Use Ha In Your Moisturizer
Hyaluronic acid is formulated into a number of topicals, serums, moisturizers, and masks included. So if you don’t like layering your serums, you could always opt for a face cream that contains HAlike this Cloud Dew Gel Cream Moisturizer from Summer Fridays.
And who says you have to stick to topicals, anyway? You can find the ingredient in a host of beauty supplements, usually as a complementary active to other ingredients like collagen.* That’s because oral forms of HA have also been shown to support skin hydration and appearance: In fact, research has shown that people who took 120 milligrams of hyaluronic acid a day for 12 weeks helped maintain healthy skin aging compared with those who took a placebo.*
Vitamin C Serum And Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid is a molecule our bodies produce naturally in our skin, bones, connective tissue, hair follicles, and cartilage.
As a natural humectant , its a skincare ingredient to reckon with for its anti-aging benefits.
Again, vitamin C and hyaluronic acid each have their benefits, But when paired, they make a remarkable, highly effective skincare formula.
Grab Your Vitamin C Serum
Now we get to the important part: applying the vitamin C serum to your skin. Your face is clean, shiny, toned, and ready for some love. Youre excited to see those benefits of vitamin C go straight to your face! But hold on, dont douse your face with a flood of serum.
Remember, a little bit goes a long way when it comes to serum, as its intended to directly give you great active ingredients and set a healthy base for moisturizing products in the next step. Plus, you just spent money on this valuable serum. Enjoy it, but dont let it go to waste by using a huge amount. This isn’t a hair conditioner.
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Tips For Using Vitamin C And Retinol
While using vitamin C and retinol was considered harmful in the past, now you know that its perfectly okay. Just ensure you follow these tips:
1. Start Slowly
As with any skincare ingredient or product, start slowly and observe how your skin reacts.
Thats because although very effective, vitamin C and retinol are intense ingredients and so you need to give your skin time to adjust before you go all in. Integrating them too quickly can cause dryness, flakiness, or inflammation.
You could begin using them once a week and if you dont notice any reaction, use them twice a week, then thrice a week until you reach the most suitable frequency for you.
2. Wear Sunscreen
Yes, vitamin C builds a barrier that protects the skin from UV rays, but this doesnt mean you shouldnt wear sunscreen.
And no matter how much you change specific ingredients in your routine to meet your skincare concerns, you should always include SPF.
Sunscreen application applies too to when you introduce retinol to your skincare. As mentioned earlier, retinol is a form of vitamin A. This vitamin thins the skins barrier, increasing its susceptibility to the suns UV rays, so its vital to wear SPF when using retinol.
3. Hydrate
Your skin needs regular hydration and moisture for it to be healthy. And the fact that retinol can have a considerable drying effect on the skin, causing flakiness and dryness, is more reason to hydrate often.
Dont Limit Yourself To Serums
The most common way to get vitamin C in a skin-care routine is in a serum. But you dont have to limit yourself! If youd rather not add an extra step to your regimen, know that you can also get vitamin C in cleansers, moisturizers, exfoliants, and even sunscreens, Dr. Hogan says.
Some of her favorite non-serum ways to get vitamin C include Ole Henriksen the Clean Truth Foaming Cleanser , Clinique Fresh Pressed Pure Vitamin C Powder , and Revision Vitamin C Lotion 30% .
All products featured on SELF are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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Vitamin C Serum For Acne: Benefits How To Choose One And How To Use It
- Although there is some debate among users, topical vitamin C can be an effective treatment for acne.
- Vitamin C serum is most effective when combined with vitamin E and ferulic acid.
- When combined with certain ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid , Vitamin C serums have been found to have moisturizing properties.
- Vitamin C serum is easy to apply, and can be used up to twice a day.
Contrary to popular belief, poor diet and hygiene have not been proven to cause acne. Acne is essentially caused by blocked pores resulting from inflamed sebaceous glands, excess sebum production, an accumulation of keratin in the sebaceous glands, or bacteria trapped in hair follicles.
Acne occurs primarily in teenagers due to hormonal changes that increase sebum production.
A vitamin C serum can be one of the best defenses against acne. It is vitamin Cs anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, as well as its ability to promote wound healing, that make it an effective acne treatment.
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What Are Vitamin Cs Benefits For Skin
In short: everything. For one, vitamin C promotes collagen production, which has the potential to thicken the dermis, diminish fine lines, and is essential for firm, youthful skin, Wexler says. On top of that, vitamin C is an antioxidant, meaning it protects skin cells from damaging free radicals caused by UV exposure.
It also inhibits melanin production in the skin, which helps to lighten hyperpigmentation and brown spots, even out skin tone, and enhance skin radiance. Finally, vitamin C helps to repair damage from sun exposure and collagen loss by encouraging healthy cell turnover and regeneration, says Wexler.
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How To Use Vitamin C Serum And Retinol
While both Vitamin C serum and retinol can be incredibly effective skincare ingredients, youll want to be careful about using them at the same time, as it can cause irritation to the skin.
Ideally, you should separate the application of Vitamin C and retinol, and use them at different times of day.
Of course, some people can use the two in conjunction without experiencing sensitivityalthough its not traditionally advisable.
If youre going to use them together, just be sure to wait 30 minutes in between application, so that the Vitamin C serum has time to properly be absorbed.
Get The Lowdown On The Age
Is this the actual riddle of the Sphinx? It might as well be, with how many people it befuddles on a daily basis. This question has been circulated more widely as of late, as vitamin C serums continue to trend in the skin care market.
Theres a reason why vitamin C serums have become so popular: Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant with incredible benefits for skin health. It can boost your circulation, brighten your skin, help to heal surface damage, stimulate collagen production, and even scavenge free radicals to prevent the onset of fine lines and wrinkles. The best news is that many dermatologists recommend vitamin C serum for all skin types.
Though a natural vitamin C serum could undoubtedly take your skin care routine to the next level, theres some confusion surrounding the correct use of these serums. Specifically, theres a bit of controversy in the skin care world over whether vitamin C serum should be used in the morning, in the evening, or both. Lets discuss!
Vitamin C Serum: Using It A.M. Vs. P.M.
A.M. The light texture and fast-absorbing properties of serums make them ideal for layering underneath moisturizer, makeup, and other products. This, along with the benefits of vitamin C for skin, is probably why many of us are tempted to use our vitamin C serums during the day.
If your skin tends to be reactive to products that contain retinol and similar ingredients, we recommend using your vitamin C serum as a PM-only product.
How To Use Vitamin C Serum
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Might Lighten Dark Spots
Vitamin C-based skin care products may lighten patches that are darker than the rest of your skin, called hyperpigmentation. In one study, vitamin C applied to the skin for 16 weeks significantly cut down on these spots. But experts say it will take more research to confirm how well vitamin C creams work.
What Is Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a vitamin that is essential for the human body. Its responsible for the process of building healthy tissue, repairing collagen, and maintaining brain function.
Unfortunately, the human body cannot produce vitamin C on its own, so we need a little help via supplements. This is why we grew up hearing eat your fruits and vegetables. Like other vitamins and minerals, we ideally get our daily dose from eating healthy foods.
L-ascorbic acid, or ascorbic acid as its seen in ingredient lists, has been used in health and beauty products for decades. Scientifically, the benefits range from improving the immune system to fighting wrinkles, but theres a reason its used in serums specifically intended for the face.
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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.
Find A Vitamin C Serum That Includes Ha
“For stability and maximum benefits, it’s best to use them separately,” notes Shamban. “However, many vitamin C serums already include a dose of hyaluronic acid, so you don’t necessarily have to add a separate step.” These serums typically contain a more stable form of vitamin C to help it play nice with other skin-loving ingredients, like this Noni Bright Vitamin C Serum from Kora Organics.
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Use It With Other Vitamin C Products
To get even further ahead in the skincare game, use your vitamin C serum as part of a full C-powered product line. This way, your skin is getting the extra vitamin love it needs to stay healthy, glowing, and self-loving in more than one product.
If you need help choosing your next best skincare friend, check out LilyAna Naturals line of vitamin C serums and vitamin C collections. We strive to help women get the all-natural, no nasties facial products in their daily routine, for the love of health, beauty, and the planet.
What Is Hyaluronic Acid
Your skin cells produce specific acids, proteins and nutrients to keep your skin hydrated, strong, nourished, and healthy. Hyaluronic Acid is an acid that is naturally produced by your skin, one that is crucial for your skins overall health, especially for keeping your skin moisturized.
Although this acid is found naturally in your skin cells, you can also reap its benefits for your skin by applying it topically in the form of a serum.
Using hyaluronic acid serum on your skin is a fantastic way to maintain your skins ideal levels of moisture and hydration. Keeping your skin moisturized is always one of the keys to getting and maintaining a youthful, refreshed appearance.
Whenever your skin is lacking the moisture that it needs, your complexion will suffer, and you may start to notice that age-related skin issues like wrinkles and lines become more prominently visible.
To keep your skin looking and feeling great, daily use of a hyaluronic acid serum can be extremely effective. This natural acid helps to keep your skin moisturized all day long, preventing dryness, irritation, and other issues that can arise when your skin isnt getting sufficient moisture.
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Use The Right Concentration Vitamin C For Your Skin Type And Concerns
Different products may contain a wide variety of concentrations of vitamin C. In general, they range from below 5% all the way up to 30%, Dr. Hogan says, and this ingredient can have different effects at those concentrations.
Those with dry or sensitive skin probably want to stick with lower concentrations, around 5%, which are less likely to be irritating. But those with more oily skin or with more extensive pigmentation issues to tackle can handle higher concentrations. However, as SELF explained previously, the effects begin to plateau after 20%, so theres usually no need to go higher than that.
How To Apply Vitamin C Serum Or Creams
After washing and drying your face, don’t just apply the vitamin C face cream or serum, massage it in a circular motion all over the face and neck to improve absorption and circulation and firm the skin and facial muscles.
The massage explained below is called the Circle Up Rub courtesy of Carolyn Facial Fitness.
It’s designed to smooth the skin and firm the muscles of the face. It also helps eliminate fine lines on the jowls, cheeks. This facial movement also helped firm up my cheekbones and nasolabial folds.
Trust me it works! And it feels wonderful. I do this massage twice a day morning and night about 5 times a week.
Try this massage:
- Make a wide “O” shape with your mouth.
- Then place your fingertips on either side of the chin – just under the mouth.
- Then make small circles counter-clockwise and slowly move up your face, over your cheeks and end at the temple. Make 5 passes.
You can do the same for the neck too.
- Point your chin up at towards the ceiling, so the skin on your neck is taut.
- Place some vitamin C on your right hand and massage the left side of your neck making small circles.
- Make 5 passes up and down your neck.
Repeat this same process on the other side using your left hand.
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Is Vitamin C Safe For Everyone
Vitamin C, in its purest form and in common skincare derivative, is generally safe for someone of any skin type to use daily. Some people with severely sensitive skin might experience mild reactions to any new product, including a vitamin C product.
If you have a history of sensitive skin, be sure to check in with your dermatologist before using new products with ingredients you are unsure about. People with sensitive skin may want to avoid using skincare lines with pure vitamin C , as it is a type of acid and can sometimes be rather harsh.
Fortunately, other forms of vitamin C can be gentler and help prevent any yucky reactions.
Heres How To Combine Salicylic Acid + Vitamin C
Although salicylic acid and vitamin C can provide your skin with amazing benefits, they need to be used the right way for you to be able to experience them. There are a few different ways that you can do this.
USE THEM AT DIFFERENT TIMES
One of the easiest ways to begin to incorporate salicylic acid and vitamin C into your skin care routine is by applying them at different times of the day. This is the recommended application method for anyone starting out with either ingredient and especially those with more sensitive skin.
Vitamin C tends to be at its most beneficial when applied in the morning so that it can also provide its sun-protective benefits. Our Glow Factor 10% vitamin C serum is a useful product here, as it can help guard against all kinds of environmental stressors.
Its generally recommended to wait until your vitamin C serum absorbs before using other products like sunscreens or moisturizers.
Then, in the evening, you can use your salicylic acid product. Serums and toners can work, or you can use a cleanser that contains the ingredient.
Our Papaya Enzyme Cleanser contains not only salicylic acid but also papaya enzymes for even more exfoliation and skin brightening potential. Its also pH balanced for use by all skin types. Our Clarifying Pads are another great option, too they contain salicylic, glycolic and lactic acids to keep breakouts at bay.
USE THEM ON DIFFERENT DAYS
APPLY THEM TOGETHER
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You Can Use Vitamin C With Retinol But Be Cautious
In the past it was thought that you should avoid using vitamin C products with retinoids at all costs. And that is still sort of true. They work best in different skin environments, so using them at the same time may make both less effective. And because they can have similar effects on the skin, experts do still advise against using these two ingredients together, Dr. Hogan says.
Using them in the same part of your routine can cause irritation, Dr. Lamb says, but its okay to use them on the same day at different times. Experts generally advise using vitamin C products in the morning and retinoids at night.
