You’ve heard the hype: vitamin C is great for your skin, but what exactly does Vitamin C do for your skin, how do you use it, and which product is the best? I’m here to help you get some answers.
You’ve heard the hype: vitamin C is great for your skin, but what exactly does Vitamin C do for your skin, how do you use it, and which product is the best?
I’m here to help you get some answers.
Even though we all love a nice trip to the beach on a sunny day, it is the exposure to UV rays that is the biggest culprit of skin aging.
When skin is exposed to UV, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are created and then proceed to damage DNA, proteins, cell membranes, and the very important - collagen.
Vitamin C not only prevents the UV breakdown of collagen, it also directs the skin to make more lovely skin-tightening, fine-line smoothing collagen.
But - doesn’t sunscreen protect me from all that UV??
Unfortunately, no. While necessary for skin protection, sunscreen is only partially effective for blocking the reactive oxygen species created from sun exposure.
This is where Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) comes in!
Vitamin C is the most abundant antioxidant found in the skin, and has the ability to mop up those beach day reactive oxygen species.
While plants and some lucky animals produce their own Vitamin C, humans do not, so it’s best to apply your Vitamin C UV protection daily (preferably after sun exposure, or at night).
You take a vitamin C supplement or drink a large glass of orange juice every morning, so you should be good, right?
Actually, Vitamin C taken by mouth does not get into the skin in high enough amounts to be nearly as effective as applying a Vitamin C cream or serum.
So don’t skip your orange juice (oral Vitamin C is still great for other things!) but add on your Vitamin C cream at night.
Clean and dry your face to allow for the best absorption.
Apply an amount that will be enough to spread on in a light layer on your face and neck. Generally, a pea-sized or dime-sized amount will be plenty.
Gently massage into clean skin avoiding the eyes for about 30 seconds. (This massaging helps with healthy blood flow in the face too!)
Leave the product on overnight to do its thing.
Once Vitamin C is in your skin, it becomes 50% broken down over the course of 4 days.
Although, to maintain optimal UV protection levels, some recommend applying as often as every 8 hours!
We won’t go that far - and recommend a regimen where you apply Vitamin C 1-2 times a day.
Vitamin C, or Ascorbic Acid, is ultimately a mild acid. So if you did somehow find a product that had a very high percentage of Vitamin C, you may mildly “burn” the top layer of your skin.
One study found that you will get increasing skin benefits with Vitamin C serums, but only up to about 20%. This means that after that percentage, it is really just overkill and increases the chance of a burning sensation.
So skip the burn and stick with 15-20% for all of your beauty needs.
It honestly doesn’t matter - serum, cream, or gel is really just a description of the “base” that carries the Vitamin C.
As long as you go with a high-quality product, they have most likely done their work selecting a base that absorbs well, and the Vitamin C should be able to get into your skin.
Find a product that you like the feel of or one that contains other skin products that you want to incorporate into your regimen. Because - why not have all the good stuff in 1 bottle?
Our Strut Brightly face cream contains 15% Vitamin C, as well as additional proteins, brightening vitamin derivatives, and skin hydrating components, so you can have your fun in the sun while reducing the not-fun effects of excess UV exposure.
Even on days when you are not at the beach, there is an everyday level of UV exposure, so apply your Vitamin C nightly for the best results!
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