We recommend going with lower concentration if you're just starting out or you have sensitive skin. Remember, potential vitamin C serum side effects include itching, redness, irritation, tingling, and burning. If you experience any of these when using vitamin C, or any skincare product, it's best to shelve it.
While Vitamin C serum is generally well-tolerated, some individuals may experience skin irritation, especially if they have sensitive skin. Symptoms of irritation can include redness, itching, and a burning sensation.
Most experts recommend using vitamin C serum every other day, but it is safe to use it daily. Apply it as a moisturizer in the morning, but don't use it before bedtime.
For those with dry or extra sensitive skin, products like vitamin C serums can often have a low pH which is well-known for irritation. If you have sensitive skin, try using a gentler formula of vitamin C serum at first, preferably one that contains under 5% vitamin C.
Too much vitamin C serum can cause skin irritation and too little may not provide the desired results. It's best to follow the instructions on the product label and start with a small amount of serum, gradually increasing the amount based on your skin's needs.
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.
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.
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.
Nearly across the board, dermatologists recommend incorporating vitamin C serum into your morning routine as opposed to using it at night.
What vitamin deficiency causes sagging skin? A deficiency in Vitamin C can accelerate skin ageing, resulting in premature skin sagging and wrinkling. This is because Vitamin C enhances the production of the protein collagen, which is vital to providing the firmness and vibrancy that counteracts skin sagging.
4) Why does my skin look darker after using Vitamin C? If you are applying Vitamin C without sunscreen, it is likely that the Vitamin C degrades into Erythrulose, which is an ingredient you will find in many self-tanners. So please make sure you apply sunscreen always after applying Vitamin C.
Taking vitamin C with oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy might increase your estrogen levels. Protease inhibitors. Oral use of vitamin C might reduce the effect of these antiviral drugs. Statins and niacin.
The vitamin-C formulation itself is patented, meaning that no matter what another brand's ingredients list says, it isn't the same. And dermatologists agree. Four of the dermatologists consulted recommended SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic, calling it the gold-standard vitamin-C serum that's suitable for all skin types.
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.
For first-time users, we chose the TruSkin Vitamin C Serum for its high-performing yet simple formula. And for those with more mature skin, we recommend the SkinMedica Vitamin C+E Complex which delivers antioxidant protection all day long.
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.
1. Avoid AHAs/BHAs with Vitamin C: The combination of AHA BHA with Vitamin C is notoriously powerful and overwhelms the skin. It leads to out-of-the-blue breakouts, inflammation or irritation. If you have acne-prone or oily skin, try vitamin C in the morning with sunscreen and AHA/BHA during your PM routine.
“It can accumulate for up to three or four days, so its daily use would not be necessary, as long as the Vitamin C has certain characteristics.” As Santamarina notes, this cannot be done with all formulations: it has to be a product with 10 to 15% ascorbic acid at a pH of 3.5 or lower.
Vitamin C for skin can make the skin dry, so follow up with a moisturizer. Some people may face some allergic reaction to the ingredients present in the serum. If you have acne-prone skin you may experience breakouts after using Vitamin C serum. Always do a patch test before use.
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.