Dullness can affect your skin at any age, regardless of your skin type. For those suffering from uneven texture and tone, incorporating one of the best brightening serums into your skin care routine will help reveal a more radiant complexion and even help correct some other skin care woes as well.

Harnessing the power of potent ingredients such as vitamin C, retinol and lactic acid, these serums penetrate deep into the skin and exfoliate away dead skin cells, resulting in the reduction of dark spots, acne scars, sun spots, hyperpigmentation and other sources of discoloration and unwanted texture. In addition to giving your skin a radiance-boosting polish, these ingredients are also renowned for their anti-aging fighting capabilities due to their rejuvenating effect on the skin, which aids in the production of collagen and elastin and firms fine lines and wrinkles. The best brightening serums also boast hydrating and antioxidant benefits as well, combining emollients like hyaluronic acid and vitamin E with these powerful ingredients to increase moisture and boost your skin’s defense against discoloration-triggering free radicals.

Beauty

Where to Shop Dior's Luxury Lip Balm Phone Sticker That's Going Viral (And Being Compared to Rhode's Lip Case)

Below, explore the best brightening serums that will transform your skin and reveal a lit-from-within-glow.

Versed Sunday Morning Antioxidant Oil-Serum

Boasting a unique oil-serum hybrid formula, the Versed Sunday Morning Antioxidant Oil-Serum refines the look of pores as it immerses your skin in brightening camellia oil, sea buckthorn extract, chamomile extract and vitamin E. As it increases your skin’s radiance, this antioxidant-rich serum also locks in hydration and smoothes away unwanted texture.

versed, best brightening serums

Versed Sunday Morning Antioxidant Oil-Serum $20 Buy Now

SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Serum

Powered by a potent blend of ferulic acid and vitamins C and E, the SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic Serum penetrates deep into the skin to stimulate collagen and reduce the appearance of dark spots, wrinkles and sun damage. It also provides a rich antioxidant defense for the skin, helping to reduce and prevent the premature aging side effects of environmental damage and free radical exposure.

skinceuticals, best brightening serums

SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Serum $166 Buy Now

CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum

By combining vitamin C, ceramides, hyaluronic acid and vitamin B5, the CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum brightens, repairs, hydrates and strengthens your skin to unveil a glowing and firmer complexion. It’s also rich in antioxidants, making it great for defending your skin against free radicals, environmental stressors and UV exposure.

cerave, best brightening serums

CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum $28.99 $15 Buy Now

Glytone Age-Defying Vitamin C&E Serum

Engineered with time-released vitamins C and E, the Glytone Age-Defying Vitamin C&E Serum is designed to visibly brighten, tone and improve your complexion in just two months thanks to its potent and deeply penetrating formula. Doubling as a premature aging treatment, it also helps prevent fine lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation and dryness associated with free radical damage.

glytone, best brightening serums

Glytone Age-Defying Vitamin C&E Serum $130 Buy Now

Obagi Professional-C Serum 15%

Harnessing the power of 15 percent L-absorbic acid, a professional-grade form of vitamin C, the Obagi Professional-C Serum 15% enhances your skin’s overall brightness and firmness by stimulating collagen and elastin production, aiding in the reduction of dark spots, wrinkles and unwanted texture.

obagi, best brightening serums

Obagi Professional-C Serum 15% $107 Buy Now

Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum

Designed to instantly revitalize and refresh your skin, the Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum is comprised of a dullness-fading combination of organic grape water and squalene, which come together to reduce the appearance of dark spots and unveil an even and visibly brighter complexion. Oil-free to suit those with acne and oily-prone skin types, this top-rated serum also soothes away redness and boosts your skin’s moisture levels, making it great for sensitive and dry skin types as well.

caudalie, best brightening serums

Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum $79 Buy Now

Vichy LiftActiv Vitamin C Brightening Skin Corrector

Perfect for those with stubborn dark spots, acne scars and hyperpigmentation, the Vichy LiftActiv Vitamin C Brightening Skin Corrector is packed with 15 percent vitamin C to fade away discoloration and boost your skin’s overall glow. Suitable for all skin types, it also infuses a hydrating dose of hyaluronic acid and vitamin E into the skin to increase its plumpness, moisture and antioxidant defense.

vichy, best brightening serums

Vichy LiftActiv Vitamin C Brightening Skin Corrector $29 Buy Now

The Organic Pharmacy Stabilised Vitamin C Serum

Offering an organic skin care solution to everything from dark spots to fine lines, The Organic Pharmacy’s Stabilised Vitamin C Serum is formulated with 15 percent of concentrated vitamin C to reverse dullness in the skin. Its potent formula also helps improve your skin’s resilience by promoting collagen production, resulting in a firmer and rejuvenated-looking complexion.

the organic pharmacy, best brightening serums

The Organic Pharmacy Stabilised Vitamin C Serum $65 Buy Now

Maya Chia The Super Couple Ultra Luxe Face Oil Serum

Delivering the potency of a serum with the hydrating effect of a facial oil, the Maya Chia The Super Couple Ultra Luxe Face Oil Serum boasts a lightweight and fast-absorbing formula that uses a combination of essential oils and botanical-derived oils to restore your skin’s radiance, moisture and plumpness.

maya chia, best brightening serums

Maya Chia The Super Couple Ultra Luxe Face Oil Serum $86 Buy Now

Neogen Real Ferment Micro Serum

A three-in-one formula that stops shine, brightens dark spots and reduces wrinkles, the Neogen Real Ferment Micro Serum absorbs into the skin to infuse collagen-stimulating and oil-absorbing ingredients directly into the cells, making this K-beauty serum perfect for those with oily and mature skin types.

neogen, best brightening serums

NeoGen Real Ferment Micro Serum $38 Buy Now

Sunday Riley Good Genes All-in-One Lactic Acid Treatment

With resurfacing lactic acid at its base, the Sunday Riley Good Genes All-in-One Lactic Acid helps re-texturize your skin by exfoliating away dullness-inducing dead skin cells from the surface layer to reveal a brighter, smoother and more toned complexion. Not only is it great for dark spots, acne scars and other sources of discoloration, but it also plumps fine lines and wrinkles as well.

sunday riley, best brightening serums

Sunday Riley Good Genes All-in-One Lactic Acid Treatment $85 Buy Now

SkinMedica Lytera 2.0 Pigment Correcting Serum

Tackling hyperpigmentation in all of its forms with a potent blend of niacinamide and the brand’s tetrapeptide-30, the SkinMedica Lytera 2.0 Pigment Correcting Serum corrects the look of discoloration in the skin while strengthening the skin barrier. It also uses marine extracts to prevent new dark spots from forming as it improves your skin’s overall brightness and tone.

skinmedica, best brightening serums

SkinMedica Lytera 2.0 Pigment Correcting Serum $154 Buy Now

Juice Beauty Green Apple Age Defy Serum

A brightening and antiaging serum all-in-one, the Juice Beauty Green Apple Age Defy Serum rejuvenates the skin and combats the common signs of aging using a collagen-stimulating formula comprised of alpha-hydroxy acids, peptides, retinol, vitamin E and hyaluronic acid. Its re-texturizing effect on the skin helps reverse dullness, dryness, discoloration, uneven texture and loss of firmness.

juice beauty, best brightening serums

Juice Beauty Green Apple Age Defy Serum $58 Buy Now

Olay Regenerist Retinol24 Night Facial Serum

Delivering a nightly dose of retinol straight to your cells, the Olay Regenerist Retinol24 Night Facial Serum supports your skin’s natural regeneration process and aids in the production of collagen and elastin, allowing you to wake up with a brighter, firmer and more refreshed-looking complexion that’s free of dark spots and wrinkles. olay, best brightening serums

Olay Regenerist Retinol24 Night Facial Serum $39 Buy Now

WWD Recommends

Most Popular

WWD

Get all the top news stories and alerts straight to your inbox.

Enter your Email

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy. We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. // This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

The 14 Best Brightening Serums for Radiant Skin

Recent Articles by Emily Belfiore

Related Articles

You May Also Like