Boa日記帳

These days people are turning to Vitamin C to give their lackluster complexion a juicy glow. Sephora’s best Vitamin C serums promise results for dry skin, oily skin, acne scars, fine lines and wrinkles, and even dark spots and sun damage. Those are some big promises for small bottles. 

Before you head to the grocery store to stock up on orange juice and lemons, we put this trendy skin superfood to dermatologists and skincare experts for their take on the benefits of Vitamin C for your skin.

What does Vitamin C serum do for your skin? 
Vitamin C serums are acidic, which means they slough away dead cells from the skins surface leaving it brighter and smoother. This in turn speeds up new cell regeneration, says Susie Wang, cofounder of 100% PURE. “Vitamin C is highly acidic and very bitter, so when applied to the skin, the skin is triggered to ‘heal’ itself by accelerating the production of collagen and elastin,” Wang told HuffPost. “Collagen is the protein fibers that make skin plump and prevent sagging; elastin are also protein fibers that help skin bounce back.” 

One of Vitamin C’s biggest uses is for reducing scars, spots and other hyperpigmentation, says dermatologist Melanie Palm. “Vitamin C is a well-known brightening agent, as it interferes with abnormal pigmentation through tyrosinase inhibition of the melanin pigment pathway.” What does that mean in layman’s terms? “It is used topically to fade brown spots without altering normal skin pigmentation,” Palm says.

When should you use Vitamin C serum? 
Though dermatologists recommended a few different Vitamin C serums, they do agree on a few things, like when you should apply Vitamin C serum in your skincare routine. “Apply your Vitamin C before your moisturizer for the best results,” says Annie Tevelin, green beauty expert and founder of SkinOwl. “Let it dry for one minute before applying a moisturizer with SPF.” 

There’s no real consensus among skincare experts on whether you’re better off wearing your serum in the morning or at night. Think of it in the daytime as another layer to protect your skin again free radicals and UV, and at night as a way to “undo oxidative damage from the day,” says dermatologist Tsippora Shainhouse of Rapaport Dermatology. Whenever you wear your serum, Wang recommends beginning with a lemon water rise to “prep the skin with a light dosage of Vitamin C to start.” 

How often should you use Vitamin C serum? 
Most of the skincare experts we spoke with recommend adding a Vitamin C serum to your skincare routine slowly before building up a daily or twice-daily tolerance. “I recommend every other day to daily use in the morning, typically three to five drops for the entire face,” Palm says.