Vitamin C In Skin Care Products

Scurvy Of The Skin?

Yes you are right there is no such thing as scurvy of the skin but we do need to consider adding Vitamin C to our skin care regimes for a number of reasons. Let’s see why:

Firstly there is a lot of info and research that demonstrates the benefits of vitamin C in topical applications and skin care products for our skin.

As a result I have decided to go on a personal crusade with my own skin so I thought it was time I tried it out. My product of choice is the Exuviance Booster Powder. Keep posted for my reviews on this product and its effects on my own skin. Next I will move on to the Obagi Pro C Serums (10%, 15% & 20%)

Let’s have a look at what the research has revealed in the form of benefits, expected results, and specific treatment indications.

Basics

True Vitamin C Facts: 

FOR ALL SKIN TYPES

1. Cannot be manufactured by our own bodies so it is essential that we replenish levels in our diet and yes you guessed it in our skin care products.
2. Has a short activity period so we do need to add it in our diets every day.
3. is an antioxidant so it gets rid of free radicle (and the damage they cause to our cells)
4. Is vital for:
   1. Building connective tissue such as collagen
   2. Wound healing
   3. Metabolizes folic acid and hormones in our bodies
   4. Has been shown to reduce pigmentation, age spots and blemishes: very simply it reduces melanin production – see Melanin and Pigmentation Explained
5. Helps and aids Vitamin E function in our bodies
6. In cleansers is a natural and gentle exfoliator – see How To Exfoliate Your Skin
7. Has been shown to increase ceramide production in our skins: see Ceramides & Their Importance in Skin Health

So in a nutshell Vitamin C is an essential and important antioxidant that you should incorporate into your skin care routine.

There are many types of Vitamin C:

• Ascorbic Acid (L-Ascorbic Acid)

• Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (THDA)
• Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (MAP)

• Others:
  • Ascorbyl Palmitate
  • Sodium Ascorbate
  • Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
  • Ascorbyl Glucoside
  • Ascorbyl Glucosamine
  • Ascorbyl Methylsilanol Pectinate

Let’s Have a Closer Look at Some of Them

Ascorbic Acid

Important Precautions:

1. The most irritating and least stable form of Vitamin C (it will remain stable for about 6 months)
2. It oxidizes extremely fast generating free radicals
3. Must be stabilized to have an effect on the skin
4. Pure Ascorbic Acid can be irritating on the skin so be wary if you have very sensitive skin

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (abbreviated THDA or THD Ascorbate).

• An oil-soluble form of Vitamin C that can penetrate the lipid bilayer of the skin allowing deeper penetration and better effect
• Retained in the epidermis and dermis forming a reservoir of Vitamin C in your skin
• It has a is much greater antioxidant action than Ascorbic Acid (80 times longer) because it works slower as a free radical scavenger
• It also has a much longer stability

Magnesium Ascorbyl Palmitate (MAP):

• Less irritating than ascorbic acid so also good for sensitive skin types
• Also more stable than ascorbic acid

Both THDA and MAP are more expensive than other forms so they tend not to be commonly used in retail products or OTC products but are used widely in professional or doctor prescribed skin care brands.

Dr Alek Nikolic’s Vitamin C Recommendations

Products with Ascorbic Acid:

• SKINCEUTICALS PHLORETIN CF
• SKINCEUTICALS CE FERULIC
• EXUVIANCE VITAMIN C BOOSTER POWDER
• PROEVEN BRIGHTENING CLEANSING FOAM 100ml
• NEOSTRATA ILLUMINATING SERUM
• NEOSTRATA PIGMENT CONTROLLER
• OBAGI PRO C SERUM 20%
• OBAGI PRO C SERUM 15%
• OBAGI PRO C SERUM 10%
• OBAGI PRO C EYE BRIGHTENER EYE SERUM
• EXUVIANCE BRIGHTENING BIONIC EYE CREME PLUS

Products with Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (THDA):

• EXUVIANCE BRIGHTENING BIONIC EYE CREME PLUS
• DERMAQUEST ESSENTIAL YOUTH PROTECTION SPF 30
• DERMAQUEST NOURISHING PEPTIDE RICH
• DERMAQUEST C INFUSION CLEANSER
• DERMAQUEST C INFUSION EYE CREAM
• DERMAQUEST SKINBRITE EYEBRITE
• DERMAQUEST STEM CELL 3D COMPLEX
• OBAGI SUNSHIELD MATTE SPF50
• OBAGI NUDERM FX STARTER SYSTEM Normal/Dry
• OBAGI NUDERM FX STARTER SYSTEM Normal/Oily

Products with Magnesium Ascorbyl Palmitate:

• DERMAQUEST PEPTIDE EYE FIRMING SERUM
• DERMAQUEST NOURISHING PEPTIDE CREAM
• DERMAQUEST NOURISHING PEPTIDE RICH
• DERMAQUEST C INFUSION SERUM
• DERMAQUEST SKINBRITE EYEBRITE
• DERMAQUEST SKINBRITE CREAM

Resources:

1. J Drugs Dermatol. 2016 Apr 1;15(4):476-82. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27050703 An Open Label Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy and Tolerance of a Retinol and Vitamin C Facial Regimen in Women With Mild-to-Moderate Hyperpigmentation and Photodamaged Facial Skin. Herndon JH, Jiang LI, Kononov T, Fox T.

2. Pak J Pharm Sci. 2014 Mar;27(2):233-7. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24577907 The effect of Centella asiatica, vitamins, glycolic acid and their mixtures preparations in stimulating collagen and fibronectin synthesis in cultured human skin fibroblast.
3. This article was sourced from Just About Skin written by Rita Lee. She has an impressive blog and gives accurate information on skin and skin care products and regimes. I highly recommend her blog for in depth education on skin care ingredients.