Vitamin C and Skincare. All you need to know.
Do you feel overwhelmed by the multitude of skincare products that are supposedly the ‘best thing on the market’? Or have NO idea where to begin with knowing what actually works and is worth your money? Well let me tell you, this one is worth it.
We’re here to keep things simple. We only show you the best and science backed products, and introduce you to the wonders of Vitamin C.
Vitamin C is one of the naturally occurring antioxidants in nature, but isn't actually produced by the human body, which is why you might have heard people reaping its benefits by incorporating into their healthy diet with foods such as lemons, green leafy vegetables, strawberries, papaya, broccoli and more. People have started noticing beneficial results over the recent years, this is why it's becoming more and more popular to find it in skincare, as an effective way of adding it topically - on your skin. Researchers have discovered that when it comes to healthy skin, topical vitamin C is significantly more effective than consuming it.
So, what's all the fuss about Vitamin C?
Vitamin C (or otherwise seen on products labelled as L-ascorbic acid) is a superhero ingredient that is actually heavily science backed and loved by dermatologists and skin experts alike for its powerful antioxidant benefits.
Simply put, if you want to achieve a brighter and more luminous complexion, improve the appearance of ageing signs, such as dark spots and fine lines, prevent sun damage, even skin tone and more, a quality vitamin C serum is an easy access recommended treatment.
We’re suggesting serums over other Vitamin C products such as creams or cleaners because they typically have a better penetration rate and higher levels of Vitamin C.
Board-certified dermatologist Patricia Wexler, M.D shares that
"because of its antioxidant properties, vitamin C aids in your skin's natural regeneration process, which helps your body repair damaged skin cells."
Isn’t that amazing?! If you think of collagen like the scaffolding that helps to keep your skin looking plump and youthful, vitamin C helps to support collagen production, which can help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Why combining Vitamin C and sunscreen is the perfect blend you don’t want to miss for delicious and sun protected skin.
We all know that wearing sunscreen is important for protecting our skin from the sun's harmful UV rays, but did you know that vitamin C can also provide some additional protection?
According to this study:
"Sunscreens block only 55 percent of the free radicals produced by UV exposure…To optimise UV protection, it is important to use sunscreens combined with a topical antioxidant…Under laboratory conditions, it has been shown that application of 10 percent topical vitamin C showed [a] statistical reduction of UVB-induced erythema by 52 percent and sunburn cell formation by 40-60 percent."
That's huge! In other words, when sunscreen and vitamin C are applied together, their benefits multiply.
So, What are these incredible benefits?
Benefits of introducing vitamin c serum to your daily skincare routine:
Shields the skin against irritation, inflammation and free radicals (caused by daily aggressors such as UV damage and exposure to air pollution) that breaks down collagen.
Brightens complexion and reduces redness.
Evens out/balances skin tone.
Hydrates the skin by helping the skin retain water, keeping it plump and smooth and preventing it from becoming too oily or dry.
Improves the appearance of ageing signs, such as dark spots and fine lines.
Prevents sun damage (especially when combined with daily SPF sunscreen for increased protection).
Prevents premature skin ageing.
How to add Vitamin C into your daily skincare routine.
To keep things simple, and to help out any skincare beginners, a basic skincare routine would include these products and steps (mind you I have some girlfriends that literally have a 12+ step skincare routine!): Cleanser, Toner, Serums, Moisturiser, Sunscreen, then makeup on top if you wear it.
Dr. Steven Mandrea, a board-certified dermatologist and co-founder of Lakeview Dermatology in Chicago recommends that we should “apply vitamin C serum in the morning, before moisturiser and sunscreen, as it can then work to combat exposure to free radicals and ultraviolet light throughout the day."
As vitamin C skincare products are usually made in serum form, it would be added at step 3, after the toner and before your moisturiser, for maximum effect for blocking out any pollutants for the rest of the day.
So a couple of key things to look out for when buying your vitamin C serum, as there can be low quality ingredients or even knock off products, is to make sure it has a pH lower than 3.5 and with a strength of 10-20% (anything above this concentration provides no additional benefit and can be irritating to the skin), and contains one of the more stable forms of active vitamin C like magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (MAP), ascorbyl 6 palmitate, disodium isostearyl 2-0 L-ascorbyl phosphate (VCP-IS-Na), ascorbic acid sulphate, or tetraisopalmitoyl ascorbic acid.
Also do your best to find products that are made with natural ingredients and aren't riddled with harsh chemicals, fragrances and even hormonal irritants like iodopropynyl butylcarbamate, zinc sulphate, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, benzyl benzoate, or even formaldehyde (this applies to all beauty products as well, ladies!)
You can also check how safe products are, before you buy them, by using this awesome website https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ .
Vitamin C Products we love.
C-Firma Fresh Day Serum - Drunk Elephant
Made 100% free of essential oils, silicones, colourants, and fragrance. Vegan, cruelty-free and carbon neutral, this goodness charged product is packed with 15% vitamin c, antioxidants, essential nutrients, and fruit enzymes to firm, brighten, and improve signs of photoaging as well as hydrates and soothes the skin for noticeable results.
This award winning serum is vegan and cruelty-free, uses natural ingredients, has fully sustainable/recyclable packaging and has no synthetic fragrance and works wonders on ageing, sun damaged and acne-prone skin! It’s one of the more easily accessible brands as it's sold in stores like Whole Foods, iHerb, and Ulta Beauty worldwide. This sustainable brand also donates one dollar from every sale to global conservation efforts!
This multi-award winning face oil is vegan and cruelty-free, PEG free, EWG-Verified non-toxic ingredients and free from parabens and synthetic fragrance. This luxuriously lightweight product is a customer favourite because of its visible results in brightening, firming, and hydrating skin and the added squalane locks in any extra much-needed moisture.
The Bottom Line
Grab yourself a top quality Vitamin C serum to add into your skincare routine, as you can see there's an incredible amount of benefits no matter what skin type or skin goals. As vitamin c serums are becoming more popular, new products are launching left right and centre as the secrets out on how to obtain glowing skin! Just make sure you get yourself an all natural, top quality, dermatologist approved product to really get the bang for your buck and soak up all the citrusy goodness.
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