What You Need to Know About Vitamin C and Your Skin
IS VITAMIN C PART OF YOUR DAILY SKIN ROUTINE? Read this week’s blog to learn more about Vitamin C and its many benefits when it comes to your skin!
Vitamin C is one of the most talked-about active ingredients in skincare. It is a natural antioxidant found in the dermis and epidermis of the skin. As we age, vitamin C and collagen become depleted, which significantly affects the elasticity of the skin. This is why skincare products that contain vitamin C come in handy to supplement the dwindling natural supply of this much-needed vitamin to support skin health.
What is Vitamin C?
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin that is found in certain fruits and vegetables. It is also commonly available as a dietary supplement.
Collagen booster
Vitamin C contributes to the synthesis of collagen, L-Carnitine, some neurotransmitters, as well as in protein metabolism. Collagen is a protein that is the basic element of connective tissues that form several body parts such as tendons, ligaments, skin, and muscles. Collagen provides structure to your skin and reinforcement to your bones. It is also a protein that is necessary for wound healing.
Protects from environmental damage
Vitamin C serves as an antioxidant by protecting the cells from the harm incurred by free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that are formed when the food we eat is converted to energy. Free radicals harm the cells, resulting in various diseases. There are also free radicals from the environment such as air pollution, ultra-violet rays of the sun, and cigarette smoke.
Your body is able to absorb iron from plant-based food through the help of vitamin C. It also supports the proper functioning of the skin such as having a healthy skin barrier that efficiently serves as a protection from microbes, irritants, and UV damage by maintaining the ideal moisture levels of the skin. Vitamin C is also needed by the skin to counteract skin oxidation and boost the formation and preservation of collagen in the dermis.
A diet of fresh fruits and vegetables that are abundant in vitamin C supported by topically applied Vitamin C delivers amazing results to your skin health.
Being a powerful antioxidant, vitamin C prevents melanogenesis or the process of pigment formation in the skin. It detoxifies the skin for a brighter and more even skin tone.
When should I use Vitamin C?
The best time to use vitamin C is during the day because of the free radical’s protection it provides. It is the day that your skin is exposed to various free radicals such as the UV rays of the sun, pollution, and bacteria from the environment.
Vitamin C is an active ingredient and becomes less effective when exposed to sunlight. The proper way of applying Vitamin C serum is on fresh clean skin in the morning followed by a moisturizer and sunscreen. After the skincare products are absorbed by the skin, then you are good to go.
What is the best Vitamin C formula for my skin?
Vitamin C is an unstable compound. It can easily oxidize or lose its potency after being exposed to light, heat, and air.
Several skin products are packed with Vitamin C, but according to Dr. Jackson, a board-certified dermatologist in North Carolina, a serum can deliver optimal benefits because it effectively penetrates the skin barrier.
A potent Vitamin C serum is usually colorless but some may be light straw in color. If not properly handled, it becomes oxidized which turns into yellow or brown. It is likely to be ineffective. In some instances, oxidized Vitamin C products can cause mild yellow skin discoloration.
The best Vitamin C serum should be packed in an opaque bottle or dark bottle with an airtight pump instead of a tub or a bottle with a dropper that requires being opened every time you use it. It should also be stored out of direct sunlight at room temperature.
To maintain a longer potency of Vitamin C skincare products, the following derivatives of are commonly used:
L-ascorbic acid
Ascorbyl palmitate
Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate
Can I combine Vitamin C with Vitamin E?
Vitamin E, a fat-soluble vitamin, is an essential nutrient that supports cell function, skin health, and the whole immune system. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that counteract the free radical by-products of food metabolism and impurities from the environment. Vitamin E also minimizes the damage caused by the UV rays to the skin.
According to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, the combination of Vitamin C and E is more “effective in preventing photodamage than either vitamin alone.” Both vitamins fight the effects of free radicals but fight different forms of UV damage.
Using a skincare product that contains both Vitamins C and E is giving your skin double protection against free radicals and UV damage.
Can Vitamin C and hyaluronic acid be used together?
Sometimes, Vitamin C can dry out your skin while hyaluronic acid works wonders at restoring moisture. Combining Vitamin C and hyaluronic acid provides you a unique blend of anti-aging benefits. Vitamin C protects and rejuvenates your skin while hyaluronic hydrates and plumps the skin. The result is a bright and smooth fresh-looking complexion.
Can Vitamin C be layered with chemical peels?
Chemexfoliation or chemical peels involve applying a chemical solution such as alpha hydroxy acid or beta-hydroxy acid to the skin to remove the dry top layers of the skin and excess sebum that clogs the skin pores. Like Vitamin C, chemical peels even out and brighten the skin. AHAs, BHAs, and Vitamin C are all acids. Layering AHA or BHA with Vitamin C can cause severe skin irritation.
Why is Vitamin C best combined with sunscreen?
When sunscreen and Vitamin C are used together, their benefits are magnified.
According to a study conducted in 2013, UVB-induced erythema is reduced by 52 percent and sunburn cell formation is reduced by 40-46 percent when protected by the combination of sunscreen and topical antioxidants.
The benefits of wearing sunscreen can never be understated because it plays a major role in slowing down skin aging. It prevents sunburn, sunspots, fine lines, and wrinkles, as well as prevents the degradation and depletion of collagen in the skin.
What are the ingredients that should not be used with Vitamin C?
Benzoyl Peroxide is an ingredient that should be avoided when using Vitamin C. It can cause Vitamin C to oxidize but you can still incorporate both ingredients in your skincare routine. Use Vitamin C in the mornings and Benzoyl Peroxide in the evenings, or use them on alternate days.
Vitamin C and Retinols are effective in different skin settings. When they are used at the same time, they become less effective. Although they have similar effects on the skin, irritation may occur when you use them together. They can be used on the same day but at different times. Vitamin C products work best in the morning and Retinol in the evening to ensure the maximum efficacy of both ingredients.
Vitamin C and retinol work best in different PH settings. Vitamin C works best at less than PH 3.5 and retinol works best at a PH 5.5 to 6 so they should not be combined.
Does Vitamin C need to be incorporated slowly into my skincare?
Vitamin C does not usually cause skin irritation, unlike retinol which has potentially irritating properties requiring gradual introduction to your skincare routine. Although others might experience a slight stinging sensation because of the low PH of Vitamin C. If the stinging sensation is experienced, start by using the vitamin C skincare products a few times a week and slowly build up to daily use.
VITAMIN C AND E SERUM WITH HYALURONIC ACID ( $15.95 )
