Yes, you certainly can! What you may find is when using a high percentage of vitamin C applying it after exfoliating will boost the active ingredient and boost the overall look and feel of the complexion. The skin will feel firmer and areas of concern such as hyperpigmentation, and dark spots are visibly reduced.
Answer: Vitamin C After Exfoliation I would not recommend using a vitamin c mask immediately following an abrasive exfoliant because most vitamin c products can be irritating, especially after treatments. It would be best to wait 24-48 hours before using products containing vitamin c, acids, alcohols or retinols.
Put the chemical exfoliant first and wait till it's fully absorbed and then apply your vitamin c!
You can use both at the same time, or one in the morning and one in the evening. It doesn't really matter. Both of them should go on before your moisturiser, and if you use them both at the same time I think most people use their chemical exfoliants first and then their serum.
Beta Hydroxy Acids
So that salicylic acid of yours should not be mixed with your vitamin C serum. It won't be able to help you with discoloration, collagen production, or protect you from UV rays. Additionally, combining the two can cause irritation and dryness.
In other cases, mixing can destabilize or cancel out the benefits of the antioxidant. Here are some ingredients to never mix with vitamin C: Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs): Lactic Acid, Malic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Citric Acid, Tartaric Acid.
Vitamin C serums are notoriously sensitive to light, air, and heat. Exposure to these elements can cause the serum to degrade, leading to reduced effectiveness. Unfortunately, this is a mistake that many people overlook.
After peeling, your skin is even more sensitive. Therefore, avoid direct sun exposure, which can lead to even more visible signs of aging. If you must expose yourself to the sun, use a broad spectrum physical sunscreen. Avoid strenuous workouts, dry saunas and steam baths.
Generally speaking, this is the order in which skin care products should be applied: Cleanser, spot corrector, exfoliator, toner, essence, serum, eye cream, retinoid, moisturizer, face oil, SPF.
Thus, it is never advised to use chemical exfoliators and Vitamin C as it will lead irritating and damaged skin. One is advised to use exfoliators at night and Vit C followed by good sunscreen even if staying indoors.
"Don't use with exfoliating/filling high-concentrate vitamin C or A products, or other products with BHA and AHA. If you want faster effect, we advise that you use one in mornings along with other in evenings, or use them one at a time on each individual moment."
Acids, vitamin C serums and retinoids can all cause purging. Purging is an initial acne breakout that can occur when you're starting a new active skincare product—one that causes your skin cells to turn over more quickly.
While you can work your vitamin C serum into either your morning or evening skincare routine, most dermatologists recommend the morning [2]. This keeps your skin protected from free radicals as you go about your day, and can work especially well with your sunscreen to keep you safe from UV radiation.
As you now know, the use of potent active ingredients should be avoided when dealing with over-exfoliation. However, vitamin C isn't an ingredient that you should completely shun. This popular antioxidant has been proven to be a superstar at repairing the look of skin damage and soothing the feeling of inflammation.
Unlike fat-soluble vitamins, it doesn't require food or specific timing to work effectively. However, some people may want to avoid taking it before bed: If you have acid reflux or a sensitive stomach – Vitamin C, especially in high doses, can increase stomach acidity, and lead to mild heartburn or nausea.
After using a Vitamin c face scrub, apply your target antioxidant product (such as a Vitamin C serum in morning or retinol cream at night), followed by moisturizer.
Exfoliating the dead skin cells allows for better penetration of active ingredients like vitamin C to get to the cells that can use it.
Hyaluronic Acid and AHAs/BHAs: Hyaluronic acid can nourish, soften, and rehydrate the skin after undergoing chemical exfoliation.
Follow with moisturizer.
Exfoliating can be drying to the skin. Apply moisturizer immediately after exfoliating to keep your skin healthy and hydrated.
The “black stuff” when you rub your skin is nothing but dead cells, dirt and surface grime. It comes off due to friction caused by rubbing your skin.
Flaky skin can be made worse by not applying a moisturizing product after exfoliating. If you only remove the dead skin without protecting the new skin underneath, it can lead to rough skin and uneven texture. Some people even experience peeling skin because the texture is so dry and rough.
Vitamin C is effectively an acid (it's sometimes known as ascorbic acid), so layering it with AHAs and BHAs like glycolic, salicylic, and lactic acids is a big no-no.
Skin benefits of vitamin C
One study showed that daily use of a vitamin C formulation for at least three months improved the appearance of fine and coarse wrinkles of the face and neck, as well as improved overall skin texture and appearance.