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C Serum for Skin Health
How does your C serum measure up?
With all the advertising and promises made by skin care companies it is often hard to trust and choose the product that will deliver the desired results. When it comes to C serums it can also be very costly, so listen up, as this can be of great value to you and your pocket book.Vitamin C is essential for the production of collagen and is a key player in the repair and renewal of skin and other bodily tissues. It is also a valuable antioxidant in the everlasting battle against free radicals; therefore it can reduce the risk of free radical induced chronic diseases.
Topical forms of Vitamin C are very popular for good reason. It is estimated that only 8% of orally ingested Vitamin C makes it to your largest organ, the skin. With this in mind, it makes sense to feed the skin it's very own dose, but which serum to choose with so many options on the market?
Let's take a look at what research has revealed in reference to topical C serums:
- L-ascorbic acid is the most stable form of Vitamin C.
- Over a twelve week period, Vitamin C reduces wrinkles and increases the moisture content of the skin.
- Topical Vitamin C may reverse photo damage.
- Topical L-ascorbic acid stimulates collagen production and improves the firmness of skin of postmenopausal women.
- The concentration of L-ascorbic acid needs to be at least 10% or higher.
- It must be protected from direct light (look for opaque packaging).
- It needs to have a low pH between 2.0 to 3.5.
- Topical Vitamin C reduces free radicals, the leading cause of skin-cell damage, and skin cancer.
In order for anti aging benefits to be realized, it is imperative that your Vitamin C serum contain at least 10% L-ascorbic with a pH level of less than 3.5. At this low pH level effective C serums may be somewhat irritating if you have dry/sensitive skin. It is recommended that you use a good nourishing cream and hydrating mist for a while to make your skin less dry and sensitive before incorporating the use of such a serum, especially if you are also using AHA's .
Few studies have been done on another form of Vitamin C, ester C (ascorbyl palmitate), that has been used in C serums recently. This is one of the reasons we have switched to L-Ascorbic even though we did get good results with Ester C. These studies are inconclusive as to the anti-aging benefits. So far there is some evidence that ester C might offer protection against sun-induced irritation and redness in human skin tissues. Until more independent research is done, we cannot assume that this form of topical vitamin C is effective in the anti-aging battle.
So choose your Vitamin C serum wisely!
Make sure you are getting at least 10% L-ascorbic acid, ( ours is currently at 18%) anything less will not be effective in activating fibroblast cells in the dermis to once again produce more collagen and Elastin. Inquire about the pH level; a confident company will be happy to tell you what the pH level of their product is.Frequently asked questions:
Q. If my C serum does not contain 10% L-ascorbic acid will it still work?A. Not as a collagen and elastin producer, but it may offer some antioxidant protection.
Q. The serum I am using at the moment does not disclose the percentage of Vitamin C. How do I find out? A. There should be toll free phone # on products you choose to purchase. Give them a call and ask them.
Q. Are C serums for mature skin types only?A. No, acne and hyper-pigmented skin can benefit greatly from a well formulated C serum.
Q. How often does one use a C serum?A. It depends on what you are trying to achieve. Most use a C serum once a day in the pm.
Others with severely sun weathered, wrinkled skin or inflamed acne may use it in the am and pm. Remember to always use sun protection in the am.
Thank you transformyourhealth for the bulk of this article!
