Vitamin C is one of the most popular skincare ingredients on the market right now. But it’s also the most misunderstood.
I get a lot of skincare questions every day and many of them have to do with Vitamin C or our 20% Vitamin C PLUMPING SERUM. There are so many myths about this ingredient out there, so I thought it was time to set the record straight about Vitamin C.
Keep reading to learn more!
MYTH 1 - “ALL VITAMIN C IS THE SAME”
There are many types and formulations of Vitamin C. Most products that have Vitamin C just say “Vitamin C” on their packaging and advertisements. But if you actually read the ingredients you might find names like ascorbyl glucoside, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate, etc., but be warned, each of these contains additives along with a form of Vitamin C. You might also see “L-Ascorbic Acid,” which is actually the most potent form of Vitamin C available on the market - it also happens to be the type that is in our PLUMPING SERUM.
Each kind of Vitamin C impacts your skin differently, both in terms of potency, risk of irritation and how effective it is.
If Vitamin C products you’ve tried before didn’t seem right for you because they didn’t work or caused irritation, check out what type of Vitamin C was used, the percentage of Vitamin C in it, and the formula’s pH level. This will help you narrow down what doesn’t work and find something that does.
MYTH 2 - “VITAMIN C CAUSES SUN SENSITIVITY”
In its most pure form, Vitamin C is acidic, leading many people to believe that it can increase sun sensitivity, so they only use it in the evening. But unlike other acids, Vitamin C doesn’t impact skin sensitivity.
In fact, Vitamin C actually protects from the sun - it’s a powerful antioxidant, meaning that it actively fights free radicals from the sun. This doesn’t mean that you can skip out on SPF, however. You’ll have even more protection for your skin if you combine VItamin C with a strong, mineral-based SPF like our MINERAL TINT SPF 31, our tinted, moisturizing sunscreen.
This means that you can use your Vitamin C products in the morning and/or the evening. For example, if you’re looking for the antioxidative benefits throughout the day, you can apply in the morning. But if you’re focused on rejuvenation and boosting collagen production, using it in the evening would be great.
MYTH 3 - “VITAMIN C IS NOT FOR SENSITIVE SKIN”
Vitamin C is something that our bodies cannot make on their own, so we need to get it where we can, either topically or through our diet. Thankfully, all skin types can use Vitamin C, as long as you find the right product for your skin.
MYTH 4 - “YOU CAN GROW RESISTANT TO VITAMIN C”
I’ve received a lot of questions about skin tolerance and ingredient resistance. And while it is true that the number of receptors in skin can decrease or become less sensitive to certain ingredients over time, studies have not shown this happening with Vitamin C.
There are actually specific receptors in the skin that are involved in processing and utilizing Vitamin C, so don’t worry, you can use it every day without it ever wearing off.
MYTH 5 - “VITAMIN C CANNOT BE COMBINED WITH ACIDS, RETINOL, NIACINAMIDE”
A myth I hear from a lot of concerned customers is that Vitamin C cannot be combined with active ingredients like acids, retinol, and niacinamide. This comes from an outdated study showing reactions between them, but in reality, there’s no potential for reaction unless they’re combined at HIGH temperatures, which will definitely not happen in a normal skincare routine.
If you’re still concerned about combining Vitamin C with other active ingredients, start with Vitamin C in the morning and then use other actives in the evening.
For example, apply our PLUMPING SERUM in the morning to provide antioxidant protection throughout the day and our BAKUCHIOL WONDER SERUM in the evening for a hydrating, brightening, and lifting treatment.
There are plenty of myths out there about Vitamin C - hopefully this clears things up a bit. If you have more questions about Vitamin C and how it can improve your skin, call us at (727) 286-7684 or CONTACT US here.
XOXO,
Denice
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