(BPT) - One of the most praised skincare ingredients on social media is Vitamin C, with influencers and dermatologists alike touting its benefits of brightening the skin, adding luminosity and even diminishing the signs of aging.

Is the hype real?

The answer: Yes, but it's a bit more complicated than that. Vitamin C can indeed do all of these things, and more, for your skin. But because Vitamin C is an unstable molecule, it can break down easily. How it's formulated and packaged really matters in terms of its efficacy. Not all brands get it right.

"Using a Vitamin C serum consistently not only helps protect and repair damage from UV and environmental stressors, but it can also lighten, brighten and diminish the signs of aging," says Dr. Azadeh Shirazi, Board-Certified Dermatologist. "But it's important for consumers to do their homework and invest in products with stabilized formulations and optimal packaging to deliver the best results."

The market is flooded with Vitamin C serums from many brands. How can you make sure you're choosing the right one? Here's what you need to know.

Vitamin C serums are concentrated skincare treatments that use a powerful antioxidant to revitalize, brighten and tighten the skin. The top benefits of using a Vitamin C serum include the following:

• Luminosity. Vitamin C helps produce a brighter and more even skin tone, giving you a radiant, luminous glow.
• Reduces appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It helps stimulate collagen production, which increases skin's firmness and elasticity.
• Brightens dark spots. Can help fade dark spots because it inhibits an enzyme that causes discoloration.
• Antioxidant protection. Helps protect your skin from free radicals that come from environmental aggressors, which cause premature aging. That's why it's best to use it in the morning. The protection lasts all day long.

Even with these great benefits, Vitamin C serums are NOT created equal. You might find yourself not getting the results you want or feeling uncertain with what, if anything, it does for your skin. If this sounds familiar, you may have chosen the wrong brand. Here are some common mistakes people make when choosing a Vitamin C serum:

• Choosing a little-known brand. Yes, you'll find many brands out there on social media, touted by influencers and celebrities. But choosing a respected, trusted brand matters. For example, RoC Skincare, an esteemed brand developed directly with dermatologists, has a Multi Correxion Revive + Glow Vitamin C Serum, which is the result of years of research and clinical testing. It combines a patent-pending blend of 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, the most stable and effective form of Vitamin C, with Peptides to help nourish and calm skin. This powerful combination produced incredible results in clinical trials - 94% of users reported instant luminosity and improved elasticity, and within 4 weeks, 100% reported brighter, tighter skin and reduction in fine lines and wrinkles.
• Not looking at the packaging. Because Vitamin C can degrade, opaque packaging keeps it stable and effective longer. If you choose a brand with a glass bottle - if you can see the serum in the jar, in other words - that serum may lose its efficacy before you use the last dose in the bottle. It'll do little for you that plain water can't.
• Too highly concentrated formulation. Some Vitamin C products contain acids that can irritate the skin and cause redness. Look for a brand that contains a more gentle formulation, like RoC's patent-pending blend.
• Too expensive. You don't need to spend hundreds of dollars on a serum. More expensive doesn't mean better. Instead of looking for a high price tag and thinking that might mean it's a better product, look at clinical results. That should be your benchmark. RoC's serum is affordable and one of the most effective on the market today.

Bottom line, when choosing a Vitamin C serum, choose one from a company you trust that offers clinical results and is dermatologist-recommended. Brighter, more luminous skin awaits!

Find RoC's Multi Correxion Revive + Glow Daily Serum for under $30 at Target.