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.