Everything You Need To Know About Vitamin C Serums
Widely considered to be one of skincare’s most miracle-working ingredients, incorporating Vitamin C into your daily routine can be an absolute game-changer. This powerful antioxidant combats a myriad of common skin concerns – it banishes dullness, making way for a luminous, renewed complexion, while simultaneously preventing ageing signs and healing pre-existing skin damage. If you’re thinking of trying Vitamin C for the first time, or simply need a refresher, here’s everything you need to know about the skincare staple.
Benefits of Vitamin C
Promotes even skin tone: While it has a lengthy list of benefits, Vitamin C is perhaps most renowned for its brightening properties. It specifically tackles hyperpigmentation, or dark spots, caused by UV rays and environmental damage to reveal a more cohesive complexion.
Anti-ageing properties: Vitamin C both boosts the production and prevents the loss of collagen in the skin. This ensures skin maintains elasticity and can reduce the likelihood of wrinkles and fine lines developing overtime.
Prevents skin damage: A strong antioxidant, Vitamin C helps the skin to repair damaged skin cells and neutralise free radicals. Free radicals refer to environmental stressors like sun exposure, pollutants and tobacco smoke, which can result in premature ageing and other long-lasting skin damage.
Best ingredients to pair with vitamin c
Vitamin E: Combining Vitamin C with Vitamin E further amplifies each ingredient’s individual ability to fight environmental damage. They’re both potent antioxidants, and by mixing the two together you’re ensuring greater protection against photodamage, which causes premature ageing. Many Vitamin C products are already formulated with Vitamin E, making this the most easy combination to obtain.
Hyaluronic Acid: Hyaluronic Acid is an effective moisture-boosting ingredient that ensures skin stays supple, healthy and hydrated. This combination is especially effective for those with dry or sensitive skin types, as Vitamin C, when used alone, can aggravate the skin and increase dryness.
Niacinamide: Further intensify Vitamin C’s plentiful benefits by layering it with a Niacinamide product. Niacinamide, a form of Vitamin B3, provides hydration, improves collagen production and minimises the appearance of pores and fine lines, resulting in a smoother, more even-looking complexion.
In a similar vein, it’s wise not to use Vitamin C alongside AHAs and BHAs – they’re all acidic ingredients, and including an AHA or BHA in your skincare routine will essentially render Vitamin C useless, as they destabilise its pH balance. It can also be extremely harsh to use all these ingredients at once, which can result in dryness, irritation and a weaker skin barrier.
Layering Vitamin C and Retinol together is also not recommended, as it can overwhelm the skin and result in itchiness and irritation. If you intend to use two products with these two ingredients, apply them separately, such as by using one in the morning and one at night.
Best Vitamin C products
Jumiso Vitamin Brightening & Balancing Facial Serum
An ideal product for beginners, this best-selling serum is enriched with a potent blend of Vitamins – C, A, B, E and K – to even out the skin tone, diminish the appearance of fine lines and provide intensive brightening properties. Its gentle formula includes Hyaluronic Acid, which gives the skin a plump, healthy glow.
Beauty of Joseon Light On Serum: Centella + Vita C
Formulated with a generous 68% Centella Asiatica Extract, Beauty of Joseon’s fast-absorbing serum provides all the typical benefits of a Vitamin C product while simultaneously reducing skin’s irritation levels and soothing any troubled areas.
Goodal Green Tangerine Vita C Dark Spot Serum
A top-seller in Korea, this holy-grail product is powered by 70% Green Tangerine Extract which is incredibly potent in Vitamin C, allowing it to tackle hyperpigmentation more effectively. The serum has a featherlight texture that resembles a gel – it absorbs swiftly into the skin and leaves behind no sticky residue.
Rohto Mentholatum Melano CC Vitamin C Essence
Enriched with Vitamin C and Vitamin E derivatives, this serum fades dark spots with ease. Its brightening properties are especially concentrated, as its formula includes Alpinia Seed Extract, which has lightening benefits. This is an all-time favourite in Japan for a reason!
Numbuzin No.5 Vitamin-Niacinamide Concentrated Pad
Soaked in a luxurious blend of Vitamin C, Niacinamide and Vitamin E, these toner pads give skin a radiant, glowing finish. Additionally formulated with LHA and PHA, they improve both skin tone and texture by exfoliating the skin and cleansing pores, leaving behind a complexion that feels renewed and refreshed.
iUNIK Vitamin Propolis Synergy Serum
Infused with 70% Propolis, this serum has anti-inflammatory benefits to calm stressed-out skin and prevent breakouts. It soothes pre-existing skin damage and reduces signs of ageing with ease. Its skin-friendly formulation makes it a perfect option for any skin type, especially those with sensitive skin.
NEEDLY Vita C Glow Jelly Pads
These illuminating toner pads are saturated with a mix of Vitamin C and Pomegranate and Mulberry Extracts, all incredibly rich antioxidants. This product is a master at transforming tired, uneven skin into a plump, luminous canvas. Each pad has an 80mm diameter, much larger than a regular toner pad, making it ideal to use as a makeshift sheet mask.