Vitamin C for Instantly Brighter, Glowy Skin

Vitamin C is—without any doubt—the absolute best ingredient for your skin. Just ask any dermatologist. Well, you don’t really have to because I have done my research*, so you can just trust me on this one. And, I know that there are many ingredients that I swear by, but this one truly does wonders for any type of skin. Here’s what it can do.

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Benefits of Vitamin C for Skin

Vitamin C is an antioxidant and pretty much does a similar job for your skin as it does for your body—it helps keep your skin healthy and good-looking. Let’s get into more details about its benefits so you get a better understanding of what it can help you with: 

  • Vitamin C defends skin against free radicals.

Its main job is protecting healthy skin cells attacked by free radicals by neutralizing them and preventing damage. Vitamin C protects lipid membranes and proteins by reducing oxidative stress, aka environmental stressors. Okay, I know it sounds a bit complicated so let’s just say vitamin C is the first line of antioxidant defense.

  • Vitamin C brightens your skin.

I really, really, really dislike winter. Not only because of all the coldness but also because my skin gets all dry and dull. Sometimes it seems to me that no amount of facial moisturizer or hydrating creams can help. And this is where vitamin C really shows its awesomeness—it brightens the skin and gives it glow and radiance. Basically what happens is that vitamin C blocks excess creation of pigment, maintaining an even and smooth complexion while brightening your skin.

  • Vitamin C boosts collagen production.

The best part of using vitamin C for your skin is the combination of all of its benefits obviously, PLUS its anti-aging effects! Using vitamin C in your skincare routine can help boost collagen production, i.e., stabilize and stimulate the creation of collagen molecules.

  • Vitamin C reduces skin imperfections.

Vitamin C is well known for its anti-inflammatory properties that soothe the skin. If you have acne scars or are annoyed by skin discoloration or hyperpigmentation, just try out vitamin C. You’ll thank me later. 

Top 5 Vitamin C Skincare Products

1. Vacation Eyes Brightening Eye Gel

This cooling eye gel is one of my top 10 vitamin C products of all time. It is affordable, it’s lightweight, you can feel the instant effect, and it doesn’t feel sticky when applied. Whenever I feel tired and my eyes feel heavy, I just put it on and immediately feel how it refreshes and tightens the skin around the eyes.

2. Murad Rapid Dark Spot Correcting Serum

Okay, so this serum is a must-have if you’re looking for a way to reduce hyperpigmentation or dark spots. It helps with surface cell turnover and leaves you with a brighter, more even skin tone. Try it out to see for yourself how it almost miraculously helps enhance natural skin radiance.

3. SUMMER FRIDAYS Overtime Mask

The best mask EVER. A perfect solution for uneven skin texture and dullness that actually helps with wrinkles and fine lines. I swear this is the ultimate glow-getter! A combination of vitamin C, pumpkin, and apricot seed powder in this clarifying mask makes it a perfect mild exfoliant that won’t damage your skin and will get the job done. 

Use it to exfoliate and get rid of dead skin cells for bright, beautiful skin and an amazing luminous effect.  

4. CLE Cosmetics Vitamin C Elixir

Everything you want and need from vitamin C in a product, you can find in this elixir. I simply love it. As I mentioned before, my skin gets super dry and dull during winter, and this little serum makes it deeply hydrated and much brighter, thanks to its vitamin C plus natural oils formula. 

What’s more, I’ve noticed that helps heal breakouts, which is really helpful during that time of the month, when my skin just goes wild.

5. Melanie Simon Skincare Serum

First of all, thank you, Melanie Simon! It’s such a pleasure applying this amazing serum to my face, thanks to its silky texture and lightness. It literally turns from an oily consistency to a dry non-slippery glaze right in front of your eyes. Skincare Serum C gives the skin a radiant glow and keeps your skin protected from exposure to environmental stressors. 

Make Your Own Vitamin C Serum

If you are more of a DIY girl, why not try to make a homemade vitamin C serum? It is super simple to make and it requires only a few ingredients. Since I’m obsessed with vitamin C in skincare, I’ve tried a few variations of the following recipe and I was really happy with how it turned up. So, here’s what you’ll need:

  • 1 teaspoon of vitamin C powder
  • 1 teaspoon of filtered water
  • 1 tablespoon and 2 teaspoons of aloe vera gel (variation: aloe juice or vegetable glycerin)
  • 1/4 teaspoon of vitamin E oil (this is optional, however, it helps to keep skin moist)
  • A dark amber bottle for storing

And here’s how to make vitamin C serum:

Dissolve vitamin C powder in filtered water using a whisk. Once done, stir in aloe vera gel and add vitamin E oil. Pour into dark amber bottle and store in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. Gently shake the bottle before applying. 

I’ve made this recipe twice already and I’ve noticed that each time it had a different consistency and color, which is normal and depends on the vitamin C powder and aloe vera gel you use. 

To make sure not to cause any damage to your skin after the expiration date of your DIY serum (homemade serum has a short life span), you can use pH testing strips. You want your vitamin C serum to have a pH of 3 (pH of 7 is neutral), if you notice a change in pH, the serum is no longer suitable for use.

Before I wrap this topic up, let me just leave a few final pieces of advice on using vitamin C in skincare.

How to apply vitamin C serum?

I always follow the rule that I came across ages ago: thinnest to thickest

  1. Clean your face, as usual; 
  2. Use your preferred toner (you can, of course, skip this if you’re not a toner girl); 
  3. Pump out a few drops on your fingertips and, 
  4. Massage your vitamin C serum into your skin. 

Then, continue your routine with moisturizer and obviously SPF!

Also, if you are combining vitamin C serum and retinol in your skincare routine, be sure to use your serum first as it has a lower pH value than retinol.

How often should you use vitamin C serum?

Use it every day for optimal results. And if you have time during the day, it is even recommended to apply it every eight hours—but who’s got time for that? What you can do is apply it twice a day for extreme protection.

When to put on vitamin C serum?

As I mentioned, vitamin C protects your skin from free radicals, pollution, UV light, etc. so it is best to use it in the morning and your skin will be protected during the day.

Not only this miraculous vitamin is good for strengthening the body’s immune system, but it also does so much good for your skin that after just a few weeks of using it, you will want to thank whoever came up with the idea to use vitamin C in skin care products! 

*Read more: The Roles of Vitamin C in Skin Health

 

 

GRRRL always offers genuine editorial recommendations. We only recommend products we would use ourselves and all opinions expressed here are our own. If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission, at no cost to you.

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