Topical Vitamin C - Does it work to improve your skin?

Cosmeceuticals containing antioxidants are among the most popular anti-aging remedies and Vitamin C is at the top of the list. The primary purpose of Vitamin C serums or creams is to work as a topical antioxidant, fighting the barrage of free radicals our skin receives every day. Applying Vitamin C to the skin helps to prevent inflammation and prevent cellular damage. Many experts recommend using Vitamin C serum on a daily basis since it helps prevent the damaged caused by the sun’s rays. A few drops of concentrated Vitamin C serum or cream should be applied to your skin daily BEFORE your moisturizer and sunscreen.

Topical Vitamin C also promotes an increase in collagen production and is believed to have the ability for reversing the aging process, by breaking through the skin’s surface to provide skin cells the essential energy for repair. Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) is one of the few topical anti-oxidants whose efficiency against wrinkles and fine lines is support by a good amount of reliable scientific evidence.

The benefits of including a Vitamin C Serum in your daily skin system include:

· Minimizes fine lines and wrinkles
· Helps reverse the signs of aging
· Repairs and Protects your skin from Free Radicals
· Increases Skin Elasticity
· Helps Skin Clarity [acne and age spots]

An ideal vitamin C serum should be able to easily penetrate into skin and release L-ascorbic acid in amounts sufficient to boost collagen synthesis. In order for anti- aging benefits to be realized, it is vital that your Vitamin C serum contain at least a 10% L-ascorbic concentration with a pH level of less than 3. Doses lower than 10% will lose their effectiveness. Since Vitamin C is unstable, only buy Vitamin C packaged in opaque bottles. Exposure to sunlight will cause the product to oxidize and break down becoming ineffective. When Vitamin C serums are fresh, they are mostly clear in color. They turn yellowish when spoiled, so avoid buying serums that are tinted yellow or orange. You will not be able to tell if the product has oxidized. Spoiled serums also begin to smell odd.


To make topical Vitamin C products more stable, skin care companies have been working to find alternatives to straight L-ascorbic acid since it has a problem with being stable. The best Vitamin C variations found so far are ascorbyl palmitate and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate.

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Being fat-soluble and much more stable, ascorbyl palmitate is the most widely used derivative of vitamin C in skin care. It is less irritating to the skin making it a better choice for sensitive skin. Ascorbyl palmitate fights free radicals and inflammation. The one drawback though appears to be that the strength of ascorbyl palmitate achievable in skin care products does not boost collagen production to the degree that plain L-ascorbic vitamin C. However, ascorbyl palmitate is at least as effective as vitamin E in protecting the skin from lipid peroxidation - a key type of free radical damage.


Magnesuim Ascorbyl Phosphate

Gaining popularity in skin care products, magnesuim ascorbyl phosphate is a water-soluble derivative of vitamin C. It is more stable than L-ascorbic vitamin C and less irritating because it is less acidic. Most importantly, magnesuim ascorbyl phosphate seems to have the same potential as L-ascorbic vitamin C in boosting skin collagen production and works at lower concentrations. Even though magnesuim ascorbyl phosphate is several times more stable than vitamin C, it still slowly breaks down when exposed to light and air. For this reason freshness and proper storage are still important.


Just like antioxidants taken orally, topical antioxidants work to repair damage as well as protect against future damage. Topical Vitamin C helps prevent the premature signs of aging and can give your skin the nourishment it needs to stay healthy and youthful. Vitamin C serums or creams have the power to renew the skin and many women include a Vitamin C product in their daily skin care system.

The best news is that skin care companies have come up with several Vitamin C products that work. They combine the best ingredients to give you a fighting chance in the war on aging.

Here are some of our picks for Topical Vitamin C skin care products.

GreatSkin Vitamin C Infusion Cream 30% (simple, stabilzed cream formula with high % of L-ascorbic)

GreatSkin Vitamin C + 25% Serum (a L- Ascorbic acid polypeptide complex - stable and penetrating)

Anthony Logistics for Men Vitamin C Facial Serum, Dry & Damaged Skin (Stabillized Vitamin C)

Dr. Varon's Vitamin C Concentrated Serum (10% Vitamin C with Hyaluronic Acid & Retinyl Palmitate. Not recommended for sensitive skin - very reasonably priced)

Murad Essential - C Daily Renewal Complex (pure vitamin c in a cream formula)

Cellex-C High Potency Serum, 30 mL(a light-weight, oil free vitamin C serum)

Janson Beckett Vitamin C&C Facial Serum .5 oz (combines magnesium ascorbyl phosphate and sodium ascorbate for a double dose of C)

Better-Skin-Care.com