Vitamin C contains anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-microbial and antioxidant properties which is used as a therapeutic agent in many skin diseases and disorders. Vitamin C is a science-backed, skincare favorite and important ingredient that helps reduce early signs of skin aging, prevent sun and free radical damage, and improve the appearance of dark spots, acne and blemishes.
Vitamin C serum is a very beneficial skincare product to incorporate into your daily routine for its known ability to help improve skin texture, clarity and smoothness. This serum also assists in rebuilding collagen and improving your skin’s elasticity and helps delay early signs of aging.
As an antioxidant, it protects your skin against sun damage and environmental stressors and at the same time smoothing skin tone and texture, fading spots and hyperpigmentation. Free radicals can damage the skin, and applying topical Vitamin C can combat these and may improve the skin’s overall appearance.
Vitamin C serum basically contains Vitamin C or L-ascorbic acid, as the main active ingredient which is an essential nutrient for the skin and is applied to the face before moisturizing. This serum can be used on all skin types, including sensitive and acne-prone skin and they are usually available in different concentrations.
However, the concentration of the Vitamin C in a serum will determine how potent it is. For example, a concentration of 10% -20% is safe and good but concentration of 20% or higher is considered to be very potent.
Topical application of Vitamin C serum can help to reduce or improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, even out skin tone, and boost collagen production. This serum is designed to deliver high concentrations of an active ingredient to the skin to bring excellent result. Consequently, Vitamin C serum is a popular choice for everyone who is looking for an effective youthful and flawless skincare solution.
WHO SHOULD USE A VITAMIN C SERUM ON THEIR SKIN?
Anyone dealing with these skin issues should consider adding a Vitamin C serum to their skincare regimen since it may help protect the skin from many issues, namely sunburn, sensitivity, photoaging, pigmentation, dryness, wrinkles, and uneven skin tone. But it is always a good practice to get started even if these issues have not started yet. The best time to deal with the visible signs of aging is always before they occur as prevention is always better than cure.
Vitamin C serum is recommended for people of all ages because essentially everyone is at risk of sun damage, and with this wonderful serum, you are minimizing the amount of sun damage that your skin is getting from sunlight. Not only that, as Vitamin C serum is preventive, it can also protect you from premature aging, helps promote collagen and boost your natural collagen formation.
There are numerous reasons why you might want to use a Vitamin C serum. Here are a few of the important benefits that you would not want to miss.
Skin Brightener – as a natural lightening agent, this serum helps brighten the dull complexion.
Anti-Aging – Vitamin C stimulates collagen production, which can help to reduce fine lines and wrinkles.
Smoothen skin tone and texture – this serum helps even out skin tone by reducing dark spots, blemishes and hyperpigmentation.
Stimulates collagen production – helps boost collagen production, therefore leads to firmer and tighter skin.
HOW TO USE A VITAMIN C SERUM?
As a rule of thumb, skincare products should typically be applied from the “thinnest” to the “thickest” in terms of consistency. And because Vitamin C helps protect your skin from pollution, sun damage, and free radicals, it is important that you should use it in the morning.
Vitamin C serum is typically applied once or twice per day however, the best is still to use it both morning and night, after your cleansing and toning. And be sure to apply skin care products with clean hands.
Here is how and when you should use a serum:
Step 1: Wash your face, pat dry. Step 2: Tone your face with a good toner Step 3: Now, apply your Vitamin C serum. Do not forget to pat any excess on your neck, and décolletage. Step 4: Apply a day cream or moisturizer Step 5: Lastly, apply a sunscreen. This is the most important step that you should not miss.
In the morning, layer the serum underneath your sunscreen to have the ultimate defense against environmental aggressors and at night use a night cream to lock in moisture.
For best results in using Vitamin C serum for acne, look for one that contains L-ascorbic acid, which is the active form of the vitamin C and is effective to help reduce the redness and swelling that comes with acne.
Pure ascorbic acid is also effective in penetrating the skin barrier and when combined with other antioxidants like Vitamin E, the results are fast and effective.
CAN WE USE VITAMIN C SERUM EVERY DAY? AT WHAT AGE SHOULD WE START USING VITAMIN C SERUM?
Absolutely you can use Vitamin C serum every day. This allows the Vitamin C to build up in your skin to provide continuous protection against free radicals and environmental stressors. When used consistently, the effects of brightening your skin and promoting collagen production are more prominent and long-lasting.
Although giving a break to your skin from a skincare product after a prolonged usage is considered healthy therefore, Vitamin C serum can be used every other day to avoid any irritation. Just make sure that you are using a broad-spectrum sunscreen when you are alternating the usage of Vitamin C serum so that your skin is still protected from the sun’s harmful rays.
There is no rule on the right age to use Vitamin C serum, however, it is recommended by dermatologists that you should start using it before your twenties. If you are in your early twenties, you should start using Vitamin C serum without hesitation. For maximum benefits and sustained results, you should even continue using it throughout adulthood.
Remember, it is during your 20’s that some of your skin’s natural processes that keep our skin tight and firm will start to decline slowly. And, while you may not see these effects until later, it does not mean that you should wait to let it happen then only to start addressing them.
Vitamin C serum is a powerful antioxidant that protects your skin from damage, including delaying signs of aging, wrinkles, and dark spots. So the earlier you start to use this serum, it can also potentially impede some of these signs.
When mixed with other antioxidants or used alone at high concentrations it is a real powerhouse. Lower concentrations will also provide antioxidant and anti-aging benefits, but depending on how stubborn your concerns are, you may still benefit from a higher concentration to achieve faster results.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF VITAMIN C SERUM?
Vitamin C is praised as one of the best ingredients on the market for healthy skincare support, the main key to maintaining a smooth and radiant complexion.
Although you are getting Vitamin C in your daily diet, unfortunately, there is no guarantee it is going straight to your skin. But using serums and other topical products is the most direct way to reap these benefits.
Read on to learn why Vitamin C serum is important in your routine.
THE BENEFITS Softening fine lines and wrinkles. Reduces redness and even out skin tone. Assists in formation of collagen. Promotes wound healing and minimizes scar formation. Protects against free radical and environmental stressors. Reduces dark spots, blemishes and hyperpigmentation. Brightens complexion.
Acne causes your skin to develop darkened spots on the affected area which is sometimes called hyperpigmentation and other causes are UV damages and skin injuries. Vitamin C is known to reduce hyperpigmentation by reducing the effects of the tyrosine enzyme which is the culprit responsible for the production of melanin.
In addition, Vitamin C serum also acts as a brightener as it has properties that help reduce dark spots without changing your skin color. Combining Vitamin C serums with other brightening agents can significantly enhance the results.
Vitamin C serum also improves the appearance of scars left over by acne. You know that your skin will take some time to heal after an acne breakout and if it does not heal properly, it may develop into acne scars.
When you apply Vitamin C serum onto the affected area, it works by promoting the synthesis of collagen. This is the protein that builds your skin structure and helps with healing. With the increased collagen production, this healing process is expedited.
So much about dealing with scars, Vitamin C serum is also beneficial in: Soothing and calming sunburns by accelerating cell turnover. Protecting you against sun damage and free radicals that cause skin cancer. Reducing and preventing the appearance of under-eye circles. Hydrating and moisturizing your skin.
HOW DOES VITAMIN C SERUM HELP WITH ACNE?
Acne is a skin condition which is caused by a wide range of underlying factors such as hormonal imbalance, weakened immune system, genetics, allergies, age, and many other reasons. Hence, giving your skin the right nutrients is of utmost importance in order to prevent these unwanted breakouts. Vitamin C plays a vital role and takes care of some of the primary reasons that cause acne breakouts.
And if you are already suffering from acne breakouts, Vitamin C serum can increase the flow of antioxidants to the affected areas, which in turn reduces the severity of the condition. Since Vitamin C protects the skin from free radical damage and helps in skin regeneration and revitalization, using a serum formulated with L-ascorbic acid is also considered to be effective in the treatment of cystic acne.
The three main properties of Vitamin C ie, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-oxidant help to treat acne significantly. Topical application of this serum can prevent the emergence of acne as well as reduce its symptoms. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory processes will help to reduce the visible signs of acne by reducing skin inflammation, leaving less chances for acne to occur.
Since Vitamin C has been proven to stimulate collagen production in the skin, this will assist to improve skin tone, and facilitates skin healing. Skin discoloration due to acne, as well as damaged skin, will be repaired faster after consistent applications of Vitamin C.
Now what to look for in a Vitamin C serum for acne ?
There are some guidelines to follow when choosing one for acne:
Vitamin C’s antioxidant properties are most effective when found in a concentration between 10% and 20%. A higher concentration is more potent, and more effective for oily skin.
Vitamin C will be more potent as an antioxidant when combined with other antioxidants such as ferulic acid and Vitamin E.
Other ingredients, such as Witch Hazel hydrosol and aloe vera gel, can be combined with Vitamin C to soothe the symptoms of acne-inflamed skin.
Vitamin C is best absorbed topically at a pH under 4, so ensure that additional ingredients are also effective at a low pH.
For dry skin, choose a serum with a lower concentration of Vitamin C. One study found that an application of a 5% Vitamin C cream effectively increased skin hydration.
The coloring of a Vitamin C serum will indicate its effectiveness. The serum should appear clear to slightly yellowish in tone, and should not have any odor. With time, and exposure to oxygen, it will begin to show discoloration, usually darker yellow and eventually brownish.
When Vitamin C serum is oxidized, it loses its potency as an antioxidant and therefore loses its efficacy. Hence, if your serum has changed color, discard it immediately.
Youtube DIY Video: Homemade Vitamin C Serum for Glowing & Whitening Skin
Whether you have been looking to simplify your skin care routine or amp it up, a Vitamin C serum might be your golden ticket. Topical vitamin C is a multipurpose workhorse that can protect, repair, and enhance your skin.
We have a simple recipe here to guide you on how to make a Homemade Vitamin C Serum for Glowing and Whitening Skin. All the ingredients are available at Green Herbology
Distilled water / filtered water (we do not sell this)
NOW, HOW TO MAKE ?
Prepare 60ml distilled water.
Add 5g of Vitamin C powder
Stir until the Vitamin C powder is fully dissolved
Add 40g of Hyaluronic acid
Add 10 drops of Glycerin and Vitamin E Nicotinate
Stir all together until a thick texture is formed
Note : After fully combined, you need to test your serum pH using a pH meter. The best Vitamin C serum is at pH 3.5 – 4.5. If your serum is lower than this, you need to adjust the pH using Sodium Bicarbonate. Add a little by little to achieve 3.5 -4.5 pH
When the pH value is perfect, spray amber glass bottle to sanitize. Pour in your serum and it is ready to use every day!
HOW LONG DOES VITAMIN C SERUM TAKE TO WORK?
However, to see results, like any other skincare products, you need to be patient. The results from using topical Vitamin C serums typically take about three weeks to two months to become noticeable and at least two months for dark spots or hyperpigmentation to begin fading visibly.
You will also need to use the right products with the right strength. Vitamin C strengths of 10% to 20% alongside pH below 4 have been studied in clinical trials by experts and have been proven to be effective in alleviating sun damage to the skin, reducing dark spots, wrinkles, and acne scars.
When Vitamin C is applied as a serum, it can have dramatic effect on your skin. The antioxidant properties can neutralize the free radicals that are caused by environmental aggressors and help to produce and stabilize collagen and which result in healthier skin.
Even though the results of Vitamin C serum require you to wait quite a while, but knowing that you are nourishing your skin with valuable antioxidants that protecting your skin from toxins and environmental damages, the patience really pays off. The benefits of vitamin C serum are worth it!
The results could be brighter and more radiant and luminous skin, lesser pigmentation, blotchy skin and wrinkles and fine lines are less prominent. With consistency of using this serum, you will agree that Vitamin C helps to improve skin texture and elasticity and boost collagen production which, in return, enhancing your natural glow.
WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECTS OF VITAMIN C SERUM? WHAT ARE THE PRECAUTIONS TO TAKE ?
To achieve the benefits of Vitamin C serum, you need to be sure that you are following the best skincare routine. Since you are most likely to use multiple products in your daily skincare practice, always follow the rule of applying products from thinnest to thickest. Give each product a few minutes to absorb into your skin before applying the next.
Some serums in market combined Vitamin C with moisturizers and SPF to protect your skin. You may want to start by applying Vitamin C serum once a day until you know how your skin responds to the product, but for those with oily skin, you can jolly well use it twice daily.
PATCH TEST IS RECOMMENDED
Vitamin C is mostly safe to use, but in rare instances, side effects may occur, like stinging, redness, dryness, or irritation. As with any new product, try a patch test first before a full application.
LOOK OUT FOR EXPIRY DATE
Many serums are light yellow, but if your product takes on a brown or dark orange hue, it is time to discard because it has gone rancid. And if your serum starts out with a clear colour but have turned yellow, this is also a sign that it has oxidized and will be ineffective.
SENSITIVE SKIN
Vitamin C serum is safe for all skin types, including sensitive skin. If you have sensitive skin, however, it is important to choose a Vitamin C serum with a lower concentration of Vitamin C. This will help to reduce the risk of irritation. In addition, it is always a good idea to patch test any new skincare product before using it on your face.
Overall, most Vitamin C serums are relatively safe to use and irritation is unlikely. This serum is indeed an essential skincare that you should include in your daily routine as it can uplift your dull and tired-looking skin and over a course of time, you will feel your complexion is improving, skin texture enhanced and the glow coming back to your skin.
