Whether you’re quickly skimming an online article or chatting with friends about skin care essentials, you’re likely to hear Vitamin C being mentioned. But what exactly makes this ingredient so popular that it has earned such a dedicated following? In other words, what does Vitamin C serum do? The short answer is that it makes anyone’s skin better. This superstar skin care ingredient can help whether your definition of better skin includes more overall radiance, fewer dark spots, or less deep wrinkles. Here’s why everyone needs Vitamin C in their routine.
Why Everyone Needs Vitamin C in their Routine
Ideal for all skin types, skin tones and people of all ages, Vitamin C deserves a prime spot in everyone’s skin care routine, because it’s a powerful antioxidant ingredient. But what does that mean exactly? In day-to-day life, the epidermis is exposed to numerous sources of oxidative stress UV light, blue light from electronic devices, and pollutants in the air are all elements that can inflict free radicals, or unstable atoms, onto the skin. These unstable atoms are disruptive and can damage healthy skin cells and cause a range of signs of aging. Free radical damage can appear as fine lines and wrinkles, sagging, dullness, dark spots, inflammation and even dehydration. An antioxidant works against oxidative stress, helping the body better defend itself against free radicals. Vitamin C can neutralize the unstable atoms your skin is exposed to daily which reduces the damaging impact on your complexion. The ingredient’s superpower also lies in its ability to effectively prevent multiple advanced signs of aging while protecting skin from future damage. You may consider adding it to your routine for one specific reason, such as to plump fine lines, but the beauty of Vitamin C is that it can unlock numerous benefits at the same time. For anyone, looking for smoother, more radiant, and even toned skin, Vitamin C is a must-have.
Skin Benefits of Vitamin C
As a potent and multi-tasking antioxidant, Vitamin C serum boasts numerous benefits. Firstly, it provides an overall brightening boost to any dull or uneven complexion. Exposure to UV light impacts melanin functions, the process responsible for our skin’s tone, and Vitamin C can inhibit the enzyme tyrosinase, which contributes to discoloration. This is also why the ingredient can effectively reduce dark spots, hyperpigmentation and melasma. When left to flourish in the skin, free radicals from the sun can trigger melanocytes in the deep epidermal layers to create excess melanin, resulting in clusters or patches of discoloration that eventually appear on the surface of the skin. By adding Vitamin C to your routine, you can diminish the negative impact of oxidative stress on your skin tone and maintain a glowing complexion.
Firming the skin is another widely proven benefit of Vitamin C. This ingredient is known to stimulate collagen production, which is great news for aging skin. Collagen is a protein that is central throughout the body; it’s found in our bones, muscles, and connective tissue in the skin. It’s responsible for a plump, youthful appearance with high levels of regeneration in our early years up to the mid-twenties. As we get older, not only does collagen production slow down, but free radical damage can accelerate collagen breakdown. These joint forces can result in the development of fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin. Fortunately, Vitamin C can help to restore a firm, plump look by supporting collagen synthesis.
And that’s not all! Vitamin C also offers anti-inflammatory benefits. Due to a skin-soothing effect, it can positively impact reactive skin conditions, including sensitivity, redness, and acne. Plus, the true ingredient all-star can also enhance hydration levels within the skin, fortifying the skin barrier to better maintain moisture. All these beautiful benefits are why everyone needs Vitamin C in their skin care routine.
The Best Form of Vitamin C
As a skin care ingredient, Vitamin C is available in a few different forms. On a product label, you may come across it as sodium ascorbyl phosphate, ascorbyl palmitate or 3-O ethyl ascorbic acid. However, not all forms of Vitamin C are equal. L-ascorbic acid is the most bio-available form; it’s the most studied ingredient and widely respected as the most effective. All of Vivier’s Vitamin C serum formulations contain L-ascorbic acid.
In addition to choosing the best form of Vitamin C, you’ll also see the best results by choosing a high-performing type of product. A Vitamin C serum is highly recommended by dermatologists as the ideal way to add the ingredient into any routine. A serum, rather than a cream or moisturizer, offers a concentrated formula that has an enhanced ability to be absorbed into the deeper layers of the skin for maximum efficacy.
You’ll also want to choose the best Vitamin C serum that’s a match for your skin's needs. The Vivier collection contains seven serum formulations, so there’s something for everyone. Are you brand new to using the ingredient, or do you have sensitive skin? Try Serum 10, a lightweight oil-free serum featuring 10% L-ascorbic acid. If your concern is a mild to moderate uneven skin tone, you’re an ideal candidate for Radiance Serum. It stimulates cell turnover and brightens dark spots with a blend of 8% L-ascorbic acid, arbutin and resorcinol. Anyone with oily or combination skin is best suited to try Kine-C, which features a combination of 10% Vitamin C with two peptides to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Most importantly, it’s also oil-free, so it won’t clog pores. The range also contains the award-winning C E Peptides and GrenzCine Serum. The former delivers a blend of Vitamins C & E that boost and hydrate normal to dry skin, while the latter taps into the power of L-ascorbic acid and polyamine growth factors to diminish deep wrinkles, restore volume, and repair thinning skin.
How to Use Vitamin C Serum in Your Routine
To make the most of Vitamin C’s antioxidant benefits, you should use a Vitamin C serum at least once a day. Adding it to your AM skin care routine is strongly advised, as it will help protect your skin from damaging exposure to free radical sources that are more prevalent during daytime, namely the sun. After cleansing and toning your face, apply two or three drops of serum to the palm of your hand and use your fingertips to gently press a thin layer of serum onto your face, neck, chest and the backs of your hands. Complete your morning routine with moisturizer and sunscreen. You can also consider adding Vitamin C to your evening routine, especially if you’ve been appreciating the radiant or firming effect it's had on your complexion. In the PM, apply your serum after cleansing and toning, before using a night cream. When used in the evening, Vitamin C can help to further repair against oxidative stress while you sleep.
What Ingredients Work Well with Vitamin C
Vitamin C pairs well with several other ingredients, including Vitamin E (another powerhouse antioxidant) and skin-strengthening peptides. But the most important teammate of Vitamin C is sunscreen. Applying Vitamin C serum before SPF enhances UV protection, and the daily duo can lead to healthier, more youthful skin overall.
