How To Get The Most Out Of This Powerful Ingredient
By Kendall Farr, Licensed Esthetican, SPADA Skincare
You are shopping for skincare and notice that everything – everything– seems to include vitamin C from cleansers, to serums, to moisturizers. There’s a good reason for this. Vitamin C is a proven super star for protecting and strengthening the skin. It fades dark marks, fights free radicals (which break down the collagen in our skin – hello sagging), and diminishes fine lines. However, nothing is perfect and vitamin C is also notoriously unstable and can degrade quickly from a brown spot zapping wonder to a bottle of something smelly and useless. In skincare, everything is about the delivery system. Here’s everything to know about choosing a vitamin C formulation that’s effective, stable and delivers its’ full potency into the skin.
So What is Vitamin C Exactly?
It’s a powerful antioxidant proven to neutralize free radicals. A quick refresher on antioxidants: they prevent or reduce cell damage by fighting off the reactive molecules known as free radicals. Vitamin C also triggers the skin to heal itself through the production of collagen and elastin. And there’s more. It inhibits melanin production – the process that causes brown spots and hyperpigmentation. With regular use, vitamin C helps prevent dark spots from forming in the first place.
What to Know When Choosing A Vitamin C Product
By far, serums are the most effective way to deliver the full potency of vitamin C into the skin. Think of serum as what does the ‘heavy lifting’ in your skin care routine. Ideally, choose one formulated with encapsulation (tiny, poly-saccharide spheres designed to hold active ingredients) to deliver the vitamin C directly into the skin cells – resulting in skin that looks firmer and vibrant.
Look for a formulation with encapsulated L ascorbic acid, the most stable form of vitamin C. It’s proven to penetrate the skin at the deepest levels. And its’ effectiveness increases with an assist from ferulic acid, a plant-based antioxidant. This stabilizing duo is found in G.M. Collin’s Vital C 15 Serum – a light, silky formula that contains 15 percent L ascorbic acid, ferulic acid, and camu camu, an antioxidant extract derived from a plant native to the Amazon rainforests. Rounding out the chemistry: peptides that improve skin tone and texture and minimize fine lines. And the best part – your vitamin C lasts thanks to a vacuum-sealed bottle preventing air exposure and oxidation that can break down the potency of your serum.
Fun Fact: while peptides strengthen collagen in the skin – their synthesis into the skin can’t happen without the presence of vitamin C.
When To Use Your Serum
Daylight is the time for skin protection so it’s smart to apply vitamin C serum in the AM as a shield against free radical assault. We recommend (along with dermatologists) that you apply your serum followed by a broad-spectrum, 100 % mineral-based SPF to block out damaging light. If you pair your SPF with a little makeup, try a formulation with a light texture like G.M. Collin’s SPF 45 – an easily blended option thanks to its’ universal tint. Wear it alone over moisturizer for instant radiance and a more even-looking skin tone or as a glow-making primer under makeup.
A Facial Treatment With Lots of C
Looking to harness the brightening, lightening, and tightening powers of Vitamin C in a facial? Schedule a Sea C Spa Facial with your esthetician. It’s a powerful antioxidant treatment that layers high potency L-ascorbic acid, marine plants, and anti-aging multi-peptides. Vitamin C serum pairs with applied mineralized patches formulated to balance skin tone and diminish the look of fine lines and wrinkles. A multi-ceramide mask follows to relieve dullness and dryness. The Sea C ‘glow’ delivers visible brightening with deep hydration.
More Ways to Brighten With Vitamin C
At home, brighten and deeply moisturize your skin with G.M. Collin’s Glow Mask formulated with camu camu extract and a ‘vitamin cocktail’ that infuses skin with vitamins A, C, B5, and E. This creamy mask revives tired, dull- looking skin for a radiant glow.
Even if you have a stripped-down skin routine – do add the benefits of vitamin C serum to your daily care to protect and visibly improve the condition of your skin. Consult with your esthetician about the best products for your skin type and condition. Book a facial here.