The benefits of vitamin C for the skin

What we call vitamin C is actually ascorbic acid. It is naturally present in many fruits and vegetables, such as citrus fruits, peppers, kiwis, and broccoli.

Applying vitamin C to the skin is the best way to harness its full potential. It is through skin contact, rather than oral administration, that it offers the most significant bioavailability. However, its inclusion in cosmetics must be rigorously controlled.

• Like all acids, the ascorbic acid in a vitamin C face serum or cream can be irritating if the concentration is incorrect. This is especially true for dry, dehydrated, or sensitive skin, which reacts poorly to acidic pH levels.

• Vitamin C is most effective in its natural form (L-ascorbic acid). However, it is very unstable once mixed with water and therefore risks rapidly losing its activity in a cosmetic preparation. This characteristic requires some adjustments to the formulation to ensure your vitamin C cream retains its properties after opening.

• If all the necessary conditions for its cosmetic integration are met, it offers spectacular results in preventing skin aging and evening out skin tone.

Vitamin C is an essential ingredient in your anti-aging protection. And for good reason: it's one of the best antioxidants on the market. In other words, it can neutralize molecules called "free radicals" that cause cell damage. Naturally present in the body, their population can increase under the influence of several factors (tobacco, UV rays, pollution, etc.). When there are too many, they trigger chain reactions, more commonly known as "oxidative stress," which are responsible for premature aging.

Therefore, using a vitamin C cream on your skin will have the following effects, among others:

• to improve the structure of the dermis, which tends to sag with age, by stimulating the activity of fibroblasts (the cells that synthesize collagen and elastin, two proteins involved in maintaining the elasticity and tone of the skin).

• to prevent the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines and to reduce the appearance of those already present thanks to its plumping and firming action.

The antioxidant profile of ascorbic acid also offers numerous benefits in cases of hyperpigmentation. It has the ability to inhibit the oxidation of tyrosine (an enzyme essential for melanin synthesis) and, consequently, slow down melanogenesis. This biological process is precisely what determines your skin color and tan.

Using a vitamin C cream such as our Anti-Wrinkle Cream or a vitamin C serum such as our Firming Serum on the skin is therefore very effective for:

• to brighten the complexion and blur acne scars thanks to its depigmenting properties (in Asia, it is present in high doses in many whitening creams)

• combating brown spots caused by sun exposure or age, which lead to an uneven distribution of melanin and promote localized hyperpigmentation

• to fade the appearance of a pregnancy mask, also called melasma