No matter your age, skin type or facial issues, I think vitamin C should be a non-negotiable part of your morning regimen. It protects against environmental stressors, such as pollution and UV damage, which cause oxidative stress leading to signs of aging in your skin. In addition to repelling aggressors, it also helps to revive dullness, act as an anti-inflammatory and eradicate the appearance of dark spots.
“It’s a superstar ingredient for skin care and antioxidant,” says Mona Gohara, MD, a certified dermatologist in Connecticut. “I like to tell my patients to use it because it removes free radicals, resulting in a brighter, better-functioning skin.”
If you are looking for a product that can make sure it does its job properly, guts suggest that you look for products that combine vitamin C with a supplement. The best candidates include vitamin E or ferulic acid, which increases its effectiveness and stabilizes the molecules. Since vitamin C is sun-sensitive (and can oxidize and become less effective when exposed), you should also opt for something in an opaque bottle that cannot penetrate the light.
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As someone who has considered vitamin C as a staple food for the skin for the past fifteen years, I have tested hundreds different serums on the market – I can testify that this is the best of the best. Oh, and everyone fits Dr. Gohara’s recommendations.
Skinceuticals CE Ferulic with 15% L-ascorbic acid – $ 166.00
This medical grade product is * the * vitamin C serum, and intestines do not go a day without recommending it to their patients. It has an exceptionally high concentration of vitamin C, which means that it is packed with everyday antioxidants that you would expect from the powerhouses, and it offers a bright, skin-colored evening and everyday anti-aging effects. In addition, the addition of vitamin E not only helps to make the vitamin C work harder, but it is also nourishing and helps to fight inflammation.
Drunk Elephant C-Company ™ Vitamin C Day Serum – $ 80.00
“This serum produces a trifecta of antioxidants on the skin,” says Joshua Zeichner, MD, a certified dermatologist in New York City. The combination of vitamin C, vitamin E and ferulic acid work together to maintain stability as well as to improve the effectiveness of the ingredients. The three ingredients together also help to nourish and protect the skin throughout the day.
The usual vitamin C suspension 30% in silicone – $ 7.00
There’s less than $ 10 per doll, there’s a good reason why this vitamin C serum has been flying off the shelves lately. “It contains 30 percent L-ascorbic acid, which is one of the highest concentrations of vitamin C on the market,” says Dr. Zeichner. It is anhydrous, so goes smoothly, almost like a primer, and is ideal to use every morning as an environmental protection agent. It will also target uneven skin tone, dullness and irregularities in the texture.
Ghost Democracy Lightbulb Vitamin C Serum – $ 34.00
If you want a budget-friendly hybrid serum that contains both vitamins C and E, this powerful product is an excellent choice. It absorbs easily into the skin and contains a small amount of bakuchiol to stimulate cellular turnover, leading to a brighter (and more even complexion).
Hyper Skin Hyper Clear Brightening Clearing Vitamin C Serum – $ 36.00
This serum is designed with darker complexions and combines vitamin C with kojic acid and fruit enzymes to dramatically blur dark spots and hyperpigmentation. It also has the nourishing and moisturizing properties of vitamin E. Not to mention, it will make your skin tone more even and look like you are lightened from within.
Read the video below to learn more about vitamin C (and why you really need it).
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