If you’ve delved into the wild world of skin care, you probably already know that finding the best vitamin C serum for your skin can be a very rewarding and challenging endeavor. In particular, this antioxidant ingredient is great for controlling hyperpigmentation problems (including acne scars and dark spots) and even out skin tone. But how do you know what’s right for your skin?
There are tons of facial serums on the market, as well as facial moisturizers and cleansers that contain vitamin C. So what’s the best way to use these products to get the most out of them? When will you see results? Here’s everything you need to know when you’re looking for the best vitamin C serum to add to your skincare routine.
What does vitamin C do to your skin?
A great vitamin C tip in skin care is that if you know what it’s used for, it can do some very useful things. For one, vitamin C actually inhibits the production of melanin, a pigment in the skin, which makes it a key ingredient in controlling hyperpigmentation (including sun spots and age spots) and generally evening out skin tone.
Second, vitamin C is an antioxidant, which means it helps neutralize free radicals . These are unstable atoms that form as a result of exposure to environmental stressors such as UV light and pollution. Over time, free radicals can cause oxidative stress, which can damage the skin and lead to premature signs of aging. Daily use of powerful antioxidants like sunscreen and vitamin C is the best way to protect yourself from free radical damage.
What should you be looking for in a vitamin C serum?
There are many vitamin C serums to choose from, so if you think you might benefit from using a vitamin C serum on your face, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Focus
First, think Think about the vitamin concentration you may need. If your pigmentation problem is mild, or you have dry or sensitive skin, be sure to start on the low end, around 5%, as vitamin C products can be irritating at higher concentrations. However, if your problem is moderate to severe, or you have been using vitamin C products for a while without any sensitivity issues, you can go all the way up to 20%. However, the effects you get from vitamin C products level off after 20%, so there’s no reason to pay more for anything above that concentration. Unfortunately, not all companies clearly label how much vitamin C their products contain.
Forms
Second, think about the form of vitamin C in your product that’s being viewed contains. This is a very unstable ingredient because it is sensitive to both oxygen and light, so you’ll want to keep an eye out for products that use a more stable and potent form of vitamin C. Certain forms of vitamin C are also better for certain skin types, such as acne-prone skin. For example, sodium ascorbyl phosphate is water-soluble, which means it’s more likely to be used in lighter, water-based products that are more suitable for oily skin. But ascorbyl palmitate is fat-soluble, which means you’re more likely to see it in vitamin C oil or other moisturizing formulas that are better suited for mature and/or dry skin.
