Vitamin C is one of those miracle ingredients that everyone in the world of skin care is raging about. But how does Vitamin C benefit the skin? Is a Vitamin C serum really necessary for glowing skin? In what form should you use Vitamin C on your skin? Worry not, we’re here to answer all your burning questions about this key ingredient and show you how to use the different products that contain it.
does Vitamin C improve the skin?
The short answer is, yes! Vitamin C is an active ingredient that is already found naturally in your skin’s outer and inner dermis or layers. Applied topically, this multitasking ingredient provides multiple benefits to the skin, including:
- hydrates and moisturises
- brightens and firms
- reduces redness and inflammation
- targets hyperpigmentation
- as a powerful antioxidant, it protects from free radical damage
- promotes the production of collagen, thereby leading to smoother, even, healthier-looking skin
- protects against sun damage
- reduces puffiness and under-eye circles
how can you add Vitamin C to your skin care routine?
Vitamin C is an active ingredient that, when applied topically, is able to penetrate deeper into your skin’s layers to target specific concerns, resulting in healthier skin. While the most common way of using Vitamin C for the skin is with a serum, there are other skin care products that contain Vitamin C as well.
toner: a toner essentially refreshes and hydrates the skin, locking in moisture that is lost while cleansing. The Dermalogica Antioxidant Hydramist is an intensely hydrating toner for dry, ageing, prematurely ageing, dehydrated and pigmented skin, in which the Vitamin C helps build skin elasticity and firmness, and evens skin tone.
serum: the most popular way to incorporate Vitamin C into your skin care routine, facial serums are extremely effective in getting this key ingredient to penetrate into your skin’s epidermis. The much-loved Dermalogica Biolumin-C Serum is a high-performing serum, replete with Vitamin C, that works with the skin’s own defences for brighter, firmer and more radiant skin. Dermalogica has also recently introduced the Biolumin-C Eye Serum, also containing the goodness of Vitamin C, which has been specially formulated to hydrate, firm and brighten the delicate under-eye area, which is much thinner than that of the rest of your face.
moisturiser: one of the key benefits of Vitamin C in a moisturiser is that it provides antioxidant benefits to stimulate collagen production, reduce inflammation and to regulate melanin production. Dermalogica has not one, not two, but three moisturisers that contain Vitamin C, to suit different skin types. The all-time favourite Skin Smoothing Cream provides 48 hours of intense hydration and shields the skin’s natural microbiomes. The Barrier Repair Moisturiser melts into the skin, preventing water loss, protecting from environmental damage and soothing the skin. The Pure Night Treatment Cream, as the name suggests, is an overnight treatment cream that restores the skin’s luminosity, controls hyperpigmentation, encourages collagen synthesis and hydrates the skin.
can you use Vitamin C on your skin every day?
While it is suitable for almost all skin types, since Vitamin C is an active ingredient, our Dermalogica experts recommend starting by using it every other day, to see how your skin responds. A certain amount of purging is normal once you introduce a new ingredient to your skin care routine, and once it settles, you can start using a Vitamin C serum or moisturiser every day.
is it better to use Vitamin C topically or to consume Vitamin C supplements?
Topical application of vitamins versus taking supplementation is a common question asked. Ingesting any vitamin can definitely improve skin health, but most of the benefit will be directed to vital organs before the skin. Moreover, it takes around two to three weeks to build up sufficient vitamin stores to gain valuable skin benefits. Topically applied, vitamins affect the skin immediately and at full potency. So if you’re specifically looking for the skin benefits of Vitamin C, it is advisable to use it topically.