How does vitamin C affect skin? [+homemade vitamin serum recipe]

How many meanings can vitamin C have? So far I’ve discovered at least a dozen. Every newly discovered meaning is just another property of vitamin C. Do you know the benefits of regular application of vitamin C to skin? I’ll tell you this in a moment.

Vitamin C is highly valued in the field of cosmetics and beauty. We can find it in most face creams, hand creams, face masks, conditioners, and mainly in concentrated beauty products such as serum.

Vitamin C – Basic info

In beauty products it also appears under the name of ascorbic acid – this is another name for vitamin C.

Most frequently we associate this substance with products which are supposed to improve our immune system. We tend to consume more vitamin C during lower immunity periods, especially when we are aware of the fact that our organism isn’t able to produce this substance on its own.

It appears that vitamin C does more to our bodies than just boosting our immune system. It also knows how to take care of our skin’s well-being.

Fun fact: Vitamin C comes from the pirates!

Although this might sound like a made up story, these were the pirates who discovered the benefits and properties of vitamin C. The sea voyages forced people to find some medication to cure scurvy – a disease affecting gums. It turned out that the side effects of scurvy are caused by the lack of vitamin C, which is hard to supply the body with while spending long months at sea.

And this is where the other name for vitamin C comes from, which is ‘ascorbic acid’ – in Latin it pertains to a non-scurvy condition.

Vitamin C in cosmetics

It doesn’t surprise me that cosmetic containing vitamin C are so popular. They can be applied regardless of age and skin type because everybody should use a dose of vitamin C in daily skin care. In my view, we should take the same approach to vitamin C as we have it to sunscreens. To clarify, it’d be better if we couldn’t imagine leaving home without applying a serum with vitamin C – it’s a good habit.

Properties of vitamin C

Have you ever wondered why it’s worth using vitamin C in body care? Naturally, because of its beneficial action. Here are the most valuable properties of vitamin C:

  • it’s a potent antioxidant, which means that it combats free radicals;
  • effectively highlights discolorations and evens up skin tone;
  • it’s a natural, delicate sunscreen;
  • it activates vitamin E, known as the vitamin of youth;
  • takes an active part in collagen synthesis responsible for skin suppleness;
  • increases skin resistance, supports self-regenerating processes, revitalizes;
  • provides youthful and radiant looks;
  • improves the structure of blood vessels, which prevents their breakage;
  • reduces sebum productions so it’s an ally in fighting back acne;
  • displays anti-inflammatory properties and relieves irritations.

Which form of vitamin C is the best?

You can come across various forms of vitamin C. It isn’t rather used in its pure form – which is ascorbic acid – in cosmetics. We’d rather reach for it when added to face creams or when closed in capsules.

Personally, I’m a big fan of serum with vitamin C – I believe this is one of the best cosmetics that we can treat our face skin with. A top quality serum features a high concentration of vitamin C, which allows it to work better. At the same time such product is lightweight. After all, this is the very nature of serum that it doesn’t overburden face and absorbs into skin really quickly. For that reason, I recommend serum with vitamin C to everyone.

Serum with vitamin C [recipe]

Obviously, you can go to a drugstore to buy a good serum with vitamin C. However, it must be realized that such creams cost definitely more than regular face creams. Therefore, let me tell you how I make my own serum with vitamin C. It’s simple!

To prepare serum with vitamin C you need:

  • 1 tsp. powdered vitamin C,
  • 1 tsp. vitamin E (drops),
  • 1 tsp. distilled water,
  • 1 tsp. glycerin (improves absorption).

Such tiny proportions suffice completely, trust me. Keep mixing the ingredients until you notice that vitamin C has melted. Don’t add anything more. Basically, you will need to use this concentrated serum up within 3-5 days. It’d be best if you pour your homemade cosmetic into a dark-glass bottle and store it in the fridge to prevent spoiling. Another advantage of keeping serum with vitamin C in the fridge is this pleasant feeling of cold during application.

Anastasia
Anastasia

Howdy my beautiful readers! My name is Anastasia and I'm more than happy to welcome you on my beauty blog. Since I love retro style and everything that is connected with it, I do my best to find old school cosmetics that are far from being artificial. Here, I'll share with you my findings to make our body, hair and skin care as natural as possible. Enjoy the reading!

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