Vitamin C Myths

From boosting collagen production to reducing signs of aging to correcting dark spots, vitamin C is a highly effective skin care ingredient with a wide range of benefits. This powerful antioxidant can do wonders for a range of skin issues - we're here to bust the common myths and misconceptions.

 

Vitamin C

 

VITAMIN C CAN CAUSE SUN SENSITIVITY?

Vitamin C in its pure form is acidic, which may be why many people believe vitamin C should only be used in the evening. But unlike some other acids, vitamin C has not been shown to increase sensitivity to the sun.  That doesn't mean it's time to skip on SPF, but combining vitamin C with SPF may be a good idea. 

It also means you can choose to apply your vitamin C product in the morning or at night (or both), depending on what benefits you're looking for and how it feels in your routine.

 

VITAMIN C CANNOT BE COMBINED WITH OTHER ACTIVE INGREDIENTS?

Let's start with niacinamide. This myth stems from old believes saying that the two can potentially react to form nicotinic acid, which can cause irritation. However, this potential only exists when pure ascorbic acid and niacinamide are combined at very high temperatures, which is not the case in normal skin care application. In fact, the combination of these two ingredients can be a winning combination.

Vitamin C can be used with acids and retinol. However, the biggest risk is irritation to the skin. For most people, this potent cocktail can be too much for the skin. Spread your active ingredients out over your morning and evening routine, or even over several days or weeks. Find out what feels right for your skin and do a patch test!

 

DOES VITAMIN C HAVE ANY ANTI -AGEING BENEFITS?

Yes it does! The process of skin ageing is inevitable, but daily intake of vitamin C can help slow down this down. This is because it speeds up the production of collagen, which benefits the skin in more ways than one.

 

CAN YOU BUILD A TOLERANCE TO VITAMIN C?

The way tolerance builds up generally to do with a decrease in the sensitivity of the receptors that recognize the substance and cause the reaction, or a decrease in the number of receptors. 

There is no evidence that we build up a tolerance to vitamin C because:

  • Antioxidant Effects: Vitamin C interacts directly with free radicals and quenches their unpaired electrons.
  • Collagen-building: it is thought that the collagen-building effect is related to a lack of vitamin C for collagen enzymes, so topical vitamin C only supplements what is already there.

 

CAN I USE VITAMIN C IF I HAVE SENSITIVE SKIN?

Of course. The beauty of this wonder ingredient is that it can be used by all skin types. Sensitivity to vitamin C depends on the concentration and type of vitamin C used! People with more sensitive skin may tolerate pure vitamin C less well, but this does not mean that they should avoid the ingredient altogether.

For those who have never used a vitamin C product on their skin, start using it once a day with a lower concentration and gradually increase it to twice a day