Vitamin C serum: 6 effects and 4 tips for use
More and more often we come across new anti-wrinkle miracles and beauty boosters in the cosmetics industry. The vitamin C serum is particularly popular at the moment. Here you can find out what exactly it is, how it actually works, and the most important tips for using it.
What vitamin C serums do
This is why vitamin C serums are good for the skin
They are currently the trend on the anti-aging market and should not only conjure up a radiant complexion but also be miracle weapons against wrinkles - the vitamin C serums. What is certain: Vitamin C is an essential vitamin that occurs naturally in many types of vegetables and fruits. It not only strengthens our immune system, but it also contributes to an even and beautiful complexion and gives the skin a youthful elasticity.
It is essential for our health that we get enough vitamin C through our diet every day. While the active ingredient can also be beneficial for health when applied externally, skincare with vitamin C does not replace the daily vitamin C requirement that we have to take in through our diet.
The vitamin C that you encounter in serums is produced synthetically and is called a derivative. Ideally, it is the so-called "purest" form of vitamin C - ascorbic acid. It is the richest in substance and contains all health-promoting effects.
Vitamin C serum vs. cream
Vitamin C is, therefore, a valuable addition to skincare - but why are serums more effective than creams with added vitamin C? While creams - as the name suggests - are creamy, serums have the consistency of a water-like fluid. So the big difference between the two lies in the consistency, which is determined by the ingredients. While a serum consists almost entirely of one ingredient, creams contain numerous active ingredients. This is exactly what makes the vitamin C serum so special and effective: at least seven and at most twenty percent of a good serum should consist of vitamin C.
Creams are recommended for daily use, but serums should only be used sparingly. As they are very acidic, these serums are not suitable for daily care routines.
However, they are not intended to replace daily skincare. Your vitamin C serum is just a great addition to your daycare that you should still use regularly. It is next to impossible that there is about as much vitamin C in creams as in serums. That's why only serums give you the most effective freshness kick and, thanks to their composition, can best be absorbed into your skin and absorbed by the cells.
In addition, vitamin C serums are suitable for pretty much every skin type, only very sensitive types should be careful with the serum because of the high acid concentration and use it more sparingly.
Effects of Vitamin C Serums
The fact that vitamin C strengthens the immune system and is indispensable for many body functions is certainly nothing new to you. The vitamin can do a lot more. It protects the cells, fights free radicals, and makes the skin radiant and beautiful. And that's exactly why vitamin C is a miracle cure in cosmetics.
Radiant complexion
Vitamin C serum for a radiant complexion
Maybe it will be the first thing that changes on you after just a few applications: Your skin appears fresher, more alert, and more radiant. Vitamin C causes a beautiful complexion in different ways. The big plus: It doesn't only work superficially - your skin cells are actually better protected against diseases and germs and can regenerate faster.
Tired and dull-looking skin can result from an excess of free radicals. And this is exactly what the antioxidant vitamin C fights particularly tenaciously. Smokers and people who have very intensely exposed to UV rays need this valuable vitamin in large quantities.
Protects against cell damage
Free radicals can destroy cells, cause cancer and lead to premature skin aging. They are actually quite normal and arise in normal metabolic processes. The only problem with free radicals is that we now release them too often - especially through smoking, alcohol consumption, stress, air pollution, and UV rays. These negative environmental influences mean that we have more free radicals in our body than antioxidants - which they could easily fight off.
The radical scavenger vitamin C protects us from all the negative effects that free radicals bring with them. They protect our cells, which makes your skin look more alive.
UV rays in particular can permanently damage our cells and cause cancer. Vitamin C not only prevents these processes, if applied under sunscreen, the serum can also enhance the effect of the sunscreen. The skin is thus doubly protected. And even if you do get a sunburn, the serum can soothe the injured skin and help it regenerate.
Vitamin C serums prevent wrinkles
There are several really good reasons why vitamin C is touted primarily as an anti-aging miracle drug. Vitamin C plays a central role in building and maintaining collagen. For one, vitamin C stops free radicals and prevents them from damaging collagen. On the other hand, vitamin C also actively participates in the development of new connective tissue.
Collagen is a protein that is responsible for the elasticity of our body tissue. Together with other active ingredients, the protein forms a framework around our cells and thus maintains elasticity and body shape. While young people still form sufficient collagen on their own and do not need any external support, the build-up is significantly weaker in older skin. From the age of 25, the skin loses its elasticity and becomes more prone to wrinkles.
Vitamin C serums have been shown to promote the build-up of collagen so that it builds up again. This inhibits premature aging of the skin. At the same time, smaller wrinkles are smoothed. Because vitamin C serums provide the skin with additional moisture and allow it to swell slightly, which in turn smooths out unevenness.
Against dark circles
Look relaxed, fresh, and radiant - everyone would like to say that, especially when looking in the mirror in the early morning. Vitamin C not only makes the skin shine, but it also brightens dark circles and makes your eyes more alert. Because the serum regulates the formation of melanin on the one hand and on the other hand can reduce swelling and have a balancing effect on irritated skin.
Against impurities
Even if you don't have any wrinkles yet and dark circles are not an issue for you, your skin can really benefit from a vitamin C serum. Because the wonder drug also provides relief for acne, blackheads, and other impurities. Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects reduce micro-inflammation, such as those that occur in acne. In addition, the serum visibly reduces the size of the pores and thus inhibits the formation of further pimples.
Against pigment and age spots
Pigment and age spots are mostly caused by a disruption of the melanin content in the body. Melanin is responsible for tinting our skin dark, for example when exposed to intense sunlight, so that it is protected. However, it happens that too much or too little melanin is formed in some areas, which in turn causes unsightly stains. And this is where vitamin C comes into play again: studies have shown that the antioxidant counteracts the excessive formation of melanin and thus gives pigment spots no chance.
Vitamin C also combats age spots in two different ways: On the one hand, of course, by regulating melanin. On the other hand, because the vitamin protects against UV radiation and fights free radicals. And it is precisely this radiation that is responsible for the fact that our skin develops more and more dark areas as we age.
Step 2 Soffli 16% Vitamin C Serum
from: Soffli by SeoulofSkin
Tips for using and buying
If you want to achieve the full effect with your vitamin C serum, there are a few things you need to consider - even before you buy. Because you can actually do a lot wrong here.
Choosing the right vitamin C serum
Serums are known to have very high doses of a certain active ingredient - at least compared to creams. Since the active ingredient in our case is vitamin C, this means an extremely acidic serum. That is why the motto “the more the better” does not apply here at all. On the contrary: the ideal vitamin C concentration for serums is between 15 and 20 percent. If the serum exceeds this level, it can have detrimental effects on the skin. Its acidity can cause redness and irritate the skin instead of soothing it.
Rather, use serums that are weakly dosed, but have other valuable ingredients. Because even a serum with only seven percent vitamin C can develop its full effect as long as it is combined with ingredients that promote the absorption of vitamin C into the skin.
Not all vitamin C is created equal. There are different vitamin derivatives that are used in cosmetics. But the purest and most effective form is ascorbic acid. Unfortunately, this is only rarely used in serums because it is very reactive and therefore disintegrates quickly. Instead, the industry uses derivatives that are only half as effective but more stable. Therefore, pay attention to the following names when buying: ascorbic acid and L-ascorbic acid.
If you want to buy a long-lasting serum, you should also pay attention to the type of product. Pump dispensers are usually always more useful than pipettes. And there is one simple reason for this: pipettes pump air into the jar very quickly, while pump dispensers are airtight. And oxygen reacts with the ingredients and promotes germ growth.
Valuable additives in vitamin C serums
A vitamin C serum is particularly rich if it has been provided with other health-promoting ingredients. Other vitamins, such as vitamin E or A, offer additional protection against environmental influences. While vitamin E is also considered a miracle cure for wrinkles, vitamin A - or retinol - refines the appearance, makes the skin more supple, and supports vitamin C in the fight against pigment spots.
Then there is ferulic acid. The acid, which creates a slightly acidic environment, supports the skin in absorbing vitamin C. But hyaluronic acid is also a valuable addition to serums: It provides a lot of moisture, ironing out small wrinkles, and makes the skin supple.
Do not use daily
Unlike your face cream, it is better not to use vitamin C serums every day. Otherwise, the high acid content could possibly irritate your skin. So instead of beautifying your skin, your skin could suffer from the treatment. This is especially true for people with very sensitive skin or problem skin.
You can also mix a few drops of the serum into your normal face cream and then apply it daily as usual. The other active ingredients can sometimes neutralize the acid so that it can no longer attack the skin as strongly.
Apply vitamin C serum correctly
Before you apply the serum, you should definitely clean your face, neck, and décolleté thoroughly. Your ideal care routine should include a mild facial tonic and a gentle peeling, with which you cleanse the skin and at the same time remove dead skin cells.
Basically, you should never use the serum more than once a day, because overcare can quickly irritate the skin. Instead, you prefer to apply your vitamin C serum to skin that is still slightly damp in the morning or in the evening. Since every serum is very economical, about two to three drops are sufficient. Massage the few drops into the skin with circular and lightly pressing movements, this also promotes blood circulation. In addition, with this method, you distribute the quickly absorbed serum perfectly all over your face.
In order to optimize your care, you can apply your usual moisturizer over the already absorbed serum. Creams with a high level of UV protection are particularly recommended, as they strengthen the effect of the antioxidants and protect your skin.