Vitamin C has turn into a go-to skincare ingredient for these searching for a shiny, healthy-looking complexion. However when you’ve ever puzzled what makes it so highly effective, or learn how to use it accurately, you’re in the suitable place.
Let’s dive into the science behind vitamin C, together with why it’s a skincare must-have and learn how to take advantage of it in your routine.
THE BASICS
VITAMIN C (ASCORBIC ACID)WHAT IT IS: A vitamin with highly effective antioxidant properties.
WHAT IT DOES: Topical vitamin C helps brighten pores and skin, even tone, and defend towards environmental injury.
WHO IT'S FOR: Appropriate for all pores and skin varieties, however significantly useful for these with boring, uneven pores and skin tone or seen indicators of getting old.
HOW TO USE IT: Apply a vitamin C serum or cream onto clear, dry pores and skin morning or evening.
GOES WELL WITH: Melatonin and vitamin E can improve antioxidant results, whereas hyaluronic acid helps with all-around hydration and glow.
DON’T MIX WITH: Exfoliating acids and retinoids could trigger some discomfort when layered improperly. Attempt sticking to vitamin C within the morning and acids or retinoids at evening.
TRY IT IN: Flavo-C, Melatonik®
What’s vitamin C?
Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant naturally present in vegetables and fruit that performs an important position in pores and skin well being. In skincare, it helps the pores and skin’s constructing blocks (equivalent to collagen) and improves total radiance.
Very similar to the time period antioxidant suggests, it additionally fights towards oxidative stress. How, precisely? When utilized topically, vitamin C works to neutralize free radicals—unstable molecules brought on by UV rays, air pollution, and different environmental components that contribute to untimely getting old.
Lastly, it additionally helps to scale back darkish spots and promote a extra even pores and skin tone.
What can vitamin C do for my pores and skin?
The advantages of vitamin C lend to its glowing repute. It boasts three science-backed features as a skincare ingredient: antioxidant protection, rejuvenation, and illumination.
Right here’s what you possibly can count on from this multitasker:
- Helps pure collagen ranges for firmer-looking pores and skin
- Protects towards injury from each day stressors equivalent to air pollution and UV publicity
- Softens the looks of superb strains and wrinkles
- Helps fade darkish spots and undesirable pigmentation
- Brightens and evens out pores and skin tone
One thing to bear in mind: Whereas vitamin C gives some environmental protection, it doesn’t exchange sunscreen. Keep in mind to pair it with each day SPF.
Who ought to use vitamin C?
Vitamin C is a good addition to any skincare routine, particularly when you’re trying to deal with dullness, uneven tone, or early indicators of getting old. It typically works for all pores and skin varieties, although these with delicate pores and skin could need to put aside different potent skincare merchandise when getting began.
What different skincare components can you employ with vitamin C?
Vitamin C + hyaluronic acid
Vitamin C and hyaluronic acid make a really perfect skincare duo. Whereas vitamin C brightens and protects, hyaluronic acid gives deep hydration, serving to to plump and easy the pores and skin. Collectively, they promote a bouncy, radiant look.
Vitamin C + melatonin
Antioxidants melatonin and vitamin C work collectively to assist restore and shield the pores and skin. Vitamin C brightens and defends towards free radical injury, whereas melatonin helps nighttime pores and skin regeneration. Utilizing each will help optimize pores and skin restoration for an total glow.
Vitamin C + retinoids
Each components supply highly effective well-aging advantages. Nonetheless, utilizing them collectively could also be an excessive amount of, particularly for delicate pores and skin. If you wish to incorporate this dynamic duo into your routine, attempt utilizing vitamin C within the morning and retinoids at evening.
Easy methods to use vitamin C in your skincare routine, step-by-step:
Step 1: Use a delicate oil cleanser
A radical cleanse leaves the pores and skin prepared for the remainder of your merchandise to get to work. Go for an oil cleanser within the morning to assist prep your pores and skin for the day forward, in addition to within the night to soften away air pollution and filth.
Why oil cleansers? This distinctive texture binds to undesirable oils, make-up, and sunscreen to assist remove them with out stripping away the pores and skin’s pure moisture. Plus some knowledgeable formulation supply extra antioxidant assist.
Step 2: Apply a focused eye contour cream
The pores and skin across the eyes is the thinnest on the face—which means it’s one space that may use a bit of additional assist. To greatest take care of this delicate pores and skin, go for eye lotions designed to satisfy the precise calls for of the day.
3. Add in your vitamin C serum
With sink-into-skin textures and concentrated components, serums are among the hardest-working merchandise in a routine. And that’s simply why they’re the good format for vitamin C.
AM: After cleaning and making use of eye cream, easy a number of drops of a concentrated vitamin C serum onto your pores and skin. Our high decide? Flavo-C helps brighten the pores and skin, enhance elasticity, and shield towards oxidative injury from the solar, air pollution, and even stress.
PM: Within the night, flip to a vitamin C restoration serum. Analysis reveals that serums that includes a mixture of vitamin C, melatonin, and bakuchiol can supply seen youth-boosting results. You’ll find this highly effective trio inside Melatonik®️.
4. Lock in moisture
To assist preserve hydration and reinforce the pores and skin barrier, comply with your vitamin C serum with a hydrating moisturizer suited to your pores and skin sort. This step ensures lasting nourishment and luxury.
Our advice: Discover out which moisturizer is greatest for you with our fast quiz.
5. End with sunscreen
Regardless of the climate, the ultimate step of your morning skincare routine ought to at all times be high-SPF broad spectrum sunscreen. Layer it on after your moisturizer to assist shield pores and skin towards the damaging results of the solar. Then, do your greatest to reapply at the least each two hours—it’s what dermatologists suggest!
Your questions answered
Is vitamin C protected for delicate pores and skin?
Typically, vitamin C is effectively tolerated. However if in case you have delicate pores and skin, you would possibly need to keep away from different potent skincare components when utilizing it.
Pause retinoids and exfoliating acids (equivalent to glycolic) till your pores and skin feels snug. Even then, attempt to give them some area. Attempt utilizing vitamin C within the morning and retinoids or AHAs at evening. One final tip: your dermatologist is aware of your pores and skin greatest—examine in with them if in case you have any doubts.
Can I take advantage of vitamin C each day?
Certain! So long as your pores and skin appears blissful about it. Each day use of vitamin C in skincare will help enhance brightness and protection, morning and evening.
How lengthy does it take to see outcomes? Some brightening advantages could also be noticeable quickly after beginning. Nonetheless, for tone-unifying and firming results, constant use over at the least a number of weeks is often advisable.
Does vitamin C expire?
Sure. Like all skincare merchandise, vitamin C formulation have a sure shelf life. Search for an expiration date or PAO image (Interval After Opening) on the again or backside of your skincare container. When you’re throughout the specified timeframe, you’re off to an excellent begin!
Right here’s one thing else to bear in mind: many vitamin C formulation may be particularly susceptible to direct gentle and extreme warmth. Go for merchandise in darkish or opaque bottles and retailer them in a cool, darkish place to assist maintain issues contemporary.
Get glowing
Vitamin C is a powerhouse ingredient that may remodel your skincare routine by brightening and rejuvenating. Work it into your each day routine and pair it with SPF for the last word protection towards environmental stressors.
And above all, love your pores and skin, take care of it, and shield it, at all times.
Amy is a content material strategist who turned a part-time obsession with skincare right into a full-time ardour. Her expertise as a inventive storyteller features a vary of way of life and expertise subjects throughout Washington D.C. and Barcelona. What’s in her journey bag? Eye contour cream and sunscreen, at all times.
