Why loading up on vitamin C can do wonders for your skin.
If you want overall better-looking skin, turn to vitamin C. This powerhouse ingredient is a potent antioxidant that helps to soothe inflammation, firm up skin structures and brighten complexions. As an antioxidant, vitamin C not only combats external aggressors, such as free radicals generated by UV rays and air pollutants but also helps to repair tissue and reduce damage caused by inflammation and oxidation.
WHY WE NEED IT
The problem is, our body does not store vitamin C. To ensure we have an adequate amount, it needs to be consumed daily. Without sufficient vitamin C, a litany of issues can arise – from poor wound healing to fatigue, and inflamed skin, to name a few.
If you find your skin beset by dryness, dullness, fine lines or a rough, uneven texture, you may be lacking the very thing that your skin requires to stay healthy. Ageing and environmental pollutants can also cause the depletion of vitamin C in our skin. And that would result in lacklustre, tired-looking complexions.
While you can get your vitamin C from dietary sources such as berries, spinach, red peppers or oranges, topical antioxidants also work from the outside in to help stave off the damage caused by free radicals and boost collagen production. Topical vitamin C triggers the skin’s natural healing process and slow down premature skin ageing. It can also help inhibit melanin production, the process that leads to hyperpigmentation, discolouration and dark spots.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Although vitamin C is best in its most natural form, it is prone to oxidation and the least stable in solution. What you want is ascorbic acid (also known as L-ascorbic acid), which has been proven to be the most stable and effective at penetrating the barriers of the skin. In fact, its efficacy is further increased when combined with other antioxidants such as vitamin E. The combined power of two antioxidants gives you double protection against free-radical damage.
Most dermatologists agree that vitamin C serums are more effective than creams or toners. As it is a volatile substance, vitamin C breaks down when it is exposed to air or light. That’s why most vitamin C serums come in dark bottles to help maintain its stability.
As wonderful as it is for our skin, vitamin C is a potent ingredient that must be used carefully. Only a tiny amount is needed each time. Start with a lower concentration, like a serum with five per cent of vitamin C, and work your way up to 20 per cent as your skin adjusts. Begin by adding vitamin C to your routine three times a week and gradually working up to daily use. For bright, clear skin, remember to layer a sunscreen of minimum SPF 30 after, too.
GLOW THERAPY
The new vitamin C serums are said to be more stable than before. They don’t irritate sensitive skin as much as they used to and they don’t break down as easily as before. They reportedly penetrate deeper into the skin, and at a faster rate, too.
Elizabeth Arden Vitamin C Ceramide Capsules Radiance Renewal Serum, $81 (30 capsules); $153 (60 capsules)
The Body Shop Vitamin C Glow Sheet Mask, $5 (per sheet)
The Inkey List Vitamin C, $18 (30 ml)
Kiehl’s Powerful Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate, $105 (50 ml)
Tatcha Violet-C Brightening Serum, $140 (30 ml)
111skin Vitamin C Brightening Booster, $91.90 (20 ml)
Lixirskin Vitamin C Paste, $43.42 (50 ml)
Skinceuticals C E Ferulic, $248 (30 ml)
TEXT: ANNABEL MIDDLETON / PHOTO: 123RF.COM