expert advice

Everything you need to know about

VITAMIN C

Words: Grace Gargini

We unpack the wonder ingredient and share expert insights from Dr. Barbara Sturm and Dr. Murad on how to use it and why it’s so great for your skin.

Shop now

expert advice

Everything you need to know about

VITAMIN C

Words: Grace Gargini

We unpack the wonder ingredient and share expert insights from Dr. Barbara Sturm and Dr. Murad on how to use it and why it’s so great for your skin.

Shop now

What’s the big deal?

Ask any skin expert or dermatologist (trust me, I’ve asked a helluva lot), and they’ll tell you the three things you can do for your skin that make the biggest positive difference are retinol, SPF and vitamin C. So, by now we (should) all know about the importance of using SPF – and if you’re not already on the retinol bandwagon, take a look at our guide right here – but vitamin C may be one that you’ve dabbled in but haven’t made part of your everyday routine. Well, I’m here to tell you it’s time to get serious about the big C because it has a lot to offer and an abundance of benefits for your skin.

Why should I use it?

So, why’s it so great, you ask? Well, it’s a powerful antioxidant that helps the body to protect itself from something called ‘free radical damage’ – this is a beauty buzzword for the negative effects our environment can have on our skin (think: pollution, UV rays, stress etc). As well as preventing signs of skin damage, vitamin C treats dullness, pigmentation and uneven skin tone by brightening the complexion and smoothing fine lines by boosting hyaluronic acid and collagen production in the skin. In essence: it protects and treats as well as giving serious glow. See, told you it was a good ’un.

How do I use it?

The beauty of vitamin C is that it plays well with others and is often formulated alongside hydrating, soothing ingredients, or even exfoliating acids, to deliver multiple benefits. You can choose between a range of forms and textures, depending on your personal preference or skin concerns. The most common is a serum, which delivers a targeted treatment directly into the deeper layers of the skin, but vitamin C is also found in richer face oils (and is particularly good for dry skin), eye creams or one-off treatments and face masks. In terms of when to apply, it’s best to use a serum on freshly cleansed skin and leave to absorb for a minute or two (to work its magic) before following with a hydrating serum, oil or moisturiser. It can be used morning and night, but thanks to its brilliant protective powers, it’s especially favoured in the morning to tackle whatever the day throws at you.

Vitamin C favourites

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Your questions, answered by experts

Dr. Murad

Board Certified Dermatologist and Founder of Murad Skincare

What advice would you give to someone who’s looking to introduce vitamin C into their routine?

Traditional vitamin C is well known for its brightening and radiance-boosting benefits, but due to its chemical makeup it’s a highly unstable active, which presents several challenges in skincare, such as poor penetration. So, it’s important to look at the overall performance of the product rather than focusing on the benefits of a single ingredient. Our solution is the Vita-C Complex, which we use in our Vita-C Glycolic Brightening Serum and Vita-C Eyes Dark Circle Corrector – this patented complex contains a powerful combination of three different types of vitamin C, which is combined with glycolic acid to slough away dead skin cells, allowing for better absorption of the vitamin C.

How do I slot vitamin C into my skincare routine?

Vitamin C is widely regarded as the best ingredient for radiant skin, but our bodies don’t naturally produce it. Therefore, to get all of its incredible benefits we need to eat it and apply it daily in our skincare routine.

What advice would you give to someone who’s looking to introduce vitamin C into their routine?

Traditional vitamin C is well known for its brightening and radiance-boosting benefits, but due to its chemical makeup it’s a highly unstable active, which presents several challenges in skincare, such as poor penetration. So, it’s important to look at the overall performance of the product rather than focusing on the benefits of a single ingredient. Our solution is the Vita-C Complex, which we use in our Vita-C Glycolic Brightening Serum and Vita-C Eyes Dark Circle Corrector – this patented complex contains a powerful combination of three different types of vitamin C which is combined with glycolic acid to slough away dead skin cells, allowing for better absorption of the vitamin C.

How do I slot vitamin C into my skincare routine?

Anything important to note when using vitamin C?
Can it be mixed with other ingredients?

Vitamin C and retinol (vitamin A) can be used together for maximum anti-ageing results. The vitamin C will help to brighten and protect the skin from aggressors during the day, so it’s best to use this as part of your morning routine and always follow with an SPF. It’s best to use retinol in your evening routine – our Retinol Youth Renewal Night Cream is part preventative and part corrective, meaning it prevents signs of ageing before they appear and corrects the signs we can already see, like fine lines, wrinkles or dullness.

Anything important to note when using vitamin C?
Can it be mixed with other ingredients?

Dr. Barbara Sturm

Founder and CEO of Molecular Cosmetics Skincare

What advice would you give to someone who’s looking to introduce vitamin C into their routine?

It’s important to be mindful of the type of vitamin C you are using as well as the concentration – more is not always more! In fact, at very high concentrations of 15% to 20%, the effects of vitamin C are reduced and at that level can be highly irritating. In terms of formula, serums penetrate into the skin to deliver active ingredients at deeper skin layers and can then be layered with other products, so a vitamin C serum is a good option.

What advice would you give to someone who’s looking to introduce vitamin C into their routine?

Tell us about your new The Good C Vitamin C Serum.

I had been talking to a lot of my patients about vitamin C – advising them it was important to pay attention to the dosage and formulation – and I realised this was the perfect opportunity to develop my own with a skin-friendly formula. The Good C Vitamin C Serum contains a concentration of 5% vitamin C that is safe and gentle on the skin – its active ingredient complex includes oil-soluble vitamin C THD, synthetic vitamin C in glucosidic form and natural vitamin C (from the Kakadu plum). Together, they help to reduce the signs of irritation, improve tone and provide antioxidative protection from environmental stressors for a youthful and healthy-looking complexion. The serum also contains zinc and vitamin E, which boosts the effectiveness of the vitamin C and provides greater protection than using either antioxidant alone.