Beauty Center

The Benefits of Vitamin C

Last Updated: 03/29/2023

What is Vitamin C?

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that can offer a range of benefits for your skin. When applied topically, it can help brighten your complexion, fade dark spots and hyperpigmentation, boost collagen production, and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Additionally, vitamin C can help protect your skin against environmental stressors, such as UV radiation and pollution, by neutralizing free radicals before they can cause damage. The benefits of vitamin C serums when used in your skincare routine can help you achieve healthier, more radiant-looking skin.

The Benefits of Vitamin C for Skin Care

  • Combats free radical damage that occurs from day-to-day exposure to the sun’s UV rays and environmental aggressors. Due to it being a natural antioxidant, it gives electrons to neutralize the free radicals that cause oxidative stress. This reduces inflammation and reorganizes your skin’s structure to mimic younger skin.
  • Directly stimulates collagen production – vitamin C stabilizes the collagen molecule structure, encouraging collagen growth. This is especially important as you get older, when both vitamin C and collagen levels usually decrease.
  • Helps maintain and repair damaged skin and cartilage – vitamin C enhances the production of barrier lipids in cells, which helps heal damaged skin and prevent keloids. The increased collagen production we mentioned earlier also aids in repairing damaged skin.
  • Brightens complexion and evens skin tone – vitamin C is known for it’s brightening properties. After just a week of using a vitamin C product daily, you may be able to see the difference in your complexion already!
  • Reduces the appearance of dark spots and hyperpigmentation – the antioxidant properties contained in vitamin C serums and skin care products will help decrease hyperpigmentation by inhibiting melanin synthesis in the skin.
  • Protects against sun damage – free radical damage is no joke! Vitamin C adds an extra layer of protection from damage that your SPF can’t match. By creating a barrier for free radicals, vitamin C helps decrease photodamage on the skin.

How To Use Vitamin C in Your Skin Care Routine

Vitamin C can be a very aggressive chemical on the skin, so you’ll want to slowly introduce it into your routine and ensure your skin has a positive reaction. For sensitive or dry skin types, try a less concentrated vitamin C serum to ensure you won’t have irritation.

To harness the best results, apply a vitamin C serum right after cleansinG, before any other products. Follow up with a moisturizer and your favorite SPF to lock it all in. (Did you know that combining vitamin C and SPF protects your skin from the sun more than just SPF alone?)

Some Of Our Vitamin C Must-Haves:

  1. SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic with 15% L-Ascorbic Acid Vitamin C Serum
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    SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic with 15% L-Ascorbic Acid Vitamin C Serum

    C E Ferulic is a potent vitamin C serum that helps deliver visible anti-aging benefits. The formula is free from parabens and is gentle yet effective, suitable for normal, dry and sensitive skin types. An antioxidant blend of 15% pure vitamin C and 0.5% ferulic acid, this serum shields the complexion from age-inducing free radicals, infrared radiation and ozone pollution. 

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  2. BeautyStat Universal C Skin Refiner
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    BeautyStat Universal C Skin Refiner

    This powerful vitamin Cbased skin care product is formulated with 20% pure vitamin C and a patented encapsulated delivery system that continues to work its full-strength results throughout use with no degrading of color or formula. Over time, it can work to improve your skin’s smoothness and radiance. 

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  3. Obagi Medical Professional-C Serum 20% Strength
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    Obagi Medical Professional-C Serum 20% Strength

    This serum melts effortlessly into your skin and combines L-ascorbic acid with hyaluronic acid to plump your skin with moisture while brightening the look of hyperpigmentation. It helps prevent visible signs of early aging, protects against UV damage and leaves your skin feeling moisturized and protected.  

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  4. StriVectin Super-C Retinol Brighten and Correct Vitamin C Serum
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    StriVectin Super-C Retinol Brighten and Correct Vitamin C Serum

    The brightening power of Vitamin C and the correcting power of Retinol come together in one supercharged, lightweight serum. Two potent forms of stabilized Vitamin C plus Acerola Cherry Extract (a super fruit highly concentrated in Vitamin C) visibly brighten, firm and restore radiance. Retinol boosted by NIA-114TM (our proprietary form of Niacin) smooths fine lines and texture for visibly renewed, glowing skin.

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  5. Sunday Riley CEO 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum
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    Sunday Riley CEO 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum

    This serum is powered by 15% advanced vitamin C and is targeted to fight the look of dullness, dark spots and discoloration, while helping to diminish signs of aging.  

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  6. PCA Skin C-Quench Antioxidant Serum
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    PCA Skin C-Quench Antioxidant Serum

    This powerful vitamin C serum is formulated with a combination of lilac leaf cell extract, resveratrol, glutathione, l-ascorbic acid, vitamin E and ergothioneine. It actively prevents and corrects cellular oxidation while using a host of anti-inflammatory agents to soothe your skin while increasing hydration.

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  7. Sunday Riley C.E.O. Afterglow Brightening Vitamin C Cream
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    Sunday Riley C.E.O. Afterglow Brightening Vitamin C Cream

    Powered by a stable form of vitamin C, this plumping cream evens skin tone and delivers a non-greasy finish. It works as a perfect base for your makeup, while providing long-lasting hydration.

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  8. 111SKIN Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser
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    111SKIN Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser

    Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser will deep cleanse while treating imperfections with powerful ingredients; powerful Vitamin C works to brighten and promote collagen in the skin. Daily impurities are removed, and dead skin cells are exfoliated away. Pigmentation and discoloration are visibly reduced, while the appearance of redness and flushing are calmed. This cleanser will refine the skin, tighten and close pores and refine the skin’s texture.

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SkinStore Editors

SkinStore Editors

Writer and expert

Our team of beauty experts cover everything from skincare to makeup, picking out the most effective products from the best brands and latest trends. Stay up to date on everything beauty with the SkinStore blog, and find all your essentials in one place.