Consumers across the board want glowing, radiant skin. Luckily, there is a powerful ingredient that can quickly help create a luminous complexion: vitamin C.
“Vitamin C is an ingredient that should be part of everyone’s skincare routine—regardless of age or skin type. It’s known and loved for its brightening and anti-aging abilities, and dermatologists also tout it for being one of the strongest protective antioxidants out there,” writes Arielle Franklin in Brydie.
For glow-seeking consumers, vitamin C serums are the perfect formulation to create radiant skin, thanks to the powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of vitamin C.
What’s the best form?
In order for the skin to absorb and utilize vitamin C, it needs to be delivered in the form of L-ascorbic acid or sodium ascorbyl phosphate.
Many skincare experts prefer sodium ascorbyl phosphate, a form of vitamin C with a salt molecule attached to it. This form allows the molecule to easily penetrate and permeate the skin’s lipid barrier. Additionally, sodium ascorbyl phosphate is often less irritating than L-ascorbic acid.
Supercharged serums
Vitamin C is a notoriously sensitive skincare ingredient, and breaks down when exposed to light, heat, and oxygen.
This makes liquid facial serums an invaluable format for delivering vitamin C. Liquid vitamin C based serums, when stored properly, can stay stable and effective for longer, as compared to other forms.
But, a longer shelf life is not the only benefit of a vitamin C facial serum. Vitamin C serums are also beloved by dermatologists for their speedy, visible results.
“Vitamin C helps produce collagen, which keeps skin firm and reduces the appearance of wrinkles, and protects skin from sun damage and dark spots,” Ranella Hirsch, M.D., dermatologist, told Prevention. “Between these varied functions, the majority of folks can benefit from having vitamin C in their skincare routine.”
An antioxidant powerhouse
First and foremost, vitamin C serums are a fast track to glowing skin because of the ability of vitamin C to scavenge and neutralize free radicals.
Free radicals are molecules with unpaired electrons. Free radicals seek out and steal electrons from other cells, which results in a wide variety of damages to the skin. Some of the top issues associated with free radical exposure? Dullness, discoloration, accelerated aging, spotting, and even the breakdown of important proteins like collagen.
Vitamin C is an antioxidant powerhouse!
Unfortunately, modern consumers regularly encounter free radicals from a number of sources, including UV rays, smoke, smog, pesticides, cleaning products, particulate matter, and other forms of pollution.
But, despite the ubiquity of skin-damaging free radicals, there’s good news for consumers. Vitamin C is a top notch ingredient for protecting the skin from free radicals, thanks to its rich antioxidant properties and ability to defend against UV damage.
“Squeezing lemon juice on an apple or avocado can significantly help reduce browning — that is the power of vitamins and antioxidants in action,” Suzanne LeRoux, founder of One Love Organics told Today. “When you take vitamins and antioxidants and apply them externally, you can counteract the damaging effects, in the same way as squeezing a lemon.”
A powerful anti-inflammatory
“Vitamin C is a key component to many skin-brightening regimens, as it interferes with pigment production and keeps inflammation at bay”
Joshua Zeichner, Mount Sinai Hospital
Another key reason vitamin C serums are critical to a glowing complexion? Vitamin C acts as a melanin inhibitor.
Melanin is a natural skin pigment. However, when melanin cells become damaged or unhealthy, melanin production can kick into overdrive. (Think: skin turning a darker color after a sunburn). When melanin production is negatively impacted, skin tone issues are more likely to occur. Some of the top issues? Discoloration, hyperpigmentation, dark spots, or an uneven and dull skin tone.
Luckily, a vitamin C serum can hep reduce the frequency of these skincare issues by inhibiting melanin production.
“Vitamin C is a key component to many skin-brightening regimens, as it interferes with pigment production and keeps inflammation at bay,” Joshua Zeichner,director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital, told Allure.
By reducing melanin production and acting as a powerful anti-inflammatory, a vitamin C serum can help reduce discoloration issues like hyperpigmentation or dark spots and create a more glowing complexion in the process.
A bright future
Renowned for reducing the damage caused by free radicals, reducing issues like hyperpigmentation, and for brightening complexions, vitamin C is poised to be a knockout ingredient in modern facial serums.
