Vitamin C is one of the most
widely used skin care ingredients.
Vitamin C is a normal skin
constituent that is found at high levels in both the dermis and epidermis. Aging,
however, causes a decline in vitamin C content in both the epidermis and
dermis. Excessive exposures to UV light or pollutants (e.g., cigarette smoke
and ozone) may also lower vitamin C content, primarily in the epidermis. (Podda
M, Traber MG, Weber C, Yan LJ, Packer L. UV-irradiation depletes antioxidants
and causes oxidative damage in a model of human skin. Free Radic Biol Med 1998)
When added to your daily skincare
routine, products containing vitamin C can provide a range of benefits for your
skin.
Vitamin C can benefit skin in two
important ways:
1)
Vitamin C is essential for the synthesis of
collagen, a key structural protein of the skin.
2)
Vitamin C is an antioxidant and can help reduce
skin damage caused by free radicals. So, when vitamin C is properly delivered
into skin cells, there is a good chance to reduce wrinkles and improve skin
texture.
New research
shows that ascorbic acid 2-phosphate, a derivative of vitamin C, not only
neutralizes free radicals, but also reverses DNA damage. (University of
Leicester. "Study Reveals New Role of Vitamin C in Skin Protection:
Results Will Be of Great Relevance to the Cosmetics Industry." 2009)
Unfortunately, taking
large amounts of vitamin C (or its derivatives) orally is of little benefit for
reducing wrinkles because you cannot obtain high enough concentration of
vitamin C in the skin to increase collagen production. So, topical
administration of vitamin C is extremely important in skin care routine.
Topical vitamin
C may be useful against acne to reduce inflammatory lesions. It may also have
mild skin lightening effects that are caused by reductions in melanin
production and melanin oxidation.
When exposed to
air, vitamin C solution undergoes oxidation and becomes not only ineffective
but also potentially harmful, because oxidized vitamin C may increase the
formation of free radicals. Vitamin C derivatives such as magnesium ascorbyl
phosphate, ascorbyl palmitate are more stable and less irritating, but also boost
collagen synthesis.
When you buy
products with vitamin C, it is best to choose colorless or white formulation.
That way you can spot the advanced stages of oxidation of the active ingredient
by the emergence of a yellowish tint.
