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Why Vitamin C Serum is Actually the Superhero of Skin Rehydration
The ultimate skin-brightening and free-radical-fighting cocktail has been at your fingertips all along, formulated with an intense concentration of L-ascorbic acid, what’s regarded as the most extensively researched form of topical Vitamin C. Since its discovery in 1912 and its creation as a supplement in 1933, Vitamin C has been ranked among the most effective and safe medicines, listed on the World Health Organization’s List of Essential Medicines.[i] Vitamin C’s medical uses range from preventing the destabilization of collagen, cancer prevention, treatment of the common cold, and for the reduction of cardiovascular and chronic diseases.
When applied topically—as in the form of a serum, which is a targeted treatment meant to penetrate the skin more deeply than a mere moisturizer—Vitamin C is 20 times more effective than when taken orally. [ii] It has been scientifically proven to effectively shield us from toxins and pollutants due to its potent antioxidant properties.
What are we fighting?
Every day, we’re under attack from free radicals, formed in the skin due to overexposure to ultraviolet radiation and environmental pollutants. This causes brown spots, wrinkles, and other unfavorable signs of aging and oxidative stress. The aging process, while natural in and of itself, creeps up on us much faster and more aggressively due to damaging toxins; it’s believed that higher exposure to these free radicals—the unstable electrons in molecules which attack our healthy cells and disrupt their composition—directly correlates to premature aging as well as to various disorders and cancers.
Why choose Vitamin C Serum as our ally?
Free radicals have long been studied as pollutants that damage our skin at the cellular and tissue levels, produced endogenously (cellular metabolism) and exogenous sources (such as environmental toxins and UV radiation); an overwhelming state of free radicals in the body is what triggers immunosuppression and carcinogenesis. Our body can naturally fight off free radicals to a certain extent; topical supplementation of powerful antioxidants such as those within Vitamin C serum serves to neutralize the oxidative stress and harm caused by these toxins from both endogenous and exogenous sources.[iii]
Unlike other chemical serums and skin-care products chock-full of questionable ingredients, Vitamin C serum is a natural oil- and water-based liquid which entails high concentrations of pure Vitamin C. It’s safe and gentle enough for daily use, yet with a powerful enough punch to quickly offer visible and tangible results. Joshua Zeicher, the director of clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC, explains that Vitamin C interferes with pigmentation production—resulting in reduced skin discoloration—and keeps inflammation at bay, while also neutralizing free radicals in the skin.
Apart from offering you with a more uniform skin tone, a smoother and less inflamed complexion, and a more youthful and vibrant appearance with the elimination of under-eye circles, pimples, wrinkles, and discolorations, Vitamin C serum speeds up the body’s natural healing process. This include small cuts, blemishes, sunburns, and even acne scars. And no matter what your age, it can help ward off wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging skin due to its stimulation of collagen production.
Look no further for brighter, tighter, and silkier skin that radiates healthy and beauty.
What superpowers are included?
Practically brimming with Vitamin C, this serum can be used to moisturize and nourish the skin on a daily basis, becoming a powerful ingredient in your regular health and beauty regimen. Its benefits are far more than skin-deep; researchers at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center have emphasized how intracellular vitamin C can inhibit or reduce inflammatory, neoplastic, and apoptotic processes[iv]; studies at Duke University Medical Center and Tulane University’s Department of Dermatology found that topical application of Vitamin C helps to protect against skin cancer, photoaging from ultraviolet A and B, and other dermatologic conditions.[v] [vi]
This is in part because it serves as a useful agent for natural collagen synthesis and lightening hyperpigmentation; a double-blind half-face study at the Dermatology Associates of San Diego County analyzed topical Vitamin C application for the rejuvenation of photodamaged skin. The formulation of Vitamin C resulted in clinically visible and statistically significant improvement in wrinkling when used for 12 weeks, correlating with biopsy evidence of new collagen formation.[vii] Researchers have discovered that the photoprotective powers of Vitamin C actually double when mixed with other antioxidants such as ferulic acid or Vitamin E.[viii]
Richly hydrating with deeply penetrating capabilities, it’s an inarguably nourishing serum that can replenish and revitalize even the driest skin surfaces. Due to its high concentration of vitamins and antioxidants, it improves your overall complexion and further promotes vitality by brightening the skin and encouraging the healing process. By neutralizing free radicals, it can help prevent premature signs of aging and precancerous damage.
How do you harness these benefits?
- Begin by washing your face with a clean washcloth, a mild cleanser, and warm water.
- Apply the Vitamin C serum to your damp face and neck with your fingertips, gently massaging it into your skin.
- Wait 3-5 minutes until dry; apply your favorite moisturizer or sunscreen.
The Essence of Balance
Given the unstable nature of ascorbic acid—it breaks down easily once exposed to air and light—it is best to keep your serum in an air-restrictive form (as in a pump or opaque tube) that would help keep the ingredients stable. If choosing a Vitamin C serum for the first time, it is recommended that you begin with one that contains lower concentrations of ascorbic acid (10% instead of 20%) and build up gradually; it is also recommended to try one with a lower pH level (optimally 3.5-4.5). While Vitamin C greatly aids in the fight against free radicals, it shouldn’t be mistaken as a substitute for sunscreen; use it as part of a well-rounded skin-care routine which always includes a generous application of SPF before sun exposure. (If you’re curious as to what your skin actually looks like under UV light—and what exactly sunscreen does for you—take a few seconds to watch this YouTube video.)
[i] http://www.who.int/medicines/publications/essentialmedicines/EML_2015_FINAL_amended_NOV2015.pdf?ua=1
[ii] https://thebestorganicskincare.com/vitamin-c-serum-face-benefits-proven-results
[iii] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22406231
[iv] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12390026
[v] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12789176
[vi] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16029672