As someone who writes about beauty on a weekly basis, I know some cardinal rules: always wear SPF, never go to bed with makeup on, and leave pimples alone. While those first two rules are deeply engrained into my routine, I must confess I'm a picker. A bad picker. Any time I get too close to a mirror or feel a bump on my skin, I get the nagging feeling that I have to physically remove the blemish myself. Trust me, I know just how worse off my skin is from this destructive habit and I'm hoping one day I can kick the habit for good. But because that day hasn't happened yet, I've had to go down a rabbit hole of vitamin C serums to combat the acne scars that have sprung up from my picking habit.
I'm sure you've heard just how crucial a great vitamin C serum is in your skincare routine. As Dr. Joshua Zeichner, director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital, previously told MC, the hero ingredient works wonders for healing inflammation, smoothing rough spots, reducing fine lines, and fading dark spots and scars (my primary concern). Through all my years obsessed with beauty, I've tried a number of brightening serums, from expensive to affordable formulas and from both well-known and under-the-radar brands. None have offered the true brightening and dark-spot-fading action I've been searching for. That is until I got my hands on Sunday Riley's C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Serum.
