These are the most effective vitamin C brightening serums our beauty expert Eugene swears by!

A bright future beckons!

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Hankering after that lit-from-within luminescence that’s all the rage in the K-Beauty world and beyond? Then chow down on all things vitamin C – and slap it all over your skin while you’re at it, too.

Besides being a brilliant skin brightener in its own right, the citrusy goodness in your topical serums also makes for a useful adjunct to your daily dose of sunscreen. “I recommend layering vitamin C products under your sunscreen during the day,” advises maquillage master Larry Yeo. “The antioxidative properties of the vitamin help to maximise sun protection and prevent brown blotches at the same time.” Duly noted!

Want to get in on the antioxidative action? Here’s my secret stash of tried-and-tested luminising serums – and yes, I can certainly attest to these products’ promise of a visibly brighter visage. Intrigued? Check ‘em out, stat, and cheers to becoming the “bright spark” of your girl squad!  

Image illustration: Sharmaine Khor.

Want more? Check out my personal pick of the most luxuriously lightweight lotions that work like a dream under makeup for protection against the aggressive assaults of our clammy climate, as well as this ingenious pore-shrinking and face-slimming trick that’ll give you virtually instant Insta-ready skin. Get your daily dose of beauty at www.herworldplus.com/beauty.

Skin Inc Vitamin C Serum, $68

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OMG, I’m seriously smitten with this Skin Inc saviour. Why the fuss? For starters, this serum is supercharged with antioxidant actives courtesy of encapsulated vitamins C, B6 and E, all of which promise to work in tandem to lend you that skin-saving spark you’ll need to ignite your way to a brighter and better complexion.

As for the product proper, the superbly silky salve makes for the perfect prepping step for your other serums – its cashmere-like consistency seems to work almost like a skin-softening “booster” to enhance the efficacy of the subsequent stuff in my skincare. To maximise the mileage out of this multi-tasking marvel, use sparingly – two drops are plenty – and pat into cleansed skin under your serums.

The result after a month’s use for me? A visibly lifted visage with a delightfully delicate, lit-from-within luminescence. Love it!

Want more? Check out my personal pick of the most luxuriously lightweight lotions that work like a dream under makeup for protection against the aggressive assaults of our clammy climate, as well as this ingenious pore-shrinking and face-slimming trick that’ll give you virtually instant Insta-ready skin. Get your daily dose of beauty at www.herworldplus.com/beauty.

Shiseido Bio-Performance Glow Revival Serum, $130

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Your standard brightening serum this is not. What sets this particular potion apart from the piddling products peddled on the market? For starters, it hones in on a most unexpected constituent of your complexion – the capillaries beneath your skin.

Essentially, Shiseido’s contention is that tiny blood vessels are of the essence when it comes to “lighting” up your skin, which is both ingenious and intuitive when you think about it, really. Your living, breathing skin needs all the nourishment it can get from said network of capillaries – plus which Singapore kid hasn’t had bitter black brews foisted upon them by fretful Mums insisting that the mystery medicinal mixtures would be “good for the blood”, right?  

Enter this serum’s Multi-Capisolve 1124 complex, a concentrated botanical broth said to bolster weakened cell walls for better blood circulation and all the concomitant beautifying benefits a brisk capillary network can do for your complexion. Throw in a potpourri of pore-tightening glycylglycine and brightening vitamin C and you’ve got yourself a souped up serum that promises a fabulously flattering lit-from-within luminescence.

Results-wise, I’ve given this a good two months to work its magic, and am delighted to declare that the ruddiness around my nose has all but dissipated. As for the Bio-Performance Glow Revival Serum’s central claim of well, reviving your skin’s glow? Results-wise, I’m pleased as punch to report that I’ve scrutinised my naked face post-cleansing and can confirm that two weeks’ use of this serum has imbued my skin with an incredible incandescence. #HappyDance!

Want more? Check out my personal pick of the most luxuriously lightweight lotions that work like a dream under makeup for protection against the aggressive assaults of our clammy climate, as well as this ingenious pore-shrinking and face-slimming trick that’ll give you virtually instant Insta-ready skin. Get your daily dose of beauty at www.herworldplus.com/beauty.

La Prairie White Caviar Illuminating Serum, $720

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This swanky serum may not be for penny-pinching sorts, but what price beauty, really? Superbly silky and incredibly sensuous to the touch, the ingredients of this posh potion reads like a recipe for some haute cuisine course. There’s vitamin C, of course, plus a potent potpourri of pore-tightening botanicals like ginseng and white truffle, all topped off with an opulent Omega 3-rich caviar complex that’s said to firm and fortify your skin against fine lines and wrinkles.

Personal endorsement: A month on this deluxe treatment seemed to dislodge a particularly pesky brown blemish on my cheek – no more lunchtime lasers for me!

And for this very La Prairie-esque price point, you can expect all of the trappings and trimmings of the swishy Swiss brand: Nifty dropper dispenser sheathed in a snowy white receptacle set off by a ribbed silver ribbon. No complaints on the fragrance front, either: The crisp citrusy notes (nope, no fishy funk from this caviar concoction!) are energising and just evanescent enough not to overwhelm. My advice? Earmark this exquisite elixir as an illuminating investment for a brighter future.

Want more? Check out my personal pick of the most luxuriously lightweight lotions that work like a dream under makeup for protection against the aggressive assaults of our clammy climate, as well as this ingenious pore-shrinking and face-slimming trick that’ll give you virtually instant Insta-ready skin. Get your daily dose of beauty at www.herworldplus.com/beauty.

Algenist Genius Ultimate Anti-Aging Vitamin C+ Serum, $155 from Sephora Singapore

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This Algenist ambrosia comes amped up with a next-gen vitamin C derivative that promises to sweep away stubborn sun-induced spots. Superbly soothing thanks to a redness-reducing algae-oil infusion, the top-notch texture of this feathery fluid melted into my mien in a matter of minutes.

Results-wise, I’m pleased as punch to report that a month’s use appeared to afford me a visibly lifted visage with a delightfully dewy gleam and glimmer. Bottomline? If I’m sorting serums into baskets of gotta-haves and want-to-haves, I’ll plonk this product firmly in the first category. So yes, will repurchase in a heartbeat!

Want more? Check out my personal pick of the most luxuriously lightweight lotions that work like a dream under makeup for protection against the aggressive assaults of our clammy climate, as well as this ingenious pore-shrinking and face-slimming trick that’ll give you virtually instant Insta-ready skin. Get your daily dose of beauty at www.herworldplus.com/beauty.

Dermalogica PowerBright TRx C-12 Pure Bright Serum, $200

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This reassuringly sciencey salve comes packed with all manner of purifying peptides plus a marine algae broth, all of which are said to work in tandem to bolster your skin’s resistance to freckle formation. Texture’s top-notch, too, with the feathery fluid sinking straight into my skin in seconds.

There’s also a nice little element of instant gratification going on here, with the subtly shimmery liquid lending a gorgeous glimmer – the “slip” means I get to skip my standard moisturiser if I’m feeling lazy. I also see this doing double duty as a lightweight luminising base for your cushion compacts and cosmetics to follow – all the plumping action going on with the formula makes it the perfect priming agent for makeup application. Big bonus: My “kwali” complexion was comfortably satiny after an afternoon’s worth of cavorting on a beach. Hurrah!

Want more? Check out my personal pick of the most luxuriously lightweight lotions that work like a dream under makeup for protection against the aggressive assaults of our clammy climate, as well as this ingenious pore-shrinking and face-slimming trick that’ll give you virtually instant Insta-ready skin. Get your daily dose of beauty at www.herworldplus.com/beauty.