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Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening SerumBuy it
✱ Best Vitamin C Derivative

Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum

9.0/10Verdict Lab Score · Buy it
#6 of 10 in Best vitamin C serums in 2026 ↗
Best forDry skin and anyone who dislikes acidic L-AA formulas
DrawbackDerivatives lack the depth of evidence behind pure L-ascorbic acid.
Vitamin C15% THD ascorbate
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✱ The verdict

Why it scores
9.0 out of 10

Sunday Riley takes a different approach from the L-ascorbic acid serums above.

C.E.O. uses 15% tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, an oil-soluble derivative known for stability and a more comfortable skin feel, plus squalane, phytosterols, glycerin and vitamin E. Sunday Riley reports better brightness, discoloration and firmness in a 30-person clinical study.

Why we ranked it #6
↗15% THD ascorbate
↗Highly stable derivative
↗Squalane
↗Vitamin E
↗Fragrance-free
↗More moisturizing than acidic serums

How it compares
vitamin c serums

Full ranking ↗
RankProductBest forVitamin CScore
01SkinCeuticals C E FerulicBest Overall15% L-ascorbic acid9.8
02Obagi Professional-C 20% Vitamin C Antioxidant SerumHigh Strength20% L-ascorbic acid9.6
03Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Day SerumFresh Formula15% L-ascorbic acid9.4
04Maelove The Glow MakerBest Value15% L-ascorbic acid9.3
05Timeless 20% Vitamin C + E Ferulic Acid SerumBudget High Strength20% vitamin C9.2
06Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening SerumDry Skin15% THD ascorbate9.0
07Paula’s Choice C15 Super BoosterLightweight Formula15% vitamin C8.9
08La Roche-Posay Pure Vitamin C10 SerumBeginners10% vitamin C8.7
09Naturium Vitamin C Complex SerumBudget / GentleVitamin C complex8.6
10Vichy LiftActiv Vitamin C SerumDull SkinVitamin C8.5

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