What It Does: This potent antioxidant interferes with the production of pigment in the skin, fading dark spots. When You'll See Results: Once you add vitamin C to your skincare regimen, you may start seeing noticeable improvements in three weeks. It can help significantly fade hyperpigmentation in about two months.
You may experience a mild tingling sensation with the use of vitamin C. You may choose to begin applying it every other day, and if tolerated you may apply it daily. It may take up to three months of consistent use to see a noticeable improvement.
How do you know if your vitamin C serum is working? Corinthian says that if your vitamin C serum changes color, it might be time to throw it away. "When vitamin C is exposed to air, it oxidizes and changes its form into something that isn't as effective, and it doesn't work as well on your skin," he explains.
Vitamin C serums usually take longer than other serums to show results. But if used regularly, it will start showing results in four to twelve weeks.
Vitamin C serum benefits
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.
What It Does: This potent antioxidant interferes with the production of pigment in the skin, fading dark spots. When You'll See Results: Once you add vitamin C to your skincare regimen, you may start seeing noticeable improvements in three weeks. It can help significantly fade hyperpigmentation in about two months.
There's no proof that Vitamin C causes acne. In fact, it may even help treat it faster! And yet, many of my clients with oily, acne-prone skin complain their acne got worse after introducing a Vitamin C serum into their skincare routine.
As a water-soluble vitamin, vitamin C does not remain in your body very long. In most cases, this essential nutrient is excreted within 24 hours, but the amount of time vitamin C stays in your system depends on your individual circumstances and medical history.
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.”
Vitamin C applied to the skin can encourage new collagen to grow. It also helps maintain the collagen you do have and protects the precious protein from damage.
AHAs and BHAs, such as glycolic, salicylic, and lactic acids should never be used with Vitamin C. Vitamin C is an acid, too, and is unstable, so the pH balance will be thrown off by layering these ingredients together and might as well be useless.
There's certainly no law against using vitamin C products in the evening, but, again, you may get the most benefit from using them in the morning. “In general, vitamin C products should be applied in the morning before heading out for the day, when UV radiation is at its highest,” Dr. Hogan says.
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.
Vitamin C contains anti-inflammatory properties and helps reduce the redness and swelling that comes with acne. The results are more pronounced when you use the vitamin topically. It, therefore, helps improve the appearance of acne wounds. It may help reduce hyperpigmentation.
Vitamin C treats acne scars by increasing the synthesis of collagen, a protein responsible for your skin's structure and vital for rebuilding healthy skin. As a result, this vitamin may accelerate the healing of acne wounds ( 6 , 12 , 13 ).
Results. Expect that your skin tone or dark spots will lighten over time. How long this takes will vary with each person but in general, you should notice a visible difference after 2-3 weeks, and a significant difference after 8-12 weeks.
A good rule of thumb is to cleanse, tone, apply vitamin C serum, and then moisturize. It can be safely used with other active ingredients, although using alongside niacinamide may make vitamin C less effective.
If you are applying a Vitamin C serum and hyaluronic acid separately, it's suggested that you apply the Vitamin C first, and then add the hyaluronic acid afterward in order to help fortify the skin barrier and lock in the moisture.
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.
Time-release vitamin C is often the preferred choice since vitamin C has better bioavailability when taken in smaller doses throughout the day. A time-release formula aims to solve this problem without taking multiple tablets, by releasing the vitamin C slowly throughout the day.
It is OK to take vitamin C every day in recommended dosages.
Since your body can't produce or store vitamin C on its own, you need to get it through food or supplements. Too much vitamin C, however, can cause side effects.
Vitamin C is also effective in treating comedonal acne, specifically blackheads. By functioning as an antioxidant, vitamin C decreases the number of visible blackheads by reducing sebum oxidation (which causes the dark color of a blackhead).
The brightening properties of vitamin C also extend to fading dark spots and lightening hyperpigmentation. Vitamin C inhibits the pathway of abnormal production of skin pigments (melanin) to even out the skin tone and lightens dark spots, sun spots, acne scars, blemishes, and hyperpigmentation due to melasma.
Sudden acne breakouts can be because of numerous reasons, including hormonal changes or hormonal imbalance, an unhealthy diet including lots of deep fried and junk food, release of cortisol hormones because of excessive stress, excessive production of sebum and much more.