Can You Use Hyaluronic Acid And Go In The Sun
Yes, you can, although hyaluronic acid has the word acid in its name, it does not perform the same way as other chemical exfoliants do, such as the very popular glycolic acid and salicylic acid. What I mean by this is hyaluronic acid does not perform exfoliation to the skin when the layer of dead skin cells is sloughed off the surface revealing fresh skin underneath. This new skin is glowing and healthy, but also highly sensitive to sun exposure so any UVB or UVA rays that encounter it will cause deep rooted damage in the lower layers of the skin.
I would still strongly recommend that after you apply your hyaluronic acid enriched product you follow that with a daily SPF of factor 30 and above to ensure you are fully protecting the skin from further sun exposure and potential damage.
What Does Vitamin C Serum Do
Vitamin C serum is touted to be one of the best anti-ageing ingredients. Safe for all skin types, Vitamin C serum has several benefits. It hydrates the skin, brightens the complexion, treats inflammatory skin conditions, fades hyperpigmentation, reduces the appearance of dark circles, promotes collagen production, prevents the skin from sagging, protects it against sun damage, soothes sunburns and heals wounds. Phew! Now thats a long list of benefits.
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Better And Brighter Skin Complexion
Pairing hyaluronic acid and vitamin C serum is a great combination to achieve your complexion goals. Vitamin C brightens your skin and hyaluronic acid hydrates your skin. Together, they give your skin an uncompromised glow.
Moreover, they help to fade dark spots, acne scars, and hyperpigmentation. As a result, you enjoy better skin radiance and even skin tone.
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How To Use Vitamin C Serum
- Because Vitamin C helps protect your skin from pollution, ultraviolet light, and free radicals, youre going to want to use it in the morning rather than in the evening
- As a rule of thumb, skincare products should typically be applied from thinnest to thickest in terms of consistency
Step 1:Wash your face.Step 2: If youre a toner person, use a toner. Step 3: Apply Vitamin C serum. Pat any excess product onto the top of your hands, neck, and décolletage.Step 4: Apply a moisturizer Step 5: Apply your favorite eye cream. Step 6: Apply a sunscreen. Let it dry/set.Step 7: Begin your makeup.
Whats nice about Vitamin C serums is that they can be applied as a base layer underneath whatever products you use in the morning, because the good ones never feel sticky.
Our Vitamin C Serum Results
How quickly can I expect to see results from Kiehls Vitamin C Face Serum?
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Immediately: Vitamin C Serum Visibly Improves Skin Texture and Boosts Radiance
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In 2 weeks: Vitamin C Serum Reduces Lines and Wrinkles
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In 4 weeks: Vitamin C Serum Visibly Reduces Deep-Set Wrinkles
Answers to Your Frequently Asked Questions
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What Is Vitamin C Serum And Why Is It Essential
Vitamin C serum is a light yet powerful formulation devised with a potent antioxidant, i.e. vitamin C. Serums are known for their superb penetration, non-tacky nature and fast-absorbing properties. They readily absorb in the skin cells and act deeper to give you desired effects. The concentration of vitamin C in the serum is kept to an operational extent and optimized in such a way that it suits almost every skin type.
Vitamin C possess remarkable antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-ageing, and immunomodulatory properties. Due to these properties, this vitamin induces neocollagenesis and neoelastinogensis, i.e. production of new collagen and elastin in the skin, respectively.
Some scientific researches also govern vitamin C impacts positively upon collagen and elastin synthesis and gene expression.
In healthy skin, the collagen content is optimum collagen is the structural protein present in skin, bones and cartilages. Vitamin C is responsible for the synthesis of collagen and collagen imparts rigidity and strength to the skin. But, due to some factors, this whole regular skin defence system got disturbed.
Do You Put Moisturizer After Vitamin C Serum
Yes! You should always use a moisturizer after you have applied your vitamin C serum. In fact, you should use a moisturizer that contains a high SPF, or even a separate facial SPF for extra protection. We recommend using at least SPF 30, but preferably an even higher SPF, such as 50.
The reason for this is because vitamin C serum can actually make your face more sensitive to UV rays from the sun. With this in mind, you need to ensure you are adequately protected from these harmful rays so that you do not get sun damage or sunburn.
As well as this, vitamin C serum has the ability to dry out your skin, especially if you are prone to sensitivity and dryness anyway.
Using a hydrating moisturizer after you apply the vitamin C serum reduces the risk of your skin drying out and keeps it feeling smooth and hydrated, as well as helping it to look healthy and glowy.
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Notice If The Product Has Changed Color
Your vitamin C serum should be colorless or a light straw color, Dr. Hogan says. If it is oxidized, it becomes yellow or brown and is likely going to be less effective.
You can still use it if you want, but it wont do as much for your skin and, very rarely, oxidized vitamin C products can even cause slight yellow discoloration of the skin, Dr. Hogan says.
So consider getting rid of any vitamin C products that have dramatically changed color since you bought them. Especially if it is brown, I would say to toss it, Dr. Lamb says.
Can You Use Too Much Vitamin C On Your Face
Vitamin C serums and creams are one of those beauty products that can give you an almost instant boost of brightness and glow, but are there limits to how much you should use? And how high of a strength of Vitamin C is too high?
In this article, we will look into how much Vitamin C content you should look for in your creams and serums, and how often you should use them.
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How Often To Use Vitamin C
For best results, apply vitamin C topically 1-2 times a daymorning and night. Be sure to apply a moisturizer with a broad-spectrum SPF after vitamin C application for daytime. Follow the directions on your products packaging, as instructions may vary from product to product. If you find your skin is sensitive to daily application, try starting with applying a low concentration a few times a week or every other day, then build up use as tolerated.
Which Ingredients Should You Avoid When Using Vitamin C
Exfoliating acids, when applied immediately after vitamin C, can irritate. But that doesnt mean you cant use them in one regimen. Just avoid using them at the same time. You can use vitamin C in the morning and then exfoliate in the evening.
Another skincare ingredient to be wary of when using vitamin C is niacinamide. Thats because if niacinamide is in a combined water-based product , it inactivates vitamin C.
Again, that doesnt mean you should avoid it altogether and lose out on its benefits. No, use it as part of your nighttime routine.
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How To Use Vitamin C Serum With Hyaluronic Acid
- Wash your face with a mild cleanser and pat it dry before applying a toner.
- Squeeze 2-3 drops of vitamin C serum into your fingertips then pat it into your skin using gentle motions.
- Allow the serum to soak into your skin for 10 minutes before applying your hyaluronic acid serum.
- Apply moisturizer to lock in moisture and prevent irritation or sensitivity from occurring on your skin.
- Use a sunscreen you really like, preferably with SPF 30 or higher.
The Benefits Of Using Vitamin C In The Morning And In The Evening
Think of slathering vitamin C in the morning and night as the best of both worlds. You get to reap the rewards of vitamin C’s powerful antioxidant properties by essentially getting a double dose.
One thing that you need to consider is that the skin has a limit for absorbing vitamin C. In other words, once this limit has been reached any extra product is essentially wasted . So if youre using a product thats more gentle and has a lower percentage of vitamin C in it, youre good to use it twice a day. But if your chosen serum has a higher, more potent level in it then its best to adopt a less is more approach and stick to using it just once.
- Skinceuticals C E Ferulic serum showed our tester seriously good results
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How Can You Tell If Your Vitamin C Product Is Too Strong For You
In people that have extremely sensitive skin, you may have a slight irritation to Vitamin C serums. Irritations are more common with the higher strengths of Vitamin C serums, and may be caused by the more acidic pH of Vitamin C.
Your skin should feel good after an application of your Vitamin C cream or serum, so if you are experiencing redness, itching, burning, or stinging, you may want to opt for a weaker formulation or try blending your product with a gentle moisturizer to dilute it.
How Does Vitamin C Work
Dermatologist Patricia Wexler says vitamin C is an antioxidant that can neutralize free radicals. Because of its antioxidant properties, vitamin C aids in your skins natural regeneration process, which helps your body repair damaged skin cells.
Free radicals are unstable, reactive molecules that steal electrons. This causes damage to our cells in the process. Topical antioxidants neutralize these free radicals by helping prevent oxidative damage to cells and tissues from aggressors such asair pollution and UV radiation. Oxidative stress plays a role in premature aging of the skin, hyperpigmentation, and triggers inflammatory conditions of the skin.
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How To Add A Vitamin C Serum To Your Routine
As much as we love vitamin C serums, they arent enough to complete your routine. After cleansing and applying our vitamin C serum, youll want to moisturize. In the morning, consider using one of the following facial moisturizers:
LOréal Paris Revitalift Triple Power Anti-Aging Moisturizer: This luxurious lightweight cream, formulated with Pro-Xylane and hyaluronic acid, can help transform the look of aging skin. Immediately, skin is deeply hydrated and looks more radiant, while skin texture appears smoother with continued use over time. This beloved moisturizer is trusted by women all across the United Statesas evidenced by the recent #RevitaLiftChallenge where over 10,000 women tried the day cream, saw results in just one week, and when polled afterward, shared they trusted the product and would continue to use it.
LOréal Paris Revitalift Triple Power Day Lotion Moisturizer SPF 30: The majority of the visible changes commonly attributed to skin agingfrom wrinkles to dark spotsare caused by exposure to the suns UV rays. Using a daily moisturizer with SPF can help reduce signs of skin aging and help to protect skin from further UV-induced damage when used as directed with other sun protection measures. This lotion, also formulated with Pro-Retinol and hyaluronic acid, can help aid in transforming the look of aging skin for a more radiant complexion.
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The Best Products With Vitamin C
Herrmann agree that vitamin C’s performance is optimized when it’s working alongside other powerful antioxidants, and this oil-serum hybrid is loaded with them. Just be sure to shake it up before use separation is natural and this formula is 88 percent derived from pure, natural, Arctic ingredients.
According to Herrmann, vitamin C works best in conjunction with complementing antioxidants, and this serum, one of her top product recommendations, is packed with a whopping 19 of them for increased free radical protection.
A favorite product from Robinson’s skincare line, this formula uses 20% L-ascorbic acid combined with EGCG for ultimate protection. Robinson says this product also has three patents on the ability to encapsulate pure vitamin C so that it does not degrade or oxidize. Bonus: Unlike most vitamin C serums that have a sticky, oily texture, this serum is silky and fast-absorbing.
“Companies often reduce vitamin C serum pH and add complementing antioxidants like vitamin E and ferulic, which help increase the efficacy, making such products superior,” Herrmann explains. For that reason, this vitamin C and E and ferulic acid serum is one of her favorites .
Another product that contains the stable, lipid-based form of vitamin C, tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, as well as two other forms of vitamin C this serum is one of our favorites for creating an even skin tone.
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The Benefits And How To Use Vitamin C At Night Time
While youre sleeping, your skin undergoes its natural repair process. During sleep skins blood flow increases, it rebuilds collagen and repairs damage like fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots that have been caused by UV exposure.
So using a curated edit of products that will help aid skin as it gets to work isnt a bad idea. Using a vitamin C serum during the night means it will have the biggest and most effective impact on the skin.
If your chosen serum is quite potent, like the Medik8 Super C30 Intense, you also reduce the risk of photosensitivity occurring .
Its worth adding that if you do choose to use vitamin C at night, you should always ensure youre using SPF the following day to ensure maximum efficacy.
Potential Side Effects Of Vitamin C Serum
Vitamin C serum is mostly safe to use but just like with all skincare and beauty products there can be side effects for some. Some side effects include stinging, redness, or dryness.
With this in mind, you should always do a patch test, especially when trying a new skincare product for the first time. This will help determine whether or not youll have an allergic reaction to the product.
To perform the test, select a small area of skin such as your forearm. Next, apply a little bit of the product and allow it to sit for up to 24 hours. If no side effects occur, then you can apply the serum to your face and neck. Note, if you do develop redness, hives, or a rash make sure you discontinue use immediately.
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It Generally Helps Boost Wound Healing
Given its effects on sunburn, it should be no surprise that vitamin C application can speed up overall wound healing. Healthy wound healing reduces your risk of inflammation, infection, and scarring.
A found that vitamin C supplementation had a positive effect on gene expression in human skin fibroblasts, including:
- increased mitogenic stimulation, or cell proliferation
- increased cell motility, or the spontaneous movement of a cell from one location to another by consumption of energy
- faster repair of damaged DNA bases
This is in part because wound healing is associated with collagen formation, and vitamin C boosts collagen production.
Although topical vitamin C is generally well tolerated, all skin products have the potential to cause side effects. You should always do a patch test to assess your risk of allergic reaction. Heres how:
When its time for a full application, follow the instructions on the products label.
Vitamin C serum is typically applied once or twice per day. A good rule of thumb is to cleanse, tone, apply vitamin C serum, and then moisturize.
It can be safely used with other active ingredients, although using alongside niacinamide may make vitamin C less effective.
Should You Pair Powerful
We always recommend using SPF protection to help keep skin protected from UVA/UVB rays and pollution, which can cause the first signs of aging. The antioxidant benefits of Vitamin C can complement the protective effects of SPF. In fact, it is beneficial to apply Vitamin C before you head outdoors. Topical Vitamin C has been demonstrated to decrease generation of UVA-induced free radicals and can bolster skins antioxidant defenses with Vitamin E regeneration.
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Can We Use Vitamin C Serum And Hyaluronic Acid Together
Combining the two makes for a great all-in-one skin care step. Hyaluronic acid and vitamin C are commonly used together because they complement each other to hydrate, protect, and repair aging skin, says Zeichner. … Hyaluronic acid is a great addition to vitamin C because it does not overwork the skin.
Factors To Consider Before Using Vitamin C Serum
Before you apply a vitamin C serum, remember to follow the instructions given on the products label.
Its vital to check the products expiry date. You also want to ensure the bottle is opaque and airtight, and that the products formulation is water-free. Why? No water means no bacteria, so no preservatives, hence a better product.
If the product has a dark color or a different color, its likely oxidized. And though harmless, oxidized vitamin C no longer carries the same benefits.
Also keep in mind that the best way to use vitamin C serum is to apply it once or twice a day. And a good skincare process starts with cleansing, followed by toning, applying vitamin C serum, and then moisturizing.
Its safe to use it alongside other active ingredients except for niacinamide, which reduces vitamin C effects.
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