Juice Up: 7 Things Vitamin C Can Do For Your Skin
Oh, skincare ingredients; I've tried so many, each claiming to be "it". There seems to be new ingredient coming out each month promising me young, smooth skin sans age spots, lines, blemishes, or wrinkles. So, I bite: I try it, slather it on my face, say a prayer and.....nothing. Recently, I decided to go back to what's worked for me previously: good old-fashioned Vitamin C. It may not be a new ingredient, but there's a reason it's been around so long: it simply works. Whether you're a long time Vitamin C devotee, or fairly new to this powerhouse ingredient, I've rounded up the top 7 ways including Vitamin C into your skincare routine will benefit you.
1. topical vitamin C is A Must
Citrus may be tasty, but eating oranges isn't enough to give your complexion what it needs. Although vitamin C is found at high levels in both the dermis (lower skin layer) and epidermis (upper skin layer), it is in higher concentration in the epidermis. Thus, using a topical vitamin C product like this one is beneficial to replenish and plump up the epidermis.
2. Vitamin C limits the damage induced by UV exposure
While vitamin C is not a sunscreen, its antioxidant properties protects against UV induced damage caused by free radicals. In fact, the vitamin C levels of the skin can be severely depleted after UV exposure (hello, sunny Arizona!). So, summertime is an excellent season to replenish the vitamin to our skin.
3. Vitamin C increases collagen production
Besides combating photodamage, using vitamin C in your skincare can increase collagen production and repair damaged skin.
4. Exfoliation enhances absorption of vitamin C
Because the stratum corneum (outermost layer of skin) is the primary obstacle to efficient vitamin C absorption from external sources, removal of the stratum corneum by exfoliation or a skincare treatment such as microneedling, helps improve the absorption into the epidermis, where it needs to be.
5. A high dose of vitamin C is not necessarily more effective
A high dose of vitamin C in a product may not be necessarily good. In fact, studies have shown that maximal absorption was achieved with a low-dose vitamin C solution, with higher concentrations showing lower absorption and more irritation.
6. Watch your ingredients
Most products contain Vitamin C in the form of L-Ascorbic Acid; however effective, it oxidizes quickly and can cause a great deal of skin irritation. Instead, opt for products with Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, a more stable and bioavailable form of Vitamin C that wont cause any irritation and packs the same punch as L-Ascorbic Acid.
7. Topical combination of vitamin C + E are more protective
While topical application of vitamin C reduces the damage from UVA exposure, topically applied combinations of vitamin C and vitamin E are more effective in preventing photodamage. Easy enough: Follow your Vitamin C serum with a moisturizer containing Vitamin E.
When you are ready to have the best skin of your life, for the rest of your life, visit our Scottsdale acupuncture clinic and see what a difference it makes.