Vitamin C, when used topically in a serum, is extensively acclaimed as among the finest elements for brightening pores and skin, boosting collagen manufacturing, and defending pores and skin in opposition to environmental harm. It’s so standard that even on the 2024 Medical Spa Present that I attended, vitamin C was an enormous matter of dialog. Nonetheless, not everyone seems to be as constructive about it as you could suppose. Whether or not you’re an esthetician, dermatologist, or only a skincare fanatic, you’ve seemingly heard of 1 main downfall with regards to this ingredient: the vitamin C acid burn.
So, what is that this? Sure vitamin C formulation, when utilized to the pores and skin each day, may cause a burning and stinging sensation, together with redness, pores and skin that’s scorching to the contact or a basic feeling of irritation. This happens as a result of a topical vitamin C is eliciting a nervous neural response in your pores and skin. As your pores and skin senses publicity, it tries to warn you in opposition to one thing it doesn’t need– on this case, a low pH product. Nonetheless, I don’t imagine this facet impact ought to discourage you in opposition to vitamin C totally– let me clarify.
Advantages of Vitamin C In Your Skincare Routine
The addition of a topical vitamin C serum into your skincare routine may be extraordinarily useful on your barrier and enhance total pores and skin well being. Listed below are essentially the most notable the reason why.
- Brightens Pores and skin Tone
- Possible essentially the most revered profit, vitamin C lessens pigment manufacturing in pores and skin, making it look brighter.
- Boosts Collagen Manufacturing
- Not solely does this ingredient assist shield the collagen you have already got by inhibiting enzymes that typically break it down, however it additionally aids in more healthy collagen manufacturing.
- Protects In opposition to Environmental Harm
- Vitamin C’s highly effective antioxidant properties neutralize free radicals and shield the pores and skin from harm attributable to UV radiation, air pollution, and different environmental stressors.
- Enhances Pores and skin Hydration
- This ingredient has additionally been proven to have moisturizing properties, serving to improve hydration ranges and plump pores and skin.
Understanding Vitamin C Sensitivity
Let’s resolve why this painful burning and stinging sensation typically happens– and what you are able to do about it!
Why Does Vitamin C Burn or Sting?
The burning sensation is usually attributable to three issues:
- A extremely low pH. Low pH ranges of two.5-3.5 can doubtlessly irritate the pores and skin. They’ll improve the acidity of a serum, resulting in a compromised barrier and the next potential for stinging, particularly for delicate pores and skin.
- A excessive amount of ascorbic acid. This ingredient must have a minimal of 8% to have any efficacy in pores and skin. At round 22%, the pores and skin stops having the ability to take up it. So most of those vitamin C serums that sting have a low pH and excessive amount of ascorbic acid. This acid is a really small molecule, so it may well simply get into the pores and skin and disrupt its pure pH steadiness.
- A compromised barrier or current use of actives. Individuals who use lively elements (retinol, retinoids, exfoliating acids, and so on.) and other people with compromised obstacles usually tend to really feel a stinging sensation. It is because if you use exfoliating acids or retinoids, you expertise numerous pores and skin turnover, which means that the pores and skin on prime is extra uncooked and uncovered. If you have already got a diminished barrier and proceed to make use of vitamin C, you received’t have sufficient lipids in your pores and skin to assist shield it from a product with a low pH. That is going to trigger a extra damaging expertise, and in flip, can truly result in extra irritation.
Don’t Give Up – There’s a Answer!
Simply because you could be coping with a vitamin C acid burn, doesn’t imply it’s a must to forego the ingredient totally. There are nonetheless methods to obtain the entire advantages of vitamin C– with out the acid burn! Let’s focus on.
- What to keep away from
- Low-pH Merchandise: These can result in long-term irritation within the pores and skin, inflicting accelerated indicators of getting old and elevated pigmentation (as soon as your physique receives a sign that there’s irritation, elevated pigment manufacturing could happen). Search for formulation with a ph vary of 5.0-5.8. A good model ought to let you know the pH if it’s not publicly listed.
- A No-Ache-No-Achieve Philosophy: In contrast to retinol, ache (ie stinging) isn’t an indication of vitamin C efficacy however could possibly be an indication of irritation.
- Vitamin C Sandwiching: Whereas a retinol sandwich is an effective way to obtain the entire potent advantages of a retinoid with none of the dryness, flaking, or irritation, the identical can’t be stated for this ingredient. When sandwiching a vitamin C serum between two layers of moisturizer, it truly simply impedes the flexibility of the ascorbic acid, quite than minimizing the potential uncomfortable side effects of vitamin C.
- What to do
- Search for Alternate options: There are many vitamin C types utilized in skincare, and which one you select positively issues. In case you are experiencing a vitamin C acid burn, it’s time to search for a extra steady method. Preserve studying to find out which one is best for you!
Discovering Stability
In search of out a steady vitamin C is the easiest way to keep away from a vitamin C acid burn, however what precisely does this entail?
What Does A “Steady Vitamin C” Imply?
Once you hear {that a} type of vitamin C is “steady,” this refers back to the capability of the product to take care of its effectiveness over time and publicity to air, gentle, and temperature. A steady vitamin C will sometimes keep its efficiency longer, be much less susceptible to oxidization, and can seemingly include supporting elements that improve efficacy.
Ever seen your white or beige serum start to show yellow or gentle brown? This implies the product has turn into unstable and begun to oxidize, which means you might be not receiving the whole thing of its supposed advantages.
It’s necessary to notice that all skincare elements finally expire, even essentially the most steady of vitamin C serums. Ensure you use it earlier than you lose it!
Why Do Vitamin C Formulations Matter?
Choosing the proper vitamin C remedy could appear a bit sophisticated, however since vitamin C doesn’t at all times work the identical, it’s necessary to know their variations. Vitamin C formulations matter as a result of they’ll vastly impression the steadiness, effectiveness, and total efficiency of the vitamin C product. Elements comparable to lively versus inactive types of vitamin C, pH worth, extra elements, and even texture, scent, and total really feel can vastly have an effect on how your pores and skin responds to a particular product.
What Makes Vitamin C&E Remedy Completely different?
What’s nice about Vitamin C&E Remedy is that it doesn’t use excessive portions of ascorbic acid and it has a extra skin-friendly pH. Utilizing each lipid and water-soluble types of vitamin C, this serum gives potent antioxidant exercise deep inside the epidermal layers.
Using tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (THD), this skin-brightening cream ensures a slower launch time than water-soluble molecules, which means an extended window of lively vitamin C and a decrease potential for irritation. In case you’re trying to profit from all the advantages of vitamin C with not one of the burn, this long-time best-seller is the one for you.
Ideas for Selecting Steady Vitamin C Merchandise
As intimidating as it might be, strive to not be discouraged by the huge array of vitamin C merchandise in the marketplace. Listed below are a number of ideas for avoiding the ache and discovering the right serum for you.
Ingredient Verify
With regards to widespread types of vitamin C in skincare, there are 4 that come to thoughts: L-ascorbic Acid, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ascorbyl Methylsilanol Pectinate, and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate. Right here’s how they differ.
- L-ascorbic acid: Regardless of being a tried and true ingredient, this isn’t your greatest guess with regards to antioxidant safety. The one lively type of vitamin C, L-ascorbic acid is extremely unstable and, because it’s an antioxidant, it needs to react with virtually all the things in its atmosphere. This implies this ingredient has a excessive probability of oxidizing earlier than it will get an opportunity to make it into your pores and skin.
- Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate: An incredible choice for pores and skin sorts that battle from breakouts, this has been confirmed to assist enhance pimples, however can nonetheless be fairly reactive.
- Ascorbyl Methylsilanol Pectinate: A posh mix of many compounds quite than only a easy vitamin C spinoff, this type has been proven to strengthen the membrane of pores and skin cells and have improved supply into pores and skin.
- Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate: That is certainly one of my private favorites (and the star ingredient in Vitamin C&E Remedy) as it’s the solely oil-soluble type of vitamin C that I’ve talked about to date. Due to this, it received’t react till it comes into contact with the oils in your pores and skin, making it essentially the most steady type of these 4. Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate can be recognized to penetrate pores and skin 20x greater than ascorbic acid!
Packaging Issues
As I discussed, vitamin C serums may be extremely unstable, reacting to virtually all the things from gentle and warmth to oxygen, water, and metals. Because of this product packaging could make all of the distinction.
This ingredient must be packed in opaque or tinted bottles that shield the product from gentle publicity, as gentle, particularly UV gentle, may cause it to degrade and turn into much less efficient. Ideally, the product must also have an airless pump to reduce air publicity, protecting the serum recent longer. Each of those may even cut back the chance of contamination, guaranteeing it may well ship its desired results to the pores and skin.
Vitamin C Utility Strategies for Snug Use
Need to begin your journey towards one of the best vitamin C for you however anxious concerning the penalties? Right here’s the easiest way to get began!
Patch Testing
Whereas looking for the fitting vitamin C product for you, it might take a little bit of trial and error– however you don’t should destroy your pores and skin barrier within the meantime. Each time anybody is making an attempt out a brand new product, the very first thing I do is advocate a patch take a look at. Apply vitamin C to your neck (the place pores and skin is essentially the most delicate) to assist decide what sorts of merchandise or elements will trigger a damaging or allergic response in your face. It will assist slender down which skincare product or ingredient to check out sooner or later.
In conclusion, whereas vitamin C is a extremely praised skincare ingredient recognized for its capability to brighten pores and skin, increase collagen manufacturing, and shield in opposition to environmental harm, some folks could expertise the dreaded vitamin C acid burn. This burning or stinging sensation may be attributed to components comparable to low pH ranges, excessive concentrations of ascorbic acid, or a compromised pores and skin barrier. Nonetheless, I don’t suppose this could deter you from reaping the advantages of vitamin C. By understanding the causes of sensitivity and selecting steady formulations, you may incorporate vitamin C into your skincare routines successfully and comfortably. With the fitting strategy, vitamin C is usually a worthwhile addition to any skincare routine, selling more healthy, extra radiant-looking pores and skin.
I hope you discovered this put up informative! And as at all times, #obeyrenee
Movie star Esthetician & Skincare Professional
As an esthetician educated in beauty chemistry, Renée Rouleau has spent 30 years researching pores and skin, educating her viewers, and constructing an award-winning line of merchandise. Her hands-on expertise as an esthetician and trusted skincare professional has created a real-world resolution — merchandise which might be formulated for 9 various kinds of pores and skin so your face will get precisely what it must appear and feel its greatest. Trusted by celebrities, editors, bloggers, and skincare obsessives across the globe, her huge real-world information and fixed analysis are why Marie Claire calls her “essentially the most passionate pores and skin practitioner we all know.”
