Did you say Vitamin C?

Vitamin C is one of the most recognizable ingredients in skincare when it comes to fighting free radicals and pigmentation. It helps to reduce environmental impacts on the skin, even the tone and enhance collagen biosynthesis. Numerous positive characteristics make this vitamin an effective anti-ageing ingredient. Therefore, all experts agree on one thing: collagen production and Vitamin C go hand in hand.

 
In cosmetics, Vitamin C can be presented under different components. For example, Ascorbic Acid is the most common and concentrated form of Vit C found on the market, yet, it is very unstable and quickly oxidizes, which leads to loss of its useful properties. Moreover, Ascorbic Acid could further damage sensitive and irritated skin. So, it is better to opt for products with following components of Vit C: Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ascorbyl Palmitate and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate; those ingredients are less saturated but more resilient. The first choice is particularly good at fighting acne.
It is best to apply Vitamin C in the morning, also remember that vitamin C becomes less effective when directly exposed to light, so you should give it time to absorb deeper into the skin before heading outside.
Vitamin C is a very safe component to use, yet it is better not to mix it with products containing benzoyl peroxide, since it goes into oxidative reaction. Retinol, any sort of peelings also should not be applied together with Vit C as they could increase skin’s sensitivity.

Pay attention while choosing a concentration of Vitamin C. In general, they range from below 5% all the way up to 30%, Those with dry or sensitive skin probably want to stick to lower percentage, around 5%, which are less likely to be irritating. Those, with more oily skin or pronounced pigmentation handle higher concentrations better. Also take the product in the UV proof packaging ( ex: dark glass) to avoid oxidation.