Vitamin C Serum – Skin Benefits
What is a Vitamin C Serum?
Vitamin C is recognised as one of the best anti-aging ingredients on the market and is essential in maintaining a smooth, even, and radiant complexion.
Dietary Vitamin C does not make it to the topical layers of your skin so using a Vitamin C serum is the most direct way to reap the skin benefits of this powerful vitamin.
A serum is a skincare product you can apply to your skin after cleansing but before moisturizing with the intent of delivering powerful ingredients directly into the skin. A serum is particularly suited to this task because it is light weight and can penetrate deeply into the skin and deliver a very high concentration of active ingredients.
A Vitamin C serum, contains active Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in concentrations of 5-20%. Vitamins C Serums available in South Africa contain other skin beneficial ingredients such as Vitamin E and powerful antioxidants such as ferulic acid to boost the effects of vitamin c on your skin.
This article includes everything you need to know to add vitamin C serum to your routine.
TOP 6 Skin Enhancing Benefits of Vitamin C for South Africans
1. Vitamin C Serum has an Excellent Safety Profile
Vitamin C has an excellent safety profile. Most people can use topical vitamin C for an extended period of time without experiencing any adverse reactions. Some people who have hypersensitive skin may experience minor irritation but this disappears after the first few days. Vitamin C is also safe to use in conjunction with other skin care actives, including retinols, cosmetics and under your make-up regimen.
2. Hydrating Benefits of Vitamin C Serums
Vitamin C serums have a hydrating effect on skin. It enhances the production of barrier lipids and induces differentiation of keratinocytes which be instrumental in the formation of the stratum corneum and may thereby influence the ability of the skin to protect itself from water loss. This means Vitamin C decreases transepidermal water loss and allows your skin to better retain moisture.
3. Vitamin C Decreases Redness and Improves Skin Tone
Vitamin C has been proven to treat many skin conditions. A significant body of scientific research supports the use of cosmeceuticals containing vitamin C. Cutaneous benefits include promoting collagen synthesis, photoprotection from ultraviolet A and B, lightening hyperpigmentation, and improvement of a variety of inflammatory dermatoses. Because of the diverse biologic effects of this compound, topical vitamin C has become a useful part of current skin treatment regimens.
4. Vitamin C Serum - Reduces Hyperpigmentation
Hyperpigmentation including sun spots, dark marks, and melasma — occurs when melanin is overproduced in certain areas of the skin. It can also happen in areas where acne has healed and scarred.
Vitamin C serums have been shown to decrease melanin synthesis known as melanogenesis. This activity has been proposed to be due to its ability to interfere with the action of tyrosinase, the rate-limiting enzyme in melanogenesis. This can help fade dark spots and acne scars and lead to a more even-toned complexion.
5. Vitamin C Serum Increases Natural Collagen Production
Collagen is a naturally occurring protein that depletes over time. Lower levels of collagen can lead to weaker skin that develops fine lines and wrinkles.
Vitamin C is well known for boosting collagen production. Vitamin C acts as a co-factor for the proline and lysine hydroxylases that stabilise the collagen molecule tertiary structure in the deeper skin layers that give your skin its solid structure. It also promotes collagen gene expression which results in an increase in the natural production of collagen.
6. Vitamin C Serums can Protect against Sun Damage
Sun damage is caused by molecules called free radicals that can lead to significant damage to the skin. Free radicals cause hyperpigmentation, dark marks and acne scars to worsen over time. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant which neutralizes the effects of free radicals. South Africans spend a lot of time in the sun and this is one of the leading causes skin damage and hyperpigmentation in the country.
How to Use a Vitamin C Serum
Although topical vitamin C is generally well-tolerated, all skin products have the potential to cause side effects. You should always do a patch test to assess your risk for allergic reaction. Here’s how:
- Select a small area of skin on your arm.
- Apply a small amount of product (4-5 drops), massage gently into the skin and wait 24 hours.
- If no side effects occur, you can apply the serum to your face. Discontinue use if you develop a rash, redness, or hives.
Vitamin C serum can be applied once or twice per day. A good rule of thumb is to cleanse, tone, apply vitamin C serum, and then moisturize.
It can be safely used in conjunction with other active ingredients, although using niacinamide and vitamin c at the same time may make vitamin C less effective.
Make sure to check your product’s best before date. If the product has darkened or otherwise changed colour, the vitamin C has likely oxidized. Although the product is still safe to use, it no longer carries the same benefits. Products available in South Africa have usually been in storage or on the shelves for a long time (especially imported Vitamin C Serums) resulting in very weak effectivity of the active vitamin C. This is the key reason for the disappointing results that so many South Africans experience with the Vitamin C serums available in the country.
Consistency is key for maximum effect, so add it to your routine in a way that makes sense for you. Some people apply it in the morning to take advantage of its UV-protectant properties, while others find that it works best as a night serum.
Potential Side Effects and Risks of Vitamin C Serum
Vitamin C serums are generally very safe, however irritation may occur in people with very sensitive skin.
If your skin is very sensitive, avoid products with L-ascorbic acid. Products with magnesium ascorbyl phosphate may be less likely to cause irritation however magnesium ascorbyl phosphate does have a weaker vitamin C effect than L-ascorbic acid.
Discontinue use if you begin to experience irritation or discomfort. Consult with your physician before use and always keep out of reach of children.