La Roche-Posay Pure Vitamin C10 Serum: a Guru Score of 60%

What the experts use it for.

The concerns the experts tie this product to, in their own words. Paid and founder takes don't count.

Breakouts and acne3 experts

“It also has a little bit of salicylic acid for that mild exfoliation for oily acne-prone skin.”

Dr. Aleksandra Brown, watch at 9:07

Rough or uneven texture2 experts

“It gently refines the skin texture.”

Dr. Aleksandra Brown, watch at 9:07

Clogged or visible pores1 expert

“it goes into the pores and clears up any clumps or clusters to prevent your skin from developing acne”

April Basi, watch at 1:49

Excess oil and shine1 expert

“which is a hero ingredient for oily skin because it goes into the pores and clears up any clumps or clusters to prevent your skin from developing acne”

April Basi, watch at 1:49

Dark spots and post-acne marks1 expert

“This is a great one if you have acne prone skin and you want to use vitamin C serum, because it has those anti-aging benefits of vitamin C and antioxidants, which increase potency of your sunscreen, but also helps with post acne marks and active breakouts.”

Dr. Aleksandra Brown, watch at 12:43

Dull skin1 expert

“It will brighten it.”

Dr. Aleksandra Brown, watch at 9:07

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

Dr. Jenny Liu

324k subs

~Yay

"La Roche-Posay has vitamin C options that have been shown to clinically support oxidative stress."

All 2 takes from Dr. Jenny Liu

Stop Wasting Money on the Wrong Vitamin C—A DERM Explains What Matters | Dr. Jenny Liu

"This is a [...] sticky serum, but it's not like super uncomfortable. [...] Of all the ones [...] I mentioned today, this is going to be one that I feel like leaves a little bit more residue, but it is one that is great if you are acne prone, wanting one that helps to provide additional benefits in the sense of improving pores and acne marks. This would be a really good one to try."

You're Losing 1% of Your Collagen Every Year — Here's How to Slow It Down | Dr. Jenny Liu

"La Roche-Posay has vitamin C options that have been shown to clinically support oxidative stress."

Mad About Skin

734k subs

~Nay

"La Roche-Posay's vitamin C had the same oxidation issue. They actually added a color into it to disguise the fact it was oxidized rather than working to overcome the issue in the first place. That sort of shady brand behavior just turned people off."

All 3 takes from Mad About Skin

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"The vitamin C which has colorant to disguise the fact it often comes oxidized. [...] As a brand that always prided itself on being sensitive skin friendly, I really wouldn't expect to see colorant, drying alcohol, and other potential irritants in their products. This is a huge shift away from the original ethos of La Roche-Posay, and this is clearly driven by the L'Oreal group."

VITAMIN C Hall Of Fame 2025 - Best & Worst Vitamin C Serums

"Their serums collectively are hands down some of the worst formulated in the industry. [...] I think one of their worst serums though is their vitamin C specifically because they added color to it recently. This is a bit of a shady move because lots of people online were complaining that the product was coming oxidized. Vitamin C needs to be fresh. It oxidizes quickly. When it oxidizes, it turns like a yellowy orangey brownish color and it's much less effective."

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"La Roche-Posay's vitamin C had the same oxidation issue. They actually added a color into it to disguise the fact it was oxidized rather than working to overcome the issue in the first place. That sort of shady brand behavior just turned people off."

Dr. Vanita Rattan

1.23M subs

~Nay

"Denatured alcohol leads to premature aging and because it generates free radicals in the skin, the exact opposite of what the vitamin C is trying to do. So, this is ridiculous. They also add in fragrance and that's what that beautiful smell is. If something's smelling lovely, it's a problem for our skin because don't forget 3 to 4% of the population gets contact dermatitis from fragrance. And for skin of color that can lead to hyperpigmentation. [...] So for me, this product is a disaster."

208SkinDoc

2.11M subs

~Yay

"The vitamin C face serum from La Roche-Posay is also really good. It is going to be a little more expensive than the Derma E vitamin C."

Dr. Aleksandra Brown

153k subs

~Yay

"This is a great one if you have acne prone skin and you want to use vitamin C serum, because it has those anti-aging benefits of vitamin C and antioxidants, which increase potency of your sunscreen, but also helps with post acne marks and active breakouts. It's a super lightweight, fast absorbing serum with 10% pure vitamin C. It gently refines skin texture and brightens without being greasy. It also contains a little bit of salicylic acid for that mild exfoliation."

All 2 takes from Dr. Aleksandra Brown

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"This is a great one if you have acne prone skin and you want to use vitamin C serum, because it has those anti-aging benefits of vitamin C and antioxidants, which increase potency of your sunscreen, but also helps with post acne marks and active breakouts. It's a super lightweight, fast absorbing serum with 10% pure vitamin C. It gently refines skin texture and brightens without being greasy. It also contains a little bit of salicylic acid for that mild exfoliation."

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"This one, [...] when you drop it, it almost comes out between a serum and a gel, but it's still super lightweight. It absorbs really fast and it has 10% pure vitamin C. It gently refines the skin texture. It will brighten it. It's not greasy, even though it's a little bit thicker than the other ones. It also has a little bit of salicylic acid for that mild exfoliation for oily acne-prone skin. The key ingredients here are the 10% L-ascorbic acid and a little bit of salicylic acid."

April Basi

72k subs

~Yay

"There's no oil so it's not going to add any extra oils to your skin, it's noncomedogenic, and it also has salicylic acid, which is a hero ingredient for oily skin because it goes into the pores and clears up any clumps or clusters to prevent your skin from developing acne, and just really overall exfoliates and refines your skin tone and texture. It's a 10% ascorbic acid serum."

Lab Muffin Beauty Science

865k subs

~Yay

"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"

All 2 takes from Lab Muffin Beauty Science

Debunking weird TikTok skincare tests

"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"

Barrier Repair, Rosacea, Sensitive Skin: Products & Tips

"The La Roche Posay C10 has 10 percent vitamin C but also their neurosensing peptide and a bit of salicylic acid. I have literally never had an issue with that product and I have issues with vitamin C."

Doctorly

3.59M subs

~Nay

"On top of that, you add in denatured alcohol. For people who have sensitive skin, now you have a low pH product, you have a notoriously unstable ingredient, you have fragrance in the product, and it's not particularly cheap either. This is probably one of my least favorite, but popular, vitamin C products. I was talking about this product at work and the nurses who love fragrance, even they were like it's too strong."

Dr. Mamina

283k subs

~Yay

"The RO po makes a good one too."

Doctor Anne

56k subs

~Nay

"The last one I tried, the La Roche-Posay Pure Vitamin C10 Serum, was a disappointment given how much I like other products from the brand. I disliked the texture, it oxidized very quickly, and just in general my skin didn't really agree with it."

Dr Dray

2.69M subs

~Mixed

"La Roche Posay is another L'Oreal brand, but I believe their product has fragrance in it, which can be irritating and can actually worsen hyperpigmentation. Still, this is a good brand. The [...] packaging is a dropper bottle, and [...] as the ascorbic acid is exposed to air each time you go in and out of it, it is more likely to degrade, so ideally airless pumps would be a better option."

All 2 takes from Dr Dray

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"La Roche Posay is another L'Oreal brand, but I believe their product has fragrance in it, which can be irritating and can actually worsen hyperpigmentation. Still, this is a good brand. The [...] packaging is a dropper bottle, and [...] as the ascorbic acid is exposed to air each time you go in and out of it, it is more likely to degrade, so ideally airless pumps would be a better option."

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"However, I do believe this one is scented as well. I would say just stick to the CeraVe vitamin C serum, which is similar only without fragrance. I don't [...] understand why they would put fragrance in a vitamin C formulation given all of the trouble cosmetic manufacturers have in stabilizing vitamin C and all the issues [...] it can have with penetration and stability."

The Budget Dermatologist

725k subs

~Yay

"If you have acne prone skin, I like the La Roche Posay 10 option because it also has salicylic acid in it. This does have a fragrance in it which doesn't bother most people but it's good to know so that you can take that into consideration."

All 2 takes from The Budget Dermatologist

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"This one by La Roche-Posay has 10% L-ascorbic acid in it, which is the active form, but the problem with that form for many people is it can be irritating and just be hard to tolerate. So if [...] you have really sensitive skin or rosacea-prone skin or very dry skin, that's something to take into account. They do disclose how much is in it, 10%, and you want the vitamin C serum somewhere between 5 to 15%, so this is right there in the mix."

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"If you have acne prone skin, I like the La Roche Posay 10 option because it also has salicylic acid in it. This does have a fragrance in it which doesn't bother most people but it's good to know so that you can take that into consideration."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Vitamin C

Topical vitamin C is an antioxidant with reasonable evidence for dullness and uneven tone. It breaks down in light and air, so how a product is formulated and packaged matters as much as the percentage on the front.

Source: DermNet

Salicylic acid

Salicylic acid dissolves in oil, so it can get into a pore rather than just working on the surface. That is why it has long-standing evidence for blackheads and milder acne.

Source: DermNet

Humectants and emollients

Ingredients like these draw water into the surface layers and slow how fast it leaves. The evidence is for comfort, softness and hydration rather than for changing the structure of the skin.

Source: DermNet

Frequently asked.

What is La Roche-Posay Pure Vitamin C10 Serum?

A lightweight vitamin C serum with 10% L-ascorbic acid designed to brighten skin, reduce acne marks, and provide antioxidant benefits.

Is La Roche-Posay Pure Vitamin C10 Serum worth it?

The gurus are split. 7 of the 12 gurus give it their stamp of approval while 4 would skip it, which lands it in the middle at a Guru Score of 60%.

What is La Roche-Posay Pure Vitamin C10 Serum's Guru Score?

La Roche-Posay Pure Vitamin C10 Serum holds a Guru Score of 60%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 12 expert reviewers we have collected.

Who is La Roche-Posay Pure Vitamin C10 Serum best for?

La Roche-Posay Pure Vitamin C10 Serum is generally suited to acne-prone skin.

What is La Roche-Posay Pure Vitamin C10 Serum good for, according to the experts?

In their reviews, experts say La Roche-Posay Pure Vitamin C10 Serum is good for breakouts and acne (3 experts), rough or uneven texture (2 experts), clogged or visible pores (1 expert), excess oil and shine (1 expert), dark spots and post-acne marks (1 expert) and dull skin (1 expert).

Is La Roche-Posay Pure Vitamin C10 Serum good for breakouts and acne?

3 experts who reviewed La Roche-Posay Pure Vitamin C10 Serum say it is. Dr. Aleksandra Brown put it this way: “It also has a little bit of salicylic acid for that mild exfoliation for oily acne-prone skin.”