Vitamin C Serum - How to Use It and What Effects Does It Give?

Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is not only an important element in the fight against colds. It can also be a very beneficial ingredient for human skin. It is all the more important to ensure its presence in the diet and in cosmetics because the human body is not able to produce this vitamin on its own. You can choose from various types of creams, balms, essences or serums with vitamin C. But the choice is very large and unfortunately many people do not know which serum with vitamin C to choose. Therefore, we suggest what to pay attention to, how to use vitamin C serum and how to make such a home cosmetic.

Vitamin C serum - which one to choose?

Serum is a very valuable cosmetic, because it is a kind of concentrate of beneficial compounds for the skin. It has a light formula and is therefore quickly absorbed, but unlike the cream, you do not need to apply a lot to notice the effects. Serum can be a cosmetic used both day and night. It can be covered with make-up, as well as creams and other care ingredients. This ease of use of the serum, and at the same time its quickly visible effect, make us reach for this cosmetic more and more often.

When choosing the best serum with vitamin C, we must first of all look at the composition of the cosmetic. Contrary to appearances, the high price does not always guarantee that the ingredients of the cosmetic will be equally valuable.

What to look for in such a serum? First of all, it depends on the effects we want to achieve and the type of skin we are dealing with. However, the great thing about vitamin C is that it can do something good for all skin types.

For example, a face serum with vitamin C in oil form will be good for dry, irritated skin. In turn, the combination of vitamin C with hyaluronic acid will moisturize, tighten the skin and reduce the visibility and depth of wrinkles, and additionally reduce the visibility of blood vessels and brighten the complexion.

On the other hand, vitamin C in the serum with the addition of acids will help acne or combination skin. For mature skin, the already mentioned oil vitamin c serum will be useful, but also the combination of vitamins C and E in one preparation can be very beneficial. After all, these vitamins are natural antioxidants, reduce inflammation, and additional ingredients in such cheeses for mature skin soothe and firm the skin.

How to make a vitamin C serum?

It is also not difficult to make a vitamin C serum by yourself.

Homemade vitamin C serum can be made by ordering a ready-made set of ingredients for the cosmetic and mixing them or selecting these ingredients separately and on your own. Regardless of which method we choose, the basic ingredients for making a homemade vitamin C serum are:

vitamin C powder,

aloe gel or hyaluronic acid,

or (in oil form) any vegetable oil,

Distilled water.

Vitamin C serum - how to use?

It would seem that the use of the serum is very simple and - as we suggested earlier in the article - you can use it whenever and for whom you want. On the one hand, yes, on the other hand, it is worth remembering about certain rules for using such a cosmetic, which will make its action even better, and at the same time minimize the possibility of an irritating effect. Because not everyone knows that for proper absorption of vitamin C through the skin, an acidic environment, i.e. low pH of the skin, is necessary.

How to apply vitamin C serum?

Applying such a cosmetic to unprepared skin, i.e. skin with a neutral environment (around 5.5 pH) may result in skin irritation. Therefore, it is recommended to wash the skin with a face wash gel before applying the serum, then apply a tonic (slightly acidic), and then apply the serum.

Remember that to achieve the beneficial effects of the serum, you do not need to apply too much of the cosmetic - just a few drops on the entire surface of the face.

Then, other cosmetics can be applied on top of the serum - be it caring (e.g. cream) or colored (e.g. foundation).

Vitamin C serum - effects

Vitamin C can be used in face cosmetics even on a daily basis. Vitamin C for the face is especially recommended for people who are subject to high oxidative stress - they exercise a lot, sunbathe, do not care about proper hygiene and skin care. The effects of the serum with vitamin C on the face include, above all, regenerating, anti-aging and anti-discoloration effects.

Vitamin C in this form increases the defense capabilities of human skin, and additionally helps to maintain a youthful appearance. Vitamin C can also be successfully used after chemical peels, it will reduce the irritating effect of the peel, improve regeneration, additionally brighten the complexion, while the skin after peeling with a reduced pH is perfectly prepared to accept and absorb the vitamin C given in the serum.

Serum with vitamin C - contraindications

The use of serum with vitamin C, although it gives very beneficial effects, may also be not recommended in certain situations. For example, due to the delicate exfoliating effect, it is not recommended to use the serum with vitamin C in the high summer, i.e. in June-August. It is better to use the winter-spring period for this, when skin exposure to sunlight is much lower.

Can a vitamin C serum be applied in the summer?

Opinions are divided here. Sunbathing with a vitamin C serum applied to the skin has its opponents. The action of sunlight can offset the strong effect of vitamin C, and additionally can irritate the skin. In turn, vitamin C in cosmetics used in the summer also has many supporters who claim that it will protect the skin from the sun, thanks to which we will avoid excessive irritation. However, it is worth using a strong cream sunscreen every time you are in the sun, without additional cosmetics - and leave the vitamin C serum on your face for after-sun care.

How to store vitamin C serum?

Due to the fact that vitamin C is unstable and oxidizes quickly, homemade vitamin C serum in particular should be stored in specific, strict conditions. This is primarily about preventing access of light and oxygen to the packaging. It is worth keeping such a serum in a dark bottle, preferably in the fridge or in a cool and shaded place. Then we can be sure that our cosmetic, even after some time of storage, will still have its beneficial, expected effect.

Vitamin C serum is a cosmetic worth buying. It costs, depending on the exact composition and concentration of vitamin C, from PLN 20 to PLN 200, and sometimes even more.