It seems as though vitamin C has been quite the trending topic, especially for 2020. Everyone is stocking up on vitamin C to boost their immune system and fight cold and flu season. It’s also a trending ingredient in the beauty and skincare industry as well. Here, we’ll be able to delve deep into the topic of vitamin C for skincare; how to use it, why you should use it more.
What does vitamin C do?
Let’s start with what the powerful ingredient actually does. Unless you’re using it consistently and seeing the glow, you’ll never really know what it does and why you need it. Vitamin C in skincare can drastically improve your skin’s complexion and protect your skin from oxidative stressors. The main ingredient, ascorbic acid is one of the most abundant antioxidants found in human skin. It can help reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and dark spots.
How do I use vitamin C?
Like every other skincare serum, you should add it slowly to your skincare routine, especially if you have sensitive skin. This ingredient should be used in the mornings before you step out as the antioxidants can really help protect your skin from UV rays and pollution. As always, the rule of thumb when it comes to skincare application is lightest to thickest . In this case, our Lumiere de Vie Brightening C-Serum has an extremely light formula and would be applied directly to the skin after it’s been cleansed. You can then go on to apply your other serums or moisturisers/SPF. Ensuring your skin is absolutely clean is the most important as any oils or dirt can certainly act as a barrier between the serum and your skin. This can affect the potency of the product as it’s not fully being absorbed into the skin.
Can I layer serums with vitamin C?
You definitely can! You may be confused as to why the skin would need more than one serum. Everyone has a different canvas and when it comes to skincare, not one size can fit all. You should be customising your skincare routine to cater to your own skin concerns and skin type. It’s also important to note that skincare products take at least 6-8 weeks to fully adapt therefore it takes some time to see any changes. When it comes to layering serums, start off with the water-based serum which tend to be the thinnest. Then you can work your way to your gel-based serums which are a thicker consistency.
Can I layer it with retinol?
Lumiere de Vie carries both a vitamin C serum and a retinol creme. Since both are quite powerful products, it can be tricky to figure out how to layer them or if it’s effective to do so at all. Vitamin C serums and retinol tend to both be water based formulas and work at a certain pH level. Typically, retinol has a pH level between 5-6 and vitamin c has a pH level of 3.5 or lower, since there’s such a gap of pH levels, one may very well “knock out” the other. Both products are at risk of not being as effective if used together, at the same time. The best way to use vitamin C and retinol without decreasing its potency is one during the morning and one at night. Since vitamin C is recommended to be used in the morning and it’s good to use retinol at night.
