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.

Second this. Excellent formula and very well priced.

I use this every evening, it's great.

I'm also here to say the Florence vitamin C serum on Amazon. I bought it after someone on here recommended it and it has been brilliant, I do think it has improved my skin and given me more glow.

I am a huge fan of the Dermalogica vitamin c. It’s the best I have tried. It’s also £96.

Last month I bought the Nip and Fab one. It’s good. It’s not Dermalogica good, but it’s a fairly good, and cheap, alternative.

Is vitamin c good for dark spots? I have a persistent one above my top lip which annoys me.

I found Garnier to be the best of all I've tried.

Yes. A good one will fade it to nothing. But wear spf all year round.

Another one for Geek and Gorgeous! Best I’ve ever used and currently £6.13 on Just My Look

I've been so impressed with Wild Science products. I get fungal acne so have to be very careful about ingredients and these have never caused a reaction. https://wildsciencelab.com/product-category/skincare/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21833149811&gclid=CjwKCAiAzrbIBhA3EiwAUBaUdbaWizl1A50yqT9Twmt9DhIrEIrzkd_SMS0aaBU3iMAOkFqO9EnzRhoCYW8QAvD_BwE

Medik8 C-tetra can usually be found on an offer for around £30. You only need a drop or two and it’s brilliant; I am regularly told that I’m glowing! It also smells of oranges…mmm.

I'm intrigued - when posters are saying a Vitamin C serum "work" or "does nothing" - what effect are they experiencing/failing to find?

I have no idea what this stuff is or is meant to do bec I grew rup in the era of 'Nivea or Ponds' (or even Vaseline 😂)

Another vote for Geek and gorgeous here, the beauty pie one wasn’t great for me.

Sunday Riley is my fav. Expensive but I think worth it. Used to like Drunk Elephant's until they made it 'mix your own' - and I proceeded to spill it, wasting £65 and they didn't appreciate my feedback. Put me off buying anything else from them and I used to buy quite a lot!

Yes I like the Lumene one

Hi, @Stesha7 not sure if it’s helpful but GOW was Victoria Health’s own brand. They’ve re-branded their skincare line from GOW to Dose, so you may be able to find the same product under the new branding.

I think Geek & Gorgeous is now available in some Superdrug shops now. Agree the vitamin c is very good and so reasonably priced.

Another vote for Sunday Riley CEO Glow. It’s the only one I’ve tried that didn’t break me out, although the mediK8 one is also great.

This is my absolute favourite! I tell everyone, if I could only have ONE product for the est of my life, this would be it. And as you say…it smells gorgeous.

People are saying the Beauty Pie one is good…I can’t stand the smell of it! In fact, I’ve not found anything ‘beauty pie’ that I like or that doesn’t smell absolutely foul.

I’m using Naturium but I’ve also heard good things about Geek & Gorgeous

Rodial vitamin C moisturiser is the best I’ve ever used. I don’t actually know if they make it anymore because I tend to get it from Vinted these days. It makes my skin look amazing.

Lumene’s vitamin c serum is lovely. I’ve gone through multiple bottles over the years. Just ordered another one again for GBP 24 (after discounts on Lookfantastic)

I will definitely look at this as that is actually the one I wanted to try - I use their retinal Crystal products and I liked it a lot. So if it's sometimes on offer, that might be the way forward! I'll do some digging around and see what I can find. I think I also have a cult beauty voucher expiring soon BUT I need more retinal so was thinking of using it for that.

@DierdreDaphne For me, vitamin C makes my skin a bit more glowy as it can be a bit dull. it also gives me a sort of smoothness that I love - if you put a bit on the back of your hand you can see the difference instantly. I don't really have dark spots etc, so I haven't really used it for that, but a lot of people like it foro that. and it protects against environmental issues etc which is why it's a popular choice in the morning.

Facetheory- They do a 20% or 30% one

@Sarkyandcynicaloh I didn’t realise that! thank you for telling me. I just had a look at the Dose vitamin c serums and neither match to the old GoW one sadly :(

I love the Geek & Gorgeous one too. I use a lot of their products and really rate them, their retinol is also very good.