It's no secret that vitamin C is a skin care superstar. This powerful ingredient is known for its ability to lighten the complexion, even out skin tone, and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Here is everything you need to know about vitamin C and how to add it to your skin care routine.
What is Vitamin C
First things first: what exactly is vitamin C? Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, is a powerful antioxidant that is required for the growth, development, and repair of all body tissues, including the skin. How Eminence Organics Senior skin care trainer Natalie Pergar tells us, “Vitamin C is an incredibly powerful nutrient for your body and an all-round skin care saver. It's been found to help prevent UV damage, reduce pigmentation, reduce inflammation, and increase collagen production in the skin. "We can't make vitamin C and our bodies don't store it. So we can only get its benefits by ingesting it (think chewable vitamins and freshly squeezed orange juice) or by applying it topically (keyword vitamin C in your favorite skin care serums and moisturizers)." Popular sources of vitamin C are:
- Citrus fruits like lemon, orange, and grapefruit
- Leafy vegetables like kale, broccoli, and spinach
- tomatoes
- Strawberries
- Wild rose oil
- Sea buckthorn oil
Vitamin C benefits for the skin
The benefits of vitamin C for skin seem endless. One of its most important features is that it can alleviate skin problems before (and even after) they appear. According to Natalie, "One of the great things about vitamin C is that it helps prevent and repair damage caused by our environment." During the day, vitamin C can provide additional protection against the effects of aging Environmental stressors such as pollution, blue light, and ultraviolet rays; At night, its rejuvenating properties can minimize the occurrence of damage caused by exposure to free radicals. Here you can see the many benefits of vitamin C for skin care.
Fights free radicals
Heidi Waldorf, MD describes free radicals as "anti-oxygen bombs that cause inflammation and cascade damage". These highly unstable molecules are missing an electron and are stealing electrons from otherwise healthy cells in an attempt to stabilize. This type of attack changes the cell composition and triggers oxidative damage, which manifests itself in dryness, irritation and premature aging.
How can free radicals be stopped? Neutralize the "bomb", so to speak. Antioxidants donate an electron to free radicals before they can cause undue damage to the skin. Vitamin C is one such antioxidant that it can Neutralize and remove free radicals, minimizing the visible effects of exposure to pollution, particulates and other types of environmental stress.
Supports the skin's barrier function
Among other things, vitamin C has a positive effect on the general health of the skin by supporting the skin's barrier function. The lipid barrier is an integral part of the outer layer of your skin and is often compared to mortar that holds the stones together that are your skin cells. When healthy, it acts like protecting your skin: it keeps up good by helping the skin to retain moisture, and keeps the bad at bay by denying potential irritants (like nuisance free radicals). Studies show that vitamin C increases the production of barrier lipids and thus the skin's ability to protect itself from transepidermal water loss and keep it healthy, happy, and hydrated.
Minimizes fine lines and wrinkles
Collagen and elastin are common victims of free radical damage. These structural proteins are responsible for the density and crack associated with a youthful complexion. When weakened, they cannot provide much-needed structural support, and as a result, the visible signs of aging (including sagging skin and fine lines and wrinkles) begin to develop.
As an antioxidant, vitamin C helps fight off the visible signs of aging from free radical damage. In fact, a 2007 study by the The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that women ages 40 to 74 who consumed a lot of vitamin C appeared to have fewer fine lines and wrinkles and less overall dryness in their skin.
Brightens the skin
The antioxidant quality of vitamin C also helps minimize the occurrence of hyperpigmentation. The skin defends itself in times of stress Triggering cells called melanocytes to produce the pigment melanin. Vitamin C inhibits the function of tyrosinase, the enzyme that activates the skin's melanocytes, preventing melanin production and minimizing the appearance of dark spots and hyperpigmentation. This contributes to a brighter and more even complexion.
Increases the regeneration of skin cells
Skin cell turnover is the process by which dead cells are removed from the top layer of skin and new, fresh cells come to the surface. One characteristic of healthy skin is its ability to turn over efficiently – a process that slows down as we age. Due to its acidic nature, vitamin C is helpful in removing dead and damaged skin cells and thus accelerating the skin's natural turnover process. This not only smooths out Skin texture, but also reduces dullness and minimizes the appearance of dark spots and hyperpigmentation.
Increases collagen production
In addition to extrinsic factors (such as environmental stress), intrinsic or biological aging contributes to the decline in collagen. As you age, your skin's collagen stores break down and break down naturally, resulting in visible signs of aging. Not only vitamin C Activates the skin's fibroblasts to produce new collagen. It also stabilizes the collagen that is already there and helps the skin look firm, plump and youthful for longer.
Check out In The Mix, where Natalie describes how vitamin C can reverse the visible signs of aging:
(embed) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0xuBjmfuw8 (/ embed)
How to use a vitamin C serum
Natalie tells us, "Vitamin C is essential to everyone's routine. Your body doesn't make this vitamin. The only way to get its benefits is to apply it topically." One of the best means of transporting vitamin C to the skin is a serum. Here's how to use a vitamin C serum in your skin care routine.
Perform a patch test
If you have For sensitive skin, we recommend doing a patch test before adding a new ingredient to your skin care regimen. Follow these steps with a licensed esthetician at your preferred Eminence Organics Spa partner:
- Pick a small area of skin that can be easily covered (like your forearm or behind your ear).
- Apply a small amount of product and wait 24 hours.
- If there are no side effects, apply them to your face. Discontinue use if you experience symptoms such as rash, redness, or hives.
Add a vitamin C serum to your skin regimen
Adding a vitamin C serum to your skin care routine is easy. Vitamin C is usually formulated in a fast-absorbing formula suitable for all skin types that can be used both morning and evening. Skin care experts recommend applying 1-2 drops of serum to clean, firm skin. Use your fingers to spread a thin layer of serum over your face and neck and wait for it to be completely absorbed before applying your favorite facial oil and / or moisturizer.
In this video, Natalie teaches you how to add vitamin C to your skincare routine:
(embed) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ns2vGlR83co (/ embed)
What to look for in a vitamin C serum
There are a few things to consider when choosing a vitamin C serum. Choose a serum with:
- L-ascorbic acid (the most potent and effective type of vitamin C in skin care).
- A concentration of 10-20%. Below 10% may not be strong enough and above 20% can be too strong for most skin types.
- Supplementary ingredients like vitamin E and ferulic acid improve the antioxidant properties of vitamin C and keep the formula stable.
Potent C + E serum for citrus fruits and kale
Eminence Organics Citrus & Kale Potent C + E Serum is a lightweight formula that can be easily added to any skin care routine. This serum is formulated with Vitamin E and Ferulic Acid which, as mentioned, improve its antioxidant properties and help it maintain its effectiveness. This formula also contains three types of vitamin C. First, there is L-ascorbic acid, a powerful form of the antioxidant. Second, you can find vitamin C from natural sources – citrus fruits like lemon and orange, and leafy greens like kale and broccoli. And third, the serum contains sodium ascorbyl phosphate (also known as vitamin C salt), which is shown below.
Pro tip: Improve your routine with the Rosehip Triple C + E Firming Oil and the Citrus & Kale Potent C + E Masque. The moisturizing properties of these complementary products add essential moisture and stimulate the skin to absorb more vitamin C over time, improving the effectiveness of the serum.
Why vitamin C + E together?
There's a reason we combine vitamin C, vitamin E, and ferulic acid. Says Natalie, "Together, these ingredients provide additional free radical protection to further reduce the occurrence of damage, so the skin stays healthy, smooth, and glowing." Mindbodygreen, a study found that these two ingredients increased the effectiveness of vitamin C by eight times! The addition of vitamin E and ferulic acid not only increases the effectiveness, but also stabilizes vitamin C, a notoriously sensitive ingredient.
How to Store Vitamin C and Keep It Stable
Vitamin C is a susceptible ingredient that degrades when routinely exposed to air and light. If not protected, it degrades and oxidizes quickly, losing its antioxidant properties. In addition to storing your vitamin C serum for a serum packaged in an opaque, air-restricted bottle, store it in a cool, dark place to protect it. You can even keep it in the refrigerator to keep it fresh longer.
Are you ready to add a vitamin C serum to your skin care regimen? Visit an Eminence Organics Spa Affiliate to learn more about how this classic ingredient can benefit your skin.
This post was originally published in August 2019 and has been updated for accuracy and completeness.