Vitamin C is one of the best ingredients that we have on the market.
As long as you have skin, been exposed to the sun, or live in a city, you will get some benefit from adding Vitamin C to your skincare routine.
What are the benefits of Vitamin C?
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It is a potent antioxidant, meaning it helps to provide protection against free radical damage. Free radical damage happens when you are living. Can’t escape it. It happens from oxygen over time, from the sun, from pollution, from stress (external and internal stress). Vitamin C helps to break all that up and protects your skin so that your collagen doesn't break up prematurely, your elastin doesn't get weaker, and you don't develop discoloration at an earlier age.
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It is not an SPF replacer, but it is a beautiful ingredient to pair under your SPF because it boosts the effects of your sunscreen. How? It increases the amount of time your skin needs under the sun to turn red. It is not going to absorb the UV the way a sunscreen does, but it helps to neutralize the effects of UVA and UVB much more efficiently.
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It is also necessary if you're looking to build collagen. I don't know about you, but pretty much everyone I meet in my practice is looking to build collagen. Vitamin C is key if you're trying to do that because of two enzymes in the collagen production pathway: parallel hydroxylase and lysyl hydroxylase. These enzymes need Vitamin C in order to spit out collagen.
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It helps even out discoloration by eating up copper in your skin. Copper is essential in your skin, and it is a key element needed for melanin production, BUT if you have a predisposition to hyperpigmentation or life happens (sun damage, oxidation etc), your skin could overproduce pigmentation. Vitamin C eats up that copper so that your melanocytes don't have access to them as readily, so you don’t overproduce pigment.
IN A NUTSHELL:
[ Vitamin C = Potent Antioxidant = SPF Booster = Collagen Builder = Discoloration Fighter ]
Who can benefit from Vitamin C?
Everyone and anyone! Unless you're living in a dark cave, chances are you're living somewhere where there is pollution, sun exposure, and stress, meaning your skin can benefit from Vitamin C.
Which Vitamin C do you need to use?
Watch this video where Dr. Shereene Idriss breaks down the different forms of Vitamin C, and what it means for your skincare routine.
