Exactly How Does Vitamin C Help Brighten Your Skin?
As skincare ingredients go, vitamin C is seen as the holy grail of glowy, radiant skin. But does vitamin C really work? And if so, how?
Vitamin C. If you know anything about TruSkin, you will know that we are all about it. Our first ever product was our award-winning and best-selling Vitamin C Facial Serum and over the last ten years, almost our entire range has been built around this fan favorite face treatment.
But what exactly is it about vitamin C that makes it SO good that it had to be the absolute foundation of our skincare journey? And why is it hailed as the one of the best ingredients for brightening dull skin?
Read on for the three main reasons we believe vitamin C deserves every inch of its glow-getting praise…
Vitamin C: The Antioxidant Master
Vitamin C is a very powerful antioxidant. Science says so. And who are we to argue with science?
Antioxidants are super important for the health of your skin. You see, life can be a constant struggle as far as your skin is concerned. You can’t get away from sun exposure, environmental pollution and stress – they’re all part of daily life. But they’re no good for your skin. Similarly, a lack of sleep, poor diet choices and smoking all contribute to this onslaught of aggressors that totally compromise the strength and stability of your skin.
Why are these such bad news? Two words: free radicals. Free radicals form in your skin when it’s been exposed to the aforementioned daily aggressors. They’re very unstable, highly reactive atoms that have unpaired electrons, and their mission in life is to pair up these electrons in order to stabilize themselves. In order to do that they commit theft, pinching electrons from unsuspecting healthy cells and proteins in your body. In your skin, specifically, they seriously chip away at things like collagen and elastin, damaging your skin’s tone and texture, and making it look dull and sad at lightning speeds.
Thankfully, the world has blessed us with antioxidants which help neutralize free rads by offering up electrons without themselves becoming damaged. They’re super important in the quest for healthy, bright skin which is why applying a topical antioxidant every day should be a vital part of your skincare regime.
We have tons of awesome vitamin C products for you to try but if you really want to reap the benefits, you should opt for a facial serum first and foremost. Serums have a very low molecular weight which means they’re able to penetrate your skin and deliver all their goodness exactly where it’s needed. Try our high-powered Vitamin C Super Serum + which offers a concentrated hit of vitamin C alongside hydrating hyaluronic acid and soothing niacinamide.
Vitamin C: The Dark Spot Warrior
Granted, most people know about vitamin C’s extraordinary antioxidant powers, but that’s not all it offers in terms of skin-brightening assistance.
Studies have also shown that vitamin C helps reduce dark spots and an uneven skin tone by blocking melanin production. As we’re sure you know, melanin is what gives your skin (as well as your eyes and hair) its color. The more melanin your skin produces, the darker your skin naturally is.
Melanin also absorbs UV radiation to help protect your skin from sun damage. This is why, when your skin is exposed to sunlight, melanin production amps up and your skin may become darker. Sometimes this is uniform and you tan, but other times melanin production becomes a bit wayward, and your skin tone becomes patchy and irregular as dark spots appear.
Dark spots can really kill your skin’s radiance, giving your tone an uneven appearance and generally making it look like kind of ‘meh.’ Of course, sunscreen is vital for warding off sun damage, but vitamin C is another great way to help keep melanin under control.
How does vitamin C help reduce the appearance of dark spots? Well, research shows that it inhibits a certain enzyme called tyrosinase which melanin needs in order to synthesize. Without tyrosinase, melanin production slows down meaning less darkness and potential patchiness as a result. Bingo!
Try the awesome duo of Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser each morning, followed by Vitamin C Facial Serum, Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer and that all-important sunscreen. Winner.
We also have a Vitamin C Deep Hydration Night Cream to help brighten, strengthen and repair your skin while you’re asleep. Just remember to always patch test any of these formulations before using regularly all over. All of our products are gentle and suitable for most skin types but everyone’s skin reacts differently, so you can never be too careful.
Vitamin C: The Sunscreen Bestie
Going back to sunscreen for a minute, this is the number one way to fight off ALL signs of skin aging, including dull skin and dark spots. Any broad-spectrum sunscreen that’s mineral-forward and has an SPF of at least 30 is going to do your skin all number of radiance-boosting, protecting and anti-aging favors, that’s for sure. However, if you really want to soup up the effects of your sunscreen and double down on its benefits, vitamin C is a shoo-in.
Word is that vitamin C makes sunscreen work better and harder, neutralizing more free radicals (check!) and helping your sunscreen absorb more UV radiation (double check!).
The thing is, even the very best, most highly protective sunscreens can only protect your skin from 98 percent of UV rays, so there will always be a few that slip through the proverbial SPF net. Not only that but certain studies have shown that sunscreen is only able to shield your skin from around 50 percent of the number of free radicals caused by the sun. So why would you not want to try to catch all those extra rays and rads by combining the antioxidant prowess of vitamin C alongside your sunscreen? There’s no reason not to do that. No reason at all.
Especially when our SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen has been powered up by vitamin C for you, anyway.
The pleasure is all ours!
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![The September Spotlight: Vitamin C Super Serum +]()
We’re back again with our September Spotlight series and today we’re singing the praises of our fabulous Vitamin C Super Serum +. Yet to be acquainted with this super powered brightening serum? Then let us introduce you…
Vitamin C is one of the hardest-working ingredients in skincare. It’s like the Taylor Swift of skincare: never tiring, always delivering.
If you’re a true TruSkin fan you’ll be well aware of our Vitamin C Facial Serum which has been around for over ten years now (gosh, where did the time go?) and continues to brighten skin up and down the country thanks to its harmonic blend of rejuvenating vitamin C, beautiful botanicals and other skin-nourishing ingredients.
But we’re not all Vitamin C Facial Serum this and Vitamin C Facial Serum that at TruSkin HQ. In fact, we have many other incredible facial serums in our arsenal. And one you really should know about is Vitamin C Super Serum +. Because if you’re a C fan, you will be all over this potent, skin-changing treatment.
What Is Vitamin C Super Serum +?
Often thought of as Vitamin C Facial Serum’s more grown-up sibling, Vitamin C Super Serum + is one of the most powerful skin treatments we have in our serum collection. The name ‘Super Serum’ kind of gives it away, right? And we weren't joking when we named it because it really is super by name and super by nature.
Of course, it’s greatest superpowers come from vitamin C which is one of the most trusted skincare ingredients we know, packing a punch against environmental damage and helping to keep your skin bright, radiant and healthy-looking. But vitamin C is really just the tip of the iceberg here, for Vitamin C Super Serum + is powered by so much more.
And if you think it’s going to be heavy and too rich for your skin, think again. It may be concentrated and packed with ingredient heavyweights, but its texture is the exact opposite – lightweight and an absolute joy to use. So good, you’ll want to use it every minute of the day, in fact. Full disclosure: don’t do that. More on how to use Vitamin C Super Serum + safely and effectively to follow…
But First, What Makes Vitamin C Super Serum + Different From The Rest?
1. It contains a special type of vitamin C called sodium ascorbyl phosphate
Just like the Vitamin C Facial Serum (and all of our vitamin C products, actually), our Super Serum + doesn’t contain pure vitamin C (l-ascorbic acid). Wait… what? Ha, of course it contains a certain type of vitamin C, just not the pure stuff. Why? Two reasons. One, we believe it’s way too potent which, sure, that can be a good thing. Until it isn’t. The hard truth is that many skin types can’t handle pure vitamin C as it’s kind of irritating – especially if you have sensitive skin.
Secondly, pure vitamin C is very unstable which means it breaks down when it’s exposed to light and air and thus loses efficacy. Which is kind of annoying.
Instead of l-ascorbic acid, we load up our vitamin C formulas with sodium ascorbyl phosphate (SAP) which is a salt form of the original. This little gem is much more stable and longer-lasting, plus it’s way gentler on your skin. But don't worry, it's still packed with all the same benefits. It's just better. We think so, anyway.
2. Retinol and salicylic acid add further power to this potent blend
As if the mighty forces of vitamin C weren’t enough to power up this serum, it also comes chock full of other skincare greats. Do retinol and salicylic acid mean anything to you?
Some skincare experts scoff at the thought of using vitamin C and retinol together and, true, if you try cocktailing them at home, you could end up with disastrous results. However, when they’re blended thoughtfully and smartly by the experts (that’s us, btw!) they team up perfectly to help smooth and brighten your skin while defending it from environmental damage and supporting collagen production. Say hello to youthful-looking skin for years to come.
When you add salicylic acid into the mix you also get a little gentle exfoliation as an extra bonus. This helps your vitamin C (and retinol) penetrate the skin better and more effectively. And that’s what we call a skincare win-win.
3. Hyaluronic acid and niacinamide help keep skin calm and collected
If all this sounds like a whole bunch of irritation waiting to happen, fear not. Granted, Vitamin C Super Serum+ may include a combination of some of the hardest-hitters in skincare, but it’s also balanced with hydrating, soothing and calming ingredients like hyaluronic acid and niacinamide.
It’s also free of common irritants like synthetic fragrance, silicones, parabens and sulfates which makes it surprisingly gentle on the skin as long as you don’t apply it too frequently.
4. Unlike inferior vitamin C serums, it smells incredible
Of course, the smell of skincare isn’t the most important thing in the world, but we believe it plays a crucial part in the way you experience beauty products. Scent evokes emotions and memories: it can make you feel alive and energized (hello citrus and mint), and it can similarly make you feel sleepy and relaxed (here’s looking at you, lavender and chamomile).
This is why Vitamin C Super Serum+ is infused with a light touch of grapefruit essential oil. Fresh, subtle and uplifting, grapefruit is thought to help reduce stress and balance your mood. And who doesn’t want a piece of that?
How To Make Vitamin C Super Serum + Work For You
The most important thing to remember about our Vitamin C Super Serum + is that you don’t have to use it every day to see incredible results. In fact, we advise against it. Instead, we find that two or three times a week is enough for most skin types to reap the benefits of its four-way age defense formula.
On your days off, alternate it with Vitamin C Facial Serum, or any other of your TruSkin favorites for that matter. Have you tried our NEW Energizing Caffeine Facial Serum, for example? That one's a real goodie and an incredible morning wake-up call for tired, flagging complexions.
Apply a couple of drops of Vitamin C Super Serum + to clean skin and gently pat or smooth it over your face and neck. Give it a minute or so to settle into your skin, then finish with moisturizer. And remember, this juice contains tons of potent, concentrated ingredients which accelerate cell turnover to help you enjoy your freshest skin ever. So don’t ruin all of that hard work by skipping your morning supply of SPF. Generously treat your skin with a broad-spectrum sunscreen every day. And yes, we said every day and we mean it.
Now go and load up on Vitamin C Super Serum + while it's still front of mind!
The September Spotlight: Vitamin C Super Serum +
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