Plus the important things to know about using a brightening serum, according to experts.
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My number one skin goal is always a brighter complexion, which has lead me to testing and reviewing hundreds of different brightening face serums during my decade-long career as a beauty editor. Trust me when I say that if a serum is labeled or marketed as a brightening serum, I've slathered it on my face in pursuit of glowier, more even-toned skin. Drugstore serums, over-the-counter retinol serums, vitamin C serums...I've tried them all. Here's a sneak peek at some of the standouts I've stumbled across over the years:
Keep scrolling for the full list of the 10 best brightening serums of 2024. Each one is designed to target the main forms of skin dullness—including dark spots and discoloration, inflammation, uneven skin tone and texture, and dryness—for your brightest, most radiant skin ever.
I've written about this serum's magical brightening powers at least a dozen times at this point, it's that damn good. I've personally used it help address various forms of skin discoloration I've dealt with over the years—including stubborn melasma and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation from old breakouts—and it gets the job done every time. The blend of tranexamic acid, niacinamide, and phytic acid work together to fade existing discoloration and prevent new discoloration from forming for a doubly effective approach to skin brightening.
Glowing customer review: "Great product—I will order again. I have been using this product for two years and it has worked wonders in conjunction with facials and pico laser treatments. My sun spots and skin damage are almost gone. I look 10 years younger and the Lytera helps to keep skin more even and has made the more expensive treatments more effective."
Dark spots—whether they're from UV exposure or skin trauma—can be one of the main reasons why skin doesn't look bright and glowy. Luckily, this dark spot correcting serum exists to help fade them (and quickly—it's one of the fastest working brighteners I've tested to date) thanks to a blend of niacinamide, lactic acid, tranexamic acid, and licorice root extract.
Glowing customer review: "I have to say, there aren't many skincare products that make a noticeable difference for me, but this product definitely does. I've tried multiple other brightening/dark spot treatments and have never seen such a drastic difference this quickly! I've been using this every other night after toning and before moisturizing and it has done wonders for my acne scars and sun spots."
Caudalie's Vinoperfect Radiance Dark Spot Serum is a favorite of dermatologist Kiran Mian's and tons of Sephora shoppers (just check out the thousands of 5-stars ratings and reviews if you need proof). The clean beauty formula uses a blend of plant-derived actives, including the brand's patented Viniferine to help fade dark spots and even out your skin tone and olive squalane to hydrate and soften skin. "The formula is both beautifully emollient and effective," adds Dr. Mian.
Glowing customer review: "Definitely cleared up a lot of acne scars that I have caused myself. If you buy this and think spots will go away right within a week, then you’re wrong. It takes daily use and after two months of using this, I can see the difference in my skin. Even my husband noticed the difference. Will definitely be purchasing this over and over again."
You've likely tried or read about SkinCeuticals' iconic CE Ferulic, but I actually prefer the brand's Phloretin CF instead for creating the same brightening effect on the skin. In my testing experience, CE Ferulic can be a bit heavy and tacky and the formula tends to break me out. Phloretin CF, on the other hand, is the perfect vitamin C serum IMO. It's lightweight, gentle, and gives my skin the most gorgeous glow.
It contains 10 percent ascorbic acid (one of the most stable form of vitamin C that helps protect skin from environmental damage while minimizing discoloration), along with phloretin (an antioxidant that boosts cells turnover and improves skin tone) and ferulic acid (another antioxidant that enhances the benefits of ascorbic acid and phloretin).
Glowing customer review: "This was recommended by my dermatologist for sensitive, melasma prone skin. I'm on my second bottle and I love it! My complexion is brighter and more refreshed."
Thanks to its ability to stimulate skin cell turnover (your skin's natural exfoliation process), retinol is an excellent ingredient for brightening your skin. I love using it in this face serum from CeraVe. Not only is this serum affordable and widely available at drugstores, it's gentle (I've never once experienced peeling or flaking from using this—even if I apply it multiple days in a row) and it can be used in the morning or at night (most retinols are only suitable for evening use, FYI). And it works so well! The combo of retinol, niacinamide, and licorice root extract are great for fading dark spots and acne marks, minimizing the look of large pores, and give your skin a nice glow.
Glowing customer review: "This serum is so nice, and goes on so nicely. No greasy feel, and I noticed my skin looked better and brighter within a couple of days. Really nice product!"
Another favorite or Dr. Mian's, this brightening serum from CosRx is an excellent choice for anyone with oily skin who is looking to brighten their skin tone. "The main ingredient in this serum is niacinamide, which is not only an antioxidant that's great for reducing pigment, but for normalizing excess sebum production in the skin as well," explains Dr. Mian.
Glowing customer review: "I am astonished at how well it works on keeping sebum levels down throughout the course of a busy day on my very sensitive skin."
This 2-in-1 brightening serum tackles two main causes of skin dullness—dryness and discoloration—to give your skin a bright, dewy glow. It uses hyaluronic acid to draw moisture to your skin to eliminate dryness and dehydration, while niacinamide and alpha arbutin work together to fade and prevent hyperpigmentation. And while this hydrating gel-serum is excellent for drier skin types, I find that it's lightweight enough to be used on combo skin too.
Glowing customer review: "So far, so good. I’ve been using it for a little over 2 weeks now and my skin looks brighter. A few blemishes are starting to fade."
If you've got active breakouts (like blackheads, whiteheads, hormonal acne, or cystic acne) add this brightening serum to your cart ASAP. It's incredibly effective at treating pimples *and* improving your skin tone and texture for a brighter complexion. The magic? Mandelic acid (an AHA that helps shed dulling dead skin cells), salicylic acid to prevent breakouts and clogged pores, brightening peptides, and bakuchiol, a natural-alternative to retinol that enhances cell turnover and prompts collagen production.
Glowing customer review: "This product is fantastic. It is perfectly exfoliating, filled with effective ingredients, and somehow is still gentle enough for my sensitive skin. I am not only in love with it, but the ENTIRE skincare line. As a medical esthetician you can imagine how much skincare I have gone through and this is quickly reaching holy grail status for me. If the price tag bothers you, remember that with concentrated skincare VERY LITTLE IS NEEDED!"
I love The Inkey List's affordable, clinically-backed skincare formulas, including this brightening serum. The workhorse ingredient here is tranexamic acid. Tranexamic acid is effective at reducing the skin discoloration—and unlike many other brightening ingredients (like hydroquinone or retinol), it’s safe for all skin types and tones and doesn’t come with a laundry list of negative side effects, including dryness, irritation, or flaking.
Glowing customer review: "This is my new go-to for hyperpigmentation. I have been using this for two weeks and I love it. I think the formula is gentle enough for acne prone skin. It has helped tremendously with my scarring after I have a pimple."
This is by far the most expensive brightening serum on our list, but between aesthetician Rachel Bryant's endorsement and thousands of tester's positive reviews (mine included), the price tag is totally worth it. "Serum PIGM 400 has Japonica root ferment in it, which is a powerful brightening antioxidant that helps minimize pigmentation," says Bryant, adding that the formula "is so light and easy to apply."
For even better brightening results, I personally like combining it with Biologique Recherche's P50 Pigm 400—a variation of the brand's iconic P50 exfoliating toner that's specifically formulated to target dark spots and discoloration.
Glowing customer review: "Love this serum! I'm amazed and happy with how well it has improved my dark spots/hyperpigmentation on my face. Can't see myself using anything else!!!"
According to Bryant and Dr. Mian, the best brightening serums will contain a blend of exfoliating ingredients, pigment blocking or regulating ingredients, and retinol.
Chemical exfoliators (like glycolic acid, lactic acid, or mandelic acid) are excellent at lifting away dead skin cells to reveal a more even-toned complexion, while pigment blocking or regulating ingredients (like niacinamide, arbutin, kojic acid, tranexamic acid, or vitamin C) are key for fading the dark spots and discoloration that contribute to dullness. And retinol is a tried-and-true anti-aging ingredient that helps speed up cell turnover to boost your skin's overall glow.
Most experts agree that adding a brightening serum to your skincare routine is worth it, provided it's well-formulated and includes one or more of the derm-approved ingredients above. That said, a brightening serum will only be worth it if you use it consistently. That means once or twice a day and for at least a few months. "I tell my patients to give a new skincare product at least eight weeks of consistent use before they evaluate whether it is working or not," says Dr. Mian.
Lauren Balsamo is the deputy beauty director at Cosmopolitan with a decade of experience researching, writing, and editing skincare stories that range from the best retinol eye creams to the best pore minimizing treatments. She’s an authority in all skincare categories but an expert when it comes to brightening serums. She regularly tests and analyzes new brightening serums for efficacy, while working with the industry’s top dermatologists and aestheticians to assess new formulas, brands, and technologies.
Lauren Balsamo is deputy beauty director at Cosmopolitan, where she writes, edits, and produces all types of beauty content—from product reviews to personal essays and trend reports. She has covered beauty for nine years at Cosmopolitan and has contributed to Women’s Health and Seventeen magazines as well. Follow her on Instagram.
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