As a Korean, I’m here to share the 10 best Korean vitamin C serum for hyperpigmentation, a pesky problem that I, too, experience in my daily life.
Getting acne is stressful because I know that I’ll probably end up with a dark spot on my face. This phenomenon is called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and it happens to people with higher melanin production.
The good news is that with consistent use, the best Korean vitamin c serums can help reduce the appearance of dark spots, in addition to improving various skin concerns.
I’m here to share all the best options to address your uneven skin tone, from serums that are easy to order to the United States, to the most popular solutions in Korea today.
With that, let’s dive into the 10 best Korean vitamin C serum for hyperpigmentation!
What does Vitamin C do for your skin?
Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that protects the skin from free radicals, such as sun damage from UV rays (especially as the ozone layer thins with greater environmental damage).
It’s also essential in stimulating collagen production, which helps with skin elasticity (to help fill your acne scars and prevent fine lines) and hydration (so that you can go from having dull skin to glass skin).
Does applying Vitamin C serum to your skin actually do anything?
Vitamin C is often an essential part of a Korean skincare routine because it addresses many different needs to help you achieve healthy skin.
However, whether applying vitamin C products onto the skin (say, compared to consuming vitamin C) is an effective way to get vitamin C into your skin is more of a complicated matter than it might first seem.
If you have a balanced diet or take vitamin C supplementation, then your blood might already contain the highest amount of vitamin C possible. Then applying a vitamin C serum is probably not going to have any additional effect on your skin.
However, if you have lower levels of vitamin C, then applying a serum can help.
What should I look for in a Vitamin C Serum?
Multiple factors that have to be met in order for the serum to work its magic.
Delivery Method
First of all, the vitamin C serum must penetrate through your outer skin layer. This tough outer layer is essentially made from dead skin cells and doesn’t let water penetrate through.
For example, encapsulating the vitamin C into a lipospheric form can help with absorption.
There’s also certain vitamin C derivatives that penetrate the skin better, like ascorbyl glucoside.
Stability
Pure vitamin C, or L-ascorbic acid, oxidizes easily, meaning that it’s efficacy can disappear shortly after you buy a bottle if you keep it in the light or if air seeps into the bottle.
Vitamin C has to be stabilized so that it doesn’t easily oxidize. Or you can try different vitamin C derivatives that are more stable than ascorbic acid.
Conversion into Ascorbic Acid
If you do try a vitamin C derivative, it must readily convert into ascorbic acid once it’s applied, in order for it to work.
There’s currently no one-size-fits-all solution. The research continues to develop.
In addition, depending on your skin type, age, and your lifestyle, different solutions might work for you.
Key Ingredients To Look For
- L-ascorbic acid (same as ascorbic acid): Pure vitamin C, high efficacy against photoaging and hyperpigmentation. But easily oxidizes, leading to a short 1-3 month shelf-life (should be stored in fridge).
- Ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate (ATIP): Lipid soluble & less irritating than ascorbic acid
- Sodium ascorbyl phosphate: More stable than ascorbic acid
- Ascorbyl glucoside: Relatively stable derivative of vitamin C
- 3-O-ethyl-l-ascorbic acid: More stable than ascorbic acid
- Ferulic acid: Stabilizes vitamin C and doubles its photoprotective effects on the skin
Other Active Ingredients To Look Out For
- Gluathione (same as gluathiosome): Brightening, moisturization, prevention of wrinkles, smoothness (Source)
- Niacinamide: Reduce hyperpigmentation, improve wrinkles and skin elasticity (Source)
- Tranexamic acid: Has proven to treat resistant hyperpigmentation
- Lactic acid: Increases skin firmness, thickness, smoothness; reduction in fine lines and wrinkles (Source)
Best Korean Vitamin C Serum for Hyperpigmentation
Best for Hyperpigmentation
1. COSRX Pure Vitamin C 23% Serum with Vitamin E & Hyaluronic Acid ($19.99)
Pros: At 23%, we love that this serum has a relatively high concentration of pure vitamin C, or L-ascorbic acid. In addition, it can be a good option if you have dry skin since it contains moisturizing hyaluronic acid (sodium hyaluronate) and vitamin E.
Cons: I can handle a strange-smelling serum, but if that turns you off — it’s not going be the right fit. For the best results, store this serum in the fridge since it’s made using ascorbic acid! However, this serum does contain disodium EDTA, which will help stabilize the ascorbic acid.
Amazon Rating: 4.1 / 5 stars (5,371 ratings)
About COSRX: Jun Sang Hun founded COSRX (코스알엑스) back in 2013. They’re also known for their snail mucin.
2. numbuzin No.5 Serum with Glutathione, Vitamin C, Tranexamic Acid for Hyperpigmentation ($20.80)
Pros: Many people find this serum effective for reducing hyperpigmentation. It’s moisturizing and gentle enough for daily use. The scent’s minimal. This serum reduced dark spots by 9.65% after 4 weeks of use in numbuzin’s clinical study.
What’s great about this serum is that it includes multiple ingredients that are known to be antioxidative and reduce hyperpigmentation, including tranexamic acid and gluathione.
Cons: Since this serum is moisturizing, it can feel thicker, heavier and tackier when first applied. But the stickiness is gone after about 30 seconds once the serum dries, leaving your skin soft and supple.
Amazon Rating: 4.5 / 5 stars (2,625 ratings)
About Numbuzin: Numbuzin (넘버즈인) was founded in 2019 by Lee Iljoo and Kim Daeyeong. They’re also known for their No. 3 Toner.
Best By Skin Type
3. Best for Sensitive Skin Types: JUMISO All Day Vitamin Serum ($14.99)
Pros: This gentle vitamin C serum is a great multi-targeting serum, incorporating a bunch of other vitamins (A, B, D and E), hydrating hyaluronic acid and centella asiatica extract, which has been proven to help heal wounds and acne and sun-damanged skin by increasing collagen production and reducing inflammation. This gentle formulation is made from a 86% vitamin tree (sea buckthorn) plant base and is also fragrance free.
Cons: There’s lower concentrations of vitamin C in this serum, so I’d say it’s a great starter product if you’re concerned with skin irritation. With that being said, some people still had breakouts after using this serum.
Amazon Rating: 4.4 / 5 stars (1,512 ratings)
About JUMISO: Siheon Keum and his brother founded Gangnam-based JUMISO in 2016.
4. Great for Sensitive Skin Types: [Make p:rem] Poncirus trifoliata C Dark spot serum ($27.99)
Pros: The vitamin C here comes from hardy orange extract (Poncirus trifoliata) and lower concentrations of the vitamin C derivative ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate, which is lipid-soluble and less irritating. Niacinamide and tranexamic acid additionally brighten the skin.
Lots of people with sensitive skin have used this serum without issue; it smells great but is free of artificial fragrance. Plus, the pump makes for a mess-free experience.
Cons: This serum contains beads in order to product the sensitive vitamin C. These melt to deliver the product and aren’t exfoliating.
Amazon Rating: 4.3 / 5 stars (51 ratings)
About Make p:rem: Pronounced “make prem,” (메이크프렘), this K-Beauty company was founded in 2016 and follows EWG Green standards.
5. Best for Dry Skin: SOME BY MI Galactomyces Pure Vitamin C Glow Serum ($18.70)
Pros: This serum uses pure vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and is 75% galactomyces, a hydrating and antioxidative fungi according to a 2022 study. At $18.70, it’s one of the more affordable options, too.
Cons: Pure vitamin C can be stinky and also oxidizes faster. Make sure to put this serum in the fridge to prevent oxidization.
Amazon Rating: 4.4 / 5 stars (611 ratings)
About SOME BY MI: SOME BY MI (썸바이미) is a Seoul-based company founded by two Korean women, Sarah Choi and Michelle Kwan. If you love this serum, try out their Miracle Toner.
6. Best for Oily Skin: Abib Glutathiosome Dark Spot Serum Vita Drop ($19.47)
Pros: While this serum has a lower concentration of vitamin C at 5%, it’s made using 3-O-ethyl-l-ascorbic acid, which is a more stable form of vitamin C. The 5% niacinamide and gluathione boost its brightening effects. In addition, lactic acid thickens skin and reduces fine lines.
Cons: Niacinamide can dry out your skin, so this serum is a good match for folks with oilier skin. If beads in facial products bother you, know that these pop and absorb easily in this serum 🙂
Amazon Rating: 4.5 / 5 stars (108 ratings)
About Abib: Abib was founded by Sanghyun Kim in 2016 and is based in Seoul, Korea. Try their Airy Sunstick SPF 50!
7. Best for Acne-Prone Skin: iUNIK, Propolis Vitamin Synergy Serum ($11.30)
Pros: If you struggle with acne-prone skin and also want a brightening effect, look no further than iUNIK’s serum with propolis extract made by bees (known for its anti-bacterial and antioxidant properties) and sea buckthorn fruit extract. Plus, at just $11.30 for a 1.69 oz (50mL) bottle, it’s one of the most affordable options out there (with elegant packaging!). This serum is light and applies easily, and doesn’t have a strong scent.
Cons: If you’re allergic to honey or bee stings, you’ll be allergic to propolis — and this serum won’t be for you.
iHerb Rating: 4.6 / 5 stars
About iUNIK: Michelle Kim founded Seoul-based iUNIK in 2017.
Best Stable Vitamin C Serums to Maximize Efficacy
8. Great for Dry Skin: CNP Derma+ Answer Mela Spot Brightening Ampoule ($35.62)
Pros: CNP uses two more stable derivatives of vitamin C, sodium ascorbyl phosphate (3%) and ascorbyl glucoside (2%). Disodium EDTA, trisodium EDTA and ferulic acid are included, ingredients that can help with stabilization. 2% niacinamide helps with brightening and sodium hyaluronate moisturizes.
Cons: This serum has a medium heaviness, so it’s a good match for dry skin or during the winter time.
Olive Young Rating: 4.3 / 5 stars (18 reviews)
About CNP: CNP was founded by 3 Korean dermatologists in 2000, Lee Dongwon, Cha Mi Kyung and Park Yoon Ho, who met at med school and actually opened a clinic together before starting up this “cosmeceutical” company.
9. Beauty of Joseon Light On Serum Vitamin C Centella ($16.37)
Pros: This serum uses 3-O-ethyl-l-ascorbic acid, which is more stable than L-ascorbic acid. In addition, this serum contains centella asiatica extract, a traditional medicine ingredient that helps heal sun-damaged skin and reduce inflammation.
Cons: While 3-O-ethyl-l-ascorbic acid is great because it’s going to be effective for longer, it has also been known to cause skin rashes and allergic reactions (as witnessed in the reviews). If you have sensitive skin, definitely spot test before applying to your face!
Amazon Rating: 4.4 / 5 stars (840 ratings)
About Beauty of Joseon: Lee Sumin founded Beauty of Joseon (조선미녀) in 2016. As a Korean, I’m proud that this brand has blown up — but I think it has an even bigger share of brand presence in the US than in its home country (where competition is stiff and trends come and go).
10. Peach & Lily Transparen-C Pro Spot Treatment ($45)
Pros: This serum has a high concentration of vitamin C at 20%. It uses ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate (ATIP), which is a stable form of vitamin C that absorbs more easily into the skin because it’s lipid soluble, and is also less irritating than L-ascorbic acid.
In addition, this serum incorporates vitamin E (tocopherol) and is therefore a C E ferulic acid serum, which has been shown to further stabilize vitamin C and double its photoprotective effects on the skin.
Kojic acid and tranexamic acid are both known to further help with hyperpigmentation. It’s no wonder many people are finding this serum to be effective in brightening the skin and reducing dark spots.
Cons: At $45 for a 0.67 oz bottle, this serum is expensive. But it can last about a year if you use it as a spot treatment. This might be a good idea especially if you have oily or combination skin, becasue some people have reported breakouts, perhaps due to the various oils that are included in this serum.
Ulta Beauty Rating: 4.4 / 5 stars (753 reviews)
About Peach & Lily: Peach & Lily was founded in 2012 by CEO Alicia Yoon, who was born in Seoul, moved to the US then spent her teenage years back in Korea.
Use code JJLZ17 at Ulta checkout to help your girlie out 🤍
Best Korean Vitamin C Serum for Hyperpigmentation (Conclusion)
In this guide, we went over the Best Korean Vitamin C Serum for Hyperpigmentation to add to your skin care routine.
We went over the best vitamin C serum for different skin types, as well as different forms of serums that leverage the most recent research for the most effective solution.
These best vitamin C serum options come from trusted Korean skincare brands, including the top Korean brands that have gone viral in South Korea, as well as K-Beauty brands that are easy to find abroad.
- COSRX Pure Vitamin C 23% Serum with Vitamin E & Hyaluronic Acid ($19.99)
- numbuzin No.5 Serum with Glutathione, Vitamin C, Tranexamic Acid for Hyperpigmentation ($20.80)
- Best for Sensitive Skin Types: JUMISO All Day Vitamin Serum ($14.99)
- Great for Sensitive Skin Types: [Make p:rem] Poncirus trifoliata C Dark spot serum ($27.99)
- Best for Dry Skin: SOME BY MI Galactomyces Pure Vitamin C Glow Serum ($18.70)
- Best for Oily Skin: Abib Glutathiosome Dark Spot Serum Vita Drop ($19.47)
- Best for Acne-Prone Skin: iUNIK, Propolis Vitamin Synergy Serum ($11.30)
- Great for Dry Skin: CNP Derma+ Answer Mela Spot Brightening Ampoule ($35.62)
- Beauty of Joseon Light On Serum Vitamin C Centella ($16.37)
- Peach & Lily Transparen-C Pro Spot Treatment ($45)
It’s my hope that these Korean skincare products can help you with your skin healing process. The skin is an organ, and it deserves our love and attention!
Thanks for checking out my article about the Best Korean Vitamin C Serum for Hyperpigmentation!
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