While vitamin C and hyaluronic acid can be used separately for impressive outcomes, they are also a power duo when applied in tandem. In fact, vitamin C and hyaluronic acid are often mixed - either in one serum formula, or layered in a skincare regime.
CAN YOU USE HYALURONIC ACID AND VITAMIN C TOGETHER IN YOUR SKINCARE ROUTINE? Absolutely! Combining these two skincare ingredients can maximise the benefits of each.
“Hyaluronic acid plays well with most ingredients, while caution must be taken when using retinol in combination with alpha hydroxy and beta hydroxy acids, benzoyl peroxide, and some types of vitamin C.” Linkner echoes the tip about avoiding vitamin C.
Vitamin C brings antioxidant protection and brightening, while Hyaluronic Acid provides deep hydration and plumpness. Incorporating both into your routine, based on your skin's needs, can lead to a well-rounded and effective skincare regimen, promoting a healthier and more radiant complexion.
DON'T MIX: Vitamin C and AHA/BHA
Since vitamin C is pH-sensitive, using other products without stabilized pH right before or after vitamin C can degrade the antioxidant properties and decrease the skin's absorption of the ingredient, Dr.
Skincare ingredients not to mix with vitamin C
Vitamin C, AHAs (glycolic acid), and BHAs (salicylic acid) are acidic in nature. Layering them together can lower the skin's pH, making it more acidic. When skin pH goes off balance, it becomes a recipe for skin irritation, redness, and peeling.
Mixing the types of hydroxy acids known as BHA and AHA and vitamin C tends to be too much for the skin, resulting in discomfort or unwanted side effects.
Wait for the serum to absorb: Give the serum some time to absorb into your skin. This usually takes a few minutes. You'll know the serum has been absorbed when your skin feels soft and smooth. Apply moisturizer: Once the serum has been absorbed, apply your moisturizer on top of it.
Incorporating a hyaluronic acid serum into your skincare regimen is easy. This versatile ingredient can be used morning and night and works well with other formulations. As always, we recommend following the 3 core stages of a skincare regimen to layer your formulations.
In the morning, after applying your vitamin C serum, follow it with a layer of hydrating hyaluronic acid. In your nightly routine, apply hyaluronic acid serum before retinol, as it can increase its effectiveness while also helping to lock moisture in for maximum hydration.
In light of this, using your vitamin C in the morning and your retinol at night is a simple and easy way to ensure that these ingredients won't interfere with one another. Applying your products at opposite ends of the day means your skin will be at its regular pH level for each application.
While hyaluronic acid is a great hydrator, overusing it can lead to dehydrated skin. This happens because hyaluronic acid can only attract and retain a limited amount of moisture, and using too much can cause it to pull moisture from deeper layers of the skin.
You'll want to apply your vitamin C serum to clean, dry skin. “As far as active ingredients go, vitamin C is quite unstable, and it's easily affected by outside elements such as air, light and moisture,” says board-certified dermatologist and LovelySkin CEO Dr. Joel Schlessinger.
Don't worry. Hyaluronic acid is acidic by name, but not by nature and won't exfoliate the skin or supercharge its turnover. For this reason, it's perfectly fine to use hyaluronic acid every day. “I would recommend using it once or twice a day,” says Dr Hextall.
Allow 1-2 minutes between the application of each serum for full absorption of the vitamin C by your skin before you apply the hyaluronic acid. This ensures that both ingredients can work together effectively.
Can I use hyaluronic acid under eyes? Yes! Hyaluronic acid formulas made specifically for the eye contour area can be both essential and effective. Thanks to its ability to bind to water, this hydrating ingredient can help restore elasticity and moisture levels around the eyes as well.
Vitamin C should be completely absorbed so as to get the maximum out of it. Let Vitamin c dry off for a minute or two before applying the next product. To know more about Vitamin C, click here. Sublime's verdict: Wait for two minutes before layering.
Vitamin C + Niacinamide
However, when you combine niacinamide with Vitamin C, they'll cancel each other out chemically, making both formulas ineffective on your skin. Niacinamide takes out all the good properties of Vitamin C and makes it into a substance that can cause redness and trigger breakouts.
These are retinoids, vitamin C, niacinamide and alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs). Whereas ingredients such as hyaluronic acid temporarily plump and smooth the skin, some of the big 4 may have longer-term health benefits.
Anyway, heat and water are the enemies of vitamin C in potatoes, as they are in all vegetables. Vitamin C is soluble in water, and too long an exposure to heat causes nutrients to vanish. Minimise the time, temperature and amount of water.