Are you dreaming of a youthful-looking and radiant complexion? Are you fed up with covering up those nasty dark spots and other skin blemishes under a thick layer of a high-coverage foundation? You know what? You don’t have to do this any longer – reach for vitamin C!
This nutrient is proven to be ideal when it comes to daling with discoloration, facial redness and dullness, it minimizes the appearance of wrinkles and promotes glowing complexion. Take the most out of the following ranking and pick the vitamin C face serum that lives up to your expectations. After all, this is the quickest way to achieve your clear skin goal!
The benefits of vitamin C for skin
Vitamin C added to a face serum
- brightens discoloration.
- promotes a healthy-looking complexion.
- evens out skin tone.
- improves elasticity.
- shields from free radicals.
- has an anti-ageing effect.
- reduces wrinkles.
- leaves skin youthful-looking.
- strengthens weak capillaries.
The finest form of vitamin C: The recipe for success in skincare
It must be realized right at the beginning that in order to get the most out of vitamin C, you need to reach for its stabilized form. Indeed, this nutrient is unstable in its pure form. This means that L-ascorbic acid’s skin-improving potential is almost unnoticeable. So how the heck is this substance so potent? The secret of vitamin C lies in its… derivatives and its upgraded stabilized forms, so to say. Carry on reading to learn what forms of vitamin C are commonly used in beauty products. Treat the list below as a short guide to vitamin C in cosmetics.
1. Ascorbic acid (INCI: Ascorbic Acid / L-Ascorbic Acid)
This is the least stable form of vitamin C, also considered as pure vitamin C. It may trigger irritation in sensitive skin.
Choose it when your skin is oily, especially when you suffer from seborrhea.
2. Ascorbyl palmitate (INCI: Ascorbyl Palmitate)
Even though this form of vitamin C is considered stable, it’s pace of releasing ascorbic acid is slow.
Choose it when you need sun protection or want to reduce redness that occurs after sunbathing.
3. Ascorbyl Glucoside (INCI: Ascorbyl Glucoside)
It’s able to penetrate through the skin, reaching the deepest layers but it may cause minor irritation.
Choose it when you want to stop your skin from producing pigment and to banish dark spots.
4. Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (INCI: MAP / Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate)
It works only on the skin’s surface and doesn’t protect from free radicals.
Choose it when you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, if your skin is hyper-reactive or when you’re looking for a body product.
5. Sodium ascorbyl phosphate (INCI: SAP / Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate)
This is the gentlest water-based form of vitamin C. It’s antiseptic.
Choose it when your skin is prone to acne.
6. Tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (INCI: THD / Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate)
It’s proven effective even if used in low concentrations (1-3%). Being one of the finest forms of vitamin C, THD doesn’t break down only when combined with oils. This is also one of the costliest vitamin C derivatives.
Choose it when your skin is mature and weathered. THD makes a good facial mask constituent.
7. 3-O-ethyl-l-ascorbic acid (INCI: EA / 3-O-Ethyl-L-Ascorbic Acid)
The most valuable form of vitamin C. When used in higher concentrations, it penetrates skin deeply, fights off free radicals and slows down bacteria multiplication. Additionally, it leaves skin visibly brighter and younger.
Choose it when you count on getting the best results, if your skin is sensitive or when you want to shield it from photo-ageing.
THE BEST VITAMIN C FACE SERUM — RANKING
1. Nanoil, Vit. C Face Serum
Size: 50 ml / 1.69 oz
Nanoil is a brightening face serum boosted by the finest form of vitamin C. That’s why this serum is so effective in delivering promised results. In Nanoil Vit. C Face Serum, 3-0 ethyl L-ascorbic acid is combined with an incredibly potent plant-based antioxidant known as Punarnava. This extract taken from the plant’s root is rich in skin-repairing and renewing flavonoids and phytosterols.
A huge plus for being suitable for all skin types regardless of age. This means that even those with sensitive and couperose skin can use Nanoil serum freely on a daily basis to erase discoloration. Dullness and wrinkles pose no problem, as the skin gets clear, supple and simply flawless. Every drop of Nanoil Vit. C Face Serum works to revive the skin, clearly improving its appearance. And the best bit is that you can enjoy having bright, youthful-looking and firm skin without ruining your budget!
Interested? More info about the serum on nanoil.ie
2. Tatcha, Violet-C Brightening Serum 20% Vitamin C + 10% AHA
Size: 30 ml / 1 oz
Tatcha means prestige. That is one of the main reasons why this lightweight face serum enriched with vitamin C is quite expensive. But are the effects worth it? As included in the name of the product, Tatcha face serum is made up of 20% vitamin C and 10% AHAs which promote cell turnover for clear complexion. It leaves skin glowing by gently helping dead cells shed quicker. This also results in a smoother, softer and nicer-looking complexion.
When used on a regular basis, Tatcha Violet-C Brightening Serum 20% Vitamin C + 10% AHA minimizes the damage of sun overexposure. Garden angelica extract that you can find in this serum is responsible for stimulating skin self-renewal processes.
3. Colway International, Double C Glow Skin Drops
Size: 30 ml / 1 oz
On one hand it is pretty costly but on the other it offers amazingly rich composition. Formulated with ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate, which is a fairly stable form of vitamin C, as well as with Kakadu plum extract that works as an antioxidant, Colway International Double C Glow Skin Drops delivers truly stunning results. Interestingly, Kakadu plum extract is proven to have a brightening effect on the skin, which means that this serum has two substances dealing with discoloration and dark spots.
A huge plus for being enriched with a substance responsible for strengthening the walls of blood vessels. That’s why Colway International Double C Glow Skin Drops is recommended even for sensitive, redness-prone and couperose complexions. Lastly, this serum provides a kind of antioxidant shield that is also able to protect from UVA and UVB.
4. Lumene, NORDIC C [VALO] serum with vitamin C
Size: 30 ml / 1 oz
Lumene has launched a highly concentrated face serum enriched ascorbyl glucoside and naturally-derived extracts. Apart from vitamin C, NORDIC C [VALO] offers a substantial portion of moisturizing hyaluronic acid that promotes plump skin, as well as cloudberry extract that happens to be an alternative source of vitamin C in the serum.
It appears that there is more to cloudberry than just being a source of vitamin C. Studies show that the extract taken from this flowering plant is also responsible for reviving the skin and boosting its protective mechanisms. The serum also contains castor oil which is another constituent promoting hydration. Sadly, it may leave skin clogged.
5. Oriflame, NOVAGE 10% vitamin C solution NovAge ProCeuticals
Size: 28 ml / 0.94 oz
Pure vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) served in a pretty high concentration and for a fairly high price – is it what you’re looking for? But when you ignore its cost, Oriflame Novage is a product that needs just a few seconds to absorb into the skin, delivering 10% vitamin C for a brighter complexion. This is another serum that provides UV and free radical protection.
Interestingly, Oriflame assures its clients that owing to the innovative packaging, NOVAGE 10% vitamin C solution NovAge ProCeuticals offers longer shelf-life. A big plus for a blend of moisturizing ingredients and soothing d-panthenol that together prevent irritation that the basic form of vitamin C may sometimes trigger.
