My 56-Year-Old Mom Swears by This $35 Vitamin C Serum for Dark Spot-Free Skin — and I’m Trying It Now, Too

My inbox is filled with promises of miracle face masks and mists,but afterseven years of trying the latest and greatest, I’ve become quite skeptical. However, my ears perked up over the holidays when my friends kept complimenting my 56-year-old mom’s glowing skin, and she credited her glow to Vichy’s Liftactiv Vitamin C Serum. 

Vitamin C is beloved for its ability to reduce the appearance of dark spots while boosting collagen production, which helps skin look more firm and plump. Most serums contain 10 to 20 percent vitamin C, but Vichy’s formula has a potent concentration of 16 percent, making it one of the strongest I’ve tried. 

Vichy Liftactiv Vitamin C Serum

My mom has used the serum for a couple of years, and the results are hard to ignore. (Though I see her on FaceTime too often to notice a day-to-day difference, comparing past images of her skin to now shows the effects of the serum.) Sun and age spots around my mom’s cheeks, forehead, and nose have lightened significantly; the overall texture of her skin has become smoother; and her cheeks look more plump. 

I went to Amazon to put in an order, and saw that the serum already had quite the following. Thousands of happy reviewers raved about how “luminous” and “radiant” the serum made their skin look. Over 3,000 people have purchased it in the last month alone.

I hoped it would lighten my hyperpigmentation — the result of  cystic acne that plagued me throughout my teens and well into my late twenties. Now at 32, my breakouts have subsided outside of occasional hormonal spots, but the dark spots they left behind on my medium-toned, hyperpigmentation-prone skin have become my primary concern. 

A combination of vitamin C serums, religious use of an LED light mask (I swear by the splurge-worthy Dr. Dennis Gross one!), and retinol have helped, but I’ve yet to find a vitamin C serum potent enough for my skin. Most highly-concentrated formulas leave my face feeling so sticky I can’t comfortably layer makeup — or even SPF — on top of it. 

After a month of using the Vichy Liftactiv Vitamin C Serum, I see a real difference.. The newer spots I have from hormonal acne have faded more quickly than anticipated, and I’m cautiously optimistic about the serum’s ability to tackle the older, more stubborn scars I have on my jawline. The lightweight, waterlike texture absorbs easily and leaves my skin with a subtle, instant glow thanks to its light orange tint, too.

While I’m still waiting to see long-term results on those deeper, more stubborn marks, the immediate effect on my skin’s tone and texture is undeniable. My skin feels brighter, and those fresh spots are less prominent. If you’re looking for a smart, effective serum that actually delivers — without all the empty promises — this one may just be worth the hype.

In short: I'm officially joining the Vichy Vitamin C serum fan club, along with my mom and thousands of Amazon shoppers. Shop more of my skin-brightening favorites at Amazon, below.

More Editor-Approved Skin-Brightening Products at Amazon

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Farmacy Brighten-Up 3% TXA Dark Spot Toner

Ranavat Brightening Saffron Serum

Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil

Goop Microderm Instant Glow Exfoliator