How To Incorporate Vitamin C In Your Skin Routine

Using a Vitamin C serum

You don’t have to be a skincare fanatic to know that vitamin c can do wonders for your skin. You might have seen that many skincare products contain vitamin c in them, even if you don’t know what is vitamin c.

Whether you want to brighten your uneven skin tone, or boost collagen production to keep wrinkles at bay, using a vitamin c serum is a must. For most of us skin addicts, that means using a vitamin c serum for a product that can help to reduce redness, hydrate the skin, and reduce under-eye bags. As you can see, there are a lot of benefits to vitamin c, when you know what should I use with vitamin c serum.

How to incorporate vitamin c into skincare? If you’re unsure of how to get the benefits of vitamin c in your daily life, then you’re in the right place. I’ve researched everything you need to know about vitamin c and how to include this ingredient in your skincare routine.

But wait, there’s more.

From how to pick the best vitamin c serum for you, to which products to mix it with and where it all fits in your current skincare routine, I am going to give you all the tips and tricks to make the most of this powerful antioxidant.

Here’s a tip- If you don’t want to add an extra step in your skincare routine but still want to reap the benefits of Vitamin C, why not try taking daily vitamin c supplements or buying skincare products that include vitamin c in it, rather than having an extra serum.

Stay tuned!

What is Vitamin C?

You cant make vitamin c, so your body has to intake it through daily vitamin c supplements or a rich diet of fruits and veggies, or as a skin serum and other vitamin c products. You’ll probably find it under the name ascorbic acid on most skincare products.

Apart from skincare, it is essential in many bodily functions, including enzyme production and connective tissue repair. But what about skincare?

Your skin acts as a barrier, protecting you from the outside world. It usually contains high concentrations of vitamin c. Three main benefits of using vitamin c on your skin include:

Boosts collagen production-helps to promote cell turnover and renew the skin

Protects against free radicals and UV rays- As an antioxidant, it helps to neutralize harmful free radicals from the environment, which prevents premature aging.

Powerful antioxidant- This helps to brighten and nourish the skin, fading dark spots

Did you know- Since Vitamin C is an antioxidant, it can help prevent stress on the skin caused by too many free radicals created in the body, or oxidative stress. This helps to boost collagen formation and even brightens out your skin tone and complexion

How to incorporate vitamin c serum into skincare

How to incorporate vitamin c serum. Using vitamin c in your skincare routine is a must. However, to get the most from this super ingredient, you need to make sure you’re using it right.

If you’re interested in using vitamin c to benefit your skin, then the best way to do this is by using a vitamin c serum.

When should you use vitamin c?

This is a common question, should you be using vitamin c in the morning or evening, and how often is best?

If you’re using a vitamin c serum, you can decide to use it in the morning or evening. Experts say it can be more beneficial to use vitamin c in the morning since the antioxidant properties act as a barrier against pollution and environmental aggressors.

When including a vitamin c serum in your skincare routine, it’s best to follow the three-step process of cleanser, treatment, and moisturizer. In this case, the second step would be applying the vitamin c serum and then following up with a moisturizer.

How to choose a vitamin C serum?

If you’re thinking to add vitamin c serum to your routine, you want to make sure you’re picking the right one. Not all serums that have the words “vitamin c” slapped across the front are equally good. Another point to consider is the packaging to prevent oxidization and shelf time. Not forgetting your budget. Here are some tips to select the right vitamin c serum for you;

Choosing a serum

You can find vitamin c in a range of skincare products, but the best vitamin c product is a serum rather than a cream or toner as it will definitely going to give you better results when applied topically. Serums are the most potent form of vitamin c, and the good thing about them is they are easy to add to your routine. A daily dose of topical application works best.

You can apply serums once or twice a day depending on your skin type and needs.

How to choose the right formula

The most potent form of vitamin c is L-ascorbic acid (LAA). The downside to l ascorbic acid is that it has a low ph formulation so can irritate more sensitive skin. Of all the vitamin c products ascorbic acid is also the most unstable. On the other hand you can also find various derivatives from this pure form of vitamin c that are usually combined with other ingredients to help keep it more stable and less sensitizing.

This can include sodium ascorbyl phosphate, ascorbyl palmitate, retinyl ascorbate, tetrahexldecyl ascorbate, and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate. All are great for anti aging and are all water soluble. If you have oily skin, using a derivative of vitamin c can be a better option.

When these derivatives come into contact with the skin, they release pure vitamin c. Keep in mind that if a product has a certain percentage of vitamin c derivatives, it will release only a very small amount of pure vitamin c than that percentage.

Saying that this variety of options mean you can find the right potency to suit your skin type and budget.

Pair with other antioxidants

Vitamin C on its own can be unstable and even sensitizing. However, when you combine it with other antioxidants like Ferulic Acid or Vitamin E (Tocopherol) then it becomes more stable and efficient. Another good option is to use vitamin c at the same time as hyaluronic acid to increase its stability and extend shelf life.

It’s worth noting that although you can use vitamin c both in the morning and evening, applying it as part of your morning routine can be a good way of pairing it with SPF. These two ingredients are the dream team when it comes to sun protection and preventing air pollution.

Select the right packaging

As you know by now, vitamin c serums can be more unstable so you need to pay special attention to the packaging. Ideally, vitamin c should be stored in a dark-tinted, air-tight packaging to prevent oxidation If your vitamin c serum is stored in a dropper bottle, make sure to close it tightly after every use. The rule is simple- store in a cool, dark place away from the sun!

Vitamin C application

Now, you might be tempted to rush to the stores and buy the most potent, highest concentration of vitamin c serum you can find. Before you do that, consider another option. Start with a low concentration of vitamin c and over time build up once your skin gets used to it. Remember that vitamin c may not be for everyone, and it can sensitize the skin and even damage it if you go for a high concentration straight away. Start with lower concentrations su 5% and then you can work your way up to 20% to make sure your skin can handle it. Using a high concentration of vitamin c for an extended period can cause redness, dryness or itching for some people, so it’s a good idea to do a patch test before just to be sure.

Final Thoughts

Is Vitamin C for you? If you could benefit from an anti aging ingredient that protects against uv damage, fades acne scarring, dark spots, and fine lines to give you glowing skin and a youthful glow, then yes!

Vitamin c is for all skin types, but if you have oilier skin or sensitive skin it’s worth trying it out first. You might be tempted to apply vitamin c with other active ingredients, but just be mindful that a simple morning routine is always best.

Including vitamin c products as part of your skin care routine is easier than you think, and can give you benefits such as shedding dead skin cells, protecting from uv exposure and ultraviolet light, brightening dark circles, preventing sun damage, and making significant changes in your skin’s health.

Have you added vitamin c to your skin care routine yet?