Table of Content
You probably know that vitamin c (Ascorbic acid) is an essential vitamin that should be consumed in the diet; But do you know it is also used to make vitamin C serum which is a skin-care product packed with vitamin C?
What is vitamin C serum?
A vitamin C serum is a skin-care product packed with vitamin C. It is usually applied to the skin after cleansing but before moisturizing with the intent of delivering powerful ingredients directly into the skin. The serum is particularly suited to this task because it is made up of smaller molecules that can penetrate deeply into the skin and are used to deliver a very high concentration of active ingredients.
The benefit of vitamin C to the skin is that it is an antioxidant, which means they are molecules that neutralize free radicals, unstable molecules that can harm your cells. These free radicals get to the skin from external sources like air pollution, or from inside the body; For instance, when cells use oxygen to generate energy, free radicals are created as a consequence of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production by the mitochondria.
Benefits of vitamin C serum
-
Protection Against Sun Damage
“Vitamin C helps boost antioxidant protection to neutralize the effects of UVA and UVB rays in tandem with helping to reverse visible signs of sun damage,” explains Youth To The People's Director of Education, Laura Cline.
Clinical studies have shown that combining vitamin C with other topical ingredients, namely ferulic acid and vitamin E, can diminish redness and help protect the skin from long-term damage caused by harmful sun rays.
-
Smoothen Wrinkles
A few clinical studies have demonstrated that vitamin C can improve wrinkles.
A study showed that daily use of a vitamin C formulation for at least three months improved the appearance of fine and coarse wrinkles of the face and neck, as well as improved overall skin texture and appearance.
-
Collagen Boost
Collagen is the most common protein found in the body. It is naturally present in your skin and helps keep it from sagging. But your body slows down collagen production as you age. Vitamin C applied to the skin encourages new collagen to grow.
-
Wound Healing
A study found that taking vitamin C supplements had a positive effect on skin healing and growth by boosting antioxidant levels in the body and the skin.
This is partly because collagen formation is associated with wound healing, and vitamin C boosts collagen production.
-
It Helps Diminish Hyperpigmentation
Hyperpigmentation is a common condition that makes some areas of the skin darker than others. “Hyper” means more, and “pigment” means color.
Hyperpigmentation can appear as brown, black, gray, red, or pink spots or patches. The spots are sometimes called age spots, sun spots, or liver spots.
Vitamin C inhibits melanin synthesis by downregulating the activity of an enzyme known as tyrosinase. It's widely used in dermatology for reducing the pigmentation of hyperpigmented spots on the skin.
Does your skin need vitamin C serum?
Although it depends on the type of skin you have, Vitamin C has an excellent safety profile. Most people can use topical vitamin C for an extended period without experiencing any adverse reactions.
A 2017 review of research notes that vitamin C may cause minor skin irritation in concentrations above 20%. Because of this, its concentration often ranges between 10% and 20% in skin care products.
Although irritation is unlikely, the best way to know if your skin will get a positive or negative impact is by performing a patch test before full application. This is the only way to determine how your skin will react to the serum.
As with any skin care product, some people may experience side effects like itching, redness, and skin irritation when using vitamin C serum.
While some people might experience a slight burning or tingling sensation when using the serum, it should not last long. If a person experiences continued burning or signs of an allergic reaction, they should immediately wash their skin to remove the serum.