For my first blog post, I wanted to highlight one of the best ingredients for glowing skin! Vitamin C! While vitamin C is an important nutrient in a well-balanced diet, vitamin C in our skincare can improve skin health and radiance when applied daily! We are exposed to sunlight, blue light, and environmental pollutants every day, which cause damage to the skin. Vitamin C in our skincare helps to fight off this free-radical damage our skin endures daily. By applying an antioxidant serum in the morning, you are helping to protect your skin, as well as preserving and boosting collagen, brightening pigmentation, reducing redness, and even improving scarring! Did you know: Vitamin C and Retinol work synergistically to protect our collagen? No wonder these are the two most widely used anti-aging ingredients! Adding a retinol product each night could take your skin results to the next level!
But this doesn't mean you should use just any vitamin C and retinol product you see in the drug store or department store. These products' potency, formulation, quality, and source matter. And when it comes to certain skin types, the FORM of the Vitamin C you choose makes a tremendous difference.
What should you look for in a Vitamin C serum?
Formulation: Look for stabilized forms of Vitamin C such as ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbyl phosphate, or magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, which are effective and less likely to degrade quickly.
Concentration: Opt for products with concentrations between 10-20% for optimal effectiveness without causing irritation.
Packaging: Vitamin C is sensitive to light and air, so choose products in opaque or airtight containers to preserve potency.
How to know if your product has oxidized (essentially it is no longer potent):
the product has dark brown or orange shade, and/or a clumpy texture
it has an unpleasant smell
If this happens, it is recommended that the product be thrown away.
So which type of Vitamin C is best for your skin?
Normal or aging skin?
You will find many different forms of vitamin C on the market, but the one that is the most widely researched for its benefits is L-ascorbic acid. For this reason, you are most likely to find L-ascorbic acid in most well-formulated skincare products.
A few things to keep in mind with L-ascorbic acid:
To reduce oxidation and for the product to remain stable, this form of Vitamin C must be in a dark, glass bottle with a glass dropper.
It needs to be encapsulated in a lipid for the skin to absorb it well and with little topical irritation. This lipid also allows for better stability of the antioxidants!
Sensitive skin? The type of vitamin you need is tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (THDA)
Sodium ascorbyl phosphate (SAP) is a less potent version of ascorbic acid that may be more ideal for sensitive skin types. This form of vitamin C still provides plenty of complexion-boosting benefits while also helping to reduce sebum production.
The newest on the market is tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (THDA), which is an oil-soluble ingredient that penetrates deep into the layers of the skin with minimal or no irritation. Because of the high absorption rate, tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate provides the same antioxidant protection, collagen boost, and brightening effects as L-ascorbic acid, but with better absorption and stability than any other form of vitamin C.
Acne or acne scarring?
Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (MAP) is another gentle and stable form of vitamin C that converts to ascorbic acid once it comes in contact with the skin.
If acne is an issue you're looking to manage, the anti-inflammatory effects of MAP prevent oxidation that leads to blackheads. This form of vitamin C can help improve acne scarring, as well!
Integrating Vitamin C into Your Routine
Here’s how to incorporate Vitamin C into your daily skincare regimen:
1. Cleansing: In the morning, use a gentle cleanser to remove impurities and prepare your skin for treatment.
2. Vitamin C Serum: Apply a few drops of Vitamin C serum onto clean, dry skin. Gently massage it into your face and neck, avoiding the delicate eye area. Let it absorb for a few minutes. If using a dropper bottle, ensure that your figures never touch the dropper.
3. Moisturizer: Follow up with a moisturizer to lock in hydration and further nourish your skin.
4. Sunscreen: During the day, always finish with a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher. Vitamin C enhances the effectiveness of sunscreen and provides additional protection against UV damage.
5. Night Routine: Incorporate a retinol after double cleansing, followed by your nighttime moisturizer.
Tips for Best Results
Patch Test: Before using a new Vitamin C product, perform a patch test to check for any sensitivity or allergic reaction.
Consistency is Key: Incorporate Vitamin C into your routine consistently to see visible results over time. Most skincare products take 8-12 weeks to reveal results.
Store Properly: Store Vitamin C products away from direct sunlight and tightly sealed to maintain potency.
Gradual Introduction: If you have sensitive skin, start with lower concentrations and gradually increase frequency and concentration as your skin adjusts.
Here are a few of my favorite antioxidant serums:
For all skin types:
Lira Clinical BIO Hydra C Serum
Achieve healthy refreshed skin with this essential and universal Vitamin C serum. Encourages skin hydration and repair while protecting against harmful free radicals with powerful antioxidants. With new airless pump packaging.
KEY INGREDIENTS:
+ 4 Forms of Vitamin C (20%)
+ Trifecta of Plant Stem Cells
+ Skin Brightening MASQ-tech™
+ Certified Organic Aloe Vera Delivery
+ Multiple Botanical Brighteners
For mature skin types:
Osmosis Catalyst
Catalyst DNA Repair C Serum is a uniquely formulated serum that activates the cell's innate repair functions, improving tone and texture. This patented, clinically proven serum reduces the appearance of pigmentation, scarring, and capillaries, going beyond the surface to repair DNA by 33%.
BENEFITS:
Clinically proven to increase elasticity by 110%
15% tightening of eyelids
Improves skin radiance and luminosity by 32%
Reduces broken capillaries and redness by 64%
For brightening pigment and melasma:
Glymed+ Daily Skin Clarifier
Contains both L-Ascorbic Acid a(water soluble) and Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
BENEFITS
+ Brightens
+ Reduce Pigmentation
+ Increase Hydration
+ Prevention
KEY INGREDIENTS
+ Bearberry
+ Licorice
+ Mulberry
+ Phytic Acid
+ Green Tea
+ Apple
For all skin types:
isClinical Super Serum Advance+
Helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
Helps improve the look of hypertrophic (raised) scar tissue and fine stretch marks
Safely brightens and helps visibly diminish uneven skin tone
Provides support against environmental stressors
Provides potent antioxidant protection
Contains a time-released 15% L-ascorbic acid, the powerful antioxidant Centella Asiatica, and the growth factor Tripeptide-1 (Copper Tripeptide-1)
Esthetician tip:
When completing a series of skin correcting treatments (radio frequency, fractionated ablation, microneedling/microchanneling, chemical peels), the use of vitamin C in your skincare is imperative to ensure the best stimulation of collagen, as well as reduction of pigment and inflammation.
Ready to take your skin to the next level?
Ashlee will curate a customized skincare routine for your unique skin needs.
Get started today for noticeable changes!
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Resources:
Telang PS. Vitamin C in dermatology. Indian Dermatol Online J. 2013 Apr;4(2):143-6. doi: 10.4103/2229-5178.110593. PMID: 23741676; PMCID: PMC3673383.
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