What is Vitamin C?
Vitamin C is a powerhouse for your overall health — including your skin. Known for its potent antioxidant properties, vitamin C fights free radical damage and brightens the complexion.
In skincare, vitamin C comes in various forms, each with unique benefits that address different skin concerns. Choosing the right topical formula allows you to customize your skincare routine and maximize the benefits of this incredible antioxidant.
What are the uses of Vitamin C for skin?
So, what is vitamin C used for? Here are some of the benefits of vitamin C for your skin.
Protects skin from free radical damage
Environmental aggressors, like sunlight and pollution, unleash free radicals that cause oxidative stress, speeding up visible aging signs like fine lines and dark spots. Superhero antioxidant vitamin C neutralizes these free radicals, safeguarding your skin's radiance.
Fades dark spots
Say goodbye to sunspots and uneven skin tone and hello to a more even complexion. Vitamin C shines when it comes to brightening your complexion. It targets dark spots. Try Neutrogena® Rapid Tone Repair Retinol + Vitamin C Dark Spot Corrector, which boasts clinically proven results in just one week.
Repairs skin
Vitamin C supports tissue repair and regeneration, minimizing the appearance of blemishes and acne scars and refreshing your skin's overall appearance.
Hydrates and brightens
Vitamin C helps maintain healthy skin hydration, preventing dryness and reducing oil for balanced skin. And the smoother the skin's surface, the better light reflects off your skin, supporting that coveted "lit-from-within" glow.
Where does Vitamin C come from?
Hungarian biochemist Albert Szent-Györgyi first isolated vitamin C from cabbage, paprika and animal adrenal glands in 1928. In 1937, he received the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for his vitamin C research.
The skincare world began to see vitamin C's potential in the 1960s and 1970s — especially its antioxidant properties. In the 1990s, Dr. Sheldon Pinnell found that L-ascorbic acid could significantly reduce sun damage.
Today, vitamin C is sourced from many fruits and vegetables, including kiwis, oranges, strawberries, guavas and leafy greens. It's used in skincare in both its natural and synthetic forms. Synthetic versions like ascorbyl palmitate and sodium ascorbyl phosphate are particularly popular due to their stability and efficacy.
How to incorporate Vitamin C into your skincare routine
Pick the perfect product
Navigating the vast array of vitamin C products might seem tricky, but these tips can take out some of the guesswork.
Type
L-ascorbic acid is the gold standard in skincare. It's super effective but delicate when exposed to air and light.
Packaging
To keep vitamin C potent, choose products in dark or opaque bottles with airless pumps to minimize air and light exposure. If your vitamin C product turns brown or black, it's past its prime and time to replace it.
Formula
Serums are fantastic for their light texture and efficient skin absorption. If your skin leans toward dryness or sensitivity, consider a cream instead. Creams offer the moisturizing benefits your skin craves plus the perks of vitamin C.
Concentration
Vitamin C concentrations can start as low as 5% but commonly range from 10% to 20%. Topical vitamin C side effects are minimal but may include itching, tightness, redness and irritation. You can gradually increase strength as your skin adjusts.
Use it thoughtfully
Apply after cleansing
Vitamin C absorbs beautifully into freshly cleansed skin free of dead skin cells, excess oil and debris. Dispense a few drops of serum or a pea-sized dollop of cream into your palm. Gently pat it onto your face and neck to help the skin soak up all that goodness.
Boost intake from the inside out
You can apply vitamin C topically through serums, creams, sunscreens and more — but you can also increase your levels of this ingredient orally. In addition to getting plenty of vitamin C-rich foods through your diet, try Neutrogena® Skin Hydration Astaxanthin Gummies with Vitamin C to hydrate skin from the inside out.
Finish with sunscreen
While vitamin C's antioxidant power helps fight against environmental factors, it's no stand-in for sunscreen. Finish your morning skincare routine with a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher to defend against photoaging and skin cancer and keep your skin healthy and vibrant.
