As much as we hate to admit it, the sun is slowly fading away, prompting our days to become much less rise and shine and much more sluggish start. While we sadly start to pack away our summer shorts, sunscreen and paddling pools in favour of jeans, jumpers and, dare we say it, an umbrella or two, one thing the transeasonal period can wreak havoc on – aside from our moods – is our skin.

So, turning to our skincare saviours for help, now is the time to have your battle stations at the ready and arm your bathroom cabinet up for autumn.

Vitamin C serums are one of the most talked-about beauty buys, and we’ve already reviewed a whole host of them so you can afford to be fussy in which one you choose. But, one that stood out from the rest was this Aesop all-rounder.

Just as vitamin C is recommended as part of your diet for a healthy body – we all know the feeling of drinking litres of orange juice in the hope of not catching a cold –  vitamin C is also widely recommended for your skin health when used topically. With benefits including neutralising free radicals from UV rays and pollution, reducing wrinkles, scarring and dark spots and increasing collagen production, all topping the list of why we love it.

There’s a huge range of seriously impressive serums out there, but should your budget allow – it is on the more expensive side of the scale – we’d encourage you to take a look at this Aesop option as it goes above and beyond your regular vitamin C find. Keep reading below to see exactly why it deserves a spot on your bathroom shelf.

How we tested

Faced with a long list of vitamin C products to get through, our tester became somewhat of an expert in selecting the serums – weeding out the pith and the peel if you’ll bear with us making orange-themed puns. But, only a select few have remained on our bathroom shelf, becoming regular remedies for tired, dull and lacklustre skin, and this Aesop find is up there with the best of the bunch.

Smoothed across the face post cleansing and pre-moisturising, this Aesop serum has stood the test of time, used regularly as part of their morning routine for a good few months. And our tester details their love for the product below.

Aesop lucent facial concentrate

Best: All-rounder

Size: 60ml

Type of vitamin C: Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Key ingredients: Rose petal, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, niacinamide

The Aesop lucent facial concentrate isn’t solely a vitamin C serum, but is marketed as such, making up part of the brand’s vitamin C offering alongside the sublime replenishing night masque: £93, Independent.co.uk.

Formula

For anyone not well versed in their vitamin C knowledge – fear not. The keywords that stick out on this serum are Sodium ascorbyl phosphate, which, bear with us here, is the type of vitamin C used in this product.

Sodium ascorbyl phosphate is one of the most stable (and least likely to oxidise) versions of vitamin C, meaning the product shouldn’t spoil quickly at all – so long as the lid is kept on tight. And, although packing the same skin brightening punch as other forms of the vitamin, this is one of the best types for sensitive skin too.

Niacinamide and rose petal are the other two hero ingredients featured in this serum. The first, niacinamide, aka vitamin B, works to treat acne and helps to build cells in the skin while protecting them from pollution, toxins and sunlight. While the second, rose petal, helps the skin retain moisture and is also suitable for sensitive folks.

Finishing off the cocktail of ingredients is hydrogenated castor oil, boswellia carterii oil, fusanus spicatus wood oil and rosa damascena flower oil, providing a blend of moisturising, conditioning and nourishing ingredients that really are worth their weight in gold.

Design

In the classic aesthetic Aesop packaging, it’s a pared-back bottle that looks much more suited to a chemist’s shelf than your bathroom cabinet, but we love it. And, the darker glass bottles are only a good thing when it comes to vitamin C, keeping it protected from any sun rays.

At 60ml, it’s a fairly generous size for a serum. The pipette dropper easily allowed the product to be collected and just two drops were enough to cover most of the face and the neck with the instantly absorbing liquid. Just be sure to tighten the lid back after each use to keep the product crisp and fresh for as long as possible.

Performance

Best used each morning, in between your cleanser and moisturiser, this product brings results once used regularly – as with most beauty buys. After around four to six weeks you should start to see a notable difference in your complexion in a brighter, more even skin tone with reduced fine lines and wrinkles.

This is exactly what happened to our tester. With a semi-matte finish, it instantly adds a glow which lasts for a good few hours before disappearing into the deeper layers of the skin. Dark spots, acne scars and uneven pigmentation all seem to soften while fine forehead wrinkles and laughter lines blurred back too. Although, we have to stress that this wasn’t the only vitamin C product in our tester’s arsenal – after all, when inundated with options, who could choose just one? – but it was one of the most regular features, so we can pile a lot of the benefits seen into its back.

The verdict: Aesop lucent facial concentrate

At close to £90, this serum isn’t for those looking to save, but Aesop has never been the place to go for bargain beauty. Although, acting as a sort of two-in-one vitamin C and niacinamide serum, it can rid you of one less product, freeing up space in the bathroom cabinet and money from buying them separately – depending on what brands you’re looking at, of course.

For those happy to splash the cash, you won’t be disappointed. With a cocktail of skin-loving ingredients, the vitamin-rich formula is sure to soak into your skin, nourishing cells with a whole host of goodness from fighting free radicals to enhancing the epidermis. And, the best part is it’s suitable for almost any skin type, so long as you aren’t allergic to any of the ingredients.

Our tester is sure to be using this throughout autumn and into winter, hoping to ward off the dry, flaky, grey-looking complexion colder climes usually bring. So, if you too would prefer to look less ghostly ghoul and more glowing goddess, then you may want to slather on this serum.

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The verdict: Aesop lucent facial concentrate

At close to £90, this serum isn’t for those looking to save, but Aesop has never been the place to go for bargain beauty. Although, acting as a sort of two-in-one vitamin C and niacinamide serum, it can rid you of one less product, freeing up space in the bathroom cabinet and money from buying them separately – depending on what brands you’re looking at, of course.

For those happy to splash the cash, you won’t be disappointed. With a cocktail of skin-loving ingredients, the vitamin-rich formula is sure to soak into your skin, nourishing cells with a whole host of goodness from fighting free radicals to enhancing the epidermis. And, the best part is it’s suitable for almost any skin type, so long as you aren’t allergic to any of the ingredients.

Our tester is sure to be using this throughout autumn and into winter, hoping to ward off the dry, flaky, grey-looking complexion colder climes usually bring. So, if you too would prefer to look less ghostly ghoul and more glowing goddess, then you may want to slather on this serum.

Looking for a more budget-friendly vitamin C? Have a read of our vitamin C guide, with beauty buys for every budget