Original research · November 8, 2026
Who AI recommends for vitamin C serums.
I asked ChatGPT and Claude 10 questions real shoppers ask about vitamin C serums, and recorded the brands each one recommended, in order. Brands are ranked by how often they came up first.
Who AI picks first
- 1SkinCeuticalsFirst pick in 7 of 20 · named in 8
- 2MaeloveFirst pick in 4 of 20 · named in 5
- 3VanicreamFirst pick in 2 of 20 · named in 5
- 4Sunday RileyFirst pick in 2 of 20 · named in 4
- 5CeraVeFirst pick in 1 of 20 · named in 9
- 6La Roche-PosayFirst pick in 1 of 20 · named in 6
- 7Mad HippieFirst pick in 1 of 20 · named in 4
- 8Glow RecipeFirst pick in 1 of 20 · named in 2
- 9Youth To The PeopleFirst pick in 1 of 20 · named in 1
- 10Paula's ChoiceFirst pick in 0 of 20 · named in 8
What stood out
- SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic, at about $185, was the first pick in 7 of 20 answers, more than any other brand.
- Maelove, a $33 independent brand, came second with 4 first picks. Both engines picked it first for "Best vitamin C serum under $50" and for whether a luxury serum is worth it.
- The engines disagree. Claude named Paula's Choice in 8 of 10 answers, and it never appeared in the ChatGPT picks I recorded. Vanicream was ChatGPT's first pick for sensitive skin and for beginners, and Claude named it once.
Every question, every answer
Questions are printed exactly as asked, so you can rerun them yourself.
| Buyer question | ChatGPT | Claude |
|---|---|---|
| DiscoveryWhat's the best vitamin C serum right now? | SkinCeuticals, Maelove, e.l.f. | SkinCeuticals, Obagi, Sunday Riley, Paula's Choice, CeraVe, TruSkin |
| PriceBest vitamin C serum under $50 | Maelove, Timeless, CeraVe, e.l.f. | Maelove, La Roche-Posay, Paula's Choice, L'Oréal Paris, CeraVe, Naturium, Glow Recipe, Good Molecules |
| TrustBest vitamin C serum for sensitive skin | Vanicream | SkinCeuticals, La Roche-Posay, Vanicream, Paula's Choice, Medik8 |
| ProblemVitamin C serum for dark spots that actually works | Glow Recipe, CeraVe | SkinCeuticals, Mad Hippie, La Roche-Posay, Obagi, Sunday Riley, Kiehl's, Paula's Choice |
| TrustWhich vitamin C serum do dermatologists recommend? | SkinCeuticals, CeraVe, Vanicream | SkinCeuticals, CeraVe, Paula's Choice, La Roche-Posay, Mad Hippie, The Inkey List, Medik8 |
| CompareIs a luxury vitamin C serum worth it over a drugstore one? | Maelove | Maelove, Paula's Choice, SkinCeuticals, Timeless, The Ordinary |
| DiscoveryBest clean vitamin C serum brand | Mad Hippie, Vanicream | Youth To The People, Kora Organics, True Botanicals, Ursa Major, cocokind, Luzern Laboratories |
| DiscoveryBest vitamin C serum for beginners | Vanicream, CeraVe | CeraVe, Paula's Choice, Mad Hippie, TruSkin, Kora Organics |
| GiftBest skincare gift with a vitamin C serum under $100 | Sunday Riley, Ole Henriksen | Sunday Riley, Ole Henriksen, Drunk Elephant, Antipodes |
| ProblemBest vitamin C serum for oily, acne-prone skin | La Roche-Posay, Timeless | SkinCeuticals, La Roche-Posay, Paula's Choice, CeraVe, The Ordinary |
Method: Each question was asked once, in a fresh session. ChatGPT: the picks shown in its answer, in order. Claude: a fresh session with live web search for every question, every brand recommended, in order. Run on November 8, 2026. AI answers change often; these are a dated snapshot.
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