 10 serums. Most earned her approval, a handful got mixed takes, and she skipped just one outright. A clear pattern runs through her record: she rewards products where the formula actually does what the label says, and she calls out the ones where the science falls short.
What does Lab Muffin Beauty Science recommend in serums?
Vitamin C serums come up again and again in her approved list. What she keeps praising is stability. She pointed to La Roche-Posay Pure Vitamin C10 Serum as a brand that takes the trouble to stabilise ascorbic acid properly. She noted that a solid formula lets you tell from the ingredient list alone that the vitamin C inside will actually work. She also warmed to serums that do something a little different. The L'Oreal Revitalift Filler Hyaluronic Acid Serum won her over because it uses a special acetylated form of hyaluronic acid. That form penetrates deeper and breaks down more slowly than regular hyaluronic acid, which means a more noticeable plumping effect rather than just surface moisture. And she named Obagi Professional C Serum, with its 15% L-ascorbic acid, a category winner.
In her words
"If you're buying your product from a good brand that does research and tries to stabilize the ascorbic acid like La Roche-Posay you can actually just tell from looking at the ingredient list and seeing the words ascorbic acid on there"
"I've also been using the L'Oreal Revitalift Filler serum. I've kind of dismissed hyaluronic acid as just another humectant moisturizer in the past, but this one has a special acetylated form of hyaluronic acid that penetrates deeper and doesn't get broken down as quickly. I found this really nice for plumping up my skin with more than just a humectant effect. I don't love this specific smell and I do kind of wish there was a fragrance-free option as well."
"This is a Vitamin C Serum from Medicube which contains vitamin C and co-enzyme Q and this was pretty good as well."
"The first product in my like lasagna is the Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum. It has a whole bunch of plant extracts and antioxidants so this kind of first step product in Korean skincare helps other products penetrate better. But because I was being really paranoid about overly irritating my skin I did not want to use this on the harsher actives nights."
"Obagi's Professional C Serum, containing 15% L ascorbic acid, is another winner."
"I tried my custom serum from Murad containing hexylresorcinol and vitamin C and niacinamide and it's perfect."
How many serums has Lab Muffin Beauty Science reviewed?
Lab Muffin Beauty Science has reviewed 15 serums, for an approval rate of 73%. 11 approved, 3 mixed, and 1 skipped.
What has Lab Muffin Beauty Science skipped in serums?
The serum she skipped was Matter of Fact Vitamin C Serum. Her objection was about evidence, not ingredients. She found that the brand's stability claims rested on tests run against only a small comparison set, and those comparisons were not even in the same category as their own product. As a chemist, she said it seemed highly unlikely that ascorbic acid dissolved in propanediol could match the stability of silicone-based formulas. Without solid evidence, the claims did not hold up.
"However, their stability claims aren't backed up by the [...] evidence. [...] They tested [...] against just three products, only one of which was in the same category as theirs, which doesn't tell you that your product is the best out of all the thousands of products out there. [...] As a chemist, it seems incredibly unlikely that ascorbic acid dissolved in propane diol can compete with silicone-based products that have much better stability properties."
What should you take from Lab Muffin Beauty Science's picks?
Michelle's record on serums comes down to one question: does the formula actually deliver what it promises? She is generous when brands do their homework, and she has found a lot to like across vitamin C serums in particular. Where she pulls back, it is because the evidence was not there, not because she went in looking for trouble.
Watch Lab Muffin Beauty Science say it
Every verdict here comes from a video. These are the moments themselves, each one jumping straight to the bit about that product.
- Obagi Professional C SerumNamed a winnerWatch at 21:20
- Matter of Fact Vitamin C SerumSkipped itWatch at 3:00
- La Roche-Posay Pure Vitamin C10 SerumRated itWatch at 17:35
- L'Oreal Revitalift Filler Hyaluronic Acid SerumRated itWatch at 15:40
- Medicube Vitamin C SerumRated itWatch at 20:38
- Sulwhasoo First Care Activating SerumRated itWatch at 14:42
- Murad Vitamin C SerumRated itWatch at 20:31
- Poems from the Lab Future Focus Vitamin C SerumRated itWatch at 7:55
- Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining SerumRated itWatch at 16:22
- The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + Hyaluronic AcidRated itWatch at 11:55
- Naturium Vitamin C Complex SerumRated itWatch at 21:08
- The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5Rated itWatch at 15:53
About this expert
See everything Lab Muffin Beauty Science has reviewed
Expert rankings
Related guides
This guide reflects what Lab Muffin Beauty Science said across her videos about 15 products in serums, aggregated by The Guru Index. Sponsored takes are excluded. The approval rate is the share of these products she approved. It is general information, not medical advice.