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    16 Vitamin C Beauty Buys You'll Wish You Knew Of Sooner

    For when eating oranges doesn't cut it.

    Mariela Summerhays
    by Mariela Summerhays

    BuzzFeed Contributor

    Honestly, thank goodness for the most hardworking ingredient in beauty, our darling vitamin C.

    Nine Network

    For the uninitiated, vitamin C protects skin from free radicals like UV rays and pollution; stimulates collagen production; and targets dark spots, leaving you with glowing and even skin tone.

    If you're looking for a way to work this powerful antioxidant into your skincare routine, let me (a devoted disciple) be your guide.

    ABC

    Here's 16 of the best vitamin C skincare products, tried and tested by BuzzFeed editors, the good people of the internet and moi:

    1. This banana bright vitamin C serum by Ole Henriksen that will give you your brightest, bounciest skin ever.

    Sephora

    This next-gen vitamin C serum combines three Ole Glow® icons — Vitamin C, exfoliating acids and banana powder-inspired pigments — to instantly brighten and help defend skin against pollution, while delivering a sensorial experience you’ll love. And, with hyaluronic acid, it helps plump skin with hydration and reinforce skin’s moisture barrier.

    Buy it from Sephora Australia for $98.

    2. And this Banana Bright + Eye Crème by the same brand, that'll tackle all your sleep-deprived bags and dark circles.

    BuzzFeed

    Promising Review: "Genuinely the best eye cream I've ever used — I use it religiously, morning and night, and it leaves the skin around my eyes so supple and hydrated, but never clogged. Worth every damn penny."

    —Julia Willing

    Buy it from Sephora Australia for $60.

    3. This glow ritual vitamin C serum from Antipodes that has a lightweight, gel-like feel on the skin. This bad boy is made in NZ from ultra-clean ingredients and is 100% vegan friendly.

    Twitter / Via Twitter: @fbistylemag

    This gorg serum is rich in vitamin C which helps treat dark spots to reveal a luminous, dewy complexion. Use it in the morning under your moisturiser and SPF for a lovely make-up base. 

    Buy it from Amazon Australia for $25.65. 

    4. This Vitamin C serum from TruSkin that will get straight to work on dark spots and fine lines and leave you glowing.

    TruSkin.com, Instagram: @TruSkin

    This facial serum gives serious hydration and will deal with dry skin issues in a flash. It's packed with skin-loving ingredients, including hyaluronic acid, witch hazel, Vitamin E, organic aloe vera and jojoba oil.

    Buy it from Amazon Australia for $46.95.

    5. This Go-To Transformazing cloth face mask, which breathes life into your poor, tired skin in just 10 minutes — ideal for those of us who are too lazy for clay masks.

    Go-To

    Most vitamin C beauty products source the vitamin from oranges  — so when we get wind of a native Australian ingredient (especially one as fragrant and soothing as kakadu plum), we know we're bound to love it. This mask is Australian-made, vegan and drenched in kakadu plum, finger lime and Tasmanian pepper leaf goodness for brightened hydrated and healed skin.

    Promising Review: "Go-To is one of my favourite-ever Aussie beauty brands. One product that is definitely a must for winter is the Transformazing face mask. Deeply hydrating, packed with antioxidants and vitamin C (as well of lots of other great stuff), this product makes my face feel soft, bright and rehydrated."

    —Natalia Krslovic

    Buy it from Go-To Skincare for $9

    6. And, of course, their cult favourite Much Brighter Skin face serum, which is jam-packed with vitamin C.

    Go-To

    Formulated with 10% sodium ascorbyl phosphate, (a highly stable, anti-microbial, non-irritating form of Vitamin C), niacinamide and kakadu plum, this wildly elegant serum provides antioxidant protection, improves skin radiance, and evens skin tone.

    Buy it from Go-To for $59.

    7. This citrus fruit-packed face cream, which will ensure your skin is flake-free and ready for makeup in less than a day.

    Rich with not just vitamin C (courtesy of zesty lemon and orange extracts), but E and B5 too, this weightless cream is beloved for its ability to awaken and energise dull-looking, running-on-no-sleep skin.

    Promising review: "After hearing a lot of people rave abut the Fresh Vitamin Nectar Moisture Glow Face Cream, I decided to try it — and within one day my face was feeling baby-soft and looking hydrated and flake-free. It also smells really good! I originally used it in the mornings and at night, but thanks to this product's effectiveness, my skin has been so moisturised that I only need to apply it in the a.m. now. A little goes a long way, so it'll last me a very long time.

    Since I'd been using a very matte foundation, my skin had to adjust to this new amount of moisture — I didn't break out, but my makeup needed some reapplying throughout the day. However, now that my skin's gotten used to the moisturiser, my foundation goes on a lot more smoothly and even lasts longer. And without makeup, this product keeps my face feeling soft and hydrated, and it reduces redness. I'd say it's definitely worth the hype."

    —Angela Krasnick

    Buy it from Sephora Australia for $95

    8. This caffeine-loaded, vitamin C serum, which will visibly wake your complexion (while your morning cup of joe wakes the rest).

    Steph Hazelton/BuzzFeed, Youth to the People

    This highly-concentrated vitamin C serum has been super-boosted with caffeine to brighten, reduce hyperpigmentation, even skin tone, firm, and even depuff — all the good stuff. Best of all, those with sensitive skin can feel comfortable adding it to their skin routine as its lightweight and fragrance-free.

    Buy it now from Sephora Australia for $110

    9. This powerful vitamin C-packed serum, which will help fade pigmentation from past zits and blemishes.

    Julia Willing/BuzzFeed

    Formulated by leading skincare formulators, with three different vitamin C sources for superior efficacy, this serum works to boost collagen, reduce fine lines, instantly hydrate and brighten your complexion.

    Buy it from Peppy Co for $49

    10. This vitamin C serum, which is so popular, it currently has over 13,700 five-star ratings on Amazon.

    Amazon Australia

    This brilliant serum is made from all-natural ingredients — including 11% hyaluronic acid, 20% vitamin C and vitamin E — to help with skin ageing, sun spots (relevant for basically every Aussie), wrinkles and dark circles. 

    Promising review:  "Fast absorbing and lightweight. Has lightened my sun damage in under a week and better than any other product I've used before. I have noticed an improvement in my skin firmness and not needing as much foundation due to lightened sun damage spots. Great value for money..."

      —Cathy  

    Buy it now from Amazon Australia for $28.88

    11. This Alpha-H vitamin C serum, which is the perfect blend of botanicals and chemistry for the beauty enthusiast who wants both.

    Alpha-H

    This gorgeous little serum is formulated with 10% concentrate of vitamin C and hyaluronic acid for brightening and hydration — and antioxidant-rich licorice extract to boost.

    Promising review: "I honestly love anything and everything from Alpha-H. The female-founded company believes in offering the very best of chemistry-led formulas for ultimate effectiveness, yet everything smells gorgeous (because beauty regimens should be about self-care!). Love, love this serum."

      — Mariela Summerhays

    Buy it from Sephora Australia for $82

    12. This gel-to-light foam cleanser, which is rich with indigenous Australian wild limes and antibacterial ingredients for healing acne-prone skin.

    Rich in vitamin C, antioxidants and AHA’s, the Australian wild limes in this cleanser gently exfoliate; lactic acid, papaya and pomegranate extract helps to brighten dull complexions, while antibacterial properties heal blemish prone skin. Lastly, aloe vera soothes and hydrates, leaving skin feeling and looking healthy, soft and supple.

    Promising review: “This latest must-have skincare brand is divine, absolutely bursting with Aussie natives goodness. I adore their Balancing Cleanser, which feels soothing and uber-hydrating when lathering on. The clincher though? That citrus-y, Australian native scent that instantly relaxes at the end of the day. Worth every dollar."

    — Mariela Summerhays

    Buy it from Sephora Australia for $70

    13. This exfoliating gel, which sloughs off dead skin, without harsh, physical ingredients that can damage your epidermis.

    Julia Willing/BuzzFeed

    For a deeper cleanse and exfoliation, use this exfoliating gel to remove any dead skin cells from your skin’s surface. Just massage gel onto cleansed and dry skin and you’ll see the excess dead skin rub off, before rinsing away with water to reveal brighter, healthier looking skin. This magical formula also contains vitamin C to even out the skin tone, papaya enzymes as a natural exfoliant and lemon enzymes to help balance the skin’s surface.

    Promising review: "First product I bought from the Bye Bye Blemish range. Cooling gel, with slight citrus fresh fragrance. As you rub your skin in circular motions, the top old layer of skin easily buffs off! Very gentle and refreshing. For deeper skin penetration, I leave on the skin before scrubbing the gel off. Highly recommend and keen to try their other products!"

    —MishellyC

    Buy it from Chemist Warehouse for $16.99

    14. This squalane and vitamin C rose oil, which gives that extra bit of hydration and glow to your skin (and smells divine).

    Mariela Summerhays/BuzzFeed

    This sweet-smelling face oil is formulated with moisture-locking, sugar-derived squalane; firming chios crystal oil; and advanced vitamin C for a day-long gentle glow. One consumer study found 97% of users agreed skin was firmer and more supple after three weeks of use(!).

    Promising review: "Best vitamin C oil I've used so far. Most make my skin feel dry but this keeps me refreshed all day and I can see my face getting visibly lighter after numerous applications."

      —Maddie, Australia  

    Buy it from Sephora Australia for $115

    15. This funky smelling, but oh-so-good vitamin C serum from Skinceuticals.

    @skinceuticals / Via Instagram

    Promising review: "I read about this serum over, and over, and over again, but I always balked at the price. But after an enlightening convo with my dermatologist about the power of vitamin C — and some seriously good timing with a sale — I hit the purchase button, and I'm so glad I did. I feel like my skin is much brighter and more even since I've started using it. I use just four drops per day, so a bottle will last a very long time. Again, YMMV, but I think it's worth it! 

    One little thing that you must know that the internet reviews sometimes don't mention: This serum smells like hot dog water. Truly. But don't worry, the smell dissipates after you put it on, and you don't spend your day wearing Eau de Frankfurter."

    —Kathleen Shea-Porter

    Buy it from Adore Beauty for $186.40 (RRP$233)

    16. And last, but not least, this pure and potent vitamin C brightening serum, which provides antioxidant defence from skin-damaging free radicals for your most radiant skin yet.

    Mariela Summerhays/BuzzFeed

    This bad boy's singular focus is to target dark spots and even skin tone. It's super potent formula penetrates skin's surface to protect from UV, pollution and smoke; while simultaneously supporting the natural production of collagen for smoothing over the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

    Promising review: "This little bottle of goodness has joined my daily morning routine, and it's well worth its (affordable!) price tag. It absorbs very quickly, and I feel it leaves my skin firmer and moisturised. I definitely recommend giving the many glowing (pun intended) reviews here — if I don't convince you to make the purchase, the many other hard core fans will!"

      — Mariela Summerhays

    Buy it from Amazon Australia for $29.95

    You and your best skin yet:

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