“C” Your Way To Glowing Skin
Hey, besties - I’ve been talking about antioxidants on the ‘gram a lot lately and I wanted to do a deep dive on why they’re such a crucial component of your skin care routine. We’re going to be focusing on vitamin C today - it’s science-backed, research consistently underscores it’s efficacy and it outperforms most other antioxidant products (as long as you’re using the right kind). Let’s dive in!
Let’s start with my favorite vitamin C serum!
(Check the caption for ingredients and why I recommend 3C to my clients)
Benefits: General Use
Boosts your SPF: Sunscreen alone can only prevent about 55% of free radical production from UV radiation. However, research suggests that the addition of antioxidants (vitamin C) before sunscreen application can reduce free radical production by up to 78%.
Reduces inflammation and redness:
The anti-inflammatory bioflavonoids found in vitamin C help support weakened blood vessels, reducing inflammation and redness. Vitamin C also helps because when skin is aggravated, the inflamed cells generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and vitamin C counteracts this effect by protecting the skin from free radicals (preventing chronic damage).
Improves hydration: Vitamin C can decrease transepidermal water loss (TEWL) which allows you to better retain moisture (remember, healthy skin is hydrated skin).
Benefits: Aging/Hyperpigmentation
Brightens the skin: Vitamin C is the essential tyrosinase inhibitor that prevents the production of melanin for brighter, more even-toned skin. Pair it with supporting ingredients for more stubborn forms of pigmentation.
Reduces skin sagging and fine lines:
Free radicals start a cascading effect that leads to oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell damage. Antioxidants stabilize free radicals to reduce redness, inflammation and chronic damage that would lead to dull, sagging skin.
Boosts skin firmness and plumpness: Vitamin C feeds the production of collagen and elastin, which keeps the skin looking firm and plump.
The Takeaway
Vitamin C reigns supreme: It prevents all types of skin damage! If we think of our skin like an apple that's cut in half (as time goes on it’s exposed to oxidative stress that causes discoloration, sagging, etc.), vitamin C helps to slow the oxidative reaction in our skin that prematurely ages us and helps maintain a supple, youthful skin for years to come.
Invest in a good vitamin C: It needs to be effective, stable and gentle on the skin. A lot of inexpensive vitamin C products offer unstable formulations (that cause irritation when applied regularly) or don’t feature a comprehensive formula that does the work.
Ok, besties - that’s all I’ve got for this week! Check back in soon for a new post and don’t forget to follow me on Instagram for sneak peeks on what’s new and happening!
