Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum for dry skin
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate Ascorbic Acid
Squalane
Phytosterols
Glycolic Acid
Saccharide IsomerateLow
- AverageDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A weak match for dry skin; the serums alongside fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry skin: flakiness, tightness, dehydration, fine lines, and wrinkles. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers moderate brightening for your dry skin due to tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate and glycolic acid, which help even skin tone but may exacerbate dryness.
- The formula provides some exfoliation benefits for dry or flaky skin with glycolic acid, though it lacks sufficient emollient ingredients like squalane to fully address dryness.
How to apply
- Apply this serum PM, starting 3×/week and working up to daily use as your skin adjusts.
- Place the serum after cleansing and toner, but right before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- Apply the serum on slightly damp skin to help lock in extra moisture.
- Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 4.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with dull, dry, and sensitive skin frequently praise this serum for its rich, creamy texture that hydrates while delivering a visible "lit-from-within" glow. Many report significant fading of acne scars and hyperpigmentation without the irritation common to other Vitamin C products, though a minority of users found the high price point unjustifiable for the results achieved.
Highlights
Brightens and evens tone Mostly Mentioned
- “leaves complexion glowing”
- “faded my acne scars”
- “skin looks noticeably brighter”
- “got rid of dullness”
Hydrating creamy texture Mostly Mentioned
- “sinks in immediately”
- “non-greasy but moisturizing”
- “feels like a lotion”
- “plumps my skin”
High price point Mostly Mentioned
- “way too expensive”
- “hard to justify the price”
- “luxury splurge only”
- “wallet hurts buying this”
Gentle on sensitive skin Often Mentioned
- “zero irritation”
- “gentle enough for daily use”
- “no tingling sensation”
Pleasant citrus scent Often Mentioned
- “smells like fresh oranges”
- “delicious citrus scent”
- “smells spa-like”
- “uplifting fragrance”
Packaging issues Sometimes Noted
- “pump stopped working”
- “can't get the last bit out”
- “bottle design is wasteful”
- “have to unscrew to use”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “gave me tiny white bumps”
- “caused cystic acne”
- “clogged my pores”
- “broke me out immediately”
Lack of results Rarely Noted
- “didn't see a difference”
- “dark spots didn't fade”
- “glorified moisturizer”
- “expected more for the money”
Sources: lovi.care, dermstore.com, spacenk.com, sephora.com, ulta.com, cultbeauty.co.uk, and more
Questions and answers
Why is Sunday Riley C.E.O. Vitamin C Brightening Serum a weak match for dry skin?
This serum is a weak match because it may dry out your skin further while offering only moderate brightening and exfoliation benefits. A product of this type needs rich hydrating and soothing ingredients like ceramides, niacinamide, or peptides to nourish dry skin and support its barrier without irritation.
Which ingredients make this serum a poor fit for dry skin?
This serum is a weak match for dry skin because glycolic acid provides exfoliation that may make dryness worse, and the formula lacks enough moisturizing ingredients like squalane to fully address dry skin. A treatment of this type needs rich hydrating ingredients like ceramides, niacinamide, or peptides, along with soothing agents that protect the skin barrier and deliver deep moisture without irritation.
What does Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate do for dry skin?
Tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate helps brighten and protect dry skin by providing antioxidant benefits that support collagen production. Because dry skin often needs extra support against daily damage, this ingredient works best when paired with nourishing moisturizers that keep skin soft and smooth.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2021Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2012
What does Squalane do for dry skin?
Squalane helps keep dry skin soft and smooth by acting as a hydrating agent that locks in moisture and prevents water loss. It is unlikely to cause irritation and may protect the skin from damage while improving overall hydration.
Advances in Food and Nutrition Research, 2012Molecules, 2009
Where does it go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before your moisturizer. Because this product may dry out dry skin, this type of skin needs a rich moisturizer with nourishing plant oils and barrier-repairing ingredients like ceramides to lock in moisture and prevent flaking.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
Using this serum with retinol may easily dry out and irritate your skin because both ingredients are very strong. If you decide to use them together, apply the retinol at night after your cleanser and follow with a rich moisturizer to keep your skin soft and smooth, while using this brightening serum at a completely different time of day.
How often should I use it?
Start using this treatment once a week in the evening, because its exfoliating ingredients may exacerbate dry skin. If your skin feels comfortable and you see good results, you can carefully use it more often. A product for dry skin needs extra rich, softening ingredients like squalane and heavy plant oils to keep skin smooth and comfortable.
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This product is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for dry skin, as negative reviews rarely mention this issue. A product of this type for dry skin needs rich, nourishing oils and gentle hydrators like ceramides and hyaluronic acid to keep your skin soft and smooth.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (limonene and linalool).
What the research says
A 3-in-1 anti-aging topical night serum-in-oil applied once daily decreased wrinkles by 11%, increased skin firmness by 8%, reduced redness by 70%, and improved overall skin quality and complexion in 103 female subjects over 28 to 84 days compared to baseline.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Topical application of 5% vitamin C cream significantly improved global clinical scores, increased skin microrelief density, and induced elastic tissue repair in photoaged skin compared to excipient control in healthy female volunteers.
Experimental Dermatology, 2003Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside gel significantly reduced gingival melanin pigmentation after 4 weeks compared to placebo in 73 subjects with symmetric pigmentation.
Journal of Periodontology, 2009Topical application of VC-IP cream twice daily for 8 weeks reduces periorbital wrinkles in female subjects compared to a placebo cream.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.
Molecules, 2025Plant-derived squalane protected human dermal fibroblasts against UVA-induced damage by counteracting ROS formation, suppressing apoptosis-related proteins p53, caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP, and restoring the pro-survival p-Akt/mTOR pathway.
Antioxidants, 2025Topical application of soybean phytosterols improves skin barrier recovery compared to a vehicle control in human volunteers with tape-stripped skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2008Topical application of a formulation containing niacinamide and soy phytosterols recovered about 95% of skin barrier integrity eight days after tape stripping in vivo.
Current Drug Delivery, 2016Topical application of phytosterols and ceramides on healthy skin blocked the UV-induced down-regulation of COL1A1 and COL1A2 expression, while all four tested preparations inhibited the UV-induced up-regulation of MMP-1.
Der Hautarzt; Zeitschrift Fur Dermatologie, Venerologie, und Verwandte Gebiete, 2008Repeated short-contact 70% glycolic acid peels provided superior results in atrophic acne scars compared to daily low-strength glycolic acid cream or placebo in 58 women over 24 weeks.
International Journal of Dermatology, 2000Serial glycolic acid peels combined with a modified Kligman formula significantly reduced facial PIH severity in Indian patients compared to the modified Kligman formula alone.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2017A combination cream of stimu-tex AS and saccharide isomerate reduced erythema, increased skin capacitance, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to placebo in 20 subjects after fractional CO2 laser procedure without causing serious adverse events.
Lasers in Medical Science, 2025A novel moisturizer containing saccharide isomerate accelerates skin barrier recovery, improves hydration, reduces erythema, and alleviates discomfort compared to a control moisturizer following intense pulsed light treatment in subjects with skin aging.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2025Formulations containing saccharide isomerate significantly improved transepidermal water loss, sebum secretion, and scalp flaking compared to a placebo formulation in an adult Chinese population affected by dandruff scalp.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023
Why other serums fit dry skin better
Treatment with cross-linked hyaluronic acid-based microneedle patches combined with acetyl hexapeptide-8 or epidermal growth factor significantly improved wrinkles and skin hydration compared to the patch alone in Korean females over 29 days.
Annals of Dermatology, 2019Acetyl hexapeptide-3 and tripeptide-10 citrulline demonstrated antiwrinkle efficacy and decreased transepidermal water loss in twenty-four healthy volunteers compared to control groups, though synergistic effects between the two peptides remained unclear.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2017
Ingredients
Water, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Squalane, Peg-8 Beeswax, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Ppg-12 Smdi Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Acetamidoethoxyethanol, Jojoba Esters, Sodium Acrylate Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glycine Soja Sterols, Tocopherol, Glycolic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Phytate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Chlorphenesin, Alba Cera, Glycerin, Isosqualane, C30 Hydrocarbons, Saccharide Isomerate, Limonene, Linalool
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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