To avoid irritation, Travis suggests skipping any exfoliating acids immediately after applying vitamin C. "You can absolutely use them in the same regimen, just not at the same time," he says. "Use vitamin C in the morning every day, and exfoliating acids in the evening on an alternate basis."
Never combine Vitamin C serum with AHAs, BHAs, retinol, niacinamide, and benzol peroxide in the same routine. It can lead to skin flaking, drying, and irritation. Dermatologists instead recommend choosing serums with 2 or more antioxidants.
As such, the most acidic product should go on first. So, smear on your vitamin C serum, wait 20 minutes and follow with retinol.
Vitamin C serum is typically applied once or twice per day. A good rule of thumb is to cleanse, tone, apply vitamin C serum, and then moisturize.
However, the best way to know, according to Dr Kiran, is to notice the difference in your skin. “If you use the serum for a month and find your skin to be bright, clear, less sensitive to the sun, and you are feeling fresher, then vitamin C is definitely working,” she said.
Always allow your serum to absorb for 60-90 seconds, to ensure it has time to penetrate the skin. Follow up with a moisturizer to lock in the goodness of your serum, and bolster your skin's protective lipid barrier.
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.”
In terms of when you should use it in your routine, Corinthian suggests a three-step system of cleansing, treating, and moisturizing. That second step would be vitamin C application, followed by moisturizer, unless you have oilier skin and prefer to use a serum on its own.
Yes! In fact, so long as it is properly formulated for the face, Vitamin C ranks among the best nutrients to use around the sensitive eye area. This naturally sourced antioxidant has shown to balance uneven skin tone, boost collagen production, and increase hydration.
Dr. Chiu warns that because vitamin C is a skin-care “active”—meaning it's particularly potent—applying too much of it on your face can potentially lead to more breakouts or irritation. Keep it to a max of two applications a day when a formula that has no more than 10% vitamin C each time.
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.
Always layer your vitamin C with a moisturiser, face oil or sunblock in order to avoid darkening of the skin.
Not only can you use vitamin C and hyaluronic acid together, but when you do, they can help create a more effective skincare routine. Each one has skincare benefits, some of which we mentioned, but when combined, they can form a more potent formula that offers increased results.
In the absence of SPF, you may notice at times that your skin is easily tanned. Either tan or your skin may have turned into a funny orange or peach-ish color. It is because Vitamin C is extremely potent but it can easily react with the air, light and heat in the environment to only make your skin appear darker.
Although, both of these ingredients do their best work under certain conditions: You want to apply a vitamin C serum on clean, dry skin so it can penetrate the skin cells, but you want to apply hyaluronic acid on a damp face so it can pull water into the skin.
Anytime you're applying an active ingredient (aka an ingredient that actively changes the skin) like retinol, glycolic acid, vitamin C, or hydrocortisone, you want to apply it to a dry complexion. That's because you want the ingredient to be able to fully sink in instead of just sliding around on top of wet skin.
While it won't hurt if you use your vitamin C serum at night, it may interact with other skin care products meant to be used in the evening (like retinol) and cause skin irritation and sensitivity.
How Long Does Vitamin C Serum Take to Work? You will likely notice skin improvement 4-12 weeks after starting routine use of vitamin C serum.
When Youll 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.
Also, we consulted with scientists who told us that if you wear vitamin C without sunscreen, your vitamin C can actually be photo-incinerated (i.e. totally burned away) by the sun.
Some of the most common side effects include: itching. redness. skin irritation.
While it can be applied daily, start with 3-4 times a week if you like to play it safe and work your way up. Although vitamin C is most commonly used in the morning, there is a place for it in your PM skincare routine too, Hirsch tells us.