First, vitamin C works to help improve the look of dark spots, fine lines, wrinkles and sagging skin. Then, retinol steps in to help improve skin's elasticity. The result is that retinol and other retinoids may help improve skin's texture while helping to minimize the look of fine lines.
Retinoids minimize the appearance of wrinkles, bolster skin's thickness and elasticity, slow the breakdown of collagen (which helps keep skin firm), and lighten brown spots caused by sun exposure.
While the best vitamin C serums tend to focus on collagen synthesis, skin tone and clarity to shift pigmentation, the best retinol creams speed up cell turnover so can prove helpful in learning how to get rid of acne and for general textural improvements.
Vitamin C is also a “great ingredient” for anyone with acne-prone skin for several reasons, according to Joshua Zeichner, MD, a board-certified dermatologist: It can help neutralize inflation and prevent breakouts, brighten dark spots left behind when pimples heal — it can also treat melasma (dark patches on the skin) ...
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.
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.
It's best to apply Vitamin C before Retinol, as Vitamin C has a lower pH than Retinol. Once your skin absorbs the Vitamin C serum, your skin will return to its regular pH levels after 30 minutes or so. (You want your skin to return to its normal pH levels so vitamin C doesn't lower the pH of retinol.)
When should you apply each? Since vitamin C helps protect skin from the harmful effects of UV rays and free radicals, it's advised to apply it to your skin after cleanser in the morning. Retinol, on the other hand, can increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun, so dermatologists recommend applying retinol at night.
To reduce the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines and other signs of aging, vitamin C and retinol are two key ingredients to keep in your arsenal. Vitamin C is known for its brightening benefits, while retinol boosts cell turnover.
“If the retinol you're using is too strong for your skin causing inflammation, darker skin tones may have a higher risk of discoloration, or hyperpigmentation, from the use of it," she adds. Dr. Icecreamwala recommends starting with a retinol that is 0.3 or 0.5 percent.
Go Strong. Retinol and vitamin C are two of the best ingredients for fading dark spots. Try SkinMedica Lytera Skin Brightening Complex, a "blend of vitamin C and retinol that's reliably effective," says Francesca Fusco, a dermatologist in New York City.
Retinol also stimulates collagen production, which is another way it diminishes dark spots. “Collagen helps promote skin cell turnover, which helps peel and fade away dark spots,” says Dr.
✔︎ Vitamin C in the Morning, Retinol at Night
Your easiest course of action is to separate vitamin C and retinol from each other and apply them at different times of day. This ensures that each ingredient can work at its correct pH.
Retinoids work best if you use them daily. Specifically, they should be used at night because some types are deactivated by light and air. It's important to start slowly and allow your skin time to adjust. Using too much too quickly can cause redness, dryness, and irritation.
Retinol, a form of vitamin A, “is a multitasker with improvement in hyperpigmentation, acne and texture while also increasing collagen production to minimize fine lines and wrinkles,” says Love.
Don't Mix: Retinol with vitamin C, benzoyl peroxide, and AHA/BHA acids. AHA and BHA acids are exfoliating, which can dry out skin and cause further irritation if your skincare routine already includes retinol.
Is it a good idea to combine Vitamin C, Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid in a skincare routine? Yes. These ingredients work well when used individually and even better when paired together.
Use vitamin C for hyperpigmentation caused by melanin and use niacinamide if your skin can't handle vitamin C. Keep in mind this is a very hard and fast rule because they aren't easy to compare without really knowing your skin concerns and skin sensitivity.
Lightens dark spots
Vitamin C helps lighten dark spots on the skin by restricting the enzyme responsible for the production of melanin. Dark spots form due to an overproduction of melanin, a dark pigment, in your skin.
Does Vitamin C really darken my skin? No, it does not. It may stain your skin but it cannot darken your skin. It is important to know the difference between staining and darkening the skin.
Rouleau says the best time to use a scrub is in the morning. Overnight you've loosened up dead skin cells with your glycolic acid or retinol products, making the morning a perfect time to brush them off.
Retinol is best applied at night since it can increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun. When you do go outside, be sure to use sunscreen to protect your face. It's worth noting that you don't need to use retinol on a daily basis for it to effectively treat your acne. Even two to three times per week might be enough.
While Green says that retin-a (tretinoin) or retinoids are best, retinol is the next best bet without a prescription. “Retinol is a weaker over-the-counter formula of retinoids and can provide similar benefits in reducing the appearance of dark spots, although it will typically take much longer,” Green explains.
When vitamin C is exposed to light it becomes unstable, the consequences include irritation, inflammation and acne. All of these can cause post inflammatory pigmentation, leaving you worse off than when you started.