Index / Sunday Riley / CEO 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum
Sunday Riley

CEO 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum.

Sunday Riley CEO 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum
Serums

About this product

A 15% vitamin C brightening serum featuring THD ascorbate, a stabilized form of vitamin C designed to brighten skin and provide antioxidant benefits.

Best for

Mature skin
Serums

The Guru Index verdict

67%

Mixed

~Mixed · 67%
6Reviewers
3Approved
2Mixed
1Skip

What the gurus are saying

Gurus praise this serum for its stabilized vitamin C form, which plays well with other actives like peptides and causes minimal irritation, making it accessible for sensitive and redness-prone skin. The trade-off is consistent: THD ascorbate is gentler and more stable than ascorbic acid but carries less clinical evidence for collagen-boosting effects. Some prefer competing brands for stronger results, though most acknowledge it works reliably across skin types. The glycolic acid inclusion adds exfoliating benefit but requires diligent sun protection.
Synthesized from 6 expert reviews
Every take, in full

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 Approved only Skip only Mixed only Hide sponsored
Approved
"This is by Sunday Riley. It is a 15% vitamin C brightening serum, but it's a THD derivative. And so, what that means is it's at a different acidity, so it does not break those peptide bonds. It makes it so much better for your peptides because your peptides will continue to work. So, they're still soaked into my skin that working. This is another one I love."
Skip
"I was unable to locate a substantive review of Sunday Riley CEO 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum in the provided transcript window. The transcript discusses other vitamin C products (Environ Mela-Even and Dr. Sam's Vitamin C NAD Plus) but does not contain a reviewer take on the Sunday Riley product."
~Mixed
"I'll be honest, not actually my favorite vitamin C. My favorite is either Geek and Gorgeous or the new one by Transparent Lab. I did a whole video on it. I loved it that much. I'm going in with this because I hate waste. It's a good product. I prefer the Geek and Gorgeous and the Transparent Lab, but this is a good product. This is a nice gentle vitamin C, so I think it works. It'll work for most people's skin type and it's in a cream formula. You won't get any peeling and it will still sink in really, really well."
Approved
"I love this option if you've already tried the lower percentage and you're ready for something more with no irritation, you're going to go up to this one. Or if you have redness prone skin, because this has some added ingredients into it to reduce redness of the skin, which is such a problem for me, it's something I struggle with. So this is a really good option for wanting vitamin C benefits with sensitive skin, rosacea prone, redness skin. I love this option for that group of people."
All 2 takes from The Budget Dermatologist
BUDGET Skincare Swaps! | The Budget Dermatologist
"Sunday Riley 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum also has that THD ascorbate in it. This is going to save you some money, not a lot, it's $85, but it's an option if you're looking for a vitamin C serum with that form of vitamin C in it, which is actually hard to find."
How To Pick a Budget Vitamin C Serum For YOUR Skin! | The Budget Derm Explains
"I love this option if you've already tried the lower percentage and you're ready for something more with no irritation, you're going to go up to this one. Or if you have redness prone skin, because this has some added ingredients into it to reduce redness of the skin, which is such a problem for me, it's something I struggle with. So this is a really good option for wanting vitamin C benefits with sensitive skin, rosacea prone, redness skin. I love this option for that group of people."
Approved
"The Sunday Riley CEO Vitamin C serum 15% is a formula that will work on all skin types."
Top Pick: vitamin c serum
~Mixed
"It has a type of vitamin C that is more stable than ascorbic acid, more stable, easier to get in the skin, however less evidence-based for things like improving collagen production. So if you really want the benefits of topical vitamin C, THD may be easier to tolerate, maybe more reliable of an ingredient for formulators to work with, but for you the consumer you may not be getting the full package of benefits, but you may be getting just enough benefits to meet your needs. For example, THD as an antioxidant, it may be helpful in fading hyperpigmentation, it may be helpful in combating against oxidative stress from environmental exposures. This also has glycolic acid in it, which is an alpha hydroxy acid that can smooth and soften the skin. You do want to be careful that you are protecting your skin from the sun when you are using alpha hydroxy acids, because they can make your skin more sensitive to a sunburn."
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