Vitamin C, isn’t that what my Nan told me to take when I had the flu…? How will that help my skin?
Well, this powerful little vitamin is every therapists secret to having great skin. I know you are all asking, so what does it do then??
The question should be what doesn’t this active little vitamin do?
To maintain healthy skin Vitamin C is a critical ingredient for the body to fight against ageing, free radicals and repairs premature skin damage. Vitamin C serums (depending on the product) increase collagen and elastin in the skin and gives a brightness to your overall complexion. I bet you are thinking ‘How has my therapist not put me on this magical potion’? The good news is that you can start now! As we age our body’s ability to produce chemicals for staying young depletes and a serum like this will fight back against ageing by replenishing your skin’s vitamin C levels in turn helping to combat and even reverse time’s effect on your face.
But how does it work on so many different things? I was always told that no product could do everything. Yes, this is correct there is not a ‘one’ dream cream or supernatural serum that will fix it all but I will tell you this, Vitamin C serum comes damn close and I truly believe there isn’t a single person that wouldn’t benefit from adding this into their skin care regime.
Let’s break it down then!
What Vitamin C does for…
Wrinkles
Now I can’t give you the exact scientific process of how Vitamin C works on wrinkles without get super technical and losing you all however I can give you a simple description of the effect it has on the wrinkles. One of the most powerful functions of vitamin C is its role in the production of collagen, a protein that gives your skin its elasticity. As you age, collagen breaks down and wrinkles begin to form. By using a Vitamin C serum every morning on your skin it will help stabilise the levels helping to counteract wrinkle formation.
Hyperpigmentation
When it comes to treating age spots, sun damage and hyperpigmentation Vitamin C is often overlooked. By combining Vitamin C serum in your daily routine with treatments such as chemical peels and lasers you will be gobsmacked by the results! Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, which is shown to reduce the number of sunburned cells as well as reverse age-related damage to skin. It will also work as a tyrosinase inhibitor so it helps prevent melanin production. The coolest thing about this little product is that while working on the pigmentation it won’t lighten the rest of the skin. It seems to target only the discolouration or pigmented areas. Please remember though it’s not a replacement for sunscreen you still need to put your sunscreen on everyday. (More on which sunscreens are best in next months blog)
Inflammation
Studies show Vitamin C has been found to work as an anti-inflammatory. Cells have been found to have decreased levels of inflammatory markers after the use of Vitamin C, this has some thinking it can help with post inflammatory hyperpigmentation. I’m still on the fence with this one but why not give it a try as it is so good for your skin anyway.
How do I use it and which product do I get?
People all over the world take vitamin C through a supplement or food as it is beneficial to your health, but to specifically target signs of ageing on your face, you need a topical vitamin C. You can drink all the orange juice in the world but that doesn’t mean your body will transport the vitamin C to your skin. True fact, applying vitamin C to the skin topically can be up to 20 times more effective than taking it orally. Ideally, you will use a Vitamin C serum every morning as it has sun protecting properties. Some people see changes in their skin as soon as 2-4 weeks while others may take 6-8 weeks to see a difference but at around 6 months you will be at your maximum benefits and skin looking great. Just remember the sooner you start the quicker you’ll reach your results!
On rare occasions some Vitamin C serums can cause mild dryness or flaking so you need to ensure that you are using a hydrating moisturiser to counteract this.
The bad news is that some products and brands of Vitamin C serums are not able to penetrate the superficial layers of the skin making the serum essentially useless. Vitamin C can be quite unstable and can inactivate quickly so when choosing your product consider its packaging and formulation. You want a product that comes in an airtight and UV protected package, if it does not DO NOT BUY IT! Vitamin C serums that are encapsulated are another method for which improves the stability of the product and some say causes less irritation on the skin in this form.
Look for products that contain between 10% and 20% and include the active ingredient ascorbic acid or L-ascorbic acid. Brands such as Skinceuticals and Medik8 have great Vitamin C serums that will have you skin looking amazing. You may need to start on a lower percentage if you are not the most skin savvy person and have not used active products before but today is the best day to change those bad habits and get on some great skin care that has active ingredients and will get you RESULTS!
Stay beautiful
xx
NEXT MONTH: Sunscreens – Is my sunscreen working? Which one should I be using?
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