Glowing skin is on all of our beauty wish lists. And if there’s one thing to add into your skincare routine to get that elusive glow it’s a vitamin C serum. Commonly hailed as one of the fewis widely regarded by dermatologists as one of the best skincare actives in the world. From brightening dull complexions to minimising signs of ageing, vitamin C is a bit of a do-it-all ingredient.
So far, so science lesson. What you really want to know is what benefits you can expect to see on your skin, am I right? Well, there are plenty. ‘Vitamin C has been clinically proven to benefit the skin in a multitude of ways including brightening, improving pigmentation, preventing ageing, protecting from UV damage, stimulating collagen, and neutralising free radical damage.’ says Dr Mansouri. That’s all very good news for those in search of a glow.
First up it’s a good idea to get to grips with the different forms. The purest and most effective is ascorbic acid but it’s also the least stable – which means that it oxidises when exposed to light and air which can cause more damage to skin . 'There are a number of vitamin C derivatives, too,' says dermo-pharmacist, 'magnesium ascorbyl phosphate and sodium ascorbyl phosphate are two more stable ones but they are less effective than Ascorbic Acid.
Add to that the fact it’s a highly potent antioxidant, which means it defends skin against external aggressors like pollution and helps speed up cell turnover , and you’ve got a pretty impressive ingredient.