The Ultimate Guide to Topical Vitamin C

Happy New Year Everyone! I just wanted to start off by wishing everyone a wonderful new year full of happiness, success and most of all health! This year will be a little different with more articles and more news coming soon… Get ready! And now to start off the year with our ultimate guide to topical vitamin C.

There isn’t a single person on this planet who hasn’t heard of vitamin C and its many benefits. Most people, however, are only aware of the efficacy of the nutritional intake of the vitamin and do not know how important and beneficial the topical application is. In my last article, I spoke about the benefits of ingesting Vitamin C, in this article, we will talk about using it topically.

In today’s guide, I will give you all the information you need on the different forms of Vitamin C available for topical application, why and how to use them. Let’s get started!

Differences Between Topical Use and Internal Use of Vitamin C

When we talk about vital nutrients for our health, vitamin C surely pops up in our minds. This vitamin is water-soluble, and unfortunately, our body does not store it. Therefore, we need to make sure we maintain adequate levels of it and a daily intake of food that stores it is the perfect solution.

Vitamin C offers various benefits to our health- it helps the strengthening of our bones, it wards off illnesses, boosts our immune system, and is a vital component in our blood vessels. What’s more, this essential vitamin has an antioxidant activity that actually reduces the risk of cancer.

Vitamin C occurs in many foods, especially vegetables and fruits, and that’s why people know more about the internal (oral) use of Vitamin C and not the topical one. However, Vitamin C is super beneficial not only for internal our functions but for our skin as well. If you haven’t checked out my article ‘Vitamin C- The Miracle in the Cosmetic Industry’, make sure you do, and if you have, let’s continue on!

Exposing our skin to the sun may lead to many problems. Topical Vitamin C prevents skin aging and even melanoma formation caused by UVA rays. It is essential to mention that Vitamin C also keeps us safe from epidermal mutations, sunburn, ROS, and skin cancer caused by UVB rays.

Because of the above written, more and more people are taking an interest in the topical use of Vitamin C. Still, there are many forms of Vitamin C available on the market nowadays, and one must be able to make a difference between them.

Types of Topical Vitamin C.

When and Why to Use Them

Let’s have a look at the different formulations you get to choose from.

Serum

These products are thinner in consistency than creams and lotions, but they are the only ones containing active Vitamin C in an almost colorless form. Don’t worry though if your serum is yellow, this is only normal, as vitamin C is unstable and, when exposed to light, gets oxidized to DHAA (Dehydro Ascorbic Acid)

The Micronutrient Information Center in Linus Pauling Institute, confirms that serums containing Vitamin C are great for limiting the damage induced by sun exposure. Serums are also a great choice when it comes to wrinkles. Be careful, however, as there are two basic types of serums- heavy and light.

Heavy Vitamin C serums are not the best choice for dehydrated, dry, and sensitive skin, as they have a high percentage of L-ascorbic acid. If your skin is dry, you should look for a lighter serum with less than 20% L-ascorbic acid.

In terms of potency, serums score higher than all other types of skincare products, as they have a relatively higher concentration of ascorbic acid.

Face Cream or Moisturizer

These are mostly focused on hydrating the skin and are not as powerful as serums. They contain Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, which is a water-soluble derivative of Vitamin C.

MAP is definitely not as strong as Vitamin C Suspension, which you can see in Vitamin C serums, but it has certain skin brightening benefits, in addition to the general benefits that pure Vitamin C offers.

Vitamin C creams and moisturizers are stable in water and do not cause any stinging to your skin. It takes 5 to 10 seconds for your skin to absorb them, and the best part is that they are not very expensive, and you can find a reliable product for a reasonable price.

Powder

As we already mentioned. Vitamin C is an antioxidant; therefore, it breaks down when it is exposed to air. Indeed Vitamin C serums contain a high percentage of this vitamin; however, if you look for pure Vitamin C, the best choice you can make is to buy Vitamin C powder.

The L-ascorbic acid powder is really stable and is meant to be mixed with your other skincare products- serum, moisturizer, etc. Many people prefer the form of powder, as when you think about it, you add a fresh dose of Vitamin C every time you use your skincare products.

One good rule of thumb is giving your skin time to adjust to the vitamin. In the beginning, we recommend that you use less Vitamin C powder, as you may experience some tingling or other irritation due to the fact that your skin has not developed a tolerance yet. Do not worry, though, this is something normal!

Oil

These are oil-soluble derivatives of Vitamin C that are super stable. Vitamin C oils can be used in higher concentrations, but their potency is not as strong as the one of pure L-Ascorbic Acid.

When we talk about oils, many people prefer Ethylated Ascorbic Acid solutions, like the Ethylated Ascorbic Acid 15% Solution, because they have a water-free formula and the ethylated form is direct-acting.

Benefits of Vitamin C

If you are still not sure that you want to add Vitamin C to your daily skincare routine, you can do a simple experiment at your house, that will once again show you how important the usage of this vitamin is. Watch this exciting video to find out what you need to do.

Now, as our article comes to an end, let’s have a quick sum-up of what the benefits Vitamin C offers are:

Tightens your skin

Slows down skin aging

It protects skin from sun damage

Keeps your skin hydrated

Reduces wrinkles