Vitamin C is one of the most desired active ingredients to use for skincare. In fact, it is an ingredient that should be part of everyone’s daily skincare routine. It is an ingredient that is found in all kinds of skincare products. With good reason, as it an amazing ingredient that really works wonders and I will happily explain why.
Why vitamin C is good for the skin Vitamin C is one of the most studied cosmetic ingredients and it has countless advantages when you add it to your daily skincare routine. For example, it stimulates collagen production [1], which firms the skin and reduces the visibility of fine lines and wrinkles. In addition, it brightens the skin [2, 3] by reducing the visibility of acne scars and pigmentation spots and as it is a strong antioxidant, it also protects against UV damage [4]. Now you can probably understand why so many companies use vitamin C in their skincare products: it truly is a potent superfood for the skin.
Not every vitamin C is the same
Vitamin C is another word for ascorbic acid, which is the purest and most effective form of vitamin C. Unfortunately, this is also the most unstable form. When ascorbic acid is exposed to oxygen, light or liquid, it slowly loses its effect. For most products that contain ascorbic acid, the effect is largely lost by the time you get the product in your hands. It is therefore not advisable to purchase products that contain vitamin C that come in transparent containers or when it is incorporated in a liquid.
Fortunately, there are alternatives, such as products that contain vitamin C in its raw form. In other words: in powder form. La Vitamine C Powder from Comme Ça is such a product. Is consists of ascorbic acid and the strong antioxidant ferulic acid. It is presented as a powder which you activate by mixing it with water and your moisturizer, serum, or oil only seconds before applying. This is a great way to enjoy the most effective form of vitamin C without sacrificing any of its superpowers.
Ascorbic acid is not the only form of vitamin C that is used in cosmetics. There are different forms (derivatives) that have been designed to be more stable. These are not as effective as the purest form and also have more difficulty penetrating the skin, but they do retain their effect longer when they are incorporated in a liquid skincare product. Unfortunately, not much research has been done yet into the derivatives of vitamin C, so up until today not much is known about the effects and performance of these different forms.
There is no such thing as a quick fix! Vitamin C is not going to change your skin overnight. Various studies have shown that vitamin C should be used daily for two to three months in order to be effective. So, if you have not yet added vitamin C to your skincare routine, wait no longer and get that daily vitamin C face-shot rather sooner than later!
1. Nusgens, B. V., Colige, A. C., Lambert, C. A., Lapière, C. M., Humbert, P., Rougier, A., … Creidi, P. (2001). Topically Applied Vitamin C Enhances the mRNA Level of Collagens I and III, Their Processing Enzymes and Tissue Inhibitor of Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 in the Human Dermis11Part of this work was presented in poster form at the American Academy of Dermatology, San Francisco, CA, March 10–15, 2000. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 116(6), 853–859. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.0022-202x.2001.01362.x https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11407971
2. Espinal-Perez, L. E., Moncada, B., & Castanedo-Cazares, J. P. (2004). A double-blind randomized trial of 5% ascorbic acid vs. 4% hydroquinone in melasma. International Journal of Dermatology, 43(8), 604–607. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-4632.2004.02134.x https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15304189
3. Traikovich, S. S. (1999). Use of Topical Ascorbic Acid and Its Effects on Photodamaged Skin Topography. Archives of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery, 125(10), 1091. https://doi.org/10.1001/archotol.125.10.1091
4. DARR, D., COMBS, S., DUNSTON, S., MANNING, T., & PINNELL, S. (1992). Topical vitamin C protects porcine skin from ultraviolet radiation-induced damage. British Journal of Dermatology, 127(3), 247–253. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2133.1992.tb00122.x
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