Vitamin C: The Skin Do-All You Never Knew You Needed

Did you grow up with Vitamin C being the cure-all for any kind of sniffle, cough, and cold?  Parents knew about its immune-boosting properties and kids thought it was pretty tasty for medicine. Now, imagine our surprise when we found out that Vitamin C is one of the most recommended products by dermatologists for use in summer skincare!

Why Vitamin C for Health?

First and foremost, it is an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory. It helps your body to get rid of free radicals or toxins that have either been produced or made their way into our bodies from the external environment. A high intake of this vitamin has also been proven to boost cognitive function and prevent early dementia.

In addition to being all-sufficient, it goes the extra mile to help the body absorb critical nutrients. Iron can often get wasted in the body, being poorly absorbed due to chemical reactions with oxygen. Vitamin C makes iron more soluble, thus facilitating its absorption in the body. In helping, iron can do its job of transporting oxygen throughout the body and producing red blood cells. So awesome!

Vitamin C is also the go-to when it comes to fighting sickness. It plays an active part in the immune system and works to boost immunity when it is on the low. It stimulates the production of white blood cells, which fight off disease. It is also crucial to the skin’s defence system by helping to strengthen the skin barrier and reduce the healing time for wounds.

Let’s Talk Skincare

Topical Vitamin C products such as serums provide a range of benefits for the skin. In addition to helping reduce the appearance of fine lines and stimulate collagen production, serums actively work to reverse and prevent hyperpigmentation. This last benefit makes it a must-use in the summer months to protect against sun damage. In addition, a topical version can be very beneficial for those with acne-prone skin due to its anti-inflammatory properties and keeping oil production under control.

How to Start

To incorporate this vitamin into your morning skincare routine, here is a suggested routine:

• Start with a gentle cleanser
• Apply 3-4 drops of your serum throughout on face and neck
• Follow with a lightweight hydrating moisturizer
• Finish with sunscreen

You may experience different reactions or a tingling sensation based on your skin type. This may require that you use it every other day and build up the dosage later. Always follow specific instructions on each product package and consult with your physician.

Here are some of our recommendations for vegan and cruelty-free Vitamin C products!

FirstBase – Double Dose Organic Vitamin C Serum

This organic Vitamin C and hyaluronic acid serum from FirstBase Skincare, a Canadian brand uses a patent technology that encapsulates stabilized Vitamin C. It maximizes benefits through instant skin absorption while working to maintain a balanced skin pH. Works well with all skin types, but especially those looking to smooth fine lines and wrinkles with an anti-aging, antioxidant-rich and natural formula.

Beautycounter+ All Bright C Serum

From one of our favourite free-from brands, Beautycounter‘s brightening serum is ideal if you want to brighten your complexion and lighten dark spots and pigmentation. This ultra-potent 10% blend contains two active types of Vitamin C that illuminate and clear while protecting against any new colour damage. The antioxidant-rich turmeric and camu camu extracts defend the skin from environmental stressors and damage that, in turn, reveal a more youthful complexion.

The Ordinary – Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2%

This The Ordinary product is a water-free silicone-free suspension product that maximizes the Vitamin C potency and keeps it stable due to not containing water. It produces visible surface smoothing results in addition to all the benefits of Vitamin C you already know. This treatment can be used in the morning or night but is recommended for nighttime application.

 

Feature image by Firstbase Skincare.