Serums are powerful skin care products packed with concentrated ingredients. They deliver an extra boost to target specific concerns like aging, dullness, or dryness. While high-end serums can be pricey, you can find excellent options under $100 that work just as well.
With carefully curated ingredients and innovative formulations, these serums deliver visible results that rival more expensive options on the market. Invest in your skin without compromising on quality with these budget-friendly yet effective options:
Kate Somerville DeliKate Recovery Serum
Price: $98.00
Packaging: Sleek, minimalist bottle with a dropper applicator
Amount of product: 1 fl oz (30 ml)
Overall Performance:
Infused with ceramides, peptides, and botanicals like ginger root extract, this serum helps strengthen the skin’s barrier, reduce redness, and promote a smoother, more even complexion.
Thanks to calming Tasmannia lanceolata fruit extract, this serum is ideal for sensitive skin under a lot of stress. It’s also free from nasties like parabens, sulfates, and formaldehyde-releasing agents. This serum is lightweight and fast-absorbing, making it perfect for daily use under makeup or moisturizer.
Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Resurfacing Dream Serum
Price: $68.00
Packaging: Elegant glass bottle with a dropper
Amount of product: 1 fl oz (30 ml)
Overall Performance:
This facial serum harnesses the power of super lotus, prickly pear flower extract, and alpha-hydroxy acids to gently exfoliate and boost your skin’s radiance. It works while your skin is in nighttime renewal mode to resurface different layers of your skin, all the while smoothing wrinkles to reveal a radiant complexion.
It also helps to improve texture and diminish the appearance of fine lines. Thanks to a gentle formula, it works for normal, dry, oily, and combination skin types.
Saint Jane Beauty Vitamin C Glow Drops
Price: $90.00
Packaging: Sleek, Art Deco-style white bottle with a dropper
Amount of product: 1 fl oz (30 ml)
Overall Performance:
If you want glowing, even-toned skin, you need this vegan vitamin C serum in your routine. It boasts 20% vitamin C to really brighten and smooth out the complexion. But it’s more than just vitamin C — it’s loaded with good-for-you botanical extracts like orange blossom and Kakadu plum that are full of antioxidants to nourish and revive dull, lackluster skin.
Vitamin C is incredibly effective when it comes to getting that coveted radiant, glass-like glow, but it’s also a must if you’re trying to fade dark spots and discoloration. And with such a high concentration, it’s not uncommon to see visible brightening results in no time.
Skinfix Triple Lipid–Collagen Activating Serum
Price: $69.00
Packaging: Minimalist, airless pump bottle
Amount of product: 1 fl oz (30 ml)
Overall Performance:
This serum is a good choice if your skin is dry, mature, or damaged. It contains plant-based lipids that help strengthen your skin’s outer barrier and ingredients that boost collagen production to help improve firmness and elasticity.
The serum has 10 active ingredients, including niacinamide and peptides. Its formula increases crucial ceramides to strengthen your moisture barrier while ramping up collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid production for plumper, more resilient skin.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Serum Crystal Elixir
Price: $85.00
Packaging: Luxurious glass bottle with a dropper
Amount of product: 1 fl oz (30 ml)
Overall Performance:
This serum combines vitamin C, polyglutamic acid — which is 4x more hydrating than hyaluronic acid — and niacinamide to target multiple signs of aging. It uses a special Golden Vitamin C that brightens skin better than regular vitamin C, and the lightweight formula absorbs quickly without feeling greasy.
What’s more, it creates a smooth base for makeup and doesn’t dry out or irritate sensitive or dry skin types. It’s an easy way to get an even, glowing complexion while minimizing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Mara Beauty Algae + Zinc Serum
Price: $52.00
Packaging: Sleek, two-tone colored bottle with a dropper
Amount of product: 1 fl oz (30 ml)
Overall Performance:
This lightweight, multi-tasking serum is a great mineral sunscreen. It contains hydrating ingredients like sea kale, which leaves skin glowing instead of dry, and antioxidants from vitamin C-rich marine plants to protect, nourish, and help combat environmental stressors.
While you must shake it first before use, it blends in easily without a white cast. The texture feels smooth and silky when applying — not greasy at all. It protects from the sun while also treating your skin with nourishing ingredients.
Formulas To Invest In
Whether you’re looking to target specific concerns or simply want to elevate your skincare routine, these high-end serums under $100 offer exceptional quality and performance without breaking the bank.
From brightening and hydrating to anti-aging and firming, there’s a serum for every skin type and concern within this affordable range. So, go ahead and treat yourself to luxury skincare without the luxury price tag.
