Get Your Shine On: Adding Vitamin C to Your Skincare Routine
Are you ready for a bright, even, glowing complexion? A simple nutrient – vitamin C – can help you achieve younger looking skin!
Humans can’t make vitamin C like most other animals, and we need to get it from our diet. Vitamin C is one reason eating fruits and vegetables is essential for health. However, even with a healthy diet and vitamin C supplementation, only a small percentage makes it to the skin. Vitamin C becomes depleted by daily exposures to the sun, pollution, and other stressors.
Enter vitamin C skincare. Topical skincare products containing vitamin C promote vitamin C accumulation in the skin, which helps the skin do its job: protect you from the outside world. Vitamin C skin benefits include antioxidant protection, anti-aging, and anti-pigmentation effects.
Today’s article will answer the question: what does vitamin C do for your skin? We’ll dive into the science and how to get the benefits of vitamin C in your skincare products. Keep reading to learn more about:
- Vitamin C in skincare products, including vitamin C facial serum
- Vitamin C benefits for skin
- How to incorporate vitamin C into your skincare routine
Let’s explore this exciting topic!
Vitamin C in Skincare Products
L-ascorbic acid and tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (BV-OSC) are the forms of vitamin C you’ll find in NassifMD® skincare products. They are active forms, and well-studied for their antioxidant and other skin benefits.
L-ascorbic acid crystals are essential in NassifMD® Micro-Spa Radiance Resurfacing Peel. They exfoliate and revitalize the skin, while removing the dead skin cells that produce a dull and rough complexion.
BV-OSC is an active ingredient in NassifMD® Radiance Brightening Booster – Vitamin C Serum, NassifMD® Night Therapy Serum, NassifMD® Dermaflect Smart Day Therapy Serum, and NassifMD® Micro-Spa Radiance Resurfacing Peel. BV-OSC is a very stable form of vitamin C that brightens and smooths the skin.
Read more about these products and their benefits below, but first let’s look at some of the places you’ll find vitamin C – in serums, creams, and masks.
Face Serums
Face serums and vitamin C serums are the most popular vitamin C products. Serums are lightweight, often water-based, skincare products that offer concentrated active ingredients directly to the skin. We’ll cover the benefits of vitamin C serums more below. If you’re curious how to apply vitamin C serum, use it on clean skin twice per day as you would other serums.
Skin Creams
In addition to a vitamin C face serum, vitamin C may be an ingredient in lotions and creams. Vitamin C face cream is a thicker product that not only offers vitamin C but locks it in place with the addition of occlusive oils. Use skin creams as the last step in your skincare routine.
Face Masks
Face masks are designed to resurface and rejuvenate the skin by targeting active ingredients into skin layers. Face masks are another delivery method of vitamin C.
Vitamin C Benefits for Your Skin
What does vitamin C do for the skin? Vitamin C’s benefits are far-reaching and supported by research. It promotes collagen production, skin brightening, reduction of dark areas, antioxidant protection, and more. Let’s take a closer look.
Collagen Synthesis and Promotion of Skin Elasticity
Collagen is the skin’s primary structural protein, helping to keep the skin firm and hydrated. With age, collagen begins to break down, leading to fine lines and laxity.
Vitamin C is a cofactor in collagen production. Higher concentrations of vitamin C in the skin:
- Increase collagen synthesis
- Stabilize collagen proteins
- And slows collagen breakdown
Vitamin C skincare products help promote healthy collagen levels, leading to firmer, younger-looking skin with more elasticity.
Brightening and Evening Skin Tone
Another vitamin C advantage for skin is its brightening properties. Topical vitamin C helps reduce redness and protect against oxidative damage. Vitamin C also blocks melanin (skin pigment) production, which can lead to a brighter, more even skin tone.
Reduction of Hyperpigmentation and Dark Spots
As mentioned, vitamin C is a non-toxic strategy to interrupt key stages of melanogenesis (melanin production). This action can help fade hyperpigmentation on the face, including dark spots, age spots, acne scars, and more.
Further, vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect the skin against sun damage, the primary cause of hyperpigmentation.
Anti-Inflammatory and Soothing Properties
Vitamin C is also anti-inflammatory and soothing. It works well for all skin types in concentrations up to 20%. It may cause minor skin irritation in some at higher concentrations, but under 20%, it tends to be more soothing, and this is what you’ll find in over-the-counter skincare products.
Tips for Incorporating Vitamin C into Your Skincare routine
We recommend using vitamin C daily as part of your skincare routine because it is easily depleted when your skin is exposed to sunlight, pollution, and other stresses. You can use it in the morning to provide antioxidant protection and at night to replenish levels.
Additionally, vitamin C works well with other active ingredients. It’s gentle and safe and can be used along with hydroxy acids, retinols, sunscreen, niacinamide, and more.
NassifMD® facial plastic surgeon skincare is expertly formulated to contain multiple active ingredients for synergistic effects. Our vitamin C products are no exception. Let’s look at the recommended options for boosting this critical skin nutrient.
What Skin Products to Combine Vitamin C With?
NassifMD® skincare offers medical spa-quality products in the privacy of your home for fast and effective results. Let’s examine the recommended vitamin C options for boosting this critical skin nutrient.
NassifMD® Radiance Brightening Booster – Vitamin C Serum is our popular vitamin C brightening serum. With 10% vitamin C, it smooths and brightens the skin while reducing areas of hyperpigmentation and unevenness. It boosts collagen production, which helps keep the skin hydrated and protected, leading to a younger appearance.
In a consumer perception study:
- 100% of users report plumper, more hydrated skin
- 100% report smoother, softer skin
- 100% report the product is gentle on skin
- 96% report firmer skin
- 89% report a reduction in sun damage and dark spots
- 89% report a radiant, youthful glow
In this formula, you’ll find vitamin C as BV-OSC, a stable form of active vitamin C, and vitamin F forte (high antioxidant omega complex), macadamia esters, squalene, and meadowfoam seed oil. Layer Radiance Brightening Booster with other serums for combined benefits.
NassifMD® Night Therapy Serum is a firming and plumping serum designed by Dr. Nassif for nighttime use. It contains two active forms of vitamin C to fight free radical damage and reduce wrinkles, along with plant extracts, retinol, and hyaluronic acid.
Clinically, users notice results just two hours after the first application. After two weeks, they saw significant improvements in skin hydration. Dr. Nassif calls this product “beauty sleep in a bottle,” and at least some of the benefits are because of potent, topical vitamin C.
NassifMD® Dermaflect Smart Day Therapy Serum is your daytime must-have for vitamin C antioxidant benefits. After applying, the sun activates it to safeguard the skin with antioxidants including vitamins C and E. It also contains hyaluronic acid, minerals, and additional antioxidants to hydrate, repair, and protect the skin.
Users note it helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, plumps the skin, and blurs imperfections.
NassifMD® Micro-Spa Radiance Resurfacing Peel is a two-step resurfacing peel designed to exfoliate, promote cellular turnover, and maintain the skin’s barrier. Step 1 (Radiance Resurfacing Mask) contains vitamin C crystals and BV-OSC to infuse vitamin C where it’s needed for instant brightening and evening effects. After the exfoliating step, Step 2 (Radiance Activating AHA/BHA Gel) foams for vital cleansing and extra exfoliation.
Dr. Nassif recommends this at-home version of his medical spa resurfacing treatments as a complete reset for your skin.
Vitamin C is a common nutrient with incredible skin-brightening and rejuvenating powers. It should be at the top of your mind when shopping for spring (and year-round) skincare. Topical vitamin C, as part of serums and other skincare products, boosts collagen, reduces dark spots, and provides potent antioxidant protection where you need it most.
References
- Al-Niaimi F, Chiang NYZ. Topical Vitamin C and the Skin: Mechanisms of Action and Clinical Applications.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2017;10(7):14-17.
- Pullar JM, Carr AC, Vissers MCM. The Roles of Vitamin C in Skin Health.Nutrients. 2017;9(8):866. Published 2017 Aug 12.
- Sanadi RM, Deshmukh RS. The effect of Vitamin C on melanin pigmentation - A systematic review.J Oral Maxillofac Pathol. 2020;24(2):374-382.
