Best Eye Treatment: Beautystat Universal C Eye Perfector
This eye treatment contains 5% vitamin C to firm and smooth lines and hyaluronic acid for hydration.
The company claims that the product calms and revitalizes the skin, and it is good for reducing eye puffiness and the appearance of dark circles.
Price: $65 for 15 ml, plus shipping. The company calculates shipping during checkout.
Vitamin C Supplement Features
Supplement form: There are three basic supplement forms: powder, chewable tablets, and pills or capsules. One type isnt necessarily better than the other because all can contain different amounts of vitamin C. Powders offer more doses per dollar, but you have to mix it in liquid before ingesting. What really matters is the form thats the easiest for you to take and wont upset your stomach.
Dosage: Supplement dosage varies widely from as little as 25 mg to 1,500 mg. However, the body can only absorb so much vitamin C at once, and it isnt recommended that you take over 2,000 mg per day. Once your body has reached its limit, the kidneys flush out any excess vitamin C, which is why physicians recommend taking a few smaller doses throughout the day rather than one mega dose. The body absorbs roughly 70% to 90% of the vitamin C that enters it through food or supplements. However, as the amount of vitamin C in the body increases, the absorption rate drops to around 50%.
Loral Revitalift Derm Intensives Vitamin C Serum
At just around $30, LOréals Revitalift Derm Intensives Vitamin C serum is a great product at a great drugstore price. Its nice to know that there are good choices across the board at all price points, says Dr. Day. This serum contains 10 percent pure vitamin C serum with another anti-aging big wig, hyaluronic acid, to visibly brighten skin and reduce wrinkles, she adds. The hyaluronic acid also brings moisture back to your skin. While the overwhelming majority of reviews are positive, some users report breakouts with this serum. If your skin reacts well to it, follow up with the right anti-aging cream for your skin type.
Pros:
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How To Use Vitamin C Serum
If youre ready to start adding vitamin C serum to your daily routine, heres how to do it, says Michael Garner, MD, a dermatologist based in Boone, North Carolina: Apply a small amount in the morning before applying any facial moisturizers or sunscreen. It should be used sparingly and spread so that there is a thin layer over the entire face, excluding the eyes and lips.
Via Merchant
Roc Multi Correxion Revive + Glow Daily
RoC claims this product can improve skin tone, texture, elasticity, and brightness while reducing the appearance of lines and wrinkles.
Active ingredients include a 10% concentration of vitamin C, plus peptides, antioxidants, and hydrators. This serum is free from parabens.
People can use this serum daily, in the morning or evening.
At the time of publishing, this sells on the manufacturers website for $32.99.
Made by The Ordinary, this face serum claims to improve skin tone, boost collagen production, and protect the skin from further damage.
It has a vitamin C concentration of 30% and also contains selenium and zinc.
This product is free from alcohol, oil, water, and silicone. It is also vegan and cruelty-free. The packaging is recyclable.
The manufacturer recommends evening application and doing a patch test before use.
At the time of publishing, this sells on the manufacturers website for $42.
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Bulk Supplements Vitamin C Powder
Price: $
Bulk Supplements vitamin C powder is pure vitamin C without any added ingredients, such as preservatives, sugars, or fillers.
Each scoop provides a 750-mg dose, but like other powdered supplements, its easy to adjust the serving to meet your needs.
All Bulk Supplements products are produced in an FDA-approved facility and third-party tested for purity and potency.
- price
Start by considering how youll be using the supplement.
For instance, if you prefer to take a pill, youll want to check out encapsulated vitamin C supplements.
If you dont like swallowing pills or want to mix the supplement into beverages, your best option is to consider liquid or powdered supplements.
Next, you want to check the supplements quality.
Evaluate whether a brand is reputable by exploring their ingredient sourcing and manufacturing standards. A good product will also be tested by third-party organizations, such as USP, Consumer Labs, or NSF International.
Take a look at added ingredients, too. If youre trying to limit your intake of added sugars, you want to opt for a supplement that doesnt contain sugar.
Another factor to consider is the dosage.
The recommended daily amount of vitamin C for adults is 90 mg for men, 75 mg for women, and up to 120 mg for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. However, certain medical conditions may require that you take much higher doses .
Vitamin C supplements come in a wide range of dosage options.
Finally, you want to consider your budget.
Nordic Naturals Vitamin C Gummies
Price: $$
Nordic Naturals Vitamin C Gummies are made from high quality, natural ingredients and suitable for adults and children over age 4 years.
Each 2-gummy serving contains 250 mg of vitamin C and 4 grams of added sugar.
The orange-flavored gummies are sweetened with cane sugar and colored with natural fruit and vegetable juices. They dont contain any artificial sweeteners or flavors and are gluten- and dairy-free.
Nordic Naturals vitamin C gummies are third-partytested for purity and potency, so you know youre getting what you have paid for.
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All About Vitamin C Serums And Your Skin
Vitamin C sits beside retinol serums as one of the most recommended skin care ingredients of all time. Dermatologists love the vitamins ability to brighten, lighten, tighten, hydrate, and protect skin from environmental threats like pollution, smoke, and the suns harmful ultraviolet rays. So in addition to noshing on foods containing the natural ingredient, vitamin C serum has become all the rage to apply topically to skin. Vitamin C serum benefits include boosting tissue repair and collagen production, which promotes the appearance of healthier skin. But with every brand quick to declare theirs is the best vitamin C serum out there, how do you know which one to choose? We asked skin care experts and dermatologists for their picks.
Amazon Elements Vitamin C
Price: $
Amazon Elements is a line of premium products that strives to have transparent origins, meaning that the company sources their ingredients carefully as well as tests their vitamins for potency, integrity, and purity.
One of the brands best-selling products are their Vitamin C tablets, which are gluten-free tablets that dont have artificial colors and flavors, and dont have preservatives.
Each tablet has 1,000 mg of vitamin C in the form of ascorbic acid and helps to support a healthy immune system.
Amazon Elements also gives the options of buying their vitamins in a single-purchase or signing up for a personal subscription service to get your vitamins shipped to you at the timing of your choosing.
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The Feel & Scent: A Watery Cream With A Gritty Feel
When first squeezed out of the tube, the product is a lightweight, runny white cream that pretty quickly absorbs into the skin. However, because the pure L-ascorbic acid in the formula is suspended, it feels gritty, which is something Ive also noticed with other suspended and powder-form vitamin C products. However, this one feels much grittier than others Ive used. It does break down and melt into the skin pretty seamlessly, but can feel sandyeven a bit scratchywhen first applied. The Ordinary mentions this on its product description page, and suggests trying its Vitamin C Suspension 30% in Silicone if youre looking to avoid a gritty texture.
This formula is fragrance-free and doesnt have much of a scent at all, which is welcome considering that most vitamin C serums have a pretty funky smell.
Vitamin C Helps Even Out Pigmentation For Brighter
Of all its benefits, vitamin C may be best-known for its ability to create brighter more even-toned skin by fading blotchy hyperpigmentation. It does this by interrupting the over-production of melanin, which causes hyperpigmentation. Its a great tool for managing hyperpigmentation disorders such as melasma.
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Best For Hyperpigmentation: Cerave Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum
When it comes to drugstore skincare brands, CeraVe is the go-to for many dermatologists. Their vitamin C Serum is an effective yet affordable option for hyperpigmentation. It is formulated with 10% l-ascorbic acid, the purest form of vitamin C, to help provide antioxidant protection and three essential ceramides , moisturizing hyaluronic acid, and soothing vitamin B5.
If you have sensitive skin, finding the right serums can involve a lot of trial and error, which is frustrating to say the least. Dr. Saedi suggests avoiding more potentially irritating vitamin C serums, and starting with Vichy LiftActiv Vitamin C, a budget-friendly, award-winning serum that is less likely to stir up a reaction than most other effective products.
While it boasts 15% pure vitamin C, it offers a more hydrating form with less percentage of ascorbic acid, she explains. It also includes hyaluronic acid, which is hydrating. The quick absorbing serum is also paraben, fragrance, and oil-free, and is made with 11 clean ingredients.
Mecca Cosmetica Skinbrightening Vitamin C Serum
This daily protective treatment was specifically designed to target your most-asked-about skin concerns,including pigmentation, dark spots and dullness. This antioxidant-rich, high-potency and never-sticky serumsinks into the skin to provide supreme brightening, anti-ageing and skin-protecting benefits, thanks to apowerhouse blend of ingredients: 15 percent L-ascorbic acid , ferulic acid , liquorice root extract and vitamin E .
Editors note: because this is a high-powered formula, Mecca Cosmetica opted to forgo adding fragranceto the formula. However, you may notice that it has a distinct scent. This is from the combination ofpotent 15 percent vitamin C and ferulic acid that work to give you brighter skin.
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The Feel: Lightweight And Cooling
I loved the feel of this product compared to other vitamin C serums Ive used. It applies to the skin as an almost milky, gel-like serum, but it melts down into a runny liquid that absorbs into the skin almost instantly.
Rather than stinging like other vitamin C products, this one had a cooling, soothing effect when applied.
Considering that aloe leaf juice is the products second ingredient, this makes total sense.
Sometimes vitamin C serums can be oily, but this one didnt leave behind much of a residue at all. It did leave my skin feeling a bit tight after it absorbed, but as soon as I moved on to my next step and applied a moisturizer or facial oil, that tightness dissipated.
I Dew Care Bright Side Up Brightening Vitamin C Serum
This $25 vitamin C serum earns rave reviews from Amazon shoppers. Love, love, LOVE this product! It smells great and has done wonders for my combination skin, writes verified Amazon reviewer Lily McCarthy. A little goes a long way when using it, so the product lasts a long time! In addition to vitamin C, this serum contains grapefruit extract for a healthy glow, as well as niacinamide, which evens skin tone and improves brightness. Whats more, panthenol and vitamin E add moisture to the mix. The main con? Some users feel the serum is too thick to apply easily.
Pros:
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Vitamin C Skin Benefits
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant. When used correctly, and the right type is used, it provides amazing benefits for the skin. It promotes collagen production, reduces the appearance of age spots, brightens the skin, neutralizes free radicals, and visibly reduces fine lines and wrinkles.
- Protects against premature aging Vitamin C helps fight free radicals caused by sun damage or environmental stressors that can lead to premature aging.
- Even tone Ascorbic acid can help fade age spots and reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation.
- Promotes collagen production Applying vitamin C to the skin can help increase collagen production on younger and mature skin.
- Anti-inflammatory properties It has anti-inflammatory properties that promote wound healing and can help with conditions such as acne and rosacea.
- Brightens skin It helps even skin tone and smooth texture to reveal a bright, glowing complexion.
- Protects the skin Vitamin C helps protect the skin against sun damage. It neutralizes free radicals that can lead to skin damage and premature aging.
Interactions: Avoid Retinol Acids And Benzoyl Peroxide
When using a daily vitamin C, there are a few other skin-care ingredients to avoid layering it with. Retinol can destabilize vitamin C, making it less likely to penetrate the skin, while benzoyl peroxide can oxidize it, rendering the product ineffective. Its also best to not use it with other acids, such as AHAs, which can be harsh and cause excessive skin irritation. If youre going to use any of these products, apply them at a different time of the day, or alternate using them with vitamin C instead. Vitamin C can also cause mild sun sensitivity, so be sure to follow with an SPF 30 or higher if applying during the day.
Its also important to be aware that, over time, vitamin C products can oxidize, making them less effective and, in some cases, causing darkening or discoloration. If you notice your serum has turned orange or dark brown in color from its usual milky clear shade, its most likely oxidized. Pay attention to expiration dates and keep your bottle out of direct sunlight, heat, air, and other chemicals.
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What Does Vitamin C Serum Do
To understand how vitamin C works, you first have to understand free radicals. These natural molecules arent bad on their own, but they can become a problem when they build up. In high numbers, they can break cells down over time, contributing to illness and aging.
Antioxidants help fight free radicals, though, keeping everything in balance. Vitamin C is one such antioxidant. When used on the skin, it can combat signs of aging. It decreases hyperpigmentation, evens out your skin tone, reduces wrinkles, and protects your skin from sun damage.
If youre interested in trying vitamin C serum but arent sure how to pick one, dont worry! We rounded up 10 great options for you.
Boots No7 Radiance+ 15% Vitamin C Serum: The Best On The High Street
Price: £20 | Buy now from Boots
If your pocket doesnt quite run to the SkinCeuticals serum above, Boots No7 has a very serviceable budget version bringing together a good concentration of vitamin C with sodium hyaluronate to boost moisture in the skin. The serum has a lightweight texture thats absorbed quickly into the skin. The concentration of vitamin C in the product means that theres a very slight stickiness on application, which passes quickly with the application of a moisturiser. We liked the very light orangey fragrance and the budget-friendly price.
Key specs Bottle size: 25ml Vitamin C concentration: 15% Vitamin C type: Ascorbic acid
Price: £23 | Buy now from Look Fantastic
Designed to reveal glowing skin in just one week, Cliniques vitamin C system combines an exfoliating powder cleanser with a brightening serum for really radiant results. The cleanser comes in individual sachets to keep the active ingredients fresh until opened. Mix it with water to create a refreshing paste and massage into the face using circular motions to slough off dull outer layers. Follow with the Daily Booster to wake up and freshen your newly revealed skin with regular use, skin texture and brightness will be noticeably improved.
Key specs Bottle size: 10ml Vitamin C concentration: 10% Vitamin C type: Ascorbic acid
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Olehenriksen Banana Bright Vitamin C Serum
This product smooths out rough texture, thanks to its blend of 15% vitamin C and hyaluronic acid. It also packs 5% polyhydroxy acids to gently exfoliate. PHAs have a larger molecule size than alpha hydroxy acids, so they may not sink into the skin as deeply, potentially reducing irritation, says Meghan Feely, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in New Jersey and New York City who serves as a clinical instructor in Mount Sinais Department of Dermatology.
The Physiology Of Vitamin C In Skin
Vitamin C is a simple low-molecular-weight carbohydrate that is essential for the body as a water-soluble vitamin . As an antioxidant, vitamin C has both oxidized and reduced forms in the body: L-dehydroascorbic and L-ascorbic acid. Although vitamin C is an important antioxidant, humans and other primates obtain vitamin C only from their diet, because they have no ability to synthesize it. With blood circulation to all tissues and organs, plasma ascorbate acid concentrations can reach up to 10160 mM after eating a vitamin C diet, and the superfluous vitamin can be excreted by the kidneys . However, there are large differences in the levels of vitamin C in various organs for example, the brain, liver, and skeletal muscle have the highest total content, and the content of testis and thyroid is low .
FIGURE 1. Vitamin C transporters and their transport mechanisms in skin.
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Why Trust Verywell Health
As an internationally recognized health writer and product guru, Leah Groth understands that nobody wants to waste their time or money on products that fail to rear results. Over the years, she has interviewed the world’s top health experts and reviewed hundreds of items, to help readers like you discover the most effective health gadgets, goops, and aids that will help you look and feel your very best.
Additional reporting to this story by Danielle Zoellner
As a seasoned health writer, Danielle Zoellner knows the importance of finding just the right product to fit your medical needs. Throughout her career, Danielle has interviewed a variety of experts in the medical and health fields while reviewing dozens of products. Her experience and knowledge in the field work together to help readers like yourself find the best products for your daily life.