Vanicream Vitamin C Serum: a Guru Score of 84% from 13 experts

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.

Irritated or reactive skin5 experts

“This is the gentlest form of vitamin C that will not irritate even the most sensitive skin.”

Dr. Aleksandra Brown, watch at 4:22

Skin barrier support3 experts

“It also contains five types of ceramides in it, which is going to strengthen and moisturize your skin barrier.”

The Budget Dermatologist, watch at 2:47

Rosacea2 experts

“My recommendation for vitamin C, especially if you have rosacea, sensitive skin, or if you're a beginner, is Vanicream Vitamin C Serum.”

Dr. Aleksandra Brown, watch at 6:59

Dull skin2 experts

“has some nice vitamin C in there that can help your skin glow”

No BS Beauty, watch at 9:22

Dark spots and post-acne marks1 expert

“Four to five drops could really help protect the face help with dark spots.”

Dr. Daniel Sugai, watch at 2:45

Rough or uneven texture1 expert

“they have great brightening and antioxidant benefits and help improve [...] skin texture and tone.”

Dr. Jenny Liu, watch at 24:54

Fine lines and wrinkles1 expert

“help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.”

Dr. Aleksandra Brown, watch at 11:39

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

No BS Beauty

89k subs

✓Yay

"Their Vitamin C Serum, this one's 18 bucks. [...] This is a nice Vitamin C Serum for people that are sensitive to ascorbic acid. It just has a nice lotion texture and has some nice vitamin C in there that can help your skin glow [...] without the potential irritation of ascorbic acid if you have sensitive skin. It probably has about 10 ingredients or so and uses tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate and camite."

All 2 takes from No BS Beauty

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"They have their Vitamin C Serum which is pretty affordable. That's just a nice ascorbic acid derivative. So if your skin is sensitive to ascorbic acid which some people can find their skin gets irritated by it or sometimes your skin just needs to acclimate. This one is great. It also contains ceramides. It's fragrance free. It's got a nice lotion texture. Great packaging. So the texture is really nice for those that don't like vitamin C because it can either be super watery."

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"Their Vitamin C Serum, this one's 18 bucks. [...] This is a nice Vitamin C Serum for people that are sensitive to ascorbic acid. It just has a nice lotion texture and has some nice vitamin C in there that can help your skin glow [...] without the potential irritation of ascorbic acid if you have sensitive skin. It probably has about 10 ingredients or so and uses tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate and camite."

Darnell Cox | 50+ Healthy Aging Expert

55k subs

✓Yay

"This is Vanicream. This is super cheap, you guys. Very effective, super cheap, plays well with peptides by Vanicream."

Doctorly

3.59M subs

✓Mixed

"They use THD ascorbate in their vitamin C. So a good derivative of vitamin C, but it has a lot less data."

Dr. Daniel Sugai

723k subs

✓Yay

"Vanicream has made a stabilized derivative that's very gentle on the skin."

All 5 takes from Dr. Daniel Sugai

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"They also came out with a Vitamin C Serum that's pretty good, not the most elegant, and it is a derivative, but you can say the derivative of vitamin C are gentler for those with rosacea."

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"I've been actually liking Vanicream's Vitamin C Serum. I was actually surprised it came out with one, but this one is a vitamin C derivative."

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"I'm glad Vanicream came out with a Vitamin C Serum. It's a great brand that's underestimated, so good for those with sensitive skin. [...] The Vitamin C Serum is a derivative of vitamin C, it's not ascorbic acid, and so it's quite gentle, quite good for those with sensitivities. It's pretty stable and it has ceramides in this one. I've been enjoying this one a lot since it came out. Vanicream products are free of dyes, fragrance, masking fragrance, lanoline, parabens, formaldehyde releasers."

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"Vanicream has made a stabilized derivative that's very gentle on the skin."

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"Vitamin C serums are special because you can use them in the morning you can use them at night too but I always say use your vitamin C in the morning after you cleanse. Vitamin C and they have other antioxidants many times will neutralize free radical damage from pollution and sunlight. [...] Four to five drops could really help protect the face help with dark spots."

Dr. Jenny Liu

324k subs

✓Yay

"Talk about affordable yet accessible, great one for sensitive skin. Nothing really beats this one. And many derms love Vanicream because it's just a really great line all around for all skin types, but especially if you have eczema prone, rosacea prone, sensitive skin or maybe have a history of allergies to potential skincare ingredients. This line is really made for those individuals. It's made with minimal ingredients and avoiding common potential triggers."

All 5 takes from Dr. Jenny Liu

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"Talk about affordable yet accessible, great one for sensitive skin. Nothing really beats this one. And many derms love Vanicream because it's just a really great line all around for all skin types, but especially if you have eczema prone, rosacea prone, sensitive skin or maybe have a history of allergies to potential skincare ingredients. This line is really made for those individuals. It's made with minimal ingredients and avoiding common potential triggers."

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"I really love this product. I love that it was easily accessible, pretty affordable. The formula is great, it's hydrating, and finally a vitamin C derivative that's lipid soluble that's stable that works well. It's also great for those with sensitive and dry skin."

Vitamin C serums and moisturizers for sensitive skin | Dr. Jenny Liu

"Vanicream's new Vitamin C Serum [...] is wonderful and affordable, retailing for about $19 to $20 in drugstores. Vanicream is a line that was made for those who are eczema prone, have sensitive skin and rosacea, so their ingredients already are devoid of common allergens and irritants that individuals with sensitive skin and rosacea often can't tolerate."

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"Vanicream has a milky lightweight serum that's not watery but it's still more hydrating than a watery vitamin C. It contains THD ascorbic acid along with ceramides, and Vanicream is just a great line, especially if you have eczema-prone, sensitive skin, or rosacea-prone skin."

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"For a THD ascorbate vitamin C, an affordable one is from Vanicream. THD ascorbate formulas tend to be creamy rather than watery serums, so they're better tolerated for sensitive skin, and they have great brightening and antioxidant benefits and help improve [...] skin texture and tone."

DA

Dr. Aleksandra Brown

153k subs

✓Yay

"This particular one is formulated with THD ascorbate, which is really stable form of vitamin C. It's really good for that really sensitive, irritation prone skin. It will help enhance the skin barrier strength with ceramides while also offering that antioxidant protection against all the daily environmental UV factors that you encounter. The key ingredient is not your typical [L-ascorbic] acid. It's tetrahexyl desolorbate or THD at 5%. It also contains ceramide and glycerin."

Top Pick: vitamin c serum for sensitive skin

All 4 takes from Dr. Aleksandra Brown

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"My recommendation for vitamin C, especially if you have rosacea, sensitive skin, or if you're a beginner, is Vanicream Vitamin C Serum. This one's designed for sensitive skin. It's a stable Vitamin C Serum that brightens the complexion without any irritation. It will help prevent that oxidative damage that can worsen rosacea symptoms. It is super lightweight, non-greasy, absorbs really easily."

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"This is only about $20. The active ingredient in this one is tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate or THD ascorbate 5%. This is the gentlest form of vitamin C that will not irritate even the most sensitive skin. This is a lipid soluble vitamin C that will penetrate deep into the pores. It will provide antioxidant benefits, stimulate collagen synthesis, it is highly stable and non-acidic, so it is appropriate for even the most sensitive skin types."

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"Vanicream Vitamin C Serum is very gentle, will brighten the skin, stimulate collagen production, help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It's formulated with a stable, very good for sensitive skin, THD ascorbate, which is less likely to irritate most sensitive skin. Also enhances the skin barrier strength with ceramides and offers antioxidant protection from the THD ascorbate. The key ingredient is tetrahexyl ascorbate or THD at 5%. It has ceramides and glycerin."

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"This particular one is formulated with THD ascorbate, which is really stable form of vitamin C. It's really good for that really sensitive, irritation prone skin. It will help enhance the skin barrier strength with ceramides while also offering that antioxidant protection against all the daily environmental UV factors that you encounter. The key ingredient is not your typical [L-ascorbic] acid. It's tetrahexyl desolorbate or THD at 5%. It also contains ceramide and glycerin."

DS

Dr. Shereene Idriss

1.73M subs

✓Yay

"Vanicream has one for $21, it is a Vitamin C Serum. [...] Unlike for example this one, it doesn't have the peptides that this has, but it is a great option to incorporate underneath a sunscreen. You can use it in the morning, it is suitable for sensitive skin, and for $21 it is a great add-on into your routine."

All 3 takes from Dr. Shereene Idriss

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"It comes in a very lightweight serum, very watery. Only one drop goes a long way. There is no scent to it and you can use it up to twice a day. This one retails for 18. If you are somebody who wants something very light, you can actually use this slightly under your eyes but you do not need to go and invest in a majorly expensive eye cream. [...] If you are prone to comedones, I probably would not do this."

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"Vanicream has one for $21, it is a Vitamin C Serum. [...] Unlike for example this one, it doesn't have the peptides that this has, but it is a great option to incorporate underneath a sunscreen. You can use it in the morning, it is suitable for sensitive skin, and for $21 it is a great add-on into your routine."

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"Vanicream has a beautiful Vitamin C Serum where they utilize a vitamin C ester also known as Tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, this is a form of vitamin C that is safe to use for people with sensitive skin. It is also fragrance-free, so if you're sensitive to fragrance fear not, and you can use it up to twice a day, even in combination with a retinol."

DS

Dr. Sam Ellis

902k subs

✓Yay

"I find this to be really gentle on the skin, it feels good going on, and also it's incredibly affordable like this thing is under $20. If you're new to vitamin C and you're really concerned about it causing irritation or you've had problems with other vitamin C formulas in the past, go with this one. Budget vitamin C's are few and far between and especially budget vitamin C's that are actually good, but I would consider this a winner."

All 2 takes from Dr. Sam Ellis

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"If you have super sensitive skin and you cannot tolerate L-ascorbic acid as your form of topical vitamin C, then I also really like the Vanicream Vitamin C, which uses tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate. This is a fat-soluble form of vitamin C. It's not nearly as well studied as L-ascorbic acid, but I still think it has a role as a topical antioxidant. I like this serum because it's creamy."

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"I find this to be really gentle on the skin, it feels good going on, and also it's incredibly affordable like this thing is under $20. If you're new to vitamin C and you're really concerned about it causing irritation or you've had problems with other vitamin C formulas in the past, go with this one. Budget vitamin C's are few and far between and especially budget vitamin C's that are actually good, but I would consider this a winner."

TB

The Budget Dermatologist

725k subs

✓Yay

"5% Vanicream, 10% CeraVe, 15% Bishi or even 20% from Neutrogena or RoC that are packaged in individual doses, these are some of my favorite budget vitamin C serums that really work from the drugstore."

Top Pick: budget vitamin c serum for sensitive skin

All 7 takes from The Budget Dermatologist

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"For me it's this one by Vanicream, the Vitamin C Serum. This contains 5% tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, a form of vitamin C which is the most stable and the least irritating, so I love this for the skin. [...] If you have sensitive skin, you are new to vitamin C, start here. You cannot go wrong."

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"5% Vanicream, 10% CeraVe, 15% Bishi or even 20% from Neutrogena or RoC that are packaged in individual doses, these are some of my favorite budget vitamin C serums that really work from the drugstore."

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"I have actually a whole separate video highlighting this product, it's by Vanicream, their Vitamin C Serum, 5% THD ascorbate in this one. It's an option if you're looking for a Vitamin C Serum that's not quite as expensive as the Peter Thomas Roth but with that form of vitamin C in it, which is actually hard to find."

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"That is so hard to find. The overall formulation here is budget dermatologist approved because it is a simple, simple formulation without a bunch of added ingredients to potentially bother your skin. [...] This is a no-brainer for very sensitive skin people. It also contains five types of ceramides in it, which is going to strengthen and moisturize your skin barrier. It's very simple: no fragrance, no essential oils, no dyes, no parabens. A simple formulation for sensitive skin people."

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"If you want something a little more gentle than this and a lot more affordable than this, I recommend Vanicream 5% Tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate form of their Vitamin C Serum. [...] It's under $20."

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"This one by Vanicream, less than $20, has 5% THD ascorbate in it and ceramides, fragrance-free. Overall a very simple formulation that is topnotch for sensitive skin users, firsttime vitamin C users. This is a great place to start and you truly can use this every day. Get your foot in the door and then from here if you still want more benefits then you can go up to use some of these. I get this from Amazon."

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"This has 5% THD in it, it has ceramides, and it is fragrance-free. Five percent is enough to get the benefits, and this one is the top recommendation for me for those people who have the most sensitive of skin who want to really dip their toe in the vitamin C skincare world. It's very affordable, it's low strength, and it is a great formulation. [...] It's less than $20."

TW

Tea with MD

115k subs

✓Yay

"The Vanicream Vitamin C Serum is a really great affordable option. It's THD ascorbate based and goes on like a lightweight serum so it's hydrating enough that I don't have to use an additional serum or moisturizer in the morning."

All 2 takes from Tea with MD

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"It helps with skin barrier function but it also helps with your skin holding on to and retaining water by making sure that you don't get that transepidermal water loss. The Vanicream one is a great option for those of you who want an affordable Bare Bones THD ascorbate based vitamin C that gets the job done without breaking the bank."

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"The Vanicream Vitamin C Serum is a really great affordable option. It's THD ascorbate based and goes on like a lightweight serum so it's hydrating enough that I don't have to use an additional serum or moisturizer in the morning."

H

Hyram

4.33M subs

✓Yay

"If you are interested in using a Vitamin C Serum, I would opt for a gentle formula like the Vanicream Vitamin C Serum. Vanicream is one of the best brands for people who have extremely sensitized or irritated skin."

DD

Dr Dray

2.69M subs

✓Nay

"Vanicream recently came out with a Vitamin C Serum which I felt a twinge of disappointment about, I was not blown out of the water by it."

All 3 takes from Dr Dray

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"Vanicream recently came out with a Vitamin C Serum which I felt a twinge of disappointment about, I was not blown out of the water by it."

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"They came out with a Vitamin C Serum last year, which I reviewed for you guys. [...] It's obviously not a product that I personally use or find necessary to go out of my way to incorporate into my routine."

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"But [...] do you actually need this? No, this is not necessary, the research to support the efficacy of THD is very very limited, so don't expect this to give you a wrinkle smoothing effect, improve collagen, or necessarily even improve hyperpigmentation."

DA

Dr Alexis Stephens

582k subs

✓Yay

"Vanicream makes a nice Vitamin C Serum at a much more affordable price. [...] This is made for sensitive skin and as you can see it's actually also formulated with ceramides so this is going to give you the THD and the ceramide delivery at not such a hefty price."

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

Ceramides

Ceramides are part of the skin's own barrier, and moisturisers built around them have evidence for holding water in and settling the tightness and flaking that come with a damaged barrier.

Source: DermNet

Frequently asked.

What is Vanicream Vitamin C Serum?

A lightweight vitamin C serum formulated with tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (THD ascorbate), designed for sensitive skin without fragrance or common irritants.

Is Vanicream Vitamin C Serum worth it?

Mostly yes. 11 of the 13 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 84%.

What is Vanicream Vitamin C Serum's Guru Score?

Vanicream Vitamin C Serum holds a Guru Score of 84%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 13 expert reviewers we have collected. At least one expert has named it a Top Pick in its category.

Who is Vanicream Vitamin C Serum best for?

Vanicream Vitamin C Serum is generally suited to sensitive skin.

What is Vanicream Vitamin C Serum good for, according to the experts?

In their reviews, experts say Vanicream Vitamin C Serum is good for irritated or reactive skin (5 experts), skin barrier support (3 experts), rosacea (2 experts), dull skin (2 experts), dark spots and post-acne marks (1 expert) and rough or uneven texture (1 expert).

Is Vanicream Vitamin C Serum good for irritated or reactive skin?

5 experts who reviewed Vanicream Vitamin C Serum say it is. Dr. Aleksandra Brown put it this way: “This is the gentlest form of vitamin C that will not irritate even the most sensitive skin.”