It'll also absorb into your skin most effectively after you've cleansed and exfoliated, so it makes sense to apply it during your nighttime routine. When you use your vitamin C serum during the night, you'll also avoid the risk of photosensitivity, which can occur in some cases with daytime use.
While it's all down to your skin (and no one knows your skin better than you), most prefer to apply vitamin C serums in the morning because of its antioxidant properties—which means that it helps to defend against pollutants and free radicals that could otherwise damage skin throughout the day.
Apply serum evenly to face and neck daily. Avoid eye area. If contact with eyes occurs, rinse thoroughly with water. Store serum in a cool, dark place.
Many people wonder when the best time is to use their Vitamin C products. While some associate Vitamin C with daytime, others believe nights and evenings are best to use their Vitamin C-infused products. The truth is, Vitamin C can work effectively in the days or evenings.
The truth: You can use vitamin C with retinol and retinoids. Get them as separate products so you can tailor the concentration of each and use them at the right time of day. Although vitamin C can be used day or night, it is ideal for daytime use, while retinol and retinoids should be applied at night.
Once your vitamin C serum has dried down, apply moisturizer. This order is crucial because applying moisturizer before your serum could block your skin from absorbing all of its goodness. If applying in the morning, follow with a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF 30 or higher.
A Vitamin C serum should be used in your bedtime routine and a couple of drops of it should suffice. Tap it on your skin using your fingertips and leave it on overnight. Wash your face in the morning and apply SPF to avoid any skin irritation.
If you're wondering when to apply a vitamin C serum, the answer is both morning and night, after cleansing and toning. One study even recommends applying a vitamin C serum every eight hours, or twice daily for the pinnacle of protection.
In case you are not familiar with it, Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant known for its ability to help diminish dark spots and discolorations, brighten dull skin tone and reduce the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles.
Best overall vitamin-C serum
Four of our dermatologists recommend SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic, which they (and our editors) hail as the gold-standard vitamin-C serum and is suitable for all skin types.
Most of the skincare experts we spoke with recommend adding a Vitamin C serum to your skincare routine slowly before building up a daily or twice-daily tolerance. “I recommend every other day to daily use in the morning, typically three to five drops for the entire face,” Palm says.
Yes, you can, BUT you will get better results if you use vitamin C and glycolic acid/salicyclic acid separately. We recommend using vitamin C in the morning and your AHA or BHA at night.
While vitamin C can be used in the morning or evening, most prefer to apply it during the day since its antioxidant properties act as a shield to deflect pollution and other environmental aggressors.
Yes, you could use niacinamide in the morning and vitamin C at night. Both ingredients are highly effective and are able to deliver impressive results whenever they are applied to the skin.
You can use your serum(s) both morning and night. They do not necessarily replace your moisturizer but can boost the hydrating effects of your moisturizer.
Most face serums are safe to be applied twice daily – once in the morning on a cleansed face, before the rest of your makeup, and once at night before bed.
Vitamin C serum (leave to absorb for 1-2 minutes)
Dr Khan explains: “With vitamin C, you want to get the most out of the product by not diluting it. A couple of minutes should be an adequate time for the product to dry down before you go in with your next step.”
Can retinol and vitamin C be used together? Retinol and vitamin C can be beneficial ingredients for any anti-aging skincare regimen. Applying a vitamin C serum in the morning helps provide the skin with skin-brightening benefits and antioxidant protection against environmental aggressors.
Can You Use Hyaluronic Acid and Vitamin C Together? Not all powerful skincare ingredients can be mixed, but hyaluronic acid and vitamin C are two that become even stronger when paired with one another. These ingredients can provide both immediate and lasting results when used together in anti-aging formulations.
So, should I use vitamin C or retinol for wrinkles? Well, when it comes right down to it, the choice is really in what you're looking to do for your skin. While vitamin C is incredible for the skin because of its ability to help brighten and improve hyperpigmentation, the best active ingredient for wrinkles is retinol.
Always allow your serum to absorb for 60-90 seconds, to ensure it has time to penetrate the skin. Follow up with a moisturizer to lock in the goodness of your serum, and bolster your skin's protective lipid barrier.