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.
What Are The Key Ingredients In Cerave Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum
Before we get into the key ingredients in CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum, we have to point out one problem with this product formulation, and that is the high concentration of denatured alcohol. Unfortunately, denatured alcohol is the sixth highest concentration ingredient in this serum. The problem with this type of alcohol is that, at first, it seems like its benefitting the skin. Initially, alcohol gives products a quick-drying finish, immediately degreases the skin, and imparts a weightless feel. However, these effects are temporary and will disappear once you wash off the product.
The major problem with using high concentrations of denatured alcohol is that this ingredient is well known to cause skin dryness, irritation, and even disruption of the skin barrier. In fact, alcohol can dry out the skin so much that the skin will produce more oil over time to compensate for the dryness. This can lead to clogged pores and breakouts. We will still discuss the key ingredients in CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum below, but keep in mind that the benefits of these ingredients may not outweigh the risks of this high amount of denatured alcohol.
It Helps Reduce Redness And Even Out Your Skin Tone
Vitamin C has also been shown to act as an anti-inflammatory agent through its antioxidant capacity, according to a . This means it soothes your skin and reduces puffiness, letting your face shine through.
Vitamin Cs anti-inflammatory action
- neutralize free radicals that cause oxidative damage
- optimize the immune system to discourage inflammatory immune response
The anti-inflammatory properties of vitamin C can also help reduce redness, which in turn can create a more even complexion. The combined reduction of dark spots, redness, and irritation make for a clear, smooth skin tone.
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Are All Vitamin C Serums Created Equal
No, not all vitamin C serums are on the same level of efficacy. This is because vitamin C is labeled as an unstable ingredient, with serums containing L-ascorbic acid being the most active form of the vitamin.
L ascorbic acid is the water-soluble form , Dr. Patel explains. Its most easily absorbed by the skin, unstable in sunlight and air and is tricky in formulation this results in the different qualities of vitamin C serums.
Dr. Patel adds that esterified vitamin C is much more stable in air and sunlight and not as irritating, but not as strong as L ascorbic acid. That said, the difference in serum qualities depends on concentration, formulation and packaging, according to Dr. Patel.
When Should You Use Vitamin C Serum
You can use a vitamin C serum twice a day, in the morning and at night, after washing your face and using facial toner.
In fact, studies recommend using a vitamin C facial serum every 8 hours for maximum skin protection. This is because vitamin C has potential photoprotective properties, which is an attempt to protect the skin from UV rays while preventing exposure to free radicals throughout the day.
However, it doesnt matter if you skip the repeated use of the vitamin C serum. Because, unlike sunscreens and moisturizers even toners if were honest vitamin C cannot be easily removed from the skin.
Keep in mind that regular use of vitamin C serum also needs to be followed by sunscreen in the morning. The reason is, vitamin C can increase skin sensitivity to sunlight. This way, your skin can be protected from sun damage.
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How To Combine Vitamin C And Hyaluronic Acid
When you use a separate vitamin c serum and hyaluronic acid serum, the order that you apply them in is very important. The general rule in skincare serums is thinnest first and thickest last.
If you have a vitamin C serum, it would normally be applied before a hyaluronic acid serum or cream. Since vitamin c is very reactive, and has a low ph, they penetrate the skin much quicker, which is why it may not be ideal for sensitive skin.
Step 1-Apply a few drops of vitamin c serum to your fingers and apply to your face.
Step 2-Wait a few minutes for it to be absorbed into the skin
Step 3 Apply the HA serum or cream the same way.
Vitamin c can sometimes dry out your skin, so following up with a ha serum can help to restore moisture into the skin.
Go for a HA serum that suits your skin type. For oily skin go for a water based serum, and for dry or normal skin types go for an oil based serum or cream.
Do You Need Vitamin C Serum
Yes, you do. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that isnt produced by the human body. This means that you must consume it through your diet or topically apply it to your skin.
When applied to the skin, vitamin C serum has proven effectiveness at preventing sun damage, fighting wrinkles, reducing the appearance of dark spots, and more.
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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.
Does Vitamin C Serum Have Side Effects
As with any skincare product, some people with extremely sensitive skin may have minor irritation.
Before you try applying a Vitamin C serum on your face, take a small amount and apply it somewhere you can cover, such as on your arm.
This patch test will show if you are going to react. If, after 24 hours, you have no reaction, you should be fine to use the product on your face.
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What Is A Vitamin C Serum
Let’s start with the basics: a Vitamin C serum is high-dose of vitamin C applied directly to your skin.
A serum is designed to deliver high concentrations of ingredients to your skin. Serums are clear, gel-based, and thinner than your typical moisturizer.
You apply a serum before moisturizer – think of it as a primer for your skin that helps the “topcoat” absorb quickly.
As you might have guessed, Vitamin C serum is packed with Vitamin C, a potent antioxidant known for its range of skincare benefits and used to protect your skin from problems like fine lines, wrinkles, dehydration, pigmentation, dark circles, and redness.
Vitamin C occurs naturally in your skin and can be found in foods like Citrus fruits like oranges, Kakadu plum, tomatoes, tomato juice, and potatoes.
A 2015 study published in Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology reported that applying Vitamin C topically saw an increase in participants’ collagen production. Participants also saw a noticeable change in their skin’s appearance after just 60 days.
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What To Use Vitamin C Serum With
Adding a new product to your skin care routine can be daunting. But when you find out all the benefits of vitamin c, you realize using vitamin c for your skin is a must. So, you might have seen that many skincare products contain vitamin c in them, especially in serum form. Once youve got your hands on the best vitamin c serum, what next?
What is vitamin c? A lot of us skin addicts know that vitamin c is a brightening ingredient that can help to reduce redness, hydrate the skin, and reduce under-eye bags. Sounds like a dream, right?
For many of us,incorporating vitamin c in your skincare routine takes a bit of getting used to. What products can I mix with vitamin c serum? If you want to learn how to make your vitamin c serum more effective youre in the right place.
Heres where I come in.
I will be taking you through all the ins and out of vitamin c, including how to use it with other products, which products its best to avoid with it, and how to get the most out of your vitamin c serum. Since vitamin c is quite acidic and can be unstable, its not right for everyone off the bat. Make sure you take into account your skin type when using vitamin c for the first time.
Heres a tip- Keep a simple 3-4 step skincare routine. This is going to help your skin get the most from each ingredient, with less risk of a harmful reaction or even rendering them useless altogether.
Ready?
What Are The Benefits Of Using Retinol
Retinol supports our bodys cellular turnover .
How is this beneficial?
It rids old, dead skin cells, which cause the skin to look dull, and replaces them with new, healthy cells, reinvigorating the skin and making it appear radiant.
Remember, our skin cells go through a lot with the pollution and dirt they face every day, which makes the skin dry, flaky, dull, and generally undesirable and prescribed retin A or non-prescription retinol can help.
Read Also: How Vitamin C Helps Immune System
Is Vitamin C Serum Good For Dark Spots
Vitamin C isn’t good for dark spots. It’s great for them.
Dark spots or hyperpigmentation are common skin conditions that cause your complexion to appear uneven with “dark spots.”
This happens because of overactive melanin production. Vitamin C is a well-proven brightening agent. It inhibits melanin production, helping to even skin tone, giving you a brighter and clearer complexion.
It Promotes Collagen Production
Collagen is a naturally occurring protein that depletes over time. Lower levels of collagen can lead to fine lines and wrinkles.
Vitamin C is well known for through the process of collagen synthesis. In fact, collagen synthesis cant happen without vitamin C.
This is because vitamin C is the essential cofactor for the two enzymes required for collagen synthesis:
- prolyl hydroxylase, which stabilizes the collagen molecule
- lysyl hydroxylase, which provides structural strength
Read Also: How Is Vitamin C Manufactured
Check The Expiration Date On The Product
When buying a vitamin C serum, also pay attention to the expiration date of the product. However, apart from checking on the date listed, it usually has an age of about 6 to 12 months after opening. So, if your serum has been stored for a long time, its better if you dont reuse it. You dont want bad things to happen to your skin, do you?
S To Apply Anew Vitamin C Brightening Serum
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It May Help Soothe Sunburns
In addition to minimizing redness, vitamin C accelerates cell turnover, according to a 2013 review . This replaces the damaged cells with healthy new ones.
Topical application of vitamin C, in combination with vitamin E and other compounds, has also been shown to reduce injury due to UV irradiation , notes the above 2013 review. This combination also decreases the inflammation induced by excessive UV exposure.
Its important to note that researchers found that vitamin C alone is only minimally effective at reducing sunburn on its own.
What Makes A Good Vitamin C Serum
Not all Vitamin C is created equal. Finding a quality serum isn’t as easy as you might think.
Many cheaper serums out there use artificial and chemically derived Vitamin C.
Synthetic Vitamin C is better than none at all but has a shorter half-life within your body, only staying effective for about two hours.
Natural Vitamin C lasts longer in the body and is absorbed more slowly thus, it is available for longer.
When looking for a quality Vitamin C serum, look for something made from natural ingredients and without the harsh chemicals mentioned above.
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Potential Side Effects And Risks
Although irritation is unlikely, you should always do a patch test before full application. This is the only way to determine how your skin will react to the serum.
If your skin is especially sensitive, avoid products with L-ascorbic acid. Products with magnesium ascorbyl phosphate may be less likely to cause irritation.
Serum stability is affected by two things: product formulation and packaging.
The following vitamin C derivatives are designed to retain potency for longer:
- L-ascorbic acid
- ascorbyl palmitate
- magnesium ascorbyl phosphate
You should also ensure that the product has a water-free formulation. And the bottle should be opaque and airtight.
Popular vitamin C serums include:
Prepare Your Skin For The Application
Before you even think of applying vitamin C serum to your skin, you have to prepare your skin first by cleaning it. Applying vitamin C on an unclean skin cant be as effective as applying it on clean skin.
To clean your skin, splash cool water on it and wash with a mild cleanser. Massage the cleanser on your skin for some minutes and rinse it off with clean water.
Note: When you do this, ensure that the cleanser you use for this works for your skin.
- If you have a dry skin, use a cleanser that has ingredients like glycerin and ceramides.
- For oily skin, wash your skin with a cleanser that contains ingredients like salicylic acid.
- For sensitive skin, ensure that your cleanser is fragrance-free.
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Option : Apply Them At The Same Time
You might be surprised to know that it’s also possible to apply your vitamin C serum and acid together, at the same time.
In fact, using an acid right before vitamin C could actually ENHANCE your results.
That’s because the active form of vitamin C, L-ascorbic acid, has been found to penetrate best at a low pH, under 3.5.
We know that AHAs and BHAswhich are typically between pH 3.0 and 4.0make the skin more acidic by lowering its pH. So by applying an acid first, it will create the optimal conditions for the L-ascorbic acid to be effective.
Acids may even improve the conversion of vitamin C derivatives into L-ascorbic acid.
“Non-acidic forms of vitamin C are almost always of a higher pH than AHAs, so be sure that you acidify the skin first so that the THD , MAP , or ascorbyl glucoside can actually be broken down or transformed/activated into L-ascorbic acid to begin with,” suggests FutureDerm founder Nicki Zevola Benvenuti.
Post-application, the 30-minute waiting period would be applicable here as well. This will give the two treatments enough time to do their jobs at the low pH before applying hydration or sun protection.
Hyaluronic Acid And Vitamin C: Should They Be Used Together Why Or Why Not
July 1, 2019 By Sammuel Mccommon
- Vitamin C and hyaluronic acid can be used together, safely, in your skin care routine.
- Including both vitamin C and HA in your skin care routine will provide better anti-aging results than choosing only one.
- They can be combined in a single product, but are more effective when used separately because they are best absorbed at different pH levels.
- You can make your own serum combining vitamin C and HA.
Vitamin C and HA are both commonly used in skin care products for their anti-aging properties. Vitamin C is prized as a strong antioxidant, while HAs strength is helping the skin retain moisture.
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