We all know that vitamin C is great for your immune system and overall health. It’s touted as the supplement that wards off illness and the scent that can awaken your senses. But did you know that vitamin C has outstanding benefits for your skin too? The antioxidant properties make vitamin C for skin health crucial. When added to your daily routine, a vitamin C serum can help provide a wide range of benefits that keep your skin looking youthful and fresh. Just take it from our very own Kate Somerville Skin Health Expert and celebrity esthetician, Kelly Viavattine, who proclaims, “I love vitamin C!” Kelly has built a career on taking care of some of Hollywood’s most famous skin, and shared with us why this is a powerhouse ingredient that is essential for your daily routine.
When is it Best to apply Vitamin C Serum during your Skin care routine?
To maximize the benefits of vitamin C serum, timing is key. The best time to apply vitamin C serum is in the morning, right after cleansing and before moisturizing. This is because vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect your skin from environmental stressors like pollution and UV damage throughout the day. Applying it in the morning allows your skin to harness its full potential, keeping it radiant and protected. However, if your skin is sensitive or prone to irritation, you may also benefit from using it at night, allowing it to work its magic while your skin naturally repairs itself during sleep. Regardless of when you apply it, consistency is crucial for achieving the best results.
Key Points to Remember:
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Morning Application: Best for protecting the skin against free radicals, pollution, and UV exposure.
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Apply After Cleansing: Use on clean, dry skin before moisturizer and sunscreen for optimal absorption.
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Layering Matters: Follow up with a hydrating serum, moisturizer, and SPF to lock in benefits.
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Evening Option: If your skin is sensitive, applying vitamin C at night can still provide great results without exposure to daily irritants.
Patch Test First: To avoid irritation, start with a lower concentration and gradually increase usage.
Vitamin C Benefits For The Skin
1) Protects Against Free Radicals
If you haven’t heard yet, air pollutants are causing our skin cells damage. Fortunately, the benefits of vitamin C in skin care help to protect against the damage caused by free radicals while neutralizing them to slow down the visible signs of aging [1]. Free radicals are basically unpaired electrons that are chemically unstable and try to find other electrons to help them stabilize. Unfortunately for you, these pesky nanoparticles usually resort to stealing electrons from other cells - like the ones in your skin.
2) Brightens Complexion
High-potency vitamin C also helps visibly brighten your skin by diminishing the appearance of dark spots and discoloration. With its powerful antioxidant properties, vitamin C works to even out skin tone and brighten your overall complexion, leaving you with a vibrant glow [2].
3) Reduces Signs of Aging
Finally, the benefits of vitamin C help to reduce the signs of aging by dramatically improving the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots [3]. Moisturizing with vitamin C aids in replenishing the skin’s natural lipids and restoring the skin’s natural barrier function, which yields softer skin texture and increased moisture retention.
4) Improves Texture and Damaged Skin
Studies have shown that a topical Vitamin C serum is an effective ingredient for improving skin texture, reducing the appearance of damaged skin, and aiding in wound healing [4].
5) Protect Against Long-term Sun Damage
Vitamin C is also known for its ability to protect the skin against long-term sun exposure. This is because vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that helps protect the skin from UV light [5].
6) Controls Oil and Acne Breakouts
For those with acne-prone or oily skin, vitamin C can be an effective skincare product to promote healthy skin by controlling oil and reducing breakouts. A study showed that a topical application of vitamin C helped reduce inflammation in acne-prone skin [6].
7) Aids in Collagen Production
Another powerful vitamin C benefit is the aid in collagen production, which is essential for maintaining proper skin health. Collagen is a protein that helps give skin its structure and elasticity. As we age, our collagen production decreases, which can lead to sagging skin [7].
What To Look For In a Vitamin C Product
Ready to add this miracle ingredient to your daily skincare routine? Fantastic! However, like most things, not all topical vitamin C products are created equal, which is why it is critical that you know which elements to look for when selecting a new product. First, make sure you seek out stabilized preparations of vitamin C, as unstabilized solutions can cause irritation and end up being harmful to your skin. Similarly, you should always buy products that are packaged in such a way that protects the product from sunlight, which prevents premature oxidation of the vitamin. Check out our +Retinol Viatmin C Moisturizer or our concentrate vitamin C serum to see which product type works for you.
For serums specifically, which are the most effective way to apply vitamin C to your skin, it is crucial to find one with a higher concentration of active ingredients and smaller molecules, which helps penetrate the skin deeper. You may also want to look for a serum that contains L-Ascorbic acid, as it is the purest form of vitamin C and provides superior antioxidant defense compared to any of its acid derivatives.
Incorporating Vitamin C Into Your Routine
Deciding to add a new component to your skincare routine can be daunting, but with a basic understanding of how you should layer products, you can quickly develop a customized regimen that gives you the results you desire [4].
Cleanser - Start with a daily foaming wash to remove excess dirt, makeup, and other surface pollutants from your skin.
Exfoliate - Add this step only twice a week to help remove dead skin cells that could be clogging up your pores and dulling the appearance of your skin tone. The key to using exfoliating products is not to scrub too hard, as doing so could create microabrasions on the skin, which could become infected and result in acne breakouts.
Toner - These products are designed to remove any residue left by your cleanser in addition to wiping away salts, chlorines, and chemicals that can be found in tap water that may dehydrate the skin.
Serums - Most vitamin C products are available as serums, which can offer concentrated doses of their active ingredient to your skin, increasing the overall performance of the product.
Moisturizer - Finish things off with an evenly applied moisturizer to your face and neck to help keep the skin supple.
If you are looking for a high dose of vitamin C to get you started, check out our Mega C Brightening Facial. This powerful product has the most potent, yet stable level of Vitamin C ever formulated by Kate Somerville for a safe, at home, clinic experience. We formulated this product to help boost brightness, smooth uneven skin, and improve your skin firmness and tone. As you can see, adding vitamin C products are a simple way to improve the overall condition and appearance of your skin. At Kate Somerville, we offer a variety of products with this powerful ingredient so everyone can have beautiful and glowing skin no matter their age or skin type.
Potential Risk and Side Effects
However, it is important to note that high concentrations of vitamin C may cause irritation and redness, especially for those with sensitive skin. It is always best to patch-test the product before incorporating it into one's skin care routine and consult with a dermatologist if you experience any adverse reactions [8].
Combining Vitamin C Skincare Products with Other Ingredients
A rising trend in the world of skincare is the mixing of ingredients or products. In addition to helping you customize your skincare routine to better fit your exact needs, it may also be more budget conscious and effective. For example, layering or combining a vitamin C serum with a peptide product, such as the Kx Active Concentrate Bio-Mimicking Peptide Serum, can address multiple skin concerns as the vitamin C works to brighten your complexion and the peptides offer other anti-aging effects. Retinol is another ingredient that pairs well with vitamin C to refresh dull, tired skin and help you achieve a visibly firmer, brighter and more youthful complexion.
However, you must also use caution with skincare cocktailing as some ingredients can cause skin irritation and redness. Niacinamide, for example, is a derivative of vitamin B3 and is commonly used in skincare to treat irritation but, when combined with vitamin C turns into niacin which can cause inflammation and other unpleasant side effects. Learn more about the benefits of mixing skincare ingredients and how to do it.
What does vitamin C do to your skin? Well, a lot! As a powerful antioxidant, vitamin C protects your skin from otherwise damaging free radicals while helping to soften the appearance of some signs of aging such as fine lines or wrinkles. It also works wonders for brightening and evening your skin tone, improving the look of skin elasticity, and helping to prevent sun damage. That is a long and varied list of benefits for a single ingredient! It is no wonder why so many women tout it as a miracle worker in skincare products.
Ready to achieve youthful skin and a glowing complexion? Shop our complete line of vitamin C products from Kate Somerville today.
Sources:
1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5579659/
2) https://greatist.com/live/how-to-pick-the-best-vitamin-C-serum
3) https://www.shape.com/lifestyle/beauty-style/vitamin-c-skin-care-anti-aging-benefits
4) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5579659/
5) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3673383/
6) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3266803/
7) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5796020/
8) https://www.vogue.in/content/vitamin-c-benefits-for-skin-skincare-tips/
9) https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-secrets/antioxidants/topical-vitamin-c
