What You Should Know About Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a beloved ingredient in skin-care, renowned for its brightening and anti-aging effects. And it’s easy to see why: Vitamin C helps lighten your complexion, reduce redness and hyperpigmentation, as well as even out skin tone.

As an antioxidant, vitamin E helps combat the damage caused by free radicals (unstable molecules that can weaken cells and accelerate aging). Furthermore, vitamin E has anti-inflammatory effects.

But why is vitamin C such a beneficial addition to your skincare regiment?

In addition to being an antioxidant, it also offers anti-aging benefits: It increases collagen production and minimizes fine lines and wrinkles; plus, it’s been scientifically proven to protect against UV rays as well.

Before you add vitamin C to your daily skincare routine, there are a few things you should know: It isn’t the same as sunscreen and its acidity can be compromised by other ingredients. So it’s best to use it either as an individual serum or combined with other antioxidant-boosting products like vitamin E in order to maximize its effects and minimize potential side effects.

Vitamin C is the ideal form to use in skincare, and dermatologists and skincare experts usually suggest it for most people. Unfortunately, it can be highly unstable and prone to irritation, so those with sensitive skin are usually advised against its use.

Another reliable and more effective option is sodium ascorbyl phosphate, which has a lower risk of irritation and is suitable for all skin types. While it tends to be more expensive than other forms, its added stability can make up for that expense.

Other derivatives of vitamin C you might find in your favorite serum or moisturizer include ascorbyl palmitate, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate and tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate. Although these are more stable, l-ascorbic acid remains the most effective form for penetrating skin layers.

Dr. Taghipour recommends making sure the formula you use contains at least 10 percent vitamin C, the minimum concentration needed to get the most benefit for your money. He suggests beginning with a low concentration and gradually increasing it as your skin adjusts to it.

For optimal absorption, look for serums containing this powerful ingredient, as they offer the most concentrated delivery system. In addition, serums provide better absorption than creams or toners which may break down due to light exposure.

DuPere and Humphrey recommend using an aqueous-based serum as it allows the vitamin to be more effectively absorbed by skin. Apply it 1-2 times a day, adding extra moisture by layering over moisturizer with broad-spectrum SPF after application for daytime use.

Finally, Dr. Yadav suggests choosing a product with a low pH so the vitamin C won’t irritate your skin. The higher the pH value, the greater the likelihood of irritation or even rashes on contact.