Hello, beauties! I’ve been getting many inquiries lately about which Best Vitamin C Serums and creams to buy and get results for your skin type. Especially (but not exclusively) for mature skin over 40.
In my recap on the best wrinkle creams, I mentioned a serum containing vitamin C that I really love. But I also wanted to test targeted products containing only vitamin C, so here you go!
Important note: The article is a work in progress, but you can start reading it because I have already added some useful info. Thanks for your patience!
How to find out which vitamin C serum is right for you?
Have you ever tried to figure out which vitamin C serum is best for your skin type? If the answer is yes, you know it is a difficult task.
Not only are there many products on the market but Vitamin C serums use different types of molecules and formulations. So which one should you buy?
Some people have successfully used a particular vitamin C serum and will tell you it’s the best. Before rushing to buy the first product praised by anyone, however, you must know some essential facts about vitamin C.
In this post, I’ll tell you everything you need to know to get that glowing complexion everyone’s talking about.
If you’re looking for a guide to getting a clear idea of which vitamin C serum is best for you, here you go! Let’s start with the key concepts to keep in mind:
- Make sure you know your skin and its reactions. If you don’t know, read my guide to knowing your skin type! Not only will you have no problem finding a vitamin C serum perfect for you, but you’ll also avoid side effects or the disappointment of not seeing results.
- Learn to understand the difference between the different types of Vitamin C and discover the one that suits your skin type to take advantage of this powerful ingredient’s benefits.
- A good vitamin C serum should: make your skin radiant, not irritate you and protect you from dangerous free radicals. Combined with excellent sun protection, vitamin C can help you keep your skin young even at 40, 50, and beyond.
Frequently Asked Questions About Best Vitamin C Serums:
- Where do I get the Information on the active ingredients I speak of?
- Why Vitamin C it’s good for your skin, how it works and its benefits
- Types of vitamin C, main differences and which one is the best
- How To Choose The Best Vitamin C Serums Based On Your Skin
- Vitamin Serum C and Sun: Can I also use it in Summer?
- Is it Better to Apply Vitamin C Serum in the morning or in the evening?
- What Products Can’t I Use With Vitamin C Serums?
- Vitamin Serums Pure C VS Serums Containing Vitamin C.
- How to incorporate Vitamin C serum into your beauty routine
- The Best Vitamin C Serums I Have Tested and The ones I Will Test
Where do I get the information on the active ingredients I am talking about?
I will explain everything there is to know about Vitamin C and its formulations in an understandable way. But I want to reassure you that this is not superficial, I just want to make it easier for you to read.
As basic as the explanations are, they are all based on official studies drawn from serious scientific publications.
For each product I use I always try to understand the mechanisms by which a molecule is effective for the skin, and especially if there are scientific studies on it.
I’ll leave you the links to these articles at the end of the post. For the purpose of this post, I want the information to be as clear as possible because it is important to understand what we are putting on our skin.
The information given here is the results of days (and sleepless nights) of reading scientific studies about vitamin C and its benefits for the skin. And to test the various serums to understand which ones are valid for different skin types.
Vitamin C Benefits, How It Works, And What It Is Used For:
I think everyone knows that Vitamin C is a skin-friendly molecule. Just think of how many serums are on the market. But is all this “hype” really grounded?
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant (with vitamin E, vitamin A, and other molecules, which I will discuss in an article on the best antioxidants for the skin ).
The serums that contain it are considered among the best anti-aging allies on the market, giving a smooth, even, and radiant complexion.
What about the supplements? If you take Vitamin C in your diet or supplement it, it doesn’t necessarily work directly on the skin, that’s why the use of creams and serums is the most effective way to reap off these benefits.
Vitamin C serums perform countless functions to help the skin stay young by shielding the harmful effects of free radicals from sun exposure. BUT BE CAREFUL!
Important Note: This does not mean that Vitamin C serums can substitute sunscreens! What they do is help the regeneration process of skin damaged by free radicals. So sunscreens are the best allies to protect us, whether you use vitamin C serums or not.
Related articles:
To learn about the best sunscreens, especially when combined with irritating products like Vitamin C and Retinoic Acid, read the article on the best mineral sunscreens and sunscreens with the best chemical filters on the market.
Having made this important premise, let’s go back to the protective power of Vitamin C. If you want to deepen its mechanism of action against the damage produced by free radicals, I refer you to this exhaustive specific study about Vitamin C for the skin.
Properties of Vitamin C serums: benefits and what results to expect
As explained in the previous chapter, here’s a summary of the benefits of vitamin C serums:
- Improve skin spots caused by the sun, acne, and aging.
- Promote collagen formation. Therefore, Vitamin C Serums are excellent anti-aging by preventing skin sagging.
- Help keep elastin intact, improving skin tone and elasticity.
- Illuminate the complexion, making it uniform and giving the skin a healthy appearance.
All great promises, but does it keep them? According to scientific studies, definitely yes. Based on my experience? Also! The visible effects on my skin depended on various factors, including:
- Which serum did I use? (not all Vitamin C serums are effective on my skin)
- Which type of vitamin C did the serum contain, and in what percentage?
- How did I use the serum: alone or together with other products?
- How often have I used the serum: as with all skincare, consistency is a must to evaluate the effects on the skin.
Confused? Don’t worry. I’ll talk to you about all of this in more detail. Read on 🙂
Types Of Vitamin C, Main Differences, And Which Is The “Best”
In short, L-Ascorbic acid is the most effective type of vitamin C for the skin. Studies have proven that it really works when used consistently, but it has drawbacks that I will explain to you below.
So, besides L-Ascorbic Acid, there are different types of vitamin C, so the creams and serums on the market do not all have the same effectiveness. Each product has a unique formulation, and the vitamin C contained can take different “forms” to treat different skins. Let’s see which ones are most commonly used in cosmetics and which work best for you.
The most common types of Vitamin C that you can find in the serums :
Don’t stress. I’ll briefly explain the differences and which serums contain that type of Vitamin C
- L- Ascorbic Acid
- Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
- Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
- Ascorbyl Palmitate
- Sodium Ascorbate
- Calcium Ascorbate