Ahh Vitamin C, we’ve all heard of it, need it and seem to enjoy a glass of orange juice from time to time – with pulp. Really though, how much do we know about vitamin C and products containing it that actually work? With all the fake news going on in today’s time, what’s real and what’s not? When it comes to skincare products, vitamin C is clearly one of the trendiest ingredients.
Together, we will explore what you need to know when purchasing products formulated with vitamin C. How exactly does vitamin C influence your skin health? Most of you already know that vitamin C has a reputation for being completely unstable in formulation. Have no fear, we’re going to get deep, dermis level deep, and reveal how vitamin C functions in product formulation and the steps you can take to ensure you have the best vitamin C skincare product in Canada with the highest functionality.
What is Vitamin C?
Vitamin C is an antioxidant also referred to as ascorbic acid, which is a water-soluble vitamin found in the foods we eat, typically in our fruits and vegetables. Friendly reminder - get your 5 servings of fruit/vegetables daily! Vitamin C functions as a redox buffer, which means one molecule or substance is reduced and another is oxidized. This ends up reducing and then neutralizing the reactive oxygen molecule.
Another vitamin C function is that it’s a cofactor for enzymes involved in regulating hormone biosynthesis, photosynthesis, and regenerating other antioxidants. Super important, because these will also regulate cell division and growth, stimulation of immune system, creation of collagen, hormones, neurotransmitters and iron absorption.
Vitamin C also plays a role in detoxifying heavy metals found in the body. Amazing! This may be the MVP of all vitamins, because, without it, we are at higher risk of infections, teeth loss, dryness of mouth and eyes, loss of hair, fatigue, dry itchy skin and insomnia.
In a nutshell, this vitamin is a crucial antioxidant and is necessary for a variety of important body functions, like tissue repair after an injury, and our immune system.
Fun fact - plants make their own vitamin C, while humans cannot. Shout out to all the lovely beautiful plants on earth, thank you and we love you! Back to the lack of human ability, our bodies simply do not have the enzyme required to produce vitamin C. Therefore, it’s extremely important to ensure you are getting enough vitamin C in your diet AND your skincare products. Whether it is decreasing risks for different chronic diseases and/or protecting us from scurvy, vitamin C plays a HUGE role in your skin’s health.
How Can Vitamin C Benefit Skin Health?
Now that we’ve established vitamin C as one of the MVP vitamins, let’s discuss how the most abundant antioxidant can directly benefit your skin. Vitamin C is directly linked to healing wounds, repairing UV ray damage, strengthening fragile skin and more. Vitamin C is needed not only to stop melanogenesis (i.e. hyperpigmentation, age spots, and acne scarring), but to also stimulate collagen.
Pause for a moment, and let’s remember all the different challenges and harsh conditions your skin has been exposed to since you were born. That means pollution, harsh climate, sun exposure, smoking, harsh beauty products, acne breakouts, etc. Turns out these conditions result in oxidative stress.
Naturally, your vitamin C levels will decrease as you age. This is normal, and not the worst thing, as lifestyle can really add to the already diminishing levels of vitamin C. One way of acquiring levels of vitamin C throughout your body is through your diet.
Could it be? Does beauty really come from within? Yes and no.
Having good nutrition and living healthy generally shows on your skin, to an extent. So many fabulous women and men lead healthy lifestyles yet are still looking for the next best treatment or product that can slow down the aging process. We’re all looking to rejuvenate and maintain that beautiful skin glow.
Therefore, in addition to a healthy diet, a vitamin C serum can successfully deliver deposits directly to your skin. These direct deposits of vitamin C result in beautiful, healthy vibrant skin that encourages the natural rejuvenation of your skin cells. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine; citrus fruits, berries and green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, Brussel sprouts contain decent levels of vitamin C.
But How Does Vitamin C Operate in Your Skin Care Products?
Now that we understand some of vitamin C’s benefits and functionality, there are major challenges when introducing vitamin C into your skincare products. The most important challenge is that most formulas vitamin C come in are very unstable and highly reactive when exposed to sunlight or air. Vitamin C oxidizes! This is a major difference between vitamin C skincare products that work as opposed to the ones that do not work
Many products claim to include vitamin C, yet by the time you’re applying it for the first time, the vitamin C has reacted and poof, it’s lost its effectiveness. Anyone else experience this? The cream started out with a tint of yellow, somewhat golden, then boom! It’s now a brownish color.
Readers, I cannot stress the difference in quality and value when you invest in the right topical products. After all, you are spending your hard-earned money on a product, so make it worthwhile and choose the best one! The best ones will always give you real results and should visibly make a difference. Especially if you have sun damage and/or a previous harsh beauty routine. It’s just as important if are trying to slow down the again process.
L-Ascorbic Acid, which is also known as Ascorbic Acid provides the most anti-aging benefits of all forms of vitamin C. If you want the purest form of Vitamin C, this is it! It is 100% in concentration. Compared to other derivative forms that are commonly sold on the market like ascorbyl, palmitate, sodium ascorbyl phosphate, etc., which can be up to 60% less in concentration.
2 Big Challenges with Vitamin C
- Preservation is key when it comes to maintaining pure vitamin C in your skin care products. An effective method in securing that vitamin C goodness is to keep your product in a dim, cool area so it doesn't oxidize and lose effectiveness.
- The second biggest challenge is that Vitamin C needs to penetrate the layers of the skin to properly provide its nutrients. To achieve this level of effectiveness and to get the best results, Vivier Pharma who are the makers of Vivier Skin products, have uniquely differentiated themselves with unique vitamin C serums, creating systems and patented formulations in order to provide you with the best results possible!
They created a system called IDS™, IntraDermal System, which is in all their serums. Vivier Skin serums are formulated using the highest quality grade of vitamin C available, which is L-Ascorbic Acid. The cherry on top, Vivier Skin serums are clinically proven to deliver four times more PURE VITAMIN C into your skin than other serums.
Bottom Line....
The research revolving vitamin C benefits have been around for decades, so it’s fairly determined to be one of the best, well-established skincare superstars that can help you achieve healthier, younger, and more vibrant skin. Nevertheless, it’s not a simple, one-step, quick fix.
Skin care is never as simple as adding one ingredient (in this case vitamin C) and poof, magic! The same way your body needs more than just one food to stay healthy and in good shape, your skin will also need more than one ingredient!
