2024's "5 Best" Brightening Serums On The Market
How To Pick A Face Serum That Works And Get It At A Great Price
We sorted through hundreds of face serums to narrow down the top ones to test. These are the best brightening face serums to try now.
After over 16 years of extensive research in beauty and dermatology, my biggest passion is finding the most effective products that can make a positive difference in people’s lives. I’ve incorporated all my knowledge and expertise in our Top 5 Review Series, where we investigate the leading skincare and beauty brands.
While several skincare and beauty trends come and go, healthy, glowing and dewy skin will never go out of trend. Whether a skincare enthusiast or not, everyone wants clear skin that radiates a head-turning glow.
Plenty of skincare products can claim to deliver blinding radiance but not every product that claims to do so, in the vast ocean of skincare products, works as well as the others. Some might revive your dull skin only to revert to its lackluster self in mere minutes. The right face serums can brighten your skin for longer hours. These face serums need not necessarily be bank-breaking either. But looking for the perfect brightening face serum can seem to be more challenging than you would have thought.
But, we found that many serums in the industry, regardless of how big the brand is, had questionable ingredients along with other red flags that could be increasing your skin concerns rather than eliminating them.
A good number of products, even from well-known brands, do not show any drastic results for their premium price points. Even with patented formulations, they fail to deliver results.
Our team of researchers and testers researched and tried hundreds of face serums on the market to find the best of the best. Testers looked at various factors, including company ethics, quality, efficacy, results, and value. They also looked for the most effective moisturizers and other skin-benefitting ingredients. These “Top 5” brightening face serums stood out.
How Can A Serum Help Your Skin?
Serums are one of the best products that are packed with several skin-benefitting ingredients in the right proportions to deliver faster and more prominent results.
This is because serums are high concentrations of active ingredients. They are packed with skin-benefiting ingredients like Niacniamide, Alpha Arbutin, Seaweed, Vitamin C, Turmeric, Hydrangea, and Hyaluronic Acid, with most of the fluid eliminated from the formulation, thus, increasing the potency of the product on your skin. They can be easily absorbed by the skin and use its high concentration of nutrients to target various concerns and deliver a bright, flawless complexion.
What Kind Of Serum To Pick?
Serums consists of skin tone-evening and brightening ingredients packed into a small concentrated formulation that requires a single drop to work its benefits on your skin. This single drop must consist of as many nutrients and skin-benefiting ingredients as possible for the maximum benefit of your skin.
While it is unsaid, opt for a natural, clean and sustainable serum that is formulated with vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free and gluten-free ingredients sourced from nature.
It is better to avoid serums with synthetic ingredients and fragrances to help your skin retain its natural moisture and keep it balanced without causing irritations.
How To Find The Best Brightening Face Serums?
Searching for the best brightening face serums among thousands of serums can be a mammoth task if you do not know what, where, and how to look. So, we are going to tell you exactly how you can discover these skin-brightening gems.
- Review other reviews. Customer reviews on the brand’s website can give a lot of insight into the product and its efficiency. Although some reviews could be solely for advertisement purposes, a product with several reviews is highly likely to be accurate and honest.
- Money-back guarantees by the company ensure security and increase the trust consumers are willing to put in the product.
- Third-party testing by the company can be expensive for them, but it ensures quality control and supports the promises of the results the serums claim to deliver.
Choosing the right serum seems like a taxing task, especially with thousands of ineffective products in the market. While there could be false advertising, customer reviews never lie. So, we have tested these products and sorted through multiple trustworthy reviews to give you our top picks along with their pros and cons.
Model Off Duty Beauty
Sunday Reset Brightening Serum
- High-Quality Ingredients
- Risk-Free Trial
- Affordable Price
- Powerful Testimonials
- Reputable History
Illuminate your skin with Sunday Reset Brightening Serum. Infused with the natural brightening power of turmeric, this serum revitalizes dull skin tone, diminishes dark spots, and promotes a radiant glow.
Formulated with potent antioxidants and nourishing botanicals, it defends against environmental stressors while hydrating and soothing the skin. Embrace a renewed, luminous skin tone with this lightweight and fast-absorbing serum, your key to a radiant Sunday reset.
This serum with potent turmeric targets dark spots and uneven tone, while Niacinamide reduces pores and oil. Alpha Arbutin fades spots, Seaweed hydrates and revitalizes, and Vitamin C brightens and firms. Hyaluronic Acid plumps lines for smoother skin.
Elevate your skincare routine with Sunday Reset and unveil a revitalized, brighter complexion that radiates health and vitality.
Model Off Duty Beauty wears its status as a clean, cruelty-free, vegan, and all-natural brand with pride, along with its recyclable packaging. The serum is gentle, natural, and non-comedogenic, making it suitable for all ages and skin types.
The product has multiple positive reviews, easily making it a consumer-favorite vegan serum!
All purchases by Model Off Duty Beauty are backed by a 30-day Risk-Free 100% Money Back Guarantee.
Get 20% off by using code: BRIGHTMODB20
Pros
- This serum targets dark spots and uneven skin tone, promoting a brighter and more radiant skin tone.
- Hyaluronic acid hydrates the skin by retaining the moisture.
- Turmeric has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that help even out skin tone.
- Hydrangea contains hydrating properties that replenish moisture.
- Niacinamide brightens skin and reduces pore size.
- Its lightweight formula absorbs quickly to deliver a more radiant complexion.
- Alpha Arbutin fades dark spots and hyperpigmentation.
- Seaweed hydrates soothes, and revitalizes the skin, imparting a healthy glow.
- Clinically tested and developed by skincare experts for the highest quality
- The ingredients used are natural and synthetic-free
- The serum is Non-GMO, Paraben Free, Phthalate Free, and Non-Toxic.
- The product is vegan and cruelty-free and made in USA.
- MODB is 100% sustainable and uses recyclable packing.
- Several positive reviews make it evident that the serum is a cult favorite.
- The clean formulation is suitable for any age or skin type.
- The potent serum is fast-acting and delivers results almost instantly.
- It gives you long-lasting dewy and firm skin.
- The company offers free shipping and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- The product is worth the price.
Cons
- High product demand may create out of stock issues

Urban Skin Rx
HydraFirm + Brightening Serum
This brightening and firming serum is infused with Hyaluronic Acid, Alpha Arbutin, Niacinamide and Lactic Acid to make the skin firm and improve its overall tone and texture while targeting the multiple stubborn signs of aging.
The gentle serum contains bearberry plant-derived alpha arbutin that diminishes dark spots and hyperpigmentation, leaving the skin looking bright and youthfully radiant.
The aesthetician developed serum is formulated without sulfates, parabens, and essential oils. The clean and cruelty-free serum is also free of skin-drying alcohol and fragrance.
Despite containing various hydrating ingredients and claiming to be formulated for those with dry skin, some consumers seemed to have experienced drying skin after using the product.
Get 10% discount on this serum with the code: HYDRAFIRM10
Pros
Cons

SkinCeuticals
C E Ferulic
The patented skin tone-evening serum protects the skin from environmental stressors and battles multiple signs of aging like loss of firmness, fine lines and wrinkles, along with brightening the skin's overall complexion.
The clinically tested formulation is hyped up by many positive reviews of the product online. The vitamin C product works with hyaluronic acid to boost its efficiency.
The serum also benefits the skin with its vitamin E and ferulic acid contents that neutralize free radicals and stabilize the vitamin C in the serums.
However, the serum lacks other skin-benefiting ingredients like botanicals, anti-aging ingredient and other natural ingredients to target other skin concerns and nourish the skin.
The serum is also exorbitantly, almost unreasonably. priced at $169 for a single ounce of the serum.
Get a free SkinCeuticals hydrating gel on orders over $150 with the code: SKINCEUTICALGEL150
Pros
Cons

SkinMedica
Vitamin C+E Complex
The Vitamin C+E Complex highlights its dual-vitamin benefits from vitamins C and E that provided long-lasting protection and radiance for the skin.
The medical-grade serum is trusted by several dermatologists for countering multiple skin concerns. However, the serum lacks other hydrating and benefiting ingredients like hyaluronic acid or even ingredients to stabilize the vitamin C content.
This would raise doubts regarding the serum's potency and stability when applied on the skin. The serum is also only sold and recommended by dermatologists and not sold online, which limits its access to the consumers.
Get 20% on your first order with the code: BUYSKINMEDICA
Pros
Cons

Tatcha
Violet-C Brightening Serum 20% Vitamin C + 10% AHA
The Tatcha Violet-C Brightening Serum is a skincare product that contains 20% vitamin C and 10% AHAs (alpha-hydroxy acids).
Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that can help brighten and even out skin tone, while AHAs are exfoliating acids that can help to remove dead skin cells and improve texture.
According to Tatcha, this serum is designed to be used daily to help brighten, firm, and smooth the skin, while also addressing concerns such as fine lines, uneven texture, and dullness. The formula also includes other ingredients such as Japanese angelica root extract and squalane to help nourish and hydrate the skin.
The serum has a lightweight, fast-absorbing texture. Tatcha recommends using it at night, or during the day with sunscreen, as vitamin C can make the skin more sensitive to sunlight.
Overall, the Tatcha Violet-C Brightening Serum has received positive reviews from many users, who have reported seeing improvements in their skin's texture, tone, and radiance after using it consistently.
Get 15% on this serum with the code: VIOLETBRIGHTSERUM15
Pros
- Improvements the skin's texture, tone, and radiance.
- High concentration of vitamin C
- AHAs exfoliate the skin and improve texture, which can be beneficial for those with rough or uneven skin.
- Japanese angelica root extract and squalane help to hydrate and nourish the skin.
- The serum is lightweight
- It has a fast-absorbing texture that is easy to apply
- Doesn't feel heavy or greasy on the skin.
Cons
- AHAs can be irritating for some people, especially those with sensitive skin.
- This Brightening Serum may be too expensive for some.
- Not suitable for all skin types
- Vitamin C can make the skin more sensitive to sunlight, so it's important to wear sunscreen when using this serum during the day.