Vitamin C is a powerhouse ingredient that has an abundance of benefits for the skin. From its ability to brighten and even out skin tone, to fighting fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots, boosting collagen production that fades acne scars, helping fade post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation by inhibiting melanin synthesis, not only does vitamin C benefit the skin in so many ways, but it also protects it against environmental pollutants and free-radical damage. This is why it has been dubbed as the “golden child” of anti-aging ingredients. We’ve curated five reasons why you need a vitamin C serum in your life:
1. Prevents pigmentation and boosts collagen production
Vitamin C is great at reducing melanin synthesis or production by inhibiting tyrosinase, which reduces hyperpigmentation. It also stimulates other constituents within the skin that produce collagen to thicken the dermis layer of skin to increase volume and reduce fine lines and wrinkles. It even helps fade acne and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH).
2. Adds radiance to the skin and fights sun damage
Vitamin C is a powerhouse for brightening your complexion, as it boosts collagen production which gives you that glow, protects the skin from environmental pollution and free radical damage, reduces melanin formation or pigmentation while inhibiting tyrosinase activity – all these are factors that contribute to dark spots on the skin. Not only does vitamin C make your complexion look better, but it also makes it look younger!
3. Fights bacterial infections
Vitamin C doesn’t just work best against acne when applied topically, though – studies have shown that taking vitamin C supplements orally can help reduce acne breakouts too! So not only does vitamin C prevent future outbreaks of acne, but it also helps fight off existing ones by preventing them from spreading or worsening. Vitamin C also has anti-bacterial properties that help fight infections caused by bacteria found in the body, like staphylococci.
4. Promotes healthy skin
Vitamin C is well known for its antioxidant effects because it neutralizes free radicals and prevents oxidative stress, which protects the skin against damage and slows down signs of aging by blocking harmful UV rays (due to its ability to act as an electron donor). It even helps improve collagen production, which plumps up the dermis layer of your skin and reduces fine lines and wrinkles.
5. Prevents skin cancer
In addition to preventing skin damage from the sun, it also has anti-carcinogenic properties that help prevent skin cancer caused by exposure to UV light. Studies have shown that taking oral vitamin C supplements can help reduce your risk of developing certain cancers like bladder and prostate. Not only does vitamin C protect against these cancers, it even protects against neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s!
When should you include topical vitamin C serum in your skincare?
If you’re interested in adding an anti-aging skin solution to your skincare routine. In that case, you should ideally use a Vitamin C serum during nighttime since this is when our cells repair themselves, making room for healthy new cells that will form over the coming days. Just remember to wear sun protection during the day or before going out into the sunlight!
Since there are so many out there on the market today, how do you choose one that’s effective? Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Make sure your vitamin C serum has a concentration of at least 20% Vitamin C
- Make sure it contains other beneficial ingredients that will help protect your skin from damage too, such as ferulic acid and hyaluronic acid.
- Stay away from products with added fragrances, colors, or alcohol since they can irritate sensitive skin.
Look out for the ‘L’ form of Vitamin C – L-ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid is unstable in water, so when stored, it loses its effectiveness over time, which means you won’t get the benefits listed above! But there are newer forms of Vitamin C serums on the market today, which use Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate and Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate that are more effective and stable. Many brands use Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (MAP) in their formulations, the most popular of them in international space, being The Ordinary. Another brand that uses MAP in its formulation of the Vitamin C Serum is Mamaearth. Mamaearth Vitamin C serum for face is made for Indian skin and coveted by several skincare experts and beauty influencers. Enriched with the goodness of turmeric, it adds radiance and reduces the appearance of dark spots.
Conclusion
With so many benefits for our health and the look and feel of our skin, we definitely need a vitamin C serum in our skincare routine! If you’re still not convinced, though, Vitamin C may be water-soluble when ingested orally but when topically applied on the skin, it becomes fat-soluble, which means it can penetrate the lipid membranes of our skin layers, allowing it to reach deeper into your dermis where wrinkles form.
