- Hi, everyone,
welcome back to another episode of Skincare Notes.
Today, we're gonna be covering vitamin C
which I know you've all been asking for.
So today we're doing it,
we're gonna cover everything you need to know
about this ingredient.
So stay tuned.
(both laughing)
Maddy just told me a fact
that Kiwifruits have more vitamin C than oranges.
So...
- [Maddy] Yeah, throw it right back.
(fire blasting)
- That nearly landed on the camera.
(laughing)
- [Maddy] No.
- So firstly, what is vitamin C?
So vitamin C is an antioxidant which helps
to protect the skin from free radicals
which can trigger a domino effect that leads
to processes that can cause accelerated ageing
and other negative outcomes.
You're probably wondering what the hell a free radical is,
some examples of free radicals include,
UV rays, smoking and pollution.
So the role of antioxidants is to absorb
and neutralise damage causing free radicals.
And when applied to the skin, ingredients
like vitamin C can be really beneficial.
Studies show vitamin C can stimulate collagen synthesis,
help to fade pigmentation,
and also promote a brighter, more even complexion.
So how do you choose a vitamin C?
Well much like retinol
which we've discussed in a previous video here,
vitamin C has a lot of different forms that you'll find
in your skincare products.
Commonly you'll see ascorbic acid
or L-ascorbic acid on your ingredients label.
The problem with this ingredient,
as discussed on episode five of Skincare School
which you'll listen to if you wanna know more
is that it's notoriously unstable and can oxidise quickly.
So go and have listen to that episode,
if you wanna know more of the scienty stuff.
Some other derivatives which tend to be more stable
but are less studied than ascorbic acid are,
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
and Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate,
which is actually oil soluble,
and the other two are water soluble.
Vitamin C also pairs really well when formulated
with other antioxidants like vitamin E
which can help to support the stability
of vitamin C as well as coenzyme Q10
and Ferulic acid, which you'll find in some very
popular formulas including SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic.
When looking for an effective vitamin C product,
you wanna look for something that
has between a five and 15% concentration.
So I know not every single product will tell you
what the percentage is, but some will,
so keep an eye out for it.
Just be mindful that vitamin C serums
are not designed for the long haul.
You should replace your vitamin C every three to six months.
Make sure you keep your vitamin C in a cool dark place
because light, heat and oxygen exposure all contribute
to the degradation of the ingredient.
Or you can put your vitamin C
in a fridge to try and prolong its shelf life.
But you'll know when your vitamin C needs to be replaced
because often the colour changes,
it goes a bit more of a dark orange
and the smell may change too.
- [Maddy] What does it normally smell like?
- It can vary, so some formulas will fragrance with citrus,
some will smell like ham,
some will have no smell or can smell a bit of civic.
- [Maddy] Okay.
- So it just depends on the formula.
Now, common question I get is why should I use my vitamin C
in the morning?
The reason for this is because you wanna make the most
of vitamin C's protective antioxidant properties.
So you can still use vitamin C at night
but I personally like to recommend it for AM use
because I think you wanna make the most of its benefits
because I think you wanna make the most of its benefits.
Just be mindful of layering, vitamin C
at the same time as acids like AHAs and Retinoids
which are commonly found in PM routines.
These are already quite sensitising ingredients
on their own, and these acids
just don't really play nicely together.
For vitamin C to be its most effective,
it generally needs to be at a low PH
which can be a little bit irritating
or sensitising or more sensitive for reactive skin types.
I'm gonna run you through some of my favourites
which I've never encountered an issue with
but who knows everyone's different.
These are some of my faves,
can we create a jingle for Jo's faves?
- [Maddy] Yes.
♪it's time for Jo's faves. ♪
- First up Societe, Triple C,
Now she's former bougie bijoux,
she's 199, very expensive, but Oh, she's effective,
she absorbs quickly with a blend
of multiple vitamin C derivatives peptides
and botanical extracts.
I do think she's worth the price tag
but I'm gonna walk you
through some more affordable options
if she's a little bit above your price range.
- [Maddy] She's a lot above my price range.
(laughing)
- What above your price range?
I don't know.
Alpha-H, vitamin C, which I also love uses
Ethyl Ascorbic acid, which has a higher pH,
but he's less irritating yet still effective.
So I'd recommend that one for any sensitive Sallys out
there or sensitive Stephens
and it's suitable for all skin types, and it's under $70.
Kora organics, Noni bright
and vitamin C serum is a great option for anyone
who prefers to use more natural skincare.
This one, like the other two, I mentioned also
has a really nice texture.
It absorbs well and it's best for normal to dry skin types.
It contains a blend of natural extracts
including Kakadu Plum, which is very rich
in vitamin C as well as 12% ascorbic acid.
- [Maddy] Kakadu Plum is up there with kiwi.
- Can you put like a scale of the fruits
that have the most vitamin C?
- [Maddy] Sure.
- Yeah, top five I think.
Next up is Dermalogica biolumin-C,
so this one contains a blend of vitamin C derivatives,
peptides and lactic acid.
So this one acts as a gentle exfoliating serum
as well as a brightening serum.
The texture is really pleasant and versatile in terms
of layering and this one's suitable for all skin types.
Then for our bargain hunters, we've...
We have got hair in my mouth.
We've got Boost Lab's vitamin C brightening serum.
This one contains Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
vitamin E and Niacinamide.
You can snap that one up for under $30.
And if you're interested in the ordinary,
we've done a complete separate guide
on how to navigate the vitamin C products in their range.
- [Maddy] How do you include it in your routine?
- So I generally will use vitamin C on cleansed skin.
And then you can use things
like hyaluronic acid over the top without any issues.
And then I just do my sunscreen.
That's it?
It doesn't have to be complex.
Vitamin C something hydrating, any sunscreen
or you can always try it before you sunscreen up to you.
I think that's covered everything you need to know
about vitamin C.
As a wrap-up, If you're looking for something
that's gonna help even out your skin tone,
help with hyperpigmentation, work as an anti-aging serum
as well, vitamin C is gonna be your best friend.
If you wanna know more about vitamin C
you can leave your questions in the comments below
and I'll try and get back to them
and make sure you subscribe,
hit the bell button and I'll see you next time.