Find the best vitamin C face wash for your skin type, skin condition, and budget! Overall, my top recommendation is Murad Environmental Shield Essential-C Cleanser.
Vitamin C is a powerhouse skincare ingredient that brightens, tightens, and protects. But did you know it’s actually a naturally occurring antioxidant in our skin?
However, your skin’s constant exposure to free radicals from pollutants and UV radiation ends up depleting your vitamin C levels (Pullar, 2017)
That’s why you need to constantly supply your skin with much-needed vitamin c and you can get started with a vitamin C face wash.
But with so many out there, which one should you use?
We can help.
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Here are my top recommendations:
Best For:
✅ Cleansing & Refreshing
✅ Nourishing Dry Skin
✅ Brightening Dark Spots
Key Ingredients:
⭐ Vitamin A
⭐ Vitamin C
⭐ Vitamin E
⭐ Allantoin
⭐ Panthenol
Key Features:
👍 Premium Quality
👍 Foaming Face Wash
👍 Vitamin-Packed Beads
👍 2 oz, 6.75 oz, and 16.9 oz
Are you looking to protect your skin from damage? Let Murad Environmental Shield Essential-C Cleanser be your shield!
You know that vitamins are essential for your body. That’s why this cleanser packs a multivitamin punch with vitamin A (retinol) to prevent collagen breakdown, vitamin C to protect your skin from free radicals and skin cancer, and vitamin E to reduce UV damage (WebMD).
Other beneficial ingredients include:
As a gel cleanser, it is refreshing and lightweight on the skin and the vitamin-packed microbeads provide gentle exfoliation and thorough cleansing.
Still, some users complained that it didn’t make a difference for their skin. Some even reported breakouts (likely from the citrus oils and fragrance).
So while we believe Murad has an unbeatable list of ingredients, you may want to buy the travel size first before committing to it.
Our Verdict: Murad Environmental Shield Essential-C Cleanser has your skin covered with vitamin A, C, E, phospholipids, and skin soothers that refresh and protect your skin from damage!
Shop NowBest For:
✅ Cleansing & Exfoliating
✅ Daily Dose of Vitamin C
✅ All Skin Types
Key Ingredients:
⭐ 10% Vitamin C
⭐ Peptides
⭐ Glycolic Acid
Key Features:
👍 Foaming Gel Cleanser
👍 Mild Citrus Scent
👍 Clinical Studies
👍 Super Affordable
Some say that a person’s glow comes from the inside.
But there’s nothing wrong with getting a little help on the outside and RoC Multi Correxion Revive + Glow Gel Cleanser is up for the task!
This facial cleanser contains 10% vitamin C in the form of 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid (3OC), a Vitamin C derivative that’s more stable than pure vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) (INCIdecoder).
It boosts collagen synthesis, evens out skin tone, and protects the skin from free radicals.
Meanwhile, glycolic acid exfoliates dead skin cells from the skin’s surface, and peptides work their anti-aging magic as they reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
A clinical study conducted by the company showed that 88% of users had visibly smaller pores, 93% saw improved radiance, and a whopping 100% had healthier, smoother, and younger-looking complexion after 2 weeks.
Meanwhile, some users posted complaints about dry skin, possibly due to the inclusion of vitamin c, glycolic acid, and fragrance.
Our Verdict: Get your inner glow going with RoC Multi Correxion Revive + Glow Gel Cleanser, featuring 3OC, glycolic acid, and peptides!
Shop NowBest For:
✅ A Natural Glow
✅ Luminous Skin
✅ Dry or Damaged Skin
Key Ingredients:
⭐ Vitamin A
⭐ Vitamin C
⭐ Orange Peel Oil
Key Features:
👍 Luxury Creamy Texture
👍 Professional Brand
Getting frequent treatments from estheticians sounds like an expensive dream, but IMAGE Skincare Vital C Hydrating Facial Cleanser gives you all the perks without the price tag.
Formulated by an esthetician and plastic surgeon, this professional cleanser uses sodium ascorbyl phosphate, the salt form of Vitamin C.
It converts to ascorbic acid once in the skin, making it less potent but a great option for sensitive skin.
It also contains Vitamin A to prevent breakouts and address aging concerns, orange peel extract to promote collagen production (Apraj, 2016), and superoxide dismutase to protect the skin from free radical damage.
All this is wrapped up in one luxurious, creamy formulation that customers enjoy slathering on. One user even recommended massaging it on your face until the foam becomes translucent.
Our Verdict: IMAGE Skincare Vital C Hydrating Facial Cleanser is a luxurious and effective vitamin c cleanser to keep your glowing and hydrated between salon visits.
Shop NowBest For:
✅ Natural Face Wash
✅ Affordable & High-Quality
✅ Cleanses & Soothes
Key Ingredients:
⭐ Vitamin C
⭐ Aloe Vera
⭐ Coconut Water
⭐ Sugar Cane
⭐ Willow Bark
⭐ Green Tea
⭐ Centella Asiatica
Key Features:
👍 Gel Cleanser
👍 Grapefruit Scent
👍 Natural Ingredients
With over thousands ofreviews on Amazon, InstaNatural Vitamin C Cleanser is one of the most popular brands.
While this count includes reviews for the company’s Vitamin C Set and Vitamin C Duo, that’s still an outstanding percentage.
It complements its vitamin c with a plethora of natural ingredients, including:
Because this is a gel cleanser, it would work best for oily skin.
If you have dry skin, just be mindful of the fact that it has vitamin C, salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and lactic acid since they may dry your skin out even more.
Our Verdict: InstaNatural Vitamin C Cleanser proves that mother nature knows best, as it uses the power of vitamin c with aloe vera, coconut water, green tea, sugar cane, centella asiatica, willow bark, and rosemary to cleanse and refresh your skin!
Shop NowBest For:
✅ Brighter Skin
✅ Even Skin Tone
✅ A Healthy Glow
Key Ingredients:
⭐ Kakadu Plum
⭐ Vitamin C
⭐ Vitamin E
⭐ Aloe Vera
⭐ Green Tea
Key Features:
👍 Foaming Face Wash
👍 Fragrance-Free
👍 Cruelty-Free
👍 Very Highly Rated
A face wash that also works as a toner and make-up remover was an impossible dream until DERMAdoctor Brightening Daily Cleanser, Toner & Make-up Remover made it real.
If that’s not mind-blowing enough, it also contains kakadu plum, used medicinally by Australian aboriginals.
Kakadu plum has 55x the vitamin C of Florida oranges and is considered the highest natural source of vitamin C in the world (Healthline).
Further studies show that it has high antioxidant properties, making it great for smoothing wrinkles, fighting off free radicals, and protecting the skin from UV damage (ResearchGate).
Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate is another source of vitamin C and prevents the oxidation that leads to blackheads, making it great for acne-prone skin. Aloe vera and vitamin E are added for hydration while green tea soothes the skin.
The formulation is noteworthy, not just because of the multiple sources of vitamin C but also because of the synergy among the ingredients.
Vitamin C reduces the deterioration of epigallocatechin gallatyl glucoside (EGCG) in green tea, while EGCG enhances the effect of vitamins C and E (Byrdie).
Of course, such wonder comes at a price. As such, consider Avalon Organics Vitamin C Cleansing Gel as a budget alternative with vitamin C and kakadu plum as well.
Our Verdict: Radiance is just one step away with DERMAdoctor Brightening Daily Cleanser, Toner & Make-up Remover and its impressive formulation of vitamin C, vitamin E, green tea, and aloe vera!
Shop NowBest For:
✅ Normal Skin
✅ Dry Skin
✅ Sensitive Skin
✅ K-Beauty Lovers
Key Ingredients:
⭐ Wormwood
⭐ Soapberry
⭐ Sweet Flag
⭐ Calendula
⭐ Vitamin E
Key Features:
👍 Natural Vitamin C
👍 Apothecary Herbs
👍 Creamy Texture
👍 Korean Beauty
A vitamin c face wash that has almost 5 stars on Amazon? You better believe it, as Belif Creamy Cleansing Foam Moist has achieved it!
Although it only has a few hundred reviews, there’s a consensus that it leaves the face fresh and clean, which can be attributed to cleansing agent myristic acid.
Now, because of the brand’s focus on apothecary practices, this cleanser contains a variety of traditional ingredients, including:
According to Belif, wormwood, soapberry, and sweet flag are natural sources of vitamin C. This helps in balancing uneven skin tone and boosting collagen production.
However, some users complained about the product being too stripping for their skin. So while this product is marketed towards normal and dry skin types, I’d advise those with dry skin to patch test first.
Our Verdict:Belif Creamy Cleansing Foam Moist employs the wisdom of traditional medicine with wormwood, soapberry, sweet flag, oat kernel extract, and calendula flower extract to repair and renew your skin.
Shop NowBest For:
✅ Acne-Prone Skin
✅ Blemishes
✅ Breakouts
✅ Oily Skin
Key Ingredients:
⭐ Vitamin C Ester
⭐ Magnesium
⭐ Zinc
⭐ Copper
Key Features:
👍 Gel Cleanser
👍 Doesn't Strip Skin
👍 Relieves Redness
👍 Reduces Excess Sebum
Acne and acne scars go hand-in-hand, so it’s always great to have a product that can address both. This is where Perricone MD Vitamin C Ester Citrus Brightening Cleanser comes in.
Featuring ascorbyl palmitate, a vitamin C derivative, this cleanser boosts collagen production, evens skin tone, and blocks melanin production.
Add to this zinc gluconate, which reduces acne and excess sebum, copper gluconate, which repairs skin from within, and magnesium aspartate, which regulates cell regeneration, and you have a facial cleanser that’s preventive as it is corrective.
However, I dug up a 2002 study from the Journal of Investigative Dermatology stating that ascorbyl palmitate may intensify skin damage due to UV rays (ScienceDirect).
While no users have complained about such an effect, several mentioned that the cleanser might not be suitable for sensitive skin.
Our Verdict: Get rid of acne and pigmentation with Perricone MD Vitamin C Ester Citrus Brightening Cleanser, with its mix of vitamin C, copper gluconate, zinc gluconate, and magnesium aspartate!
Shop Now
