The best face serums make it easy to get in your daily dose of potent, performance-focused actives. Whether they’re dishing out antioxidants, hyaluronic acid, peptides, or botanical agents, face serums are excellent at delivering ingredients deep into your skin, using smaller molecules (compared to your moisturizer, for example) to do so.
“In contrast to moisturizers, serums don’t contain air-tight, occlusive ingredients, which allows them to penetrate more deeply into the epidermis, carrying their active ingredients with them,” says Kenneth Howe, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. Even better: Whether your skin concerns range from fine lines, dark spots, acne, or all of the above, there’s a serum ready to put in the work. This is a tight curation of the 9 best face serums the web has to offer—many of them recommended by dermatologists and all tested by us—so keep scrolling to find your new skin-care hero.
Our Top Face Serums
Frequently Asked Questions
Best Overall: SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic
Why it’s worth it: Allure editors, dermatologists, and our readers agree: SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic serum is worth every penny. As its name suggests, this Allure Best of Beauty- and Readers’ Choice Award-winning elixir is formulated with a potent trifecta of antioxidants, including vitamin C, vitamin E, and ferulic acid, to reduce free radical damage. It also promises to brighten your complexion, reduce discoloration and the appearance of fine lines, and improve firmness all at once. Shout out to glycerin, which gives it hydrating abilities, too. “[This serum is] my personal go-to because it contains a potent triple combination of antioxidants,” New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Shereene Idriss, MD, previously told Allure. You can use this serum night or day, but it’s especially useful in the morning to prep your face for contact with free radicals.
“I’ve been blending four drops of this antioxidant serum on my bare skin (under sunscreen, of course) every morning for about a decade. Every time I stray, my hyperpigmentation rises up to let me know I made a grave mistake.” —Jenny Bailly, executive beauty director
- Key ingredients: ascorbic acid, vitamin E, ferulic acid, glycerin
- Who it’s for: anyone game to invest in a research-backed bestseller
- Primary benefits: softening fine lines, firmness, hydrating
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best Plumping: SkinMedica TNS Advanced+ Serum
Why we love it: You may be thinking: What the heck are growth factors? Allow Mina Amin, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Los Angeles, to explain. “Growth factors are proteins that play an important role in stimulating cell growth, regeneration, and healing,” she previously said. “In skin care, they’re typically used to encourage cell turnover and collagen production, and may help reduce fine lines and wrinkles.” This clinical-backed ingredient finds a home in one of the most dermatologist-recommended serums: SkinMedica TNS Advanced+ Serum. This Best of Beauty hall of famer offers a hefty growth factor blend and peptide complex for a noticeably plumper complexion in as little as two weeks.
Plenty of derms use it in their personal skin-care routines, like Heidi Prather, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Austin. “The formulation feels silky and smooth on your skin and provides a powerful combination of growth factors and plant-based antioxidants to boost collagen and elastin,” she says. Sold yet? ‘Cause we are.
Tester feedback from commerce editor Sarah Han
“At 32, I’m not not concerned about fine lines creeping in. But what I can actually report on for this product is how plump and glowy it makes my skin look after every single application. I can’t fully explain how growth factors work but I do know that ingredients that support and encourage collagen and elastin production (which decreases as we age!) are vital to any skin-care routine. Growth factors and peptides? A dream team for an immediately more radiant complexion and slowing down signs of aging in the long run.” —Sarah Han, commerce editor
- Key ingredients: peptides, growth factors, linseed extract
- Who it’s for: people focused on prevention
- Primary benefits: anti-sagging, smoothing, collagen-boosting
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best for Dry Skin: La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Serum
Why it’s worth it: Deanne Mraz Robinson, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Connecticut, says that no matter your skin type, La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Serum is a great place to start when it comes to serums. “This serum combines concentrated pure hyaluronic acid, madecassoside, and vitamin B5 for tons of hydration without the irritation,” she explains. Though the brand claims this formula is sensitive skin-friendly, it does contain fragrances. To avoid irritation, sensitive skin types should try La Roche-Posay’s fragrance-free Anthelios AOX Antioxidant Serum, which doubles as a broad-spectrum SPF 50 sunscreen.
“There are few skin issues in my life that a good hyaluronic acid serum can’t fix. Dry patches? Hyaluronic acid. Dull skin? Hyaluronic acid. Clogged pores? You wouldn’t think it, but hyaluronic acid genuinely helps balance my skin so it’s not producing the excess oil that pisses my pores off. La Roche-Posay’s Hyalu is the platonic ideal of an HA serum to me: medium viscosity, non-sticky, and vageuly aquatic smelling. My skin is always better off when I made the time to stack it in ahead of moisturizer.” —Sarah Hoffmann, commerce producer
- Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, centella asiatica, vitamin B5
- Who it’s for: people with dry skin
- Primary benefits: hydrating, plumping, barrier-protecting
- Fragrance-free: no
Best for Oily Skin: Kiehl’s Ultra Pure High-Potency Serum 5.0% Niacinamide
Why it’s worth it: Niacinamide is known for its skin-brightening benefits, but the antioxidant, which is the star of Kiehl’s Ultra Pure High-Potency Serum 5.0% Niacinamide, also works to balance excess oil and redness. This antioxidant also has hydrating properties, which the brand enhances with glycerin. Since this serum is fragrance-free and niacinamide also has skin-calming, anti-inflammatory properties, it’s a great pick for anyone with sensitive skin or who wants to boost the brightness of their skin tone, too. “Niacinamide works with your skin’s natural chemistry to improve overall skin texture by rebuilding a lipid layer, minimizing the appearance of pores, and preventing UV damage and inflammation as an antioxidant,” says Seattle-based board-certified dermatologist Brandith Irwin, MD.
“I started using this niacinamide for the first time this January and I’ve been very impressed so far. The texture is slightly sticky but hydrating my skin with a toner beforehand mitigates that. I love how hydrating it is and while I can’t say it’s eradicated my dark spots my skin does look smoother and clearer in the month I’ve been using it.” —Annie Blay-Tetty, associate beauty editor
- Key ingredients: niacinamide, glycerin
- Who it’s for: anyone who wants to minimize dark spots, oil, and redness
- Primary benefits: brightening, mattifying, tone-evening
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best for Sensitive Skin: Dr. Loretta Vitamin C Repair Serum
Why it’s worth it: Vitamin C is a top-tier ingredient for anyone who wants a smoother, brighter complexion (so, basically everyone), but its most common form, L-ascorbic acid (LAA), is prone to oxidation and can be irritating to some. Dr. Loretta’s Vitamin C Repair Serum, however, uses tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (THDA), a stabilized, oil-soluble form of vitamin C that releases the active slowly and deeply, thus bypassing potential skin-barrier irritation. “When I think of the vitamin C derivatives, I would rank THDA the highest because of its combination of improved stability and ability to penetrate the skin more deeply,” cosmetic chemist Kelly Dobo previously told us. “LAA’s stability is so limiting. If I can work with something that is more stable while still providing valuable, meaningful benefits and can be formulated in a way that is more tolerable for more skin types, I’m going to choose that option.”
This concentrated form of vitamin C is teamed with lilac stem cells and two forms of marine algae to hydrate, brighten, and minimize free-radical damage caused by UVA and UVB rays and pollution. All of this results in a lightweight, silky formula that’s a joy to apply.
“The smell of this is what first intrigued me because it literally smells like a fresh orange juice, but what sold me on my now third bottle of it is the brightness it brings to my skin without feeling heavy or overpowering.” —Angela Trakoshis, shopping market editor
- Key ingredients: tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, lilac stem cells, marine algae (undaria pinnatifida and alaria esculenta)
- Who it’s for: anyone targeting dark spots and fine lines, anyone prone to sensitivity with vitamin C
- Primary benefits: brightening, tone-evening, smoothing, hydrating
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best for Discoloration: Revision Skincare C+ Correcting Complex 30%
Why it’s worth it: Dr. Prather says Revision Skincare’s C+ Correcting Complex 30% lightweight formula is great for combination skin because its potent concentration of tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (an oil-soluble form of vitamin C) allows the product to intensively address both current acne and dark spots previous one have left behind while balancing oil production—all without drying out less hydrated parts of your skin. “It is also packed with ingredients that work hard to protect, brighten, and boost your skin health without breaking you out,” she adds. This formula is also infused with prebiotic sodium carboxymethyl beta-glucan and diglucosyl gallic acid, a duo that helps support the skin barrier starting at its microbiome.
Tester feedback from contributing commerce editor Deanna Pai
“I’ve used a lot of vitamin C serums in my day, but this one has beaten out the competition: It comes in an airtight pump (no oxidation, thank you), doesn’t have any noticeable scent, and is easy to smooth onto skin before my moisturizer. It’s kind of everything I want in a skin-care product—effective and invisible. And after six weeks of using it, I’ve noticed a big difference in the hyperpigmentation on my face, which is a combination of generally uneven skin tone and dark spots from acne. My acne-prone skin looks overall brighter and calmer, and some specific spots have faded in a handful of weeks, which is a record for me.” —Deanna Pai, contributing commerce editor
- Key ingredients: vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-glucan
- Who it’s for: people with dull skin or discoloration
- Primary benefits: brightening, defending against free radicals
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best K-Beauty: Rejuran Turnover Ampoule
Why it’s worth it: PDRN is all over K-beauty and New York City-based dermatologist David Kim, MD, is one of the trending ingredient’s fans—and particularly one topical serum known as Rejuran Turnover Ampoule. Short for polydeoxyribonucleotide, “PDRN is a mixture of DNA fragments, which works as a collagen bio-stimulator and supports the skin’s natural regenerative properties, including blood vessel growth and wound healing,” explains Ryan Turner, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City. Rejuran, by the way, is the company behind’s Korea’s most popular PDRN injectable by the same name, Rejuran. While it’s not anywhere as strong as its in-office treatment, it helps firm and smooth skin. “It’s lightweight, and the PDRN helps with tissue elasticity and hydration,” Dr. Kim adds of Turnover Ampoule.
“One day I’ll have a better sleep schedule, work out regularly, and eat more healthily, but until then, PDRN is that girl for adding radiance and plumpness to my dull complexion. I’m not one to get in-office treatments so this serum is the next best thing—my skin looks and feels more hydrated immediately and in the long run. It’s super lightweight, silky, and almost has this grippiness that doubles well as a makeup primer.” —Han, commerce editor
- Key ingredients: C-PDRN (0.5%), adenosine, licorice root extract, blackberry leaf extract
- Who it’s for: anyone who wants glass skin
- Primary benefits: moisturizing, elasticity-boosting, fine-line plumping
- Fragrance-free: yes
More face serums we love:
- Looking for a serum to soothe post-procedure skin? Alastin Skincare Regenerating Skin Nectar is the not-so-secret sauce to restore your skin. “It is preservative-free, bacteriostatic, and the patented TriHex technology is packed with peptides that boost elastin while calming inflamed skin and decreasing downtime post-procedure,” Dr. Prather explains. Plus, a study published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal found that this product was associated with increased collagen and elastin production and thicker skin on the body after three months.
- On a budget? How does a hydrating serum for less than $15 sound? E.L.F. Skin Holy Hydration! Thirst Burst Drops is a juicy gel-serum bursting with 5% brightening niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and hibiscus extract for a noticeably more radiant complexion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits of using a face serum?
Serums tend to contain higher concentrations of their active ingredients than other skin-care products, leading to more dramatic results in a faster time period. On top of their potent formulations, facial serums are a mainstay for skin-care novices and lovers alike because of their lightweight textures. “Serums are the new moisturizers,” New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Ellen Marmur, MD, tells Allure. “They are perfect for layering—like a primer on clean skin before makeup or sunscreen.”
When should I use my serum in my routine?
According to New York City-based dermatologist David Kim, MD, you should apply your serum after cleansing and before your moisturizer. “Serums have more active ingredients in higher concentration, and they are formulated to either brighten, hydrate, or calm the skin,” he says. “Then a moisturizer goes on top to lock in the moisture and to repair the skin barrier.”
Can I use multiple serums at once? What can’t be mixed?
Dr. Kim says you can tag-team multiple serums to tackle numerous skin-care concerns, but make sure you aren’t flooding your pores with too many harsh active ingredients at once—that can lead to sensitivity and irritation. “For example, you can apply a lightweight vitamin C serum with a hydrating serum on top before sunscreen,” says Dr. Kim. “This is particularly effective for people with oily, acne-prone skin who don’t like a heavier, thicker moisturizer.”
As for bad combinations? “I don’t recommend layering strong, active ingredients because it can lead to irritation, such as combining a retinol with alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) or beta hydroxy acids (BHAs),” Nina Desai, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in California, previously told Allure. “I find the combination can be too drying and irritating to the skin.” Dr. Desai also warned against using benzoyl peroxide with actives you might find in your serum.
Meet the experts
- Deanne Mraz Robinson, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Connecticut
- Shereene Idriss, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
- Heidi Prather, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Austin, Texas
- Azadeh Shirazi, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in La Jolla, California
- Shari Marchbein, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
- Kenneth Howe, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City
- Ellen Marmur, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
- David Kim, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
- Nina Desai, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in California
How we test and review products
When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.