Everything about Vitamin C

When it comes to skincare, there is one Holy Grail product that is a part of almost everybody’s skincare routine, and that is vitamin C! Vitamin C has been crowned as one of the best anti-oxidant ingredients on the market, and rightfully so. From slowing down your skin’s ageing process to adding a juicy glow to dull and lackluster skin, it is no surprise that vitamin c serums, sheet masks, face creams, and other vitamin C skincare products have steadily made their way to shelves all across the globe. But what exactly are the benefits of vitamin C for your skin? And what vitamin c skincare products should you add to your skincare regime? Here is everything you need to know about using vitamin C for your skin.

What exactly is vitamin C?

When talking about skin, vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid and L-ascorbic acid) is a water-soluble antioxidant and an essential nutrient that protects your skin against free radical damage and improves your skin’s health. Vitamin C is also required for the growth and repair of tissues in your body. The human body does not naturally produce vitamin C but sources it from vitamin C rich fruits and vegetables. Vitamin C skincare products are a way of topically supplying vitamin C directly to the skin. Even if you eat all the vitamin c rich foods, your skin reaps the biggest benefits when vitamin C is applied topically in its most potent and concentrated form.

How does vitamin C benefit the skin?

Where do we even begin! Vitamin C is a powerhouse, packed with so many skin-loving benefits that it is hard to choose just a few to add here. Here are some of the many benefits of vitamin c for the skin –

Vitamin C fights free radicals

Sunlight, stress, pollution, UV rays, and other environmental aggressors create free radicals in the skin that damage the dermis (the skin tissue that gives your skin its elasticity and strength), moisture barrier, cell functioning, and the skin’s texture and colour. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that attacks and neutralizes these free radicals and protects the skin against environmental aggressors.

Vitamin C is an anti-ageing hero

Vitamin C plays a crucial role in the collagen synthesis of your body. Collagen is a protein that provides structure to your body, including your skin. When your body’s collagen production slows down, your skin starts losing its firmness and elasticity and starts to sag. Fine lines and wrinkles also crop up on your face making you look old and tired. Vitamin C is a natural collagen booster that in turn improves your skin’s elasticity, texture, and quality making it look tight and young.

iii. Vitamin C quenches dehydrated skin

Vitamin C and its derivatives exhibit hydrating properties and are shown to decrease transepidermal water loss – i.e. it strengthens your skin barrier, helps your skin lock in the moisture, and prevents moisture loss from your skin’s surface. Hydrated skin is healthy skin that looks plump and feels soft and smooth.

Vitamin C brightens your complexion

Probably the most popular benefit of vitamin C is its skin brightening properties. UV rays and pollution are known to damage the skin by making it look dull, tired, and lackluster. Vitamin C acts as a brightening agent that improves the appearance of dull skin by giving you a more even and bright complexion with a natural “glow from within” look. Vitamin C skincare products, especially concentrated vitamin C serums instantly brighten up your skin tone and add a natural luminance to your complexion, making your skin look and feel fresh.

Vitamin C reduces dark spots and hyperpigmentation

The brightening properties of vitamin C also extend to fading dark spots and lightening hyperpigmentation. Vitamin C inhibits the pathway of abnormal production of skin pigments (melanin) to even out the skin tone and lightens dark spots, sun spots, acne scars, blemishes, and hyperpigmentation due to melasma. This unique anti-spot property of vitamin C lightens dark spots without altering your normal skin’s pigmentation.