It’s no secret that vitamin C is a skin care superstar. This powerhouse ingredient is celebrated for its ability to deliver a brighter complexion, even out skin tone and diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Here’s everything you need to know about vitamin C and what it can do for your complexion.
Key Takeaways: Vitamin C in Skin Care
- Choosing the Right Vitamin C: L-ascorbic acid is the pure form of vitamin C for high-potency defense and brightening. For those seeking an exceptionally gentle, slow-release alternative, next-generation dual-soluble derivatives like 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid penetrate deeply to deliver beautiful, radiant results for all skin types, including sensitive.
- Acts as an Antioxidant Multiplier: Vitamin C works well when formulating it alongside botanical powerhouses like cloudberry and mulberry, plus the master antioxidant glutathione, which prevents the vitamin C from breaking down.
- Apply Daily Alongside Sunscreen: When paired with a broad-spectrum SPF, vitamin C acts as a powerful secondary shield to neutralize free radical damage from UV rays, blue light and environmental pollution.
What Is Vitamin C?
First things first: What exactly is vitamin C? Also known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that is necessary for the growth, development and repair of all body tissues — including the skin. As Eminence Organics Lead Skin Care Trainer Natalie Pergar tells us: “Vitamin C is an incredibly effective nutrient for your body and an all-around savior for skin care. It’s been found to help prevent UV damage, reduce pigmentation, reduce inflammation and boost collagen production in skin.”
We cannot produce vitamin C and our bodies don’t store it; therefore, we can only receive its benefits by ingesting it (think chewable vitamins and freshly-squeezed orange juice) or by applying it topically. Combining vitamin C with organic, antioxidant-rich super-fruits like cloudberry and mulberry (alongside the master antioxidant glutathione) creates an "antioxidant multiplier" effect.
Popular sources of vitamin C include:
- Citrus fruits such as lemon, orange and grapefruit
- Leafy greens such as kale, broccoli and spinach
- Cloudberry
- Mulberry
- Tomatoes
- Strawberries
- Rosehip oil
- Seabuckthorn oil
- Kakadu plum
You might think that oranges have the highest concentration of vitamin C, but surprisingly, Kakadu plum has 30 to 50 times the amount of vitamin C in comparison. Eating this superfruit or applying it topically may potentially aid in reducing the appearance of dark spots, enhancing skin radiance and minimizing the appearance of wrinkles.
Vitamin C Benefits for Skin
The benefits of vitamin C for the skin are seemingly endless. Here’s a closer look at vitamin C’s many skin care benefits.
Fights Free Radicals
One of vitamin C's most important features is that it mitigates skin damage before (and even after) it occurs. According to Natalie: “One of the great things about vitamin C is it both helps prevent and repair damage caused by our environment.”
During the day, vitamin C provides an essential shield against the aging effects of environmental stressors like pollution, blue light and UV rays. At night, its rejuvenating properties go to work minimizing the look of damage caused by daily free radical exposure.
Heidi Waldorf, MD describes free radicals as “anti-oxygen bombs that trigger inflammation and cascades of damage.” Antioxidants neutralize the "bomb" by donating an electron to free radicals before they can cause damage.
Increases Collagen Production
In addition to extrinsic factors (like environmental stress), intrinsic — or biological — aging contributes to the decline of collagen. As you age, your skin’s stores of collagen naturally deplete and degrade, resulting in the visible signs of aging. Vitamin C not only activates the skin’s fibroblasts to produce new collagen, but it also stabilizes the collagen you already have, helping skin stay firm, plump and youthful-looking for longer.
Boosts Skin Cell Regeneration
Skin cell turnover is the process by which dead cells are shed from the skin’s top layer and new, fresh cells rise to the surface. One feature of healthy skin is its ability to efficiently turn over, a process that slows with age. With its acidic nature, vitamin C is helpful in sloughing away dead and damaged skin cells, thereby speeding up the skin’s natural turnover process. This not only smooths skin texture, but also reduces dullness and minimizes the look of dark spots and hyperpigmentation.
Minimizes Fine Lines & Wrinkles
Collagen and elastin are frequent victims of free radical damage. These structural proteins are responsible for the density and bounce associated with a youthful complexion. When weakened, they are unable to provide much-needed structural support and, as a result, the visible signs of aging (including sagging skin and fine lines and wrinkles) begin to develop. As an antioxidant, vitamin C helps stave off the visible signs of aging caused by free radical damage. In fact, a 2007 study by the American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition found that women aged 40–74 who consumed high levels of vitamin C appeared to have fewer fine lines and wrinkles and less overall dryness in their skin.
Supports Skin’s Moisture Barrier
One of the ways vitamin C benefits overall skin health is by supporting the skin’s barrier function. The lipid barrier is an essential part of the skin’s outer layer and is often likened to mortar, holding together the bricks that are your skin cells. When healthy, it acts like your skin’s security guard: It keeps in the good by helping skin retain moisture and keeps out the bad by denying potential irritants (like troublesome free radicals). Studies show that vitamin C enhances the production of barrier lipids and, by extension, the skin’s ability to protect itself from transepidermal water loss, keeping it healthy, happy and hydrated.
Brightens The Look of Skin
Vitamin C’s antioxidant quality can also minimize the appearance of hyperpigmentation. When faced with stress, the skin defends itself by triggering cells called melanocytes to produce the pigment melanin. Vitamin C inhibits the function of tyrosinase, the enzyme that activates the skin’s melanocytes, thereby impeding melanin production and minimizing the appearance of dark spots and hyperpigmentation. This contributes to a brighter and more even-toned complexion.
Watch this video, which shows how vitamin C may reverse the visible signs of aging:
What To Look for in a Vitamin C Product
When choosing a vitamin C serum or similar product, the form of vitamin C used makes the biggest difference in feel and results.
- L-ascorbic acid is the purest form of vitamin C used in skin care, delivering visible brightening results.
- 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid is a gentler derivative that offers similar brightening benefits, a good option if traditional vitamin C has felt too intense in the past.
How To Store Vitamin C & Keep it Stable
Vitamin C is a vulnerable ingredient that will break down if it’s routinely exposed to air and light. Unless protected, it rapidly degrades and oxidizes, losing its antioxidant benefits. Fortunately, next-generation formulas utilizing stabilized derivatives like 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid are far more resilient, meaning you can enjoy the product's benefits without worrying about rapid oxidation.
In addition to choosing a vitamin C product packaged in an opaque, air-restrictive bottle, store it in a cool, dark place to keep it away from sunlight. You can even go as far as storing it in the fridge to keep it fresh for longer. Understanding the properties of vitamin C for the skin, and how to store it for long-term use, can be linked back to the research of a small group of scientists. In particular, it was one Hungarian scientist who made some very important discoveries in the 1920s and 30s, as you’ll read next.
The History of Vitamin C
The isolation and identification of vitamin C was one of the most important discoveries in the 20th century, leading to dramatic improvements in human nutrition. Scurvy was among many diseases suffered due to malnutrition. According to research, it was a common problem in the world’s navies during the 18th century and is estimated to have affected 2 million sailors. Symptoms included fever, swollen and bleeding gums, delirium and pain in the limbs.
It’s reported that in 1928, the Hungarian research team consisting of Albert Szent-Györgyi and Joseph L. Svirbely isolated a substance from adrenal glands that they called hexuronic acid and later renamed ascorbic acid or vitamin C.
The new name ascorbic acid is derived from scorbuticus (the Latin name for scurvy), since a lack of this molecule may lead to scurvy in humans and other animals. In 1937, Szent-Györgyi won a Nobel Prize in medicine for both the discovery of vitamin C and the description of oxidation, becoming a Hungarian national hero.
Commonly Asked Questions: Vitamin C In Skin Care
How often should you apply vitamin C?
Vitamin C can be applied once or twice daily once your skin has adjusted to it. If you're new to the ingredient, start by applying it two to three times a week and gradually build up to daily use as your skin builds tolerance.
What should you avoid mixing with vitamin C?
Refrain from mixing vitamin C with copper tripeptides. We recommend using them during different times or different days. In addition, to prevent irritation and maintain the stability of your products, avoid applying direct vitamin C at the exact same time as strong active ingredients like AHAs, BHAs and retinol. Also avoid pairing it with benzoyl peroxide in the same routine.
Should vitamin C be used in the morning, at night or both?
Vitamin C works well at any time of day. Many people prefer applying it in the morning since it pairs with SPF to help defend skin against environmental stressors during the day, while others prefer applying it at night when skin is in repair mode. Either way works, so choose the routine that's easiest to stick with.
Can vitamin C serum cause breakouts or irritation?
Vitamin C itself is not known to cause breakouts, though it can cause mild tingling or sensitivity in some skin types, especially at higher concentrations. This is why a patch test is recommended before adding it to your routine.
How long does it take to see results from vitamin C?
Most people notice a brighter, more even-looking complexion within four to six weeks of consistent use, with continued improvement over three months. Skin care results build over time and consistency matters more than any single application.
Do you still need sunscreen if you're using vitamin C?
Yes, you still need sunscreen as vitamin C is not a replacement for SPF. It works well alongside sunscreen by helping to neutralize free radical damage, while SPF protects against UV rays directly. The two are most effective when used together.
Is vitamin C serum safe for sensitive skin?
Yes, vitamin C is generally well-tolerated by sensitive skin, provided you choose the right formulation. Gentle, stable derivatives like 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid provide all the antioxidant and brightening benefits with a much lower risk of irritation compared to pure L-ascorbic acid. If you’re new to active ingredients, perform a patch test or start by applying the product every other day.
Can vitamin C be used with other skin care actives like hyaluronic acid or niacinamide?
Yes, vitamin C pairs well with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and can be used alongside niacinamide. These combinations are a good way to round out a routine without compromising vitamin C's effectiveness.
Are you ready to add a vitamin C to your skin care routine? Visit an Eminence Organics Spa Partner to learn more about how this classic ingredient can benefit your skin.
