You may have recently discovered AHAs and BHAs, experimented with retinol, attempted to figure out how to say and use niacinamide, but vitamin C has likely been a mainstay on your shelf. And with good reason.
As a potent antioxidant, it irons out uneven skin tones, adds radiance and fights against premature signs of ageing. Its reputation as a multitasker is well-documented in the skincare world, and it comes as little surprise that the query ‘what does vitamin C do for your skin?’ has been dominating our search histories for a while.
What is vitamin C?
Simply put, vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin. An essential player in our nutritional makeup, vitamin C occurs naturally in citrus fruits, tomatoes and leafy vegetables. Dialling up your dietary intake of this sunshine vitamin can also mean faster recovery from illnesses, accelerated wound healing and a significantly improved fighting chance against inflammation. While it occurs naturally in foods, go for topical formulas to make the most of vitamin c benefits for skin.
Why is vitamin C important for your skin?
In the quest for brighter, radiant skin, vitamin C is your one true ally as it delivers multiple benefits , from increasing the synthesis of collagen (a crucial agent for youthful skin), combatting wrinkles and protecting the skin from UV radiation to boosting the hydration levels of your skin by improving the lipid barrier. A study has demonstrated that the everyday vitamin C use for three months can reduce the appearance of wrinkles on the face and neck while enhancing skin texture, making it one of the best vitamins for skin.
Vitamin C also serves as a crucial agent to battle oxidative damage caused by environmental aggressors on the skin’s surface. L-ascorbic acid is the purest and most common derivative of vitamin C, but it can be unstable in higher concentrations. Therefore, you’ll often find it paired with vitamin E and ferulic acid that both stabilize it and increase its efficacy. Clinical studies have also confirmed that the use of vitamin C with ferulic acid and vitamin E can prove handy in reducing redness and shielding the skin from long-term damage caused by sun exposure.
What is the best way to take vitamin C?
Oral vitamin C is recommended for people with dry, damaged and rough skin that is prone to inflammation. This water-soluble agent is best taken on an empty stomach around 30-40 minutes before a meal.
Topical vitamin C is good for skin that looks fatigued and lacks lustre. When working with topical formulations, your choices range from serums, cleansers and masks to more targeted formulas, like under-eye creams. Vitamin C serum benefits those looking for additional hydration. You can also pick among the plethora of moisturisers that have this ingredient.
As your introduction to this vitamin, you will want to start with lower concentrations, ranging between 10 -15 per cent, before deciding whether your skin can take higher potency.
When to avoid vitamin C?
While vitamin C is beneficial for most skin types, your safest bet would be to consult your dermatologist before starting it. Those with extremely sensitive skin as well as anybody dealing with acne flare-ups or inflammation might want to steer clear of this active ingredient. Its use is also not recommended after exfoliating procedures like chemical peels.
While it plays well with hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, ferulic acid and niacinamide-enriched formulations, adopt vigilance when combining vitamin C with other actives in your skincare routine.
Retinol and vitamin C are notorious enemies as the presence of retinol can make vitamin C unstable and less likely to penetrate the skin. You will also want to keep benzoyl peroxide on the backburner as it can oxidise this vitamin and reduce its efficacy.
