How To Use Vitamin C Serum in Your Skin Care Routine

If you haven’t yet added vitamin C serum to your skin care routine yet, you’re missing out on one of the most effective, impactful ingredients.

This popular antioxidant can provide a wide range of benefits for the skin, from fighting off the visible signs of free radical damage to reducing the appearance of dark spots, too.

But you won’t get those benefits if you’re not using vitamin C to its full potential. We’ll show you exactly how to use vitamin C serum in your skin care routine for optimal results.

What is vitamin C serum?

Vitamin C is one of many vitamins and minerals the body requires to function correctly. Alongside at least 13 other nutrients in the “essential” category, our body needs the vitamin but can’t manufacture it on its own. That means it’s up to us to provide our bodies with the vitamin C that it needs to work properly, outside and in. 

You may see vitamin C listed in multiple ways on skin care product labels, depending on the type and concentration of vitamin C in the serum — ascorbic acid, L-ascorbic acid and ascorbyl-6-palmitate being the most common. Although they may be called different names, each of these forms of vitamin C shares one crucial thing in common. While they are powerful antioxidants, they are prone to oxidation when exposed to direct sunlight. 

That’s why, when learning how to use vitamin C serum, you should only purchase one sold in a dark-colored bottle.

What are the benefits of vitamin C serum?

Vitamin C serums are incredibly beneficial and offer even more wide-reaching effects than most other skin care ingredients on the market. But you don’t have to just take our word for it; these benefits have been thoroughly researched and backed by science. Properly learning how to use vitamin C serum opens your skin up to the following benefits:

Brightens the appearance of the skin—

Vitamin C is a well-known skin brightening agent, as it is incredibly effective at reducing the appearance of pigmentation. Vitamin C serum is the way to go if you’re looking for a way to even out your skin tone or fade dark spots.

Supports youthful-looking skin—

Collagen production is crucial for keeping the skin youthful and firm, but the amount of this protein in the skin also naturally declines as we age. Vitamin C is essential for maintaining youthful-looking skin even as collagen production declines with age.

Fight visible signs of aging—

Because vitamin C is such a potent antioxidant, it is incredibly effective at supporting skin cells against damage. Often triggered by chronic sun exposure, free radical damage can cause many of the most visible signs of aging, like fine lines, wrinkles and dull, lackluster skin tone.

How can I add vitamin C serum to my skin care routine?

It’s tempting to start adding a vitamin C serum into your routine as soon as you get it home, but doing that may be counterintuitive. While there aren’t any “wrong” ways to incorporate it, there are ways to learn how to use vitamin C serum to get your skin the most significant benefits.

Choose the right product

The right vitamin C serum makes all the difference. If you look at products across multiple brands and price points, you’ll likely see various vitamin C derivatives on their labels. Paying attention to the form of vitamin C you’re buying helps you spend your money wisely.

Look for pure, biologically available forms of the vitamin, which give you far more bang for your buck. For example, our Glow Factor vitamin C serum is made with 10% L-ascorbic acid, the most biologically active and well-studied form of Vitamin C. 

Use it at the right time

Like all skin care products, vitamin C serum works best when used at a specific time in your routine. 

Regardless of what products you choose, any good skin care routine must start with removing makeup and cleansing your skin. Without this step, you’re essentially applying your products over a layer of debris, which doesn’t allow them to be nearly as effective as they can be. Cleansing your skin removes that debris, opening up your pores and letting your skin care products penetrate much further.

Once you have cleansed your skin (and applied toner, if that’s part of your routine), it’s time for your vitamin C serum. After giving it time to absorb thoroughly, finish your routine with a hydrating moisturizer (preferably one made with hyaluronic acid). Moisturizer protects your skin barrier, keeping your skin supple and strong.

Know which ingredients vitamin C pairs well with

In addition to knowing where to add your vitamin C serum into your skin care routine, you should also know what ingredients it works well with and which you should avoid. This information can help you find the perfect combination of products and ingredients.

In particular, vitamin C’s protective effect on the skin is even more powerful when combined with a sunscreen. Not only does it keep your skin health high, but it also combats the negative impact of UV rays due to chronic sun exposure. That’s why most dermatologists recommend using vitamin C serums as part of your morning routine. 

To sum things up...

Healthy skin doesn’t just happen; it takes work. Vitamin C serum’s potent wide-reaching benefits make it a vital part of any skin care routine, and we’ve got just the products to make incorporating it easy. But you have to know how to use vitamin C serum effectively to unlock all of its benefits. 

At Skin Pharm, our providers are dedicated to making skin care easy. We’ll help you reveal your best, most beautiful skin by giving you the right information and products to make it seem effortless. 

SOURCES:

Topical Vitamin C and the Skin: Mechanisms of Action and Clinical Applications | PubMed

The effect of Vitamin C on melanin pigmentation – A systematic review | PubMed

Ascorbic acid | HC6H7O6 | PubChem