Benefits Of Vitamin C For Your Skin
- With daily use, vitamin C provides a range of tangible benefits including evening skin tone, improving hydration, promoting wound healing and fighting signs of aging.
- Vitamin C has proven antioxidant properties that protect against sun damage caused by free radicals.
- The popularity of topical vitamin C for skin care has grown due to its high safety profile among users.
Hailed as one of the most effective anti-aging dermatological ingredients available today, topical vitamin C is a mainstay in many womens skin care routine. Vitamin C serums, creams and other products are highly recommended by dermatologists for their ability to maintain a smooth, even complexion.
Although youre likely ingesting vitamin C in your diet, there is another way to benefit from this star ingredient by targeting your skin directly. Topical vitamin C is the most direct way to take advantage of this vitamins many powerful skin care benefits.
Following are 10 highly compelling benefits of vitamin C for your skin:
Contents
How Does Vitamin C Serum Help With Acne
Acne is a skin condition characterized by inflamed and blocked pores. They lead to swelling, redness, and sometimes pustules or bumps with pus in them. Acne can also leave your skin with post-inflammatory scars, which damages the skin.
No research ties dietary vitamin C with reduced acne levels but it may help with general skin health. However, there is limited research to suggest that the application of vitamin C on the skin can improve this condition.
May reduce inflammation caused by acne. Some of the risk factors for acne are genetics, age, and hormones. In some other situations, skin bacterium may trigger the condition.
Vitamin C contains anti-inflammatory properties and helps reduce the redness and swelling that comes with acne. The results are more pronounced when you use the vitamin topically. It, therefore, helps improve the appearance of acne wounds.
It may help reduce hyperpigmentation. Acne causes your skin to develop darkened spots around the affected area. This is called hyperpigmentation. Other causes are UV rays and skin injuries. Vitamin C is known to reduce hyperpigmentation by reducing the effects of the tyrosine enzyme. The enzyme is responsible for the production of melanin that gives your skin its color.
Vitamin C also functions as a brightening agent. It has properties that reduce dark spots without changing your skin color. Combining vitamin C serums with other brightening agents like iontophoresis can significantly enhance the results.
Continued
What’s The Best Way To Use Vitamin C On Skin
The ideal time to use a skincare product containing vitamin C, such as a serum or moisturizer, is in the morning. Application is best during the day coupled with sunscreen, Dr. Mack says. This way, it will optimize the benefits of your sunscreen but also help prevent damage from free radicals,” adds Roberta Del Campo, M.D. a dermatologist in North Miami, Florida.
Although best used in the A.M., vitamin C can also be applied at night if you are looking to decrease the appearance of discoloration, Dr. Del Campo says. Since every vitamin C product is uniquely formulated, always use your product as directed on packaging for optimal results.
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Is Hyperpigmentation The Same Thing As Scarring
Its possible to have both hyperpigmentation and scars left over from a breakout, but these are two different skin concerns requiring very different treatment approaches.
Scarring occurs when theres either an excessive amount of tissue leftover from a blemish , or if theres a depressed area in the skin from a lack of tissues .
Some procedures, such as laser resurfacing, can be used to treat both skin concerns.
If youre unsure of what your blemishes are, talk to your dermatologist. They can help diagnose your concern and discuss options for treatment.
Benefits Of Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that is full of antioxidants. It has been a staple in the skincare industry for years.
It has been proven to be beneficial for your skin, including anti-aging properties, intensive moisturizers, and healing properties. And vitamin E oil is affordable and affordable, which makes it ideal for many people.
Although it might not protect you from the sun alone in combination with vitamin C, it can act as a natural form of sun protection.
It can also fight the signs of aging. This oil blocks free radicals from the body which play an important role in the aging process. Fight them and you will avoid wrinkles.
Vitamin E can calm dry and sensitive skin. And with anti-inflammatory properties, it improves and improves the appearance of damaged tissue, which means that damage to your skin can accelerate healing and recovery.
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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.
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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Evens Out Tone And Minimize Redness
Blotchy, uneven skin can result from a number of factors, from sun exposure to hormones to medical conditions.
The good news is, vitamin C has proven itself a hearty warrior in the fight against redness, as it helps mend the damaged capillaries that cause this discoloration and strengthen them for the future.
How Does Vitamin C Fight Free Radical Damage
Free radicals are produced in skin from environmental factors such as UV rays, infrared, pollution, and cigarette smoke causing atmospheric skin aging by generating free radicals — unstable molecules with unpaired electrons. Free radicals try to steal electrons from healthy molecules, causing oxidative stress. Over time, free radical damage leads to visible signs of accelerated skin aging including fine lines, wrinkles, discoloration, and laxity. This science is known as the free radical theory of aging .Vitamin C, in its pure form , helps protect against this damage by donating electrons to neutralize damaging free radicals, in turn helping prevent the appearance of premature aging.
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Moisturise Your Skin Regularly
Dryness can cause cracks on your skin, thereby increasing dullness, hence moisturisation is a must
Dryness can create cracks in your skins surface and cause dead skin cells to pile up, making your complexion look uneven and lacklustre. Applying a moisturiser regularly helps fill those fissures with lipids, which in turn, mimic the natural fats of the skin, creating a smooth, and reflective surface.
Look for moisturisers with the purest form of vitamin C and other antioxidants like ferulic acid and squalane like the Natural Brightening Vitamin C Face Cream from The Moms Co. These potent ingredients repair your skin barrier function and enhance collagen synthesis to make your skin firmer and boost glow and shine.
Is There A Difference Between Pure Vitamin C And Vitamin C Derivatives
Vitamin C is available in a variety of forms, but none are to absorb as effectively as L-Ascorbic Acid . In clinical studies, derivatives of ascorbic acid including magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, ascorbyl-6-palmitate, and dehydroascorbic acid have not been shown as effective. All SkinCeuticals antioxidants are formulated with pure l-ascorbic acid in accordance with the Duke Antioxidant patent.
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Are Vitamin C Supplements Necessary
It is always best to get your nutrients from food rather than supplements.
Fruits and vegetables, especially citrus fruits, are good sources. Foods naturally rich in vitamin C include:
- Raw red peppers: 95 mg per 1/2-cup serving
- Orange juice: 90 mg per 3/4-cup serving
- Orange: 70 mg per one medium fruit
- Kiwi: 64 mg per one medium fruit
- Raw green peppers: 60 mg per 1/2-cup serving
- Cooked broccoli: 51 mg per 1/2-cup serving
- Strawberries: 49 mg per 1/2-cup serving
- Cooked Brussels sprouts: 48 mg per 1/2-cup serving
- Tomato juice: 33 mg per 1/2-cup serving
- Cantaloupe: 29 mg per 1/2-cup serving
If you don’t get enough vitamin C from what you eat, a supplement can help get you to the right levels.
Why Should You Use A Vitamin C Serum
Why use a Vitamin C serum when you can have a glass of OJ in the morning, right?
There’s nothing wrong with a glass of OJ but when you ingest Vitamin C, only a small amount makes it to your skin. When you apply it topically using a serum, it absorbs directly into your skin, making it much more effective.
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Keeps Skin Looking Younger
No matter what your age, it’s always a good idea to be preemptive about avoiding wrinkles, sagging skin, fine lines, and other signs of aging. Vitamin C can help your skin look younger for longer, not only by stimulating collagen production, but by evening out your skin tone and brightening your complexion as well.
How Can You Add Vitamin C Into Your Daily Skin
“The key is not the vehicle that vitamin C comes in, but the form of vitamin C that is being applied,” explains Kristina Goldenberg, M.D., of Goldenberg Dermatology in New York City. The term to look for is ascorbic acid , which is the most stable and effective form of vitamin C in skin care.
That said, all three dermatologists agree that the best type of vitamin C skin-care product to use is serum, because “serums are more effective than creams or toners,” says Dr. Wexler. Moreover, adding vitamin E into the mix is like a one-two punch of skin-saving goodness.
“Pure ascorbic acid has consistently been proven to be the most effective at penetrating the skin barrier,” Dr. Wexler says. “Vitamin C effectiveness increases when combined with other antioxidants, such as vitamin E. Together, they can double protection against free-radical damage.”
This is why you’ll very often find the two antioxidants formulated together in serums, such as SkinCeuticals’ legendary and Best of Beauty Award-winning C E Ferulic and La Roche-Posay 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum.
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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.
Cerave Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum
BEST VALUE
If your skin is prone to irritation, look no further than this nourishing 10% vitamin C serum, which features essential ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin B5 to hydrate and soothe the skin. Its also noncomedogenic and fragrance-free for a simple formula that effectively boosts radiance.
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Influences The Growth And Repair Of Body Tissues And Helps With Wound Healing
One of the most significant health benefits of vitamin C is the role it plays in the growth and repair of body tissues.
Vitamin C assists in the manufacture of proteins which help to make new skin and blood vessels.
Similar to how vitamin C makes an essential contribution to the growth and repair of skin, it also helps with the wound healing process.
Firstly, the initial inflammatory response to a new wound requires ascorbic acid, and the vitamin also influences the production of scar tissue and new skin .
Furthermore, a vitamin C deficiency can have the severe effect of impairing wound healing in patients undergoing surgical procedures .
Key Point:
Biochemistry Of Vitamin C
Vit. C has a 5-hydrocarbon ring similar to that of glucose. With an attached hydrogen ion, LAA becomes a weak sugar acid, similar to other alfa hydroxy acids used in dermatology. With a metal ion, it forms a mineral ascorbate. There is a marked interest in synthesis of physiologically active and chemically stable ascorbate molecules as LAA is unstable in nature, especially when exposed to light.
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What To Look For In Vitamin C Serums
When shopping for a vitamin C serum, its important to look for a product made of a potent, stable type of vitamin C. Look for L-ascorbic acid, ascorbyl palmitate, tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, or magnesium ascorbyl phosphate on the ingredients list. Its also best to look for a product thats sold in opaque packaging, as vitamin C can break down when exposed to sunlight.
You can also check out the other ingredients, especially if youre looking to help several skin concerns at once. For example, hyaluronic acid or glycerin are good additions for dry skin, while AHAs can help slough off dead skin. Some products may also be formulated with retinol to help eliminate the appearance of wrinkles.
Many products are made with 10 to 20 percent vitamin C, and thats usually potent enough.
Vitamin C For Skin Helps Protect Skin From Aging And Neutralize Free Radicals In Skin
Vitamin C serum is an essential step in anySkinCeuticals skin care regimen. These synergistic, high-concentration antioxidants are designed for optimized absorption in skin and proven in peer-review research to help prevent free radical damage that can lead to the appearance ofpremature aging. Vitamin C for skin can also improve the look of fine lines, wrinkles, and discoloration.
Vitamin C Serum for fine lines and wrinkles
Vitamin C Serum for discoloration
Vitamin C Serum for oily and blemish-prone skin
Vitamin C serum for sensitive skin
Vitamin C with AHA for skin
Eye serum for dark circles under eyes
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Improves Hydration And Moisture
If you suffer from dry skin, vitamin C is a must. This is especially true if you have tried using moisturizers and cremes in the past, only to find that your skin is still dry and flaky. With topical vitamin C products , you can enjoy the high concentration of vitamins that your body truly needs to improve moisture content and overall hydration.
Best Vitamin C Serums Of 2021
Beyond shopping at the usual beauty retailers , Ulta and Dermstore you can order vitamin C serums directly from brands like Ghost Democracy, INNBeauty PROJECTS and Maya Chia. Popular beauty companies, including L’Oréal and The Ordinary, sell affordable vitamin C serums . If you’re looking to invest in your skin care routine, consider luxury brands like Revision Skincare and Barbara Sturm.
To help guide your search for a vitamin C serum, weve compiled expert-recommended vitamin C serums and a few highly rated options otherwise, ranging from -approved formulas to a new and notable launch.
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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.
Research Behind Vitamin C And Vitamin C Serums
Of course, you can source vitamin C through foods, namely fruits and vegetables like cantaloupe, oranges, pineapple, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts, according to MedlinePlus. Its an important nutrient to load up on because its essential for growth and development. It plays a role in forming and repairing body tissue, and delivering antioxidants to cut down on the presence of dangerous free radicals.
Vitamin C is also naturally present in the skin, where it helps promote collagen and antioxidant levels, and protects the skin against UV-ray-induced photodamage, according to a study published in August 2017 in the journal Nutrients. Sounds great, right? You may be thinking about how to increase vitamin C in your diet to tap into these benefits. Unfortunately, simply eating more oranges and cantaloupe isnt going to cut it. Thats because the epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin, doesnt have blood vessels to send nutrients to the skin cells, according to the Nutrients study.
Vitamin C can, however, be applied topically and thats where vitamin C serums come in. Vitamin C is best known for its ability to neutralize free radicals and improve aging skin, says Joel Schlessinger, MD, an Omaha, Nebraska-based dermatologic surgeon and RealSelf contributor. It can also improve collagen and elastin synthesis which can improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles help reduce inflammation, provide natural, mild exfoliation and brighten skin.
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