Why Fresh is Better when it comes to Vitamin C serums
All active ingredients in skincare products degrade over time and become inactive. This is especially true for the most effective form of Vitamin C known as L-Ascorbic Acid. L-ascorbic acid is famously unstable as it is highly susceptible to air and light. When exposed to these factors L-ascorbic acid degrades at a rapid rate and can be up to 80% less effective by the time a product reaches you.
This degradation process usually takes place when products are transported over long distances in hot shipping containers or when these products have been sitting on retail shelves for extended periods.
This all means that if you really want the amazing effects of Vitamin C for your skin you need to guarantee that your vitamin C serum is as fresh as possible from the manufacturing date. Especially if it contains l-Ascorbic acid which is the most active form of vitamin C for skin benefits.
What most cosmetic scientists do to solve this problem with L-ascorbic acid Vitamin C serums?
Most cosmetic scientists choose not to use l-ascorbic acid in their vitamin C serums because of the short shelf life. They opt to use alternate forms of Vitamin C including magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, ascorbyl glucoside, 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid or tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate that are considerably less effective compared to L-ascorbic acid. These forms of Vitamin C do not work as well as L- ascorbic acid when it comes to collagen stimulating properties and skin brightening effects.
How to choose the most effective Vitamin C Serum?
- Confirm that the serum contains L-ascorbic acid. This is the most effective form of vitamin c for correcting dark marks and stimulating collagen to decrease fine lines. It also has the strongest protective effect.
-The serum must have a pH of less than 4. A low pH serum slows down the degradation of l-Ascorbic Acid. You would not be able to establish this from the packaging, but a little research on the product website should give you this information.
- It is essential that the serum is contained in packaging that is light protective, this includes amber bottles or bottle sleeves that prevent light from coming into contact with the serum.
- The serum must have a cap that allows it to be tightly sealed after use to prevent exposure to air. Glass bottles are better than plastic at keeping out air.
- The product should not be older that 3-6 months from the manufacturing date. Products that contain other forms of vitamin C (Not l-ascorbic acid) have a longer shelf life but are far less effective.
- The serum should be clear to light yellow, a vitamin c serum that is dark yellow in colour has degraded and is ineffective.
- The serum should contain stabilizers and antioxidants that prolong its shelf life. This includes Vitamin E (tocopherol) and Ferulic Acid. Apart from its improved ability to slow down the degradation of l-ascorbic acid, these two co-ingredients also have their own benefits to skin health.
- Always ensure that you store your Vitamin C Serum in a cool, dry and dark place. Avoid storing in bathrooms and kitchens. A dark clothing cupboard in a bedroom is the preferred spot in most homes.
Our Flagship Vitamin CEF Serum
- is made with the highest quality premium L-ascorbic acid.
- it is delivered within days of manufacturing directly to you. This makes our product one of the freshest Vitamin C serums available in South Africa. This also ensures you get the exact completely active concentration of Vitamin C for the maximum therapeutic effect on your skin. You will feel and see the difference on day one.
- it is manufactured with a low pH below 4. This slows degradation of the l-ascorbic acid and increases skin permeability into the deeper skin layers where the Vitamin C does it work.
- packaged in air tight amber glass bottles. Glass bottles are more protective to changes in environmental factors and there is no leeching into products that are often seen with plastic bottles.
- we use a cold manufacturing process that does not expose the l-ascorbic acid to high temperatures. This ensures that there is no heat degradation of l-ascorbic acid during the manufacturing process.
