Most of us will have tried at least one skincare product containing vitamin C, it’s a well loved ingredient for professional and high street skincare products alike.
Vitamin C has been loved for its antioxidant benefits for years, and its ability to help protect skin from UV exposure while boosting collagen helps to make it a go-to choice for products and treatments for all ages. I love using the AlumierMD range, and the brand has really put the work in to harnessing Vitamin C’s real power.
Vitamin C can be difficult to keep stable in skincare products as it has a tendency to break down when it hits the light. You also need to have the right type and concentration of Vitamin C to achieve the best effects; a 15% concentration is ideal. AlumierMDs newest Vitamin C product, EverActive C&E is amazing because it stays fresh from the moment it’s opened and potent until the last drop.
So why do we need Vitamin C in skincare?
It’s because Vitamin C has such an effect on so many vital skin functions. Adding it to topical skincare products and treatments can really help to rejuvenate tired-looking skin. It also helps to protect your skin from the damaging free radicals that can cause UV damage.
Vitamin C and UV Protection
We’re all very aware of the need to use a good broad-spectrum sunscreen every day, but did you know that it might not be enough to maximise your sun protection? According to a recent article in Aesthetics Magazine by Dr Helen Robertshaw and clinical educator Victoria Hiscock;
“Research has suggested that sunscreen only blocks 55% of the free radicals produced by UVR.8 Therefore, to optimise UV protection it is important to apply a powerful antioxidant as a second line of defence.”
That’s where your daily dose of topical Vitamin C comes in. In one laboratory study, 10% topical Vitamin C showed a statistical reduction of UVB-induced sunburn cell formation by 40 - 60%. That’s got to be a good thing.
Vitamin C and collagen production
Many studies have proved that Vitamin C is beneficial for skin health, although most of the sample sizes have been small. Even so, in one study of ten people who all used topical Vitamin C over a 12-week period, the results showed a ‘statistically significant’ improvement in wrinkling in the vitamin C treated patients, compared with the group who didn’t use vitamin C. Another test showed that Vitamin C helped improve the appearance of wrinkles in 20 people who used it for a six-month period.
Of course, skincare products aren’t the only way to get Vitamin C into your body – a healthy diet is a must for topping up your vitamin levels. Although supplements can be helpful, according to Aesthetics Magazine, “only a finite amount is absorbed when taken orally, even in high doses’, and crucially, “the bioavailability of vitamin C in the skin is inadequate when it is administered orally.” So, if glowing, healthy skin is a major concern, adding your Vitamin C topically is a great move.
For more advice on skincare – contact me. I’m always happy to help.