FAQ 

What does vitamin C serum do to the face?

Vitamin C serum has the following benefits when used for three months:

• Reduces fine wrinkles

• It improves the overall texture and evens out rough skin, 

• Lightens pigmentation

• Decreases laxity and sallowness of skin

• Improves the feel of your skin

How to use Vitamin C serum?

Vitamin C does not react with sunlight. Therefore, you can pair Vitamin C in the morning with glycolic acid or retinoids at night.

Is it ok to use Vitamin C serum daily?

You can use Vitamin C every day without any side effects. Vitamin C(ascorbic acid) starts producing results after four weeks of application. Maximum results are evident in 3 months. I have been using it daily for the past 16 years! However, it is best to switch brands because each brand listed has something different to offer.

Vitamin C is part of our diet. Is it really important to apply it to our skin?

Yes, you can apply Vitamin C serum on your skin, even if you eat Vitamin C-rich food , because in one study, it was found that the availability of Vitamin C in the skin is often inadequate despite the adequate oral intake of Vitamin C-rich food. Therefore, topical Vitamin C serum should be used for skin rejuvenation.

Secondly, unlike plants that can make their own vitamin C, humans are totally dependent on the diet for Vitamin C. Therefore, if your diet lacks Vitamin C, your skin will lack natural anti-oxidant like Vitamin C that helps repair skin.

Are there studies to prove the benefit of Vitamin C on the skin?

Numerous studies prove that Vitamin C serum reduces fine wrinkles, rough skin, pigmentation, laxity, and sallowness and improves your skin’s overall texture and feel in an average of 3 months.

I have cited a few of the studies for your reference below:

• In a study done on ten patients, where Vitamin C (in the form of 10% ascorbic acid and 7% tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate) in gel base was applied to one-half of the face, and only bland gel base was applied on the other half of the face for 12 weeks. At the end of 12 weeks, there was both visible and microscopic improvement in wrinkles, dark spots, and hydration on the treated side of the face (1).

• In another three-month study using Cellex-C serum,  there was a significant improvement in fine wrinkling, tactile roughness, coarse rhytids, skin laxity/tone, sallowness/yellowing, and overall features(2).

• In another study, 23.8% L-ascorbic acid showed a significant reduction in dyspigmentation, surface roughness, and fine lines on the treated side(3).

• In yet another study,  tetra-isopalmitoyl ascorbic acid (VC-IP) 3 cream or pro-vitamin C showed significant improvement in pigmentation in 3 weeks(4)

• This study showed that ascorbic acid is better than sodium ascorbyl-2-phosphate in reducing pigmentation and wrinkling of the skin(5).

• There are many more studies that validate the role of Vitamin C alone in reducing skin aging primarily fine wrinkles, rough skin, laxity, and dark spots. (6) (7), (8), (9)

How long should I apply Vitamin C on my skin to see changes?

Vitamin C(ascorbic acid) starts producing results after four weeks of application (6). It should be continued for three months to see significant changes in skin aging, primarily fine wrinkles, rough skin, laxity and dark spots. Interestingly, oral intake of Vitamin C also delays wrinkles. (10)

We hope this article will help you make an informed decision on buying a costly skincare product like Vitamin C serum.