Vitamin C serums are incredible. Best of all, they really work. If you’re looking to even out skin tone, diminish fine lines, wrinkles, scars and dullness you should incorporate a Vitamin C serum or moisturiser into your skincare regime. How does this ingredient work though? And are there certain types of Vitamin C we should look out for and ones to avoid?
How does Vitamin C work?
Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant. It aids in your skin’s natural regeneration process, which helps your body repair damaged skin cells. Used topically, Vitamin C triggers the skin to heal itself by accelerating the production of collagen and elastin which keep our skin plump and firm. Best of all, Vitamin C is well known to help brighten skin, helping fade pigmentation, hyper-pigmentation and reduce dullness. This includes helping with sun spots, age spots, redness and under-eye circles.
What ingredients should I look for?
The most popular type of Vitamin C in skincare is L-Ascorbic Acid which has strong, documented evidence supporting its anti-ageing benefits. This form of vitamin C, however, is known to be prone to oxidation. This means it should be properly packaged and stored at all times to prevent damaging the product. Once the Vitamin C serum turns brown, it means it has oxidised and no longer good to use.
Vitamin C serums are also often developed in water-based formulas, making the product acidic. This can cause skin irritations, particularly for those with sensitive skin.
Another form of Vitamin C is Tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate. Also known as THD ascorbate, this is an oil-soluble, Vitamin C that’s more compatible with skin types. THD ascorbate has a much longer shelf life and does not tend to oxidise. It is also suitable for sensitive skin!
Ingredients to avoid with Vitamin C
Certain ingredients in skincare do not play well together and mixing them can cause major irritation. Ingredients to avoid when using Vitamin C include:
— Retinol
— Chemical Exfoliants like AHA’s, BHA’s, Lactic Acid, etc.
— Niacinamide
— Benzoyl Peroxide
In addition, if you have sensitive skin it is always best to do a patch test before starting Vitamin C products.
Vitamin C products I’m loving
If you are looking for an L-Ascorbic Acid based Vitamin C product, I highly recommend ESK Reverse C Serum. This product combines 10% L-Ascorbic Acid with 1% Tocopherol (Vitamin E) which evidence suggests increases the effectiveness of L-Ascorbic Acid.
The serum comes in an airless pump bottle (which minimises the risk of oxidation), and is suited to normal and dry skin types. It repairs cellular damage, stimulates collagen production, smooths fine lines and wrinkles, and de-pigments melanin clusters. Formulated with a pH of less than 3.5, it is created with skin penetration and ingredient stability in mind. ESK Reverse C Serum is available online for $95. It also comes in a Lite version, which is ideal for oilier skin types!
For a THD Ascorbate variant of Vitamin C, I love the Peter Thomas Roth Potent-C range. The moisturiser in particular, holds 10% THD Ascorbate which is 50 times more powerful than traditional Vitamin C. In addition to the anti-aging and brightening benefits of Vitamin C the moisturiser contains Hydrolyzed Collagen. This addition helps restore volume, while Hyaluronic Acid helps the skin appear plump with moisture. The moisturiser is available at Sephora for $104. The range also includes an eye cream, eye patches and a scrub.
If you liked this article, check out my last post: My postpartum routine.
Natalia x
