# Vitamin C serum for oily skin

Source: HiveTried, https://hivetried.com/beauty/vitamin-c-serum/for-oily-skin/
Category: Beauty > Vitamin C serum. Updated 2026-10-10. Based on 191 counted first-hand reports from Ulta and Sephora shopper reviews, Aug 2019 to Sep 2026.

**Question:** Which vitamin C serum is good for oily skin?

**Short answer:** La Roche-Posay Vitamin C12 Serum has the best record for oily skin, with 16 of 16 shoppers saying it absorbed without greasiness, shine or breakouts. Charlotte Tilbury Magic Serum with Vitamin C comes next at 8 of 11, while the four serums behind it range from 50% to 64%, so shoppers with oily skin were more divided on them. Each record counts just shoppers who said they have oily skin.

## Ranking (buyers who said whether it worked)

| Rank | Product | Not greasy, no breakouts | Share | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | La Roche-Posay Vitamin C12 Serum | 16 of 16 | 100% | yes |
| 2 | Charlotte Tilbury Magic Serum with Vitamin C | 8 of 11 | 73% | no |
| 3 | Summer Fridays CC Me Vitamin C Serum | 9 of 14 | 64% | no |
| 4 | Sunday Riley C.E.O. Vitamin C Serum | 9 of 17 | 53% | no |
| 5 | Glow Recipe Pineapple Vitamin C Serum | 5 of 9 | 56% | no |
| 6 | Tatcha Violet-C Serum | 6 of 12 | 50% | no |

Ranked by the lower bound of a 90% Wilson confidence interval, so a product needs a high share and enough reports to rank high. An Amazon link is shown only when at least 60% say it works.

## Product notes

### 1. La Roche-Posay Vitamin C12 Serum

Of its 30 reviews, 10% call it hydrating and 7% call it good value, and no complaint comes up more than once.

- Praised for: Hydrating (10%), Gentle (7%), Good value (7%)
- Reports counted: 30

### 2. Charlotte Tilbury Magic Serum with Vitamin C

Shoppers call it hydrating in 33% of its 30 reviews, while 13% call it too expensive and 10% mention an unpleasant smell.

- Praised for: Hydrating (33%), Good value (7%)
- Complaints: Too expensive (13%), No visible change (13%), Unpleasant smell (10%)
- Reports counted: 30

### 3. Summer Fridays CC Me Vitamin C Serum

A greasy or sticky feel and breakouts account for its 5 misses, though 17% of its 30 reviews call it hydrating.

- Praised for: Hydrating (17%), Good value (10%), Gentle (7%)
- Complaints: No visible change (13%), Too expensive (10%)
- Reports counted: 30

### 4. Sunday Riley C.E.O. Vitamin C Serum

More shoppers with oily skin stated a result for it than for any other serum here, and its 8 misses mostly said it felt heavy and greasy on their skin. Price draws complaints in 24% of its 41 reviews.

- Praised for: Hydrating (15%), Gentle (7%), Good value (5%)
- Complaints: Too expensive (24%), No visible change (15%)
- Reports counted: 41

### 5. Glow Recipe Pineapple Vitamin C Serum

The smell draws complaints in 30% of its reviews, and 10% say it costs too much. On the plus side, 7% call it gentle and 7% call it hydrating.

- Praised for: Hydrating (7%), Gentle (7%)
- Complaints: Unpleasant smell (30%), No visible change (13%), Too expensive (10%)
- Reports counted: 30

### 6. Tatcha Violet-C Serum

Its 6 misses mostly said it broke them out or left their skin greasy. Of its 30 reviews, 23% call it gentle, while 10% say it costs too much.

- Praised for: Gentle (23%), Good value (10%)
- Complaints: Too expensive (10%), No visible change (7%)
- Reports counted: 30

## Questions

**Which vitamin C serum works for oily skin?**

La Roche-Posay Vitamin C12 Serum has the best record (16 of 16), followed by Charlotte Tilbury Magic Serum with Vitamin C (8 of 11) and Summer Fridays CC Me Vitamin C Serum (9 of 14). Then come Sunday Riley C.E.O. Vitamin C Serum (9 of 17), Glow Recipe Pineapple Vitamin C Serum (5 of 9) and Tatcha Violet-C Serum (6 of 12), in that order.

**How many shoppers are behind each record?**

The second number in each record is the group size. It runs from 9 shoppers for Glow Recipe Pineapple Vitamin C Serum to 17 for Sunday Riley C.E.O. Vitamin C Serum. Group size is built into the order, so a record from a bigger group can rank above a slightly higher share from a smaller one, which is why Sunday Riley C.E.O. Vitamin C Serum ranks above Glow Recipe Pineapple Vitamin C Serum.

**Do these records test what is in each serum?**

No. The counts are what shoppers with oily skin said after using each serum, not a test of ingredients. Skin varies from person to person, so follow the label directions on whichever one you pick.

**Which of these serums are sold on Amazon?**

La Roche-Posay Vitamin C12 Serum is sold on Amazon by the brand or Amazon itself, and it is both the leader and the best pick sold on Amazon. Summer Fridays CC Me Vitamin C Serum, Sunday Riley C.E.O. Vitamin C Serum, Glow Recipe Pineapple Vitamin C Serum and Tatcha Violet-C Serum have no buy link here, because too few shoppers reported a good result for us to recommend them. We could not confirm an Amazon listing for Charlotte Tilbury Magic Serum with Vitamin C.

## Method

HiveTried counts first-hand reports only, drops reviews written for free products, shows brand-site reviews without counting them, and never accepts payment for placement. Full method: https://hivetried.com/how-we-count/