How much should a good vitamin C serum cost? If you’ve ever stood in the skincare aisle doing mental gymnastics over price vs. potency, you’re not alone. Some formulas retail for well over $100, and the fear of wasting your money on something ineffective is real. But according to Bethenny Frankel, that kind of spending just isn’t necessary.
“I don’t drink my orange juice, but I put vitamin C serum on every day,” Bethenny said in a Facebook post, sharing her updated skincare holy grail: Bliss Bright Idea Vitamin C + Tri-Peptide Serum. On sale at Amazon for $21, it’s not even close to the $160 price tag of the luxury serum she used to swear by. “It shouldn’t cost you $160, which is what we’ve been paying for good quality vitamin C — and that’s cray cray,” she said.
Bethenny’s recommendation isn’t just a name-drop; she’s clearly done some testing. “It’s creamy, hydrating, plumping, brightening,” she said, emphasizing that not all vitamin C products are created equal. “A facialist told me: put good quality vitamin C on your face every day after you wash your face — under your moisturizer, under your sun protection.” For her, the Bliss formula checks every box without checking her bank account.
And she’s not alone in loving this budget-friendly find. Shoppers on Amazon are just as enthusiastic. “I’m 48, and after three months of using this twice a day, I feel confident going out in public without a drop of makeup,” one reviewer wrote. “It’s improved my skin tone, helped fade sunspots, and people actually compliment my skin now.”
Another reviewer echoed similar results: “It has made a world of difference… brightening and fading away some freckles I have.” They even praised how easily it layers with other products, calling it “light, fast-absorbing, and not sticky.”
The formula behind the glow? Clinical-grade vitamin C combined with collagen-boosting peptides and antioxidant-rich green tea extract — all aimed at targeting dullness, dark spots and early signs of aging. Whether you’re battling discoloration, uneven texture or just want a bit more glow, this serum plays well with sunscreen, retinol and moisturizer — making it a true MVP in a streamlined routine.
So if you’ve been paying luxury prices and still feel underwhelmed, take it from Bethenny: “It performs just as well as my old $160 serum (that I threw away!).” Maybe $21 is all you need to get your skin (and budget) right.
