Do Vitamin C Serums Actually Work?
Published on February 8, 2020. Updated May 15, 2020When it comes to skincare ingredients, vitamin C is the gold standard and for good reason! Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, which is something our bodies and skin needs to thrive. It helps to treat dullness, uneven skin tone, rough texture, fine lines, and even acne scars. If you have your doubts about vitamin C, it’s important to know the benefits and how it actually works to help you feel confident with your purchase.
1. It Fights Free Radicals And UV Rays
Vitamin C has the ability to fight free radicals and target the damage they cause on our skin, which makes the ingredient a must-have in many serums. For example, vitamin C can actually regenerate skin and repair cell damage, which sounds great for reducing signs of aging, but there’s more. According to Dr. Joshua Zeichner, director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, who spoke with Allure, “it interferes with pigment production and keeps inflammation at bay… [and] may help protect skin from pre-cancerous changes from UV light exposure.”
2. It Promotes Collagen Production
Vitamin C is also highly acidic – think of that tart orange juice you drink – and when applied topically it forces skin to “heal itself” and generate more collagen, a protein found naturally in our bodies that is vital to the healthy formation of bones, muscle, and skin. Unfortunately by the age of 25, our skin begins to drastically stop producing collagen, so any ingredient that stimulates production is going to help our skin look younger.
3. It Slows Down Melanin Production
Vitamin C can also slow down melanin production, which is responsible for our skin tone. This is what makes vitamin C popular in brightening products as it reduces age spots and other skin discolorations due to sun damage. Its daily use is also thought to prevent sun damage as well as repair it.
4. It Combines Well With Other Antioxidants
Vitamin C is often combined with other antioxidants, such as vitamin E and/or hyaluronic acid, both of which increase its efficacy and the stability of the compound itself. Stability is one challenge that skincare companies have had to overcome when introducing vitamin C serums to the marketplace. Exposure to air, light or heat can degrade its quality, this is why the serum bottles containing vitamin C are dark and opaque.
5. It Has The Most Clinical Studies To Back Up Claims
Need more convincing? Of all the serums on the market, those with vitamin-C have the most clinical studies to back up claims of skin rejuvenation, brightening, reducing fine lines and pigmentation, evening of texture and reducing redness among other benefits.
Looking to shop some of the best vitamin C products in the market? These are a few of our favorites, which have been hand-picked by our beauty editors!
