Embodiments to enhance recovery of hydrocarbons from a formation by altering wettability at a surface of the formation towards more water-wet are provided. One embodiment comprises providing a formation, providing an aqueous stream for injecting into the formation, adding a reducing agent to the aqueous stream, and injecting the aqueous stream with the reducing agent into the formation to alter a surface charge of the surface of the formation to become more water-wet to enhance recovery of hydrocarbons from the formation. The reducing agent is responsive to characteristics of the formation, characteristics of brine of the formation, and characteristics of hydrocarbons of the formation. The embodiment also comprises injecting a second aqueous stream into the formation after injection of the aqueous stream with the reducing agent. The second aqueous stream comprises surfactant, mobility control agent, the reducing agent, or a combination thereof.