All about Vitamin C Serums

Everyone has heard about the amazing benefits of a vitamin c serum. It helps diminish the look of fine lines and wrinkles, it helps lighten dark spots due to acne and sun damage, it helps boost collagen production which helps firm skin, and it evens skin tone. However most people don't find a vitamin c serum that is effective at doing all of these things. This is going to be everything you need to know about a good vitamin c serum.

How does it work?

Vitamin C is an antioxidant, and they are proven to neutralize free radicals in the skin. Free radicals are what causes dark spots, fine lines and wrinkles, loss of collagen and elastin, and uneven skin tone. Free radicals are caused by the sun, pollution, smoking, and alcohol. When you apply antioxidants to the skin, this is going to prevent all of this damage, and reverse it. You will see results in at the most 2 weeks. You will notice a difference in the texture of your skin, after a month you sould notice lightening of pigment and a decrease in fine lines and wrinkles.

 

 

When should I apply Vitamin C serum?

You can apply vitamin c serum morning and night before your moisturizer. If you are a glycolic and retinol  user like me, you can use it in the morning. I prefer that just because I don't want to keep layering products. Applying Vitamin C in the morning is very beneficial because it will help neutralize free radicals during the day and this antioxidant increases the effectiveness of your sunscreen. When you apply Vitamin C at night it is more of a repair because there is no free radical damage at night.





 



Myths about Vitamin C

- Vitamin C exfoliates the skin. This is FALSE. This does not exfoliate the skin, it is a serum that penetrates into the skin delivering antioxidant defense against free radical damage.

 

-Vitamin C shouldn't be used with retinol or glycolic acid because it deactivates it. This is FALSE. Vitamin C shouldn't interfere with any of these products. It can and should be used with them. I personally use the vitamin C during the day and glycolic and retinol at night time.

 

- Vitamin C is not meant for sensitve or acne prone skin. This is FALSE. Vitamin C serum is great for all skin types. You will see more even skin tone and lighteneing of acne scars with the vitamin c serum.

 

What to look for in a Vitamin C Serum

 

With Vitamin C you want to look at the ingredients and see if the vitamin c is within the first 5 ingredients. This includes ascorbic acid, L-ascorbic acid, Magnesium Ascorbal Phosphate. If you see these ingredients in the first 5 then you have a good source of vitamin c. You also want to steer away from fragranced serums, anything with lavender and rosemary. These are skin irritants and it would defeat the purpose of using a serum. It would be good if the vitamin C serum had more antioxidants like vitamin e, which would look like tocopherol Acetate on the ingredient list, you also need to find a vitamin c serum in an airtight pump or an eyedropper bottle that is dark. Vitamin C oxidizes in the light. Your vitamin C will start turning a dark color and that is when it is oxidized and it wouldn't be effective anymore. Any Vitamin C that comes in a jar or in a clear bottle it won't be effective.







The Body Shop Vitamin E Cleanser REVIEW!!

This cleanser is very creamy and it is very moisturizing. However this does leave an oily feeling on the skin after. I feel like this doesn't take makeup off very good. I would rather have a cleanser that takes makeup and dirt off my face. This product does contain fragrance, since it gets rinsed off it is alright I still prefer non fragranced products on my skin. The amount of vitamin e is very minimal. This cleanser can be compared to Ponds cold cream. This is meant for people with normal to dry skin. This would make oily skin feel more oily. This is $15 and you can get it at Ulta and thebodyshop.com

Pros

- creamy and nondrying

Cons

- Doesn't take the makeup off and cleanse the skin enough

- Oily feel after

- Expensive when you can get ponds cold cream, which is the same texure

-fragrance is present

Overall this cleanser is very basic. I am not in love with this cleanser my got to have it cleanser is CeraVe's. This cleanser has an oily feeling after and it doesn't remove my makeup so that is why it will get a 3/10.

Eb5 Vitamin C Booster Serum REVIEW!!

I decided to try this because it was on sale for 5 dollars and the ingredients sound pretty good. I want to first say with Vitamin C serums you need to look and see where the vitamin c is on the ingredients list. The first form of it is the 5th ingredient. Its ideal that it be in the first 3 but I also heard the first 5. There is also 3 other forms of it and there is Vitamin E, however these are too far down to affect the skin. There is also glycerin, which helps moisturize the skin. My first reaction to this product was it is liquidy. It also is slightly yellow, when vitamin c turns a dark amber color it is not good anymore. This is still effective but its time is limited. I like this vitamin c serum because it makes my skin feel tighter. Its only temporary but it feels nice. However my face feels dry after using this, so I use my Argan Oil right after. This is a great serum for after microdermabrasions because the products get penetrated deeper so the vitamin c can really soak into the skin and deposit its benefits. Vitamin c serums help fade dark spots, help the skins production of collagen, minimizes fine lines, brightens skin tone, minimizes redness, and protects the skin for free radical damage. Free radicals are what causes fine lines and wrinkles, age spots, and loss of collagen and elasticity. Free radicals come from sun exposure, pollution, smoking, and alcohol. You can prevent free radical damage from using sunscreen. Vitamin c helps boost the effectiveness of the sunscreen.

Pros

- Great for lightening dark spots, collagen, and finelines

-Helps tighten the skin temporarily

- boosts collagen production

- good price

Cons

- Drying

- Vitamin C is a little low. Prefer it to be within top 3 ingredients

- I got it a little oxidized but its not ruined.

I do like this vitamin c serum. I have only tried 2 other vitamin c serums and this one falls in the middle. this is a great product and I would love to try more vitamin c serums to see if this one still holds up. I would give this one a 7/10.

Simple Moisturizing Face Wash REVIEW!!

This is a gel liquid texture. Which I personally don't like. I like creamy cleansers because they don't leave the skin tight and dry. This cleanser comes in a squeeze tube. This cleanser states that it has Vitamin B5 and Vitamin E. This cleanser is great at removing makeup and cleansing the skin. This cleanser says it is moisturizing however it doesn't moisturize. I like to use this cleanser if I have heavy eye makeup on and before doing microderms. Even though there are tons of benefits with the ingredients Vitamin B5 and E. This cleanser gets rinsed off so the benefits are not effective. They would have to stay on the skin. This cleanser doesn't contain fragrance, so it is good for people with sensitive skin. This is a basic cleanser. This is $4.99 for 5 oz. You can find this at target, and walmart.

pros

- Removes makeup great

- Cheap

- No fragrance

- Great packaging

Cons

- Gel texture is drying

- Benefits don't stay on the skin

Overall this cleanser is a good basic cleanser. I would recommend this product to younger individuals who have acne and sensitive skin. This is a good fragrance free cleanser that gets rid of makeup. This is perfect for microdermabrasions. I would give this cleanser a 7/10.

PMD personal microderm pro REVIEW!!

Basic information

This is a handheld piece of equipment that is suppose to give you the same effects that a microderm at a spa would give. I have been trained to use micodermabrasion equipment. From someone who is trained, I know what to look for and what causes alarm. Im not saying you have to be licsensed to know how to properly use this, however if you have no idea about microdermabrasions then I highly suggest you don't purchase this. Microdermabrasion exfoliates the stratum corneum, which is the outer most layer of the skin. Doing so causes the skins inner layers to respond and produce more cells. The benefits of using microdermabrasion is: appearance of smaller pores, increase in collagen, lighten hyperpigmentation (age apots, freckles, and acne scars),and softens wrinkles.

About the product

This comes with 4 facial discs, 3 body discs, a body cap, a facial cap, filter, rechargeble cord, and a dvd. The discs are made of aluminum oxide crystals. The facial discs are white, blue, green, and red. The white one is the training disc, the blue is meant for people with sensitve skin, the green is for people with normal skin, and red is for people who can tolerate a lot. Each disc is good for about 4 uses. The same is for the body discs except for the training disc. Its important to work your way up or you can damage your skin. Some people who try out the stronger discs right away can expect to get some burns, cuts, and/or raw skin. You can get lucky and walk away with nothing but I highly advise working your way up. A good thing about this product is it is rechargeable. You won't have to keep putting batteries in it. In order to use this you have to plug it in and use it while its plugged in. you should watch the DVD and read the pamphlet before using this. Without reading you can compromise your skin. Its very important to clean this product after every use. To ensure bacteria won't grow and that it won't break.

How this product works

You want to first prep your skin for the microderm. You want to use a gel or liquid cleanser that will leave no oil, residue or makeup. You want to make sure your skin is dry and has no moisture in it because if it does, the skin will not lift as easily off the skin. Next you want to plug in the cord and put it in the handheld device. This is what makes the product work. The discs are made from aluminum oxide crystals, which exfoliate the skin. As well as the suction. This device sucks at the skin which is what helps with the collagen production. This has 2 speeds, when you feel like your skin can handle more you can use the fast speed. I recommend using the lowest speed and the white disc for your first time. With your first time you want to do no more than 2 passes on the skin. You also don't want to hover in one area. If you do, you could cause damage to the skin. With the 2 passes I recommend you do one full pass over the face and neck in verticle motions and then the 2nd pass in horizontal. This is going to maximize the amount of coverage and the amount of dead skin that will come off. After microdermabrasion you want to use really good ingredients because it will penetrate better into the skin. I would recommend using vitamin c after use and also a really good moisturizer. Make sure you use SPF 30 or more after, and don't go in the sun.

What and when to avoid

In order for the results to keep getting better there are certain things to avoid before and after using this. One of the most important things to avoid 48 hours before and after is vitamin a. This means Retin A or any other retinol products need to be avoided. As well as chemical exfoliants. Glycolic, Lactic, and Salicylic acids need to be stopped 48 hours before and after because they exfoliate the skin, further exfoliation can cause damage to the skin. Antibiotics that say photosensitive on the label. This means that your skin is sensitve to the sun and need to use sunscreen. Any chemical peels at home should be avoided before and after. You need to make sure that you use sunscreen everyday of at least 30. You also need to avoid sun as much as possible. You can use this once a week, anything more can be damaging. Anyone between the ages 12 to 65 can use this product. Anyone over 65 can use it, however their skin could bruise more easily. Without following these guidelines, you can cause scarring, and raw skin. Its normal to have redness and slight burning after using this product. It should go away after a few hours.

My thoughts

This product is great it does the same thing as microdermabrasion systems. However if you have no idea what you are doing, this could be damaging to your skin. This is not suppose to work overnight. This takes time and cannot be used too much. I tried the wihte disc first and it worked great, I just started using the blue one and it caused a little bit more redness but that is normal. The 2 speeds on it are nice, your skin can keep getting more and more results when it adjusts to stronger treatments. People need to pay attention to the different caps. If you use the discs and the cap for the face, you could damage your skin with scars and burns. This product is great for people with hyperpigmentation, whether its acne scars or age spots. This will help lighten them. Deep acne pits and scars won't be affected that much though. You would have to look into dermabrasion, which involves a more deep exfoliation of the skin and only doctors can do it. You can purchase this product online at personalmicroderm.com. It is $199. There is another one for $179.

Pros

- increases collagen production

- helps with age spots and acne acars

- minimizes fine lines

- helps products penetrate more into the skin

- can do it in your home rather than going to a spa

Cons

- If not used right, damage can be done to the skin

- could cause scarring and raw skin if used inappropriately

- Need to be cautious of what products to use during and after

Overall this is a great product for someone that has age spots and acne scars. I would consider using something else if you are trying to get rid of wrinkles. This product is excellent for younger girls who want to help with acne scars and prevent aging. You need to make sure that you wear your sunscreen everyday and avoid the sun when nessecary. I would give this product a 9/10.

CHI Keratin Mist Leave in Strengthening Treatment REVIEW!!

This product comes in a spray bottle and it has 12 oz. of product. The claims on this product are it strengthens hair, cationic hydrations locks in moisture, rebuilds the hairs inner structure, adds shine, provides protection and manageability. I do believe this product helps to strengthen the hair. It is proven that proteins help give fine hair a little more thickness and keratin is protein found in the hair, skin, and nails. This product doesn't really lock in moisture, I have very frizzy hair and that means there isn't enough moisture. As far as rebuilding the hairs inner structure.There is no way you can do that. The inner layer is called the cortex. When you color/chemically straighten/curl your hair, the main objective is to lift the cuticle and penetrate the cortex. When you continually do that for a period of time, the hair starts to get damaged and it starts to break or split. The damage is inevitable. You can't reverse the damage. The only thing to do is mask it and use products that help seal it or cut it which gets rid of the damage. I do believe that this product will help prevent damage and will give the appearance of reducing damage. This adds some shine, not alot like shine sprays do but it gives a little bit of shine. This product doesn't protect the hair against heat. It says it protects the hair but it doesn't say if it protects it from heat. I have very snarly hair that gets tangled easily. This product helps manage the tangles but doesn't get rid of them entirely. I still find that after I use this product I get tangles in my hair. This product smells like most of their products. It smells like mens cologne. I personally love the smell and it fades with this product. This product is $12. You can get it at Target, jcpenney salon, any other salons, and online

Pros

- helps make hair softer

- makes hair a little more shiny

- manages knots more

Cons

- Doesn't protect against heat

-Doesn't repair damage only helps to prevent damage

- Doesn't do an amazing job in any of the products claim

Overall This product doesn't do a great job. It does make my hair softer and more shiny. I bought this product to give my fine hair a little more thickness and it didn't do that. I also wanted something that would help with tangles. This helps but it doesn't do an amazing job and on top of that there were a few misleading claims. I would give this product a 5/10. its so so. I can probably find something better.

Alpha Hydrox Foot & problem area cream REVIEW!!

This cream is designed for feet and for other areas that need an exfoliation. I have been using this on my face, my other glycolic cream wasn't giving me enough tingle so I wanted to try this one. My previous one was from the same brand and it was 10%, this cream is 12%. The claims on this product are fragrance free, absorbs quickly, provides extra exfoliation and moisture for skin, proven to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, daily use prevents build up of thick, rough, and damaged skin. Let me begin with the packaging. This comes in a 2 oz. tube. Which is good to keep everything fresh inside the bottle. The product is a white cream. When I apply this on my face it feels tingly almost immediately, this feeling is normal and it will go away after a few minutes. Other things that are normal are redness and itching. However what is not normal is burning. If you experience burning then don't use this product. The tingle isn't necessary but it indicates that it is working. I can honestly say I feel a difference in my skin. It feels more smooth and I noticed my smile lines are less apparent. I do get lines on my neck and on my forehead occasionally due to expressions. and this will help get rid of those. This product does absorb quickly, I wait about 2 minutes for this to dry for me to put my retinol on. I had some dry skin on my forehead that was visible with foundation on and this product definitely helped get rid of those flakes. The fact that this is fragrance free is great, this product might irritate the skin and it being fragrance free helps. This product is not meant for people with sensitive skin. I have some sensitivities to my skin but I'm not extremely sensitive to products. I do use this product daily and I have seen a difference in my skin, it wasn't thick, rough or damaged before but it does give results. Sometimes I can't use my glycolics everyday because of my neck. Sometimes it burns and turns red. I stop using it for a couple of days and then start again. This doesn't have any antioxidants but its good. This is around $9 you can find it at Ulta, and amazon.

Pros

- 12% glycolic helps exfoliate

- Helps minimize fine lines and wrinkles

- good for people with dry sun damaged skin

-dries quickly

Cons

- Antioxidants are not present. would make it more beneficial

- Not meant for sensitive skin

This is a great glycolic acid cream. It is the perfect amount of exfoliation for my skin. This product doesn't contain antioxidants and it can't be used on sensitive skin, but it is great for the job and it is very effective. I would give this product an 8/10.

Benefits the Porefessional primer REVIEW!!

Primers in general are used under makeup and help create a smooth appearance to the skin. They help minimize pores, wrinkles, and fine lines. Some also contain sunscreen and mattifiers as well as some that lighten pigmentation and hydrate the skin. Benefits Porefessional Primer claims to reduce the size of pores and fine lines as well as help makeup last on the skin. It says you can use it underneath,alone, or above makeup. It also states that it is oil-free and has vitamin E. This product comes in a squeeze tube. It has a silky feel to it and it has a lemon scent. This looks like a light beige color and it goes on and blends into the skin tone. I have to say after I used this product I was amazed. It really does help minimize the pores. Its the best primer that I have used so far. It helps my foundations stay on longer than the other primers. The vitamin E is close to the bottom of the ingredient list which makes it uneffective in the skin. There is also fragrance in this primer, so if you have sensitive skin this might not be the best for you. As well as the lemon extract. This is a skin irritant. This primer doesn't help cancel out oil, so if you have oily skin, you might want to look for one that mattifys to help prevent oil. This Primer is $30 and you can get it at Ulta, Sephora, or Benefit Cosmetics.com.

Pros

- Helps minimize the appearance of pores

- Foundation stays on longer

- silky light weight feel on the skin

- blends into the skins color

Cons

- Contains fragrance

-Contains lemon extract

- Vitamin E is at the bottom of the ingredient list, so it is not effective

Overall I do like this primer it works very well. However due to the fact it contains fragrance and it has lemon extract in it, I would look around at other products. This does a great job at minimizing the appearance of pores, fine lines and wrinkles so I will give this product a 7/10.

Olay Wet cleansing towelettes REVIEW!!

Olay has many cleansing cloths available, I've tried 3 of them. This is one that caught my attention because it is premoistened, it comes with 30 cloths, and it says it removes dirt and makeup from the eyes, face, and neck including waterproof. Whats really intriging about these cloths is you don't have to rinse this off. It doesnt contain any surfactants so you can wipe your face and be done.They have 2 different kinds, normal and sensitive. I chose the sensitive cloths because my skin does get irritated by fragrance, and this doesn't have fragrance. These are great cloths if you have light makeup on. I have tried using these with a full face makeup on and I have to say this did not do the job. I still have makeup on and I looked like a racoon after I was done wiping. I needed to cleanse with a cleanser in order to get my makeup off. I would love these cloths after a workout or in the morning when my face doesn't have a layer of makeup on. These cleansing cloths are fragrance free and alcohol free, which is perfect for people with sensitive skin. It says it has aloe vera and vitamin e in it, which is true but it doesn't have enough for any results. The second ingredient is glycerin which is helpful with hydration in your skin. these cloths are around $6 and you can find them at Ulta, target, walmart, walgreens, riteaid, any convenient stores.

Pros

- Has glycerin in it which helps hydrate the skin

- good cost for the amount

- you don't need to use the sink for these if you have light makeup

-fragrance free

Cons

- Doesn't efficiently remove makeup

- Aloe vera and Vitamin E are on the lower end of the ingredient list

Overall these cloths were a great idea. However they don't do what they are intended to do. They don't remove makeup and would probably not remove waterproof makeup. I do have to say these are great for the morning when you just need to get rid of sweat, and they are great after a workout. I would give these cloths a 4/10.

Alpha Hydrox's Retinol ResQ REVIEW!!

This is a retinol treatment that can be used for acne, aging, prevent aging, and minimizing oil and larger pores. Retinol works to speed up the cells turnover rate. This products claims are it has %15 vitamin A, which is retinol. It also has Vitamins C and E. It is fragrance and oil free. It lessens the look of fine lines and wrinkles and it tightens and firms. I first want to start my personal review on the packaging. The product comes in a white tube that keeps the air out. This is perfect for this formula because it keeps the vitamins from breaking down. Vitamins deterirate in the presence of air. The formula is a creamy moisturizer texture. It feels like a moisturizer. This is meant for all skin types, however if you have sensitive skin, this is not for you. It is oil free so it is perfect for oily skinned people. The vitamin c and e in this product are low in the ingredient list so they won't be very beneficial on the skin. There is glycerin in this product, so if you have dehydrated skin this will help replenish some of the loss of moisture. There is bisabolol in this, which is an anti-irritant. There is some paraben in this product so if you are trying to find products without, this is not for you. This product is only $14.99 and you can find it at Ulta.

Pros

- This effectively helps minimize fine lines and wrinkles.

- has antioxidants in it

- Oil free and fragrance free

-great packaging helps the ingredients stay effective

Cons

- not enough vitamin c and e

I am in love with this retinol cream. It is perfect for antiaging and repairing skin that has wrinkles. This product is helpful with acne as well. This has a few great ingredients. It could use more vitamin c and e in the formula. But generally this is a good cheap retinol cream that is very effective.

Too faced Primed and Poreless REVIEW!!

This primer comes in 2 different forms. Original and Sensitive. This product claims to hide pores, fine lines and wrinkles. The primer comes in a squeeze tube, which is ok for this product. When I was coming to the end, I cut off the top and it still had a lot of product left in. The texture of this product is thick. It feels very silky due to silcone being in the formula. On the packaging it states that you can use it alone or underneath makeup. It comes in a light beige color and it doesn't cover anything, it esentially blends into your skintone. If you are going to wear this under makeup, you should only apply a light layer. If you go too heavy with this, it will make the foundation look blotchy. This primer doesn't help foundation stay on better. I found that after a few hours my face makeup was not only faded but it was very blotchy. It does a good job at masking pores and fine lines but I prefer Benefits Porefessional primer. Which I will do a review on very soon. This product is $30 and you can find it at Sephora or Ulta.

pros

- Silky texture helps smooth out fine lines and wrinkles

- Comes in 2 different forms

Cons

- Makes the skin look blotchy if used too much

- Doesn't contain SPF

- Foundation did not stay on with this primer

Overall I feel like this primer is alright. It helps to smooth out pores and fine lines. However I was not impressed with the fact it didn't help my foundation stay on. And on top of that if you use it too much it can look blotchy. I have tried better primers so I would give this primer a 6/10.