We have been told that vitamin C is good for us, but did you know that it is also a potent antioxidant that helps to protect and provide many benefits to the skin? Most people want to have skin like they had when they were young—soft and smooth and radiant! You can have that radiant skin with the help of vitamin C, which you can find in many different skincare products and in capsule form.
Vitamin C is so prevalent in skincare products because it offers so many good things for your skin. Let‘s take a look at some of the ways that vitamin C helps your skin stay fresh and radiant:
Collagen production – Collagen is needed to keep the skin taut and firm, but as we age, the skin produces less of this vital protein, causing wrinkles and fine lines to appear. Vitamin C is essential to the production of collagen.
Moisturizer – Vitamin C actively helps the skin to keep hydrated.
Exfoliation and cleanser – Vitamin C helps with exfoliation—the removal of dead skin cells—and clears pores of excess oils and debris. This in turn keeps the skin healthy and looking radiant.
Softener – Vitamin C helps soften the skin, making it smoother and more refined.
Antioxidant – Vitamin C is an antioxidant that protects the skin and prevents the growth of melanin which results in dark spots caused by exposure to the sun. However, vitamin C does not block harmful UV rays, and so sunscreen should always be worn during the day to avoid more damage to the skin.
Vitamin C by Other Names
If you look carefully at skincare product labels, you will almost always see vitamin C listed, but it may appear in different forms. Here are some other forms of vitamin C that you may find in skincare products:
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate – This is a derivative of vitamin C that is becoming more and more popular because it is more stable and less acidic than vitamin C itself. Note: unless your skincare product has a high concentration of Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, it will not enhance the production of collagen.
Ascorbic Acid or L-Ascorbic Acid – This is often used in exfoliates to remove dead skin cells and debris. It is the basic form of vitamin A from citric, acid but it should not be used directly on the skin, particularly if the skin is sensitive, because it will irritate.
Ascorbyl Palmitate – This is the most common derivative of vitamin C. It is used in skincare products because it is not as acidic as pure vitamin C.
Tetrasubstituted Lipophilic Ascorbates – These are becoming more popular as they are less expensive than other forms of vitamin C and seem to be just as effective in the production of collagen—a big plus.
Vitamin C continues to be a viable and important skincare ingredient that boosts the production of collagen and exfoliates the skin. New derivatives of vitamin C are constantly being introduced to the market, and they are delivering promising results, but those results vary by product and user.
Regardless, the future looks bright for these vitamin C derivatives as many of them have the attributes of vitamin C but are more stable and cause less irritation to the user.
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