Vitamin C, when used topically in a serum, is broadly acclaimed as top-of-the-line components for brightening pores and skin, boosting collagen manufacturing, and defending pores and skin in opposition to environmental injury. It’s so in style that even on the 2024 Medical Spa Present that I attended, vitamin C was an enormous matter of dialog. Nevertheless, not everyone seems to be as optimistic about it as you might assume. Whether or not you’re an esthetician, dermatologist, or only a skincare fanatic, you’ve possible heard of 1 main downfall in the case of this ingredient: the vitamin C acid burn.
So, what is that this? Sure vitamin C formulation, when utilized to the pores and skin every day, could cause a burning and stinging sensation, together with redness, pores and skin that’s scorching to the contact or a normal feeling of irritation. This happens as a result of a topical vitamin C is eliciting a nervous neural response in your pores and skin. As your pores and skin senses publicity, it tries to warn you in opposition to one thing it doesn’t need– on this case, a low pH product. Nevertheless, I don’t consider this aspect impact ought to discourage you in opposition to vitamin C fully– let me clarify.
Advantages of Vitamin C In Your Skincare Routine
The addition of a topical vitamin C serum into your skincare routine might be extraordinarily helpful on your barrier and enhance general pores and skin well being. Listed below are probably the most notable explanation why.
- Brightens Pores and skin Tone
- Doubtless probably the most revered profit, vitamin C lessens pigment manufacturing in pores and skin, making it look brighter.
- Boosts Collagen Manufacturing
- Not solely does this ingredient assist shield the collagen you have already got by inhibiting enzymes that usually break it down, nevertheless it additionally aids in more healthy collagen manufacturing.
- Protects Towards Environmental Injury
- Vitamin C’s highly effective antioxidant properties neutralize free radicals and shield the pores and skin from injury attributable to UV radiation, air pollution, and different environmental stressors.
- Enhances Pores and skin Hydration
- This ingredient has additionally been proven to have moisturizing properties, serving to enhance hydration ranges and plump pores and skin.
Understanding Vitamin C Sensitivity
Let’s unravel why this painful burning and stinging sensation generally happens– and what you are able to do about it!
Why Does Vitamin C Burn or Sting?
The burning sensation is mostly attributable to three issues:
- A extremely low pH. Low pH ranges of two.5-3.5 can probably irritate the pores and skin. They’ll enhance the acidity of a serum, resulting in a compromised barrier and a better potential for stinging, particularly for delicate pores and skin.
- A excessive amount of ascorbic acid. This ingredient must have a minimal of 8% to have any efficacy in pores and skin. At round 22%, the pores and skin stops with the ability to take up it. So most of those vitamin C serums that sting have a low pH and excessive amount of ascorbic acid. This acid is a really small molecule, so it may simply get into the pores and skin and disrupt its pure pH stability.
- A compromised barrier or current use of actives. Individuals who use lively components (retinol, retinoids, exfoliating acids, and so forth.) and folks with compromised limitations usually tend to really feel a stinging sensation. It is because whenever you use exfoliating acids or retinoids, you expertise a number of pores and skin turnover, which means that the pores and skin on prime is extra uncooked and uncovered. If you have already got a decreased barrier and proceed to make use of vitamin C, you received’t have sufficient lipids in your pores and skin to assist shield it from a product with a low pH. That is going to trigger a extra damaging expertise, and in flip, can really result in extra irritation.
Don’t Give Up – There’s a Answer!
Simply because you might be coping with a vitamin C acid burn, doesn’t imply it’s important to forego the ingredient fully. There are nonetheless methods to obtain all the advantages of vitamin C– with out the acid burn! Let’s talk about.
- What to keep away from
- Low-pH Merchandise: These can result in long-term irritation within the pores and skin, inflicting accelerated indicators of ageing and elevated pigmentation (as soon as your physique receives a sign that there’s irritation, elevated pigment manufacturing could happen). Search for formulation with a ph vary of 5.0-5.8. A good model ought to inform you the pH if it’s not publicly listed.
- A No-Ache-No-Acquire Philosophy: Not like retinol, ache (ie stinging) isn’t an indication of vitamin C efficacy however might be an indication of irritation.
- Vitamin C Sandwiching: Whereas a retinol sandwich is an effective way to obtain all the potent advantages of a retinoid with none of the dryness, flaking, or irritation, the identical can’t be mentioned for this ingredient. When sandwiching a vitamin C serum between two layers of moisturizer, it really simply impedes the power of the ascorbic acid, slightly than minimizing the potential negative effects of vitamin C.
- What to do
- Search for Alternate options: There are many vitamin C kinds utilized in skincare, and which one you select undoubtedly issues. If you’re experiencing a vitamin C acid burn, it’s time to search for a extra steady components. Preserve studying to find out which one is best for you!
Discovering Stability
In search of out a steady vitamin C is one of the simplest ways to keep away from a vitamin C acid burn, however what precisely does this entail?
What Does A “Secure Vitamin C” Imply?
Once you hear {that a} type of vitamin C is “steady,” this refers back to the means of the product to take care of its effectiveness over time and publicity to air, gentle, and temperature. A steady vitamin C will sometimes preserve its efficiency longer, be much less liable to oxidization, and can possible include supporting components that enhance efficacy.
Ever observed your white or beige serum start to show yellow or gentle brown? This implies the product has grow to be unstable and begun to oxidize, which means you’re now not receiving everything of its supposed advantages.
It’s necessary to notice that all skincare components finally expire, even probably the most steady of vitamin C serums. Be sure you use it earlier than you lose it!
Why Do Vitamin C Formulations Matter?
Choosing the proper vitamin C therapy could appear a bit difficult, however since vitamin C doesn’t all the time work the identical, it’s necessary to grasp their variations. Vitamin C formulations matter as a result of they will enormously influence the steadiness, effectiveness, and general efficiency of the vitamin C product. Components similar to lively versus inactive types of vitamin C, pH worth, extra components, and even texture, scent, and general really feel can enormously have an effect on how your pores and skin responds to a particular product.
What Makes Vitamin C&E Therapy Completely different?
What’s nice about Vitamin C&E Therapy is that it doesn’t use excessive portions of ascorbic acid and it has a extra skin-friendly pH. Utilizing each lipid and water-soluble types of vitamin C, this serum gives potent antioxidant exercise deep throughout the epidermal layers.
Using tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (THD), this skin-brightening cream ensures a slower launch time than water-soluble molecules, which means an extended window of lively vitamin C and a decrease potential for irritation. When you’re trying to profit from all the advantages of vitamin C with not one of the burn, this long-time best-seller is the one for you.
Suggestions for Selecting Secure Vitamin C Merchandise
As intimidating as it might be, strive to not be discouraged by the huge array of vitamin C merchandise in the marketplace. Listed below are a number of suggestions for avoiding the ache and discovering the right serum for you.
Ingredient Test
In the case of frequent types of vitamin C in skincare, there are 4 that come to thoughts: L-ascorbic Acid, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ascorbyl Methylsilanol Pectinate, and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate. Right here’s how they differ.
- L-ascorbic acid: Regardless of being a tried and true ingredient, this isn’t your finest wager in the case of antioxidant safety. The one lively type of vitamin C, L-ascorbic acid is extremely unstable and, because it’s an antioxidant, it needs to react with virtually the whole lot in its surroundings. This implies this ingredient has a excessive likelihood of oxidizing earlier than it will get an opportunity to make it into your pores and skin.
- Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate: An incredible choice for pores and skin varieties that battle from breakouts, this has been confirmed to assist enhance zits, however can nonetheless be fairly reactive.
- Ascorbyl Methylsilanol Pectinate: A posh mix of many compounds slightly than only a simple vitamin C spinoff, this way has been proven to strengthen the membrane of pores and skin cells and have improved supply into pores and skin.
- Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate: That is one among my private favorites (and the star ingredient in Vitamin C&E Therapy) as it’s the solely oil-soluble type of vitamin C that I’ve talked about to this point. Due to this, it received’t react till it comes into contact with the oils in your pores and skin, making it probably the most steady type of these 4. Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate can be identified to penetrate pores and skin 20x greater than ascorbic acid!
Packaging Issues
As I discussed, vitamin C serums might be extremely unstable, reacting to virtually the whole lot from gentle and warmth to oxygen, water, and metals. Because of this product packaging could make all of the distinction.
This ingredient must be packed in opaque or tinted bottles that shield the product from gentle publicity, as gentle, particularly UV gentle, could cause it to degrade and grow to be much less efficient. Ideally, the product must also have an airless pump to attenuate air publicity, protecting the serum recent longer. Each of those may even scale back the chance of contamination, making certain it may ship its desired results to the pores and skin.
Vitamin C Utility Methods for Comfy Use
Wish to begin your journey towards the perfect vitamin C for you however nervous concerning the penalties? Right here’s one of the simplest ways to get began!
Patch Testing
Whereas looking for the proper vitamin C product for you, it might take a little bit of trial and error– however you don’t should destroy your pores and skin barrier within the meantime. Every time anybody is making an attempt out a brand new product, the very first thing I do is suggest a patch check. Apply vitamin C to your neck (the place pores and skin is probably the most delicate) to assist decide what varieties of merchandise or components will trigger a damaging or allergic response in your face. It will assist slim down which skincare product or ingredient to check out sooner or later.
In conclusion, whereas vitamin C is a extremely praised skincare ingredient identified for its means to brighten pores and skin, enhance collagen manufacturing, and shield in opposition to environmental injury, some folks could expertise the dreaded vitamin C acid burn. This burning or stinging sensation might be attributed to components similar to low pH ranges, excessive concentrations of ascorbic acid, or a compromised pores and skin barrier. Nevertheless, I don’t assume this could deter you from reaping the advantages of vitamin C. By understanding the causes of sensitivity and selecting steady formulations, you possibly can incorporate vitamin C into your skincare routines successfully and comfortably. With the proper method, vitamin C is usually a precious addition to any skincare routine, selling more healthy, extra radiant-looking pores and skin.
I hope you discovered this put up informative! And as all the time, #obeyrenee
Superstar Esthetician & Skincare Knowledgeable
As an esthetician educated in beauty chemistry, Renée Rouleau has spent 30 years researching pores and skin, educating her viewers, and constructing an award-winning line of merchandise. Her hands-on expertise as an esthetician and trusted skincare knowledgeable has created a real-world answer — merchandise which are formulated for 9 several types of pores and skin so your face will get precisely what it must feel and appear its finest. Trusted by celebrities, editors, bloggers, and skincare obsessives across the globe, her huge real-world data and fixed analysis are why Marie Claire calls her “probably the most passionate pores and skin practitioner we all know.”