Vitamin C has turn out to be a go-to skincare ingredient for these in search of a vivid, healthy-looking complexion. However for those who’ve ever questioned what makes it so highly effective, or use it appropriately, you’re in the best place.
Let’s dive into the science behind vitamin C, together with why it’s a skincare must-have and 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 uninteresting, 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. Strive 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 fruit and veggies that performs a significant position in pores and skin well being. In skincare, it helps the pores and skin’s constructing blocks (corresponding to collagen) and improves general radiance.
Very like 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 attributable to UV rays, air pollution, and different environmental elements 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 fame. It boasts three science-backed capabilities as a skincare ingredient: antioxidant protection, rejuvenation, and illumination.
Right here’s what you may count on from this multitasker:
- Helps pure collagen ranges for firmer-looking pores and skin
- Protects towards injury from every day stressors corresponding 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 remember: Whereas vitamin C gives some environmental protection, it doesn’t exchange sunscreen. Bear in mind to pair it with every day SPF.
Who ought to use vitamin C?
Vitamin C is a superb addition to any skincare routine, particularly for those who’re seeking to tackle 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 utilize with vitamin C?
Vitamin C + hyaluronic acid
Vitamin C and hyaluronic acid make a super skincare duo. Whereas vitamin C brightens and protects, hyaluronic acid gives deep hydration, serving to to plump and clean 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 defend the pores and skin. Vitamin C brightens and defends towards free radical injury, whereas melatonin helps nighttime pores and skin regeneration. Utilizing each may help optimize pores and skin restoration for an general 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 mild oil cleanser
An intensive 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 get rid of them with out stripping away the pores and skin’s pure moisture. Plus some professional 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—that means it’s one space that may use a bit of additional assist. To greatest look after this delicate pores and skin, go for eye lotions designed to fulfill the particular 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, clean a couple 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 defend 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 will discover this highly effective trio inside Melatonik®️.
4. Lock in moisture
To assist keep 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 suggestion: 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 defend pores and skin towards the damaging results of the solar. Then, do your greatest to reapply not less than each two hours—it’s what dermatologists advocate!
Your questions answered
Is vitamin C secure for delicate pores and skin?
Basically, vitamin C is properly tolerated. However 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 (corresponding to glycolic) till your pores and skin feels comfy. Even then, attempt to give them some house. Strive 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 in case you have any doubts.
Can I exploit vitamin C on daily basis?
Certain! So long as your pores and skin appears glad about it. Every day use of vitamin C in skincare may 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 not less than a couple 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. For those who’re inside the specified timeframe, you’re off to an incredible begin!
Right here’s one thing else to remember: many vitamin C formulation will be particularly weak to direct mild and extreme warmth. Go for merchandise in darkish or opaque bottles and retailer them in a cool, darkish place to assist hold issues contemporary.
Get glowing
Vitamin C is a powerhouse ingredient that may remodel your skincare routine by brightening and rejuvenating. Work it into your every day routine and pair it with SPF for the final word protection towards environmental stressors.
And above all, love your pores and skin, look after it, and defend 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 artistic storyteller features a vary of life-style and know-how matters throughout Washington D.C. and Barcelona. What’s in her journey bag? Eye contour cream and sunscreen, at all times.
