The glow before the glow!

We all love a good glow, and I don’t mean the type you get after applying your favourite highlighter…I mean the overall glow on your face when your skin is uber nourished with highly nourishing skingredients (is this even a word? lol) such as vitamin C.

Why Vitamin C?

I know you’ve not been living under a rock and you’ve probably heard and read about the benefits of vitamin C, but permit me to repeat the fact Vitamin C is essential in your skincare routine if you want a healthy glow! If you’ve not ‘read or heard’ about the goodness of  vitamin C in skincare and you’re wondering, ‘why vitamin c?’ Well…it is a strong antioxidant that helps boost collagen production (collagen levels get depleted with age and ultimately leads to the development of fine lines and wrinkles) and it also helps fade scars and marks.

Additionally, it brightens the skin tone, firms up the skin, and protects the skin from harmful UV rays. The best practice will be to use a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine in conjunction with your SPF. Vitamin C serums are great for introducing this superhero ingredient into your skincare as it is easy to layer it with other products in your skincare regimen.

The best form of Vitamin C

There are many forms of vitamin c used in skincare, chief among them is L-Ascorbic Acid, therefore when buying your vitamin C product, ensure that you look out for this form of vitamin C as it is the most researched form of vitamin C in the market. It is also touted as the most effective. However, there are other types of vitamin C used in skincare such as Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, and a few others. If you want a vitamin C serum that will deliver the results mentioned above, it is best to use one with at least 10% concentration as anything less will have a slower effect. There are other concentrations like 15% and 20% (so, the higher the concentration, the more effective it is!)

Keep it Cool

Now, before you start ordering any vitamin c product, bear in mind that vitamin c isn’t the most stable skingredient (can I carry on using this made up word?) and it is therefore prone to oxidation. The best presentation for a vitamin c product is in a dark-coloured airtight bottle, and make sure to keep away from direct sunlight. It is highly advisable to keep your vitamin C serum in a cold, dark and dry place as this will help keep it as fresh as possible, and do look out for any change in colour.

If a vitamin C serum has oxidised, the colour will most likely change from clear to a dark yellow colour, and it will most likely have a rancid smell. If you notice any of these changes in your vitamin C serum, please discontinue use and simply trash it as it is no longer safe to use. If you decide to use it because you can’t imagine discarding a product that cost you an arm and a leg, have a rethink as continuing to use it could cause you some skin woes.