The Top-Rated Vitamin C Serums in Canada

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant capable of brightening complexion, fading darkspots and warding off fine lines and wrinkles. Its superpower abilities make it a must-have in anyone’s skincare regimen but is also its Achilles heel. It’s a notoriously fickle ingredient, degrading in a matter of months even in the best circumstances. Since it can be difficult to tell if a serum’s high price is for better formulation or better marking, we’ve collected the best-reviewed vitamin C serums loved by users and dermatologists, and offer tips on how to pick the best one for you next time you’re shopping around.

Despite the numerous benefits provided by Vitamin-C, it is a notoriously unstable ingredient, degrading when exposed to light, air or heat. Therefore, you’re going to want to consider these factors to get the most of your purchase. 

Packaging – Since vitamin-C needs to be kept from light and air, it should be contained in a dark-coloured and/or opaque bottle that can be closed air-tightly. If the brand’s bottle doesn’t fit these criteria, but you swear by the results, fret not. Simply store in a cool, dark place such as the fridge or wrap the bottle in foil.  

The shelf-life of vitamin-C serums tends to be around 3-5 months, so you might want to purchase small bottles to keep it from going to waste, especially if you’ve paid a high price for it. 

Formulation — This is a multi-pronged factor that determines in what form Vitamin-C appears, as this determines its stability and efficacy; what ingredients appear alongside it or is used to dissolve it, as this may bolster its stability; and the consistency/state of the product, as this determines how you must apply it and at which point in your overall skin-care routine. 

Chemistry – Vitamin-C comes in a variety of forms, some more shelf-stable than others. Look at the ingredients list and consistency to get a sense of how your serum may act.  

• Ascorbic Acid (otherwise known as L-Ascorbic Acid (L-AA)) is a water-soluble form of Vitamin-C and bioactive, meaning it’s ready for your body to use. However, it is also unstable. Paired with ferulic acid, it becomes more stable and easier to absorb. It’s recommended at 10-20% concentration but can be irritating for those with sensitive skin. 
• Ascorbyl phosphates (Sodium ascorbyl phosphate (SAP) or Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (MAP)) is a stabilized form of Vitamin-C, meaning it has a longer shelf life than L-AA.  

This is by no means exhaustive. There are many more different formulations that you may come across, but scant clinical tests for their efficacy. 

Solvent – Vitamin-C may be dissolved in water in what’s known as a hydrous solution, in which case it’s absorbability may be increased. These solutions also tend to be less viscous (waterier) meaning if you’re someone who hates the feeling of product on the face, you might prefer this. Anhydrous serums do not use water as a solvent but may not penetrate the skin as well and may have a more viscous consistency. 

Consistency/Viscosity — As with other parts of your skin-care routine, the consistency of the product determines what placement in your overall routine and how to apply it, especially if this isn’t your only serum. Always apply products by order of viscosity with thinner, waterier products going first and layering on thicker oils, finishing off with creams and lotions. This ensures that the lighter products can penetrate the skin without sitting on top of other products. 

Many products on the market may not work for you personally or even work at all. Yet, there is a continuous stream of products and brands emerging, making it difficult to navigate the beauty and skincare market. At Rank-it.ca, we aim to simplify the decision-making and shopping process by collating as much information and reviews in one place to help you find what works. 

In the process our team’s esthetic enthusiast has dedicated a combined 20 hours of research on the products, ingredients and concerns based on reviews and a variety of dermatological sources. Among our considerations we price – since greater price does not mean greater results—to suit a variety of budgets, active ingredients, skin-types and concerns addressed. 

How to use a vitamin-C serum 

Test new serums on an inconspicuous region of the body, such as the wrist or forearm 24 hours prior to first use. If no irritation or rash develops, you are free to integrate it into your skincare routine. 

On a clean, toned face (if you use toner), place a few drops on the forehead and cheeks – taking care not to touch the dropper to your face – and gently pat into the skin. 

When to use a vitamin-C serum 

Consistency is key when it comes to vitamin C, so it’s best used at least once daily, am or pm. Though you can use it twice daily, if you so choose. 

In terms of its placement within your routine, serums are the third step after washing your face and toning but before you moisturize. When used in conjunction with other serums, layer on in order from thinnest to thickest. 

Where to buy a vitamin C serum 

Vitamin C serums can be found at a few boutiques or high-end skincare retailers such as The Bay or Sephora as well as several mid-range, drugstore retailers. Among these are London Drugs, Walmart and Shoppers Drug Mart/Pharmaprix. 

What is vitamin C good for? 

There are many vitamin c benefits including skin-brightening and reducing hyperpigmentation. It promotes collagen production and accelerating cellular turnover, which minimizes the development of wrinkles and prevents skin sagging.  

However, its best feature are its capabilities as an antioxidant, meaning it bonds with free-radical particulates (including those from UV rays) and oxidize preventing them from damaging skin. Unfortunately, this is also the reason why vitamin C oxidizes and degrades so quickly.