The benefits of Vitamin C for your skin
The benefits of Vitamin C for your skin and face
Also known as ascorbic acid, Vitamin C is an active ingredient that’s famed for its antioxidant properties. The best way for your skin to reap its benefits is to consume it through food (such as peppers, oranges, strawberries and kiwifruits – all excellent sources of Vitamin C) and apply it directly to your skin.
One of the many great things about Vitamin C is that it works with all skin types. It can brighten dull complexions, help mature skin to fight the signs of aging, and fade scars and hyperpigmentation – which often affect acne-prone and dark skin.
The properties of Vitamin C for the skin of the face
Vitamin C is, above all, known for its antioxidant properties. It contains molecules that slow the production of free radicals – oxidizing agents that affect the structure of the skin and cause it to age. Vitamin C is involved in the production of collagen – a protein that enables skin tissue to regenerate and helps to maintain skin’s elasticity. It also has an impact on melanin production. This allows it to reduce the appearance of dark spots (which often appear as we get older), as well as scars left by spots, and to help even out skin tone. Last but not least, Vitamin C helps to protect your skin against environmental aggressors such as UV rays and pollution. But please note: that doesn’t mean you can use it as a sunscreen. You should still wear sun protection when you’re out in the sun!
With so many benefits, it goes without saying that Vitamin C is an outstanding pro-aging ingredient!
How should you use Vitamin C on your face?
We’ve already mentioned that getting Vitamin C from your diet is one of the best ways to deliver its benefits to your skin. But another good way, of course, is to use skincare products that contain it. A concentration of at least 5% is needed for Vitamin C to be effective in a facial serum. And you may be interested to know that a recent American study demonstrated the effectiveness of this vitamin on skin aging by evaluating a facial serum with a 20% concentration.
A word of warning: you should not apply pure Vitamin C on the skin of your face. It can be irritating and is not easily absorbed. This is why you’ll usually find it mixed with other active ingredients, to help the molecules penetrate the skin and create a synergic effect. In this way, you get skincare products that are both more effective and more pleasant to use.
When should you apply Vitamin C on the skin?
Vitamin C can be applied to the skin both morning and evening, but it’s important to be aware that it is not compatible with certain other active ingredients. If it’s used in conjunction with retinol, lactic acid, glycolic acid, azelaic acid or salicylic acid, for example, the combination could lead to severe skin irritation. So, if you wish to include any of these ingredients in your skincare routine, it’s best to use them in the evening, then use Vitamin C in the morning. And make sure you cleanse your skin well first, to avoid any reactions.
What skincare products with Vitamin C are best for the face?
Vitamin C can be found in a multitude of products that care for the face and/or body, but the quality of the Vitamin C chosen and the formula itself are both important if you want good results.
At Absolution, we decided from day one that we wanted to create products containing over 99% naturally derived ingredients, and with a high concentration of active ingredients. Many of our skincare products contain Vitamin C. Le Baume, our nourishing balm for lips and dry patches on the face, is just one of them. It nourishes and protects the skin – and one of the main ingredients that helps to do this is Marula Oil. This oil is extracted from the seeds of the marula fruit, which contain eight times more Vitamin C than an orange! You’ll also find this vitamin in our antioxidant serum, Le Booster SUPERFOOD, which plumps and revitalizes the skin thanks to Acerola – a berry packed with Vitamin C. And finally, our body scrub, Le Gommage Corps Éclat, contains Vitamin C from Meadowsweet. This one-of-a-kind scrub has an oil-in-gel texture that transforms into a milky lotion on contact with water, while its fine, round granules gently exfoliate away dead cells. It leaves skin feeling nourished and velvety soft, and leaves a beautiful scent in your bathroom!
