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Garnier’s ultimate guide to Vitamin C serums

Need a quick glow-up? Topical Vitamin C treatments are your golden ticket to a bright and luminous complexion, and using a serum gives you a targeted boost where you need it most. We’ve got the lowdown on when and how to apply Vitamin C serum for visible results, day and night.

Why use Vitamin C in serum form?

You've likely heard lots about the benefits of Vitamin C – and we have a whole range of Vitamin C products available. So why should you consider adding a serum to your routine, and what does Vitamin C serum do for your skin?

For one thing, serums are a brilliant way to give your skin a powerful hit of active ingredients, without any greasiness or heaviness. That makes them a great bet for people with more oily skin types. Rest assured, our Vitamin C Brightening Serum has a non-oily, non-sticky formula that sinks in quickly and doesn’t leave visible residue on the skin.

And because serums can have high concentrations of effective forms of Vitamin C, they're a strong addition to any skincare regimen.

At Garnier, we've combined this active ingredient - with other complementary dermatological actives. Our formula, containing N and SA and lemon extract help reduce the appearance of dark spots and give your skin a radiant glow.

When to apply Vitamin C serum?

The great thing about Vitamin C is that you can use it any time – night or day. That’s why we’ve formulated specific serums for both with the Garnier Vitamin C Brightening Serum and our Vitamin C Brightening Night Serum.

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The morning is a great time to apply Vitamin C, so that it can work all day long to help reduce the appearance of dark spots, giving healthier and more radiant looking skin.

You’ll also want to replenish your skin after a day of stress and exposure: that’s when you can reach for our Vitamin C Brightening Night Serum, which has a higher concentration of Vitamin C.


Whether you opt for morning or evening application – or both – there is an optimal stage in your routine to apply your serum. We know that with all the different steps, it can all become a bit confusing (which is another reason why choosing a serum that combines this star ingredient with other ingredients is such a good idea!). So, here's how we would apply Vitamin C serum.


Once you've done your cleansing and your toning, it's time for the Vitamin C serum. Simply apply a few drops – ideally a full dropper of Vitamin C serum – to your face and neck, and gently massage it into skin. Then, give it some time to soak in before moving on to your face cream or moisturiser.

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And if you can't get enough of the wonders of serums, check out our guide to layering different serums and learn how you can combine Vitamin C with niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and other products. We recommend using the Vitamin C* Daily UV after applying your serum, to ensure you remain protected from UV rays throughout the day.

A general rule of thumb is to apply the product that best targets your skincare concern first. So, if your goal is to reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation and brighten skin, you’d want to apply the Vitamin C serum first. Give it time to soak in before layering other serums on top.

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Vitamin C isn't just for serums

With so many benefits, there's no need to limit yourself to serums for your Vitamin C delivery! Take a look at the other Vitamin C products on offer:


1. Vitamin C Micellar Water

2. Vitamin C Face Serum

3. Vitamin C Brightening Eye Cream

4. Vitamin C Brightening Day Cream

5. Vitamin C Brightening Night Serum

6. Vitamin C Daily UV

7. Vitamin C Face Mask

8. Body SuperFood Vitamin C Cream

Discover Garnier’s best Vitamin C serums

Our best Vitamin C serums blend this powerful compound with complementary ingredients to protect and improve skin tone.

Discover Garnier’s best Vitamin C serums

To start with, try Garnier’s Vitamin C Brightening Serum. It teams vitamin-rich citrus extracts with niacinamide and salicylic acid to reduce visible signs of fatigue. The result? Skin appears brighter and dark spots are less visible. It’s lightweight for easy absorption, without feeling greasy.

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Sun protection is a must for healthy, youthful-looking skin. Vitamin C* Daily UV does double skincare duty. Infused with Vitamin C* and high protection SPF50+, it leaves the skin looking more radiant and immediately protected from UVB and UVA.

**Vitamin C: Vitamin Cg, a Vitamin C derivative.

Vitamin C serum: the bottom line

Vitamin C is one of those skincare saviours that requires little effort to see big results. It helps to reduce the appearance of dark spots and enhance glow.


Try adding Garnier’s best Vitamin C serums to your routine, and be sure to check out other brightening products from our Vitamin C range.