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There’s a good chance your doctor has told you it’s important to get your daily dose of vitamin C — this nutrient is essential to your body’s health and contributes a wide range of key functions, including wound healing, immunity, and iron absorption. Vitamin C can also be good for your skin, according to dermatologists, by helping to protect it from free-radicals, lighten dark spots, and more.
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But you won’t get those benefits from a C-rich diet — as it turns out, the digestive system’s ability to absorb vitamin C from food and supplements is limited. “When taken orally, vitamin C doesn’t have much bioavailability to the skin,” explains Geeta Yadav, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in Toronto. “Topical application is the favored route because higher concentrations can be applied and the skin can actually make use of it.”
Get ready to rev up your regimen: We’ve outlined five compelling reasons to use vitamin C-infused skincare products.
Vitamin C is easy to incorporate into your routine.
Certain active ingredients in skincare products can potentially cause sun sensitivity and irritation, which, for some people, means only using them a few times per week as opposed to nightly. Vitamin C, however, is different. Though it has particular merit when applied as part of a morning routine, you can safely use it every day in both the AM and PM. (Note, pairing it with SPF is key during the day.)
The new Olay Regenerist Vitamin C + Peptide 24 Face Cream delivers this star ingredient in a formula that delivers 24-hour hydration. It also contains heavy-hitting ingredients like firming peptides, vitamins B3 and B5 (which help soothe and soften, respectively), and brightening lactic acid. You can replace multiple treatments in your everyday regimen with this all-in-one cream.
Vitamin C promotes collagen production for firmer skin.
Collagen is a protein that supports and strengthens your skin. When you’re young, your body has no problem churning it out to keep your complexion looking fresh and plump. That production slows as you get older — and eventually stops altogether, leading to a decline in collagen levels. “Collagen fibers also start to fragment as we age and as we collect UV exposure over time,” says Dr. Yadav. That build-up of fragmented collagen causes skin to become weaker and less resilient. “As your skin loses its strength, you start to see wrinkles, increased pigmentation, more visible blood vessels, and increased skin fragility,” says Dr. Yadav.
If you’re hoping to kickstart your collagen production, vitamin C may help. Studies show that when applied topically, vitamin C stimulates fibroblasts, the cells responsible for creating the protein, and puts them to work triggering collagen synthesis. The more collagen your skin has, the smoother and more supple it’ll tend to look.
Vitamin C helps brighten skin while fending off future damage.
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Antioxidants (like vitamins A, C and E) are a must-have in any skincare regimen because they can help stave off free-radical damage. Factors like pollution, cigarette smoke, and sun exposure — all major sources of free radicals — accelerate the deterioration of your skin, causing fine lines, skin laxity, and dark spots. “Vitamin C is one of the most potent antioxidants available in skincare,” says Dr. Yadav. “I’m particularly fond of it because it has the ability not just to prevent, but also to help correct free radical damage.”
As a skincare ingredient, vitamin C is perhaps best known for its brightening capabilities. Vitamin C is what’s known as a tyrosinase inhibitor, explains Dr. Yadav. Tyrosinase is the enzyme that tells your skin cells to produce more pigment — like those dark spots left behind after a summer spent outdoors. “Regular application of vitamin C will slow down dark spot formation, causing them to fade,” she says.
Hyperpigmentation fighters, take note: Olay’s Vitamin C-infused face moisturizer also contains vitamin B3, known as niacinamide, which is believed to inhibit pigment transfer between skin cells. That means you’ll be tackling dark spots from two different angles with just one formula.
Vitamin C can reduce inflammation, making it a great pick for blemish-prone skin.
If you’re susceptible to breakouts, you know that the pimples themselves aren’t the only frustration. Tenderness, swelling, and redness caused by inflammation are also major pain points of dealing with acne.
Inflammation is a sign that your body’s immune system is at work, explains Dr. Yadav. “In small doses, it can be good for you — like when your body triggers its healing response after a laser resurfacing treatment to promote cellular turnover.” But chronic inflammation like acne can fatigue the body, and lead to issues like collagen deterioration and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, she says. Because vitamin C is a natural anti-inflammatory, the ingredient can combat some of the hazards of chronic inflammation.
Vitamin C may help other products in your lineup work better.
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There’s one more advantage of adding a vitamin C product to your routine: It can act like a “booster” for other steps in your skincare regimen. “Pairing vitamin C with other antioxidants fortifies their efficacy for enhanced free radical protection,” says Dr. Yadav. You can also get more out of your go-to SPF if you apply it over a vitamin C-rich formula: “Studies show that combining sunscreen with vitamin C enhances your protection against UV damage,” adds Dr. Yadav. While the ingredient is by no means a substitute for your daily sunscreen, it’s nice to know that you can rely on vitamin C for an extra bit of support.
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