Vitamin C serum - good but not excessively priced

[MattCauthon]

I love a bit of a vitamin C and have been using it for years. But the ones I like keeping getting cancelled. I need a new option, but while I'm willing to pay a bit, I can't afford the £70+ I see from a lot of brands.

Ones I've used:
1 The inkey list - this was my intro. Fine, good, but not as punchy. Great into
2 Body shop - in their SPF. I loved it. They stopped making it. I am toying with trying their serum?
3 Murad - brilliant product but a) expensive b) smells awful
4 The Ordinary - the 30% in silicon was one I LOVED. But I know it wasn't considered good so they stopped making it
5 The Ordinary - the 23% one. I don't know if they still make it, but it was okay, not amazing so I'm keen to move on. I am currently using, as a temporary measure, the Ordinary vitamin C powder mixed with a serum but I want a "proper" serum.

I have used various Simple products with vitamin C and I like them as a little boost during the day - eg the moisterising vitamin C with SPF is one I keep in my car in the summer. But I don't like the Serum itself.

Ideas?

I like MediK8 but their vitamin C is crazy expensive. I was gifted various Trinny minis and I've been liking them so I'm tempted by her Vitamin C - but it's also very expensive.

The only one I’ve used was an Emma Hardie one but it’s £60! I do love it though. It smells amazing. The woman was recommending some Icelandic brand when I was looking for one.

The Geek & Gorgeous one is very good, and really affordable.
The only thing is you can’t get it in shops, you have to buy it online.

I had a couple of samples of the body shop serum. I liked it! I don’t use serum usually but I may well get that one.

I had a dark spot on my face a couple of years ago. I used Garnier vit C, which shifted it in about 10 days and it hasn't come back.

Following with interest as I’m after a new vitamin C serum that won’t break the bank.

I used to love the Garden of Wisdom one, but Victoria Health stopped stocking that brand and it was the only U.K. retailer :(

My biggest issue is that there are ingredients that make my skin go crazy - the problem I’m having is that phenoxyethanol usually really irritates my skin. I can’t find a reasonably priced serum with a decent % of LAA without phenoxyethanol. The GOW did have a very small amount of it and didn’t irritate my skin, but I don’t really want to waste money playing trial and error with different serums.

I’m currently using the ordinary ascorbyl glycoside and it doesn’t irritate me but I don’t really think it’s doing anything either. I really want to go back to an LAA serum. The first I ever used was the ordinary 23%, and I had fab results but, no matter what I did, it would leave orange staining/residue on my face, usually my forehead. I know most LAA serums will stain your hands which I lived with for the GoW serum but TO 23% was another level and I couldn’t be doing with it on my face as well as hands!! So I gave up on that one.

Elf. Can’t go wrong.

Florence brand on Amazon is affordable and highly rated

I haven’t had any luck with any vitamin C products - nothing seems to make any difference so I’m watching with interest!

I use the Tiger Moon one from Asda!!!

Ok, Mumsnet hates me posting links. I love the Beauty pie vitamin c and e capsules

I second Beauty Pie. Some things are pricey but a lot is a similar price to The Ordinary and The Inkey List.

I like the naturium one. It’s about £25 but seems to last a while.

I've been using Nip and Fab vitamin C gel bought on eBay. After that's finished it's Simple, bought with a third off at Sainsbury's.

I've been using Nip and Fab vitamin C gel bought on eBay. After that's finished it's Simple, bought with a third off at Sainsbury's.

Beauty Pie vitamin c serum.

I just ordered The Ordinary's Multi Antioxidant Radiance Serum to replace the one from Inkey I'm out of and had a leaky bottle. It has ascorbyl glucoside, not ascorbic acid, along with some peptides and ginseng.

Oh, I tried that. Didn't like it at all. Felt totally pointless. I hoep it works better for you.

The Beauty Pie suggestions are interesting _ I've never used any of their products.

But I am wondering if I should give the Body Shop one a go at least!

same. Discovered in the summer that when it’s v sunny, using twice a day really helps melasma

But I’m a member for their japanfusion face wash, the tube mascara and the aha pads. And the eyebrow pencil. They’re my staples!

This I love this one.

I have oily sensitive skin and it feels amazing on, absorbs really well and doesn't leave a residue

The 2 vit c serums I rate are
Superfacialist and Lumene
Both are reasonably priced and effective (for me)
I’ve tried several at various price points (including Inkey List & Sunday Riley) but wasn’t keen so keep coming back to these

I use the Lidl Cien brand one of all things. It’s working really well, not sticky, smells nice and has cleared up some small areas of pigmentation in under a month.

I’ll second the Geek and Gorgeous one. Cheap and effective. Would be very simikar to the og skin ceuticals one but waaaay cheaper.

Really like the Nip and Fab one. I keep it in the fridge and it feels lovely to put on and skin feels glowy.