While The Ordinary Pycnogenol 5% ($10) isn't as potent as pure vitamin C at lightening dark spots, it actually helps recycle vitamin C in the skin and enhance the antioxidant effectiveness of products that include vitamin C. So, there's texture improvement when used as a serum (and it supports skin's collagen and elastin), but when mixed with vitamin C, it makes that skin-brightening ingredient even more powerful.