It was bound to happen: you look in the mirror one day, and you just start to see things that…well…unnerve you. Your skin just doesn’t look like it should. Suddenly, it seems blotchy, uneven, rough. Maybe you’re seeing bits of sagging, crepe-like creases, and (GASP!) wrinkles.
In this day and age, your options for combatting the effects of time are certainly not limited (except perhaps by your wallet). So where do you turn?
If you’re just starting to notice ol’ Father Time’s footprints on your face, or even if you’ve been in the trenches for some time now waging war against him, one of your best options is closer than you think.
Vitamin C has long been one of the most effective ingredients in acclaimed treatments, and now that its benefits are being rediscovered and amplified in serum form, Vitamin C is here to help say the results of this war in your favor!
In this short guide, we will teach you everything you need to know about Vitamin C and skin health. You’ll be amazed to find that this antioxidant has several healing properties and is completely affordable!
If you haven’t made it part of your everyday skincare routine, now’s the time.
Contents
What Is It?
While Vitamin C is critical to the body’s immune system, we humans are actually one of the very few species whose bodies cannot produce it naturally, so supplements are needed. Vitamin C helps fight free radicals and boosts the immune system to help our cells fight off infection.
Not only that, but it supports the cardiovascular and nervous systems, strengthens connective tissue, aids in fat metabolism, and helps keep teeth, bones, and skin healthy, from the inside out.
Along with its ability to fight free radicals, Vitamin C also helps to boost our own body’s production of collagen, a combo effect explaining why it was initially employed in skincare. Lack of collagen is the prime culprit in the skin that sags and has lost elasticity.
While many skincare products today claim the use of collagen in ingredients, collagen actually depends on vitamin C, so without the inclusion of Vitamin C, collagen on its own is nowhere near as effective.
Anti-Aging Uses
After reading several Vitamin C serum reviews, we found something that all of them have in common: anti-aging effects! Here’s where Vitamin C can really show its stuff! If your skin is suffering from any of these, a Vitamin C serum is for you:
- Loose, sagging, crepe-like skin – As the Vitamin C increases the production of collagen, it helps combat and supplement the loss of elasticity in the skin.
- Fine lines and wrinkles – Vitamin C fights the daily damage caused by time and free radicals
- Uneven skin tone/pore size – As skin loses elasticity, it also loses the ability to effectively shed dead skin cells. The natural acidity in Vitamin C can even this out beautifully, as it is a natural exfoliant.
- Sun damage/sun spots/skin pigmentation – Vitamin C is a depigmenting agent, meaning that it can block the formation of melanin in the skin during sun exposure, brightening the look of the skin.
- Acne – Vitamin C has anti-inflammatory properties and also helps to increase the speed of wound healing, which makes it perfect for not only acne, but redness, oiliness, and blackheads.
Not only does this antioxidant help reverse the effects of aging, but it’s also very effective in preventing them. We suggest you start using it immediately to reap the results and enjoy beautiful, glowing, youthful skin.
Ways to Get Vitamin C
The best way to benefit from this vitamin is by using a quality serum. We will talk about this in the next section. Right now, we want to teach you some other small changes you can make in your lifestyle that will boost your intake:
- Eat fruits every single day! This change is so easy and many of you may already be doing it. When shopping for fruits, consider lemons, oranges, limes, grapefruits, or any type of berry! These are all rich in Vitamin C.
- Think green whenever you’re cooking your meals. You want to be sure you eat your veggies every day. This includes bell peppers, kale, collards, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and other leafy greens. This will keep your Vitamin C intake up and your skin (and your body!) will enjoy the benefits.
- Finally, the best way is to invest in a Vitamin C serum and be consistent in using it. According to reputable Vitamin C serum reviews, it will moisturize your skin, hydrate it, and repair it. You’ll be amazed by the results!
If you aren’t too crazy about some of the foods mentioned above, don’t worry! There are so many ways you can incorporate Vitamin C into your diet.
Do your research on other Vitamin C-rich foods and substitute them with those instead. Also, consider taking supplements to make sure you’re getting the right amount each day.
Why a serum rather than a cream or moisturizer?
When it was clear that Vitamin C had tremendous possibilities for skin care, scientists set to work trying to develop an effective means of delivery, since all vitamins are subject to oxidation (extreme loss of potency) when used topically.
So, to ensure the ultimate efficacy, Vitamin C is incorporated into skin care products through its derivatives: L-ascorbic acid, ascorbyl palmitate, and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate.
A serum is usually lighter and thinner in consistency than a moisturizer. And, unlike moisturizers which can only address superficial skin tissue, serums can penetrate deep into the skin’s layers.
Therefore, a Vitamin C serum will be able to deliver its collagen-producing and free-radical protection deep down where your skin really fights the war against time.
Typical application:
- Dampen your face with water
- Apply serum to your face and neck, massaging into the skin gently
- After the serum dries, apply a moisturizer suitable for your skin type
Even though Vitamin C can protect the layers of your skin from the damaging effects of the sun, as a facial serum, not only is it subject to oxidation, it can make exposed skin more sensitive to sunburn. If you don’t want a moisturizer with SPF, a separate SPF lotion needs to be applied daily.
While the Vitamin C serum is being absorbed into the skin’s epidermis layers, the moisturizer and SPF are hard at work on the surface. If you use the moisturizer first, it will prevent the serum from penetrating and being absorbed by the skin.
(Note – After purchasing, it is advisable to keep the serum refrigerated and away from sunlight, as to prevent it from oxidizing too quickly).
As many Vitamin C serum reviews will warn, you can expect your serum to turn a brown color. This is a sign it’s time to get a new one. If you’re using it as instructed, you should be finished with the product before it goes bad. You can expect to invest in a new bottle around every 6 months.
So why is it worth every penny?
Now let’s talk about those 5 reasons that Vitamin C is a go-to when it comes to the health of your skin. We guarantee it’s worth every penny – here’s why:
- A little goes a long way – The formulation of serums allow for the liquid to glide easily over skin. A couple of drops should provide enough coverage. Moreover, serums are so easy to apply, and most bottles will last you up to 6 months. Not to mention, they’re affordable too!
- Potent and effective – Thanks to years of scientific formulations and improvements, the potency and effectiveness of Vitamin C serums today is better than ever and can absorb more deeply into the skin… where your skin really needs it.
- Natural – Yes, though we as humans can’t produce it naturally, Vitamin C (and all its derivatives) are natural, which is a big bonus for your skin.
- Affordable – When compared to most of the high-end skin care products on the market, with all their fancy-sounding new ingredients (“dragon’s blood”?), or compared to high-priced invasive medical treatments, Vitamin C serum is not only widely available, but relatively inexpensive…and provides very comparable (or better) results.
- A little anti-aging something is better than nothing – Let’s face it…none of us are getting any younger. So the sooner you start an anti-aging regime, the better it will be for not only the look of your skin, but for its texture and overall health. It’s never too late or too early to start enjoying the benefits of Vitamin C. If you haven’t done so already, we suggest you do!
These are just some ways Vitamin C is good for our skin’s health. If you’re looking for a product that fights the signs of aging, combats free radical damage, repairs the skin, provides sun protection, and even lightens dark spots, this is the product for you.
Don’t wait any longer and start using this essential today.
Keep in mind that “skin care” will probably never boil down to just one miracle product, no more than any one food will be the one to keep you healthy.
But without a doubt, Vitamin C serum is one of the most powerful tools you can add to your reinforced skin care regime. Look out, Father Time…we’re comin’ for you!
