Demystifying Vitamin C

One of my favorite ingredients that I can’t go without is Vitamin C. Vitamin C is an antioxidant used to fight off free-radicals. Without getting too technical, free radicals are horrible little things! These little molecules cause a ton of damage to our bodies and contribute to many diseases, so antioxidants are extremely important for our health. And Vitamin C is a powerhouse of antioxidants! 

Here are some of the amazing skin benefits of antioxidants: 

• Help prevent and correct signs of aging

• Promote the production of collagen

• Help prevent sunburn by protecting against sun damage

• Help brighten skin tone by by reducing photo-damage and inhibiting melanin production

• Help prevent against skin cancer due to its anti-carcinogenic properties

Now, do you see why you need to incorporate vitamin C into your skincare routine? Not only does it help with hyperpigmentation and acne marks, but it’s an amazing anti-aging ingredient. Not to mention that using vitamin C before you wear sunscreen actually increases the level of sun protection of your sunscreen by reducing sun-burn cell formation by up to 60%! 

Vitamin C Serum vs. VItamin C Oil

Vitamin C comes in various different forms, but when you’re shopping you will likely need to make a decision between a vitamin C serum and a vitamin C oil. Now, the main difference is that the vitamin C oil will have larger molecule sizes than a serum, so it won’t penetrate as deeply into the skin as a serum will. I like to use both, I use serums in the morning because they absorb faster into my skin, while I use oils at night as they are more hydrating and take a bit longer to penetrate the skin than serums. 

You can also find vitamin C in cleansers and moisturizers, but the highest concentrations will always be found in serums and oils. 

My favorite affordable vitamin C serum is The INKEY List 15% Vitamin C and EGF Brightening Serum as it sinks right into my skin, and my hyperpigmentation spots start to fade within two weeks of use. When it comes to vitamin C oils, I love the Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil and the Sunday Riley C.E.O Glow Vitamin C + Turmeric Face Oil. Both aren’t super heavy and you can see visible results within the first two to three weeks of use. 

How Often Should You Use Vitamin C?

This varies per person, as some of us might be more tolerant to it than others. I normally use it every day in the morning and about 2 times a week at night so I get the most protection out of my sunscreen. Now if I’m breaking out, I don’t use it until my breakouts are dried out as using too many active ingredients can further irritate a break out.