Vitamin C Skin Care

Vitamin C Skin Care is an important component of most anti-aging skin care regimens. Topically applied Vitamin C is proven to help protect the skin from photo-damage from sun exposure. Vitamin C taken orally does not have the same skin care benefit - it must be applied directly to the skin. Here is everything you need to know to incorporate Vitamin C into your skin care routine.

What is Vitamin C?
Vitamin C is used in skin care because it is an antioxidant. Antioxidants protect the skin from damage cause by the effects of sun exposure and environmental causes of aging, like smoking or pollution.

The forms of Vitamin C that are used in skin care are: ascorbic acid, L-ascorbic acid, tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, ascorbyl palmitate, ascorbyl phosphate, ascorbyl glucoside, retinyl ascorbate, ascorbyl stearate, sodium ascorbyl phosphate, and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate. Ascorbic Acid is the entire Vitamin C molecule, the others are derivatives. No one form has been shown be more effective or better than the other. Vitamin C Skin Care products should be a strength of 0.3 to 10% for optimal effectiveness.

The Packaging is Important!
Vitamin C is easily broken down by air and sunlight, so any container that exposes the product to them in (like jars or clear containers) will render your vitamin C worthless. To be beneficial, vitamin C should be packaged in tubes, capsules or pumps that do not allow air in. Some products have “stabilized” vitamin C, these products tend to be more expensive.

Don’t Forget the SPF!
While vitamin C can protect the skin from UV damage caused by prolonged sun exposure, it does not block UV like sunscreen and should always be used along with a good sunscreen.

Does Everyone Need Vitamin C?
Vitamin C is especially beneficial for hyperpigmentation or uneven skin tone - dark spots, sun damage, etc. If you do not have these "issues", you can choose any good anti-oxidant for your anti-aging skin care regimen. If you do have darkened skin areas or issues, I would recommend at least giving Vitamin C a try.

Related Pages:
Skin Benefits of Vitamin C - here is a list of all of the benefits of vitamin C skin care.
The Importance of Sunscreen
What does SPF mean?

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