How to Use Vitamin C Serum Effectively

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Vitamin C is one of the most popular and widely used ingredients for skincare. Here are a few tips that will help you maximize its benefit. Indeed, Vitamin C is one of the most powerful skincare ingredient when used properly.

Vitamin C is a strong and potent antioxidant and it can be used topically to treat and prevent changes associated with photoageing. It is also used for treatment of hyperpigmentation. Because it is unstable and difficult to deliver into the dermis in the optimum dosage, research is being directed to find stable component of Vitamin C and newer methods of delivery of Vitamin C into the dermis.

Vitamin C Benefits

1. Vitamin C as antioxidant: Vitamin C, the most plentiful antioxidant in human skin, forms a part of the complex group of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants that co-exist to protect the skin from reactive oxygen species (ROS). Vitamin C protects the skin from oxidative stress by sequentially donating electrons to neutralize the free radicals. 

2. Vitamin C and photoprotection: the exposure of skin to UV light generates ROS. These radicals have a potential to start chain or cascade reactions that damage the cells. UVA mutates and destroys collagen, elastin, proteoglycans and other dermal cellular structures. UVB causes sunburn, ROS, epidermal mutations and skin cancer. It is important to note that Vitamin C is equally effective against both UVB and UVA.

3. Collagen Synthesis: Vitamin C is essential for collagen biosynthesis. It has been proposed that Vitamin C influences quantitative collagen synthesis in addition to stimulating qualitative changes in the collagen molecule. Clinical studies have shown that the topical use of Vitamin C increases collagen production in young as well as aged human skin.

4. Depigmenting agent: When choosing a depigmenting agent, it is important to differentiate between substances that are toxic to the melanocyte and substances that interrupt the key steps of melanogenesis. Vitamin C falls into the latter category of depigmenting agents.

5. Anti-inflammatory action: Vitamin C has a potential anti-inflammatory activity and can be used in conditions like acne vulgaris and rosacea. It can promote wound healing and prevent post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

Topical Formulations of Vitamin C

Vitamin C is available as a variety of creams, serum and transdermal patches. Of these, only the serum contains active Vitamin C in an almost colorless form. It is unstable and, on exposure to light, gets oxidized, which imparts a yellow color. The stability of Vitamin C is controlled by maintaining a pH of less than 3.5. At this pH, the ionic charge on the molecule is removed and it is transported well across the stratum corneum.

From a clinical point of view, it is important to note that the efficacy of the Vitamin C serum is proportional to the concentration, but only up to 20%. A persistent reservoir of Vitamin C is important for adequate photoprotection, and can be achieved by regular 8-hourly applications. As UV light lowers tissue Vit. C levels, topical Vit. C is best used after exposure to UV light and not prior.

Skincare tips: How to apply Vitamin C 20% serum

1. Make sure that you apply Vitamin C serum frequently (We recommend every night before bed).

2. Do not use Vitamin C Serum if the serum turns yellow (it's not effective anymore).

3. Keep cap on tightly and keep it in cool places. Store at controlled temperatures between 15-30°C (59-86°F).

4. Use Vitamin C Serum on your face, neck, chest and hands. 

5. You may feel warmth and ticklish while applying it. This sensation is all normal. Apply moisturizing cream or oil after application of Vitamin C serum if your skin feels dry.