6 reasons to add vitamin C to your skincare routine
Vitamin C needs no introduction - we’ve all heard of it. But it’s time you got to know this powerhouse ingredient more intimately, because there’s a lot more to it than its skin brightening benefits. Vitamin C is an overachiever when it comes to protecting and improving skin and everyone should have a vitamin C moisturiser in their skincare routine.
WHAT IS VITAMIN C?
Vitamin C is a water-soluble antioxidant that maintains collagen production in skin and is essential for the growth and repair of tissues in the body. Vitamin C occurs naturally in fruits and vegetables like citrus fruits, strawberries, pawpaw and broccoli. It is also produced synthetically in skincare products to harness the many skin benefits of vitamin C.
WHY YOU NEED TO USE VITAMIN C IN YOUR SKINCARE
Vitamin C is a naturally occurring vitamin found at high levels in both the dermis and epidermis, but it decreases with age and due to environmental impacts like pollution and smoking. It is a vital molecule for skin health. The majority of the animal kingdom is able to produce their own; humans, however, don’t have the enzyme required to synthesise vitamin C into a useable mineral and therefore must obtain it through diet and topical application. Without vitamin C, your skin struggles to protect itself against environmental aggressors and the signs of ageing.
THE SKIN BENEFITS OF VITAMIN C
Vitamin C is one of the best anti-ageing ingredients you can apply on your skin. It has a glowing reputation for brightening skin, but that's not all you can expect from vitamin C. These are six of the top vitamin C benefits:
1. Brightens skin
Vitamin C acts like a mild exfoliant, sloughing away dead skin and promoting healthy cell turnover and regeneration. The result is smoother, brighter skin. Adding a vitamin C serum or moisturiser to your skincare routine is a great way to achieve a younger-looking, radiant complexion.
2. Boosts collagen production
Our bodies need vitamin C for the synthesis of collagen. The potent antioxidant is vital for promoting collagen production, which in turn thickens the dermis, plumps and firms skin, and diminishes fine lines.
3. Protects against UV damage
Sunscreen and vitamin C are a formidable pair when it comes to protecting skin against sun damage. We all know how important sunscreen is for sun protection, but sunscreen only blocks 55% of the free radicals produced by UV exposure. That’s why it’s essential to use it in combination with a topical vitamin C as a second line of defense. Vitamin C provides effective protection from UVA and UVB rays: instead of absorbing UV light, it protects skin against UV damage by neutralising free radicals.
Sun exposure diminishes the vitamin C levels in skin. Always apply sunscreen to prevent your vitamin C skincare from oxidising on the skin.
4. Reduces wrinkles
Vitamin A (aka retinol) has stolen the spotlight lately as the go-to vitamin for fighting the signs of ageing. But vitamin C holds its own in terms of delivering anti-ageing benefits. Vitamin C helps prevent oxidation, which can slow down the visible signs of ageing. Additionally, it renews the skin’s surface and promotes collagen production, both of which firm skin and help reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles.
5. Evens out skin tone
Vitamin C lightens hyperpigmentation and dark spots and prevents future discolouration by inhibiting melanin production in skin. It helps brighten and even out skin tone without altering skin’s normal pigmentation.
6. Heals skin
As a potent antioxidant that boosts collagen in skin, vitamin C assists with your body’s healing process. It works to repair tissue and has anti-inflammatory properties to help reduce redness and heal damaged skin.
WHERE TO USE VITAMIN C IN YOUR REGIMEN
Vitamin C pairs well with vitamin B and hyaluronic acid, which is why it rounds out our 3 Step Set.
Our HydroSkin Vitamin C Moisturiser is the perfect final step in your skincare routine. The potent formula contains effective amounts of a revolutionary form of vitamin C that is very stable and does not oxidise on the skin like other forms of vitamin C.
