Ever since I was a gawky teenager, I have had all sorts of problems with my skin. Name it, I had it: acne, blackheads, whiteheads, and enlarged pores were just the tip of the iceberg. As I have matured and entered different stages of life, it seems like the problems would never go away.
As a matter of fact, I think the very problems I mentioned have somehow leveled up in severity. Alongside these issues, I now have to contend with the body’s natural aging process. I am now starting to see the fine lines, wrinkles, and those “lovely” crow’s feet around my eyes. While various products were fighting to keep these impurities at bay, their unrelenting presence on my face sure adds to my anxiety about never getting the radiant and glowing skin I feel I deserve.
Sure, the pimples have somehow left me alone, and so did the blackheads and whiteheads. They were the skin problems of the typical teenager that were rectified but a number of facial sessions. However, they also left me with reminders that they have been a part of my life: acne scars.
Then I Discovered Vitamin C Serums
There is no wonder that people are raving about how they bear the power to forever change people’s lives. Vitamin C has many benefits for the body and so much more for the skin. I have read about anything I can get my hands on about Vitamin C serums, so I decided to give it a shot, after all, I have tried almost everything else. Now the problem is which Vitamin C serum to use.
Given that the choices out on the market are countless, like cosmetic injectables and many other serums, how would one determine which ones would work and which ones would just be a waste of my time, money, and effort? I then made the costly decision to choose and buy five serums, use them for a week, and make a list of how each of them fared against my array of facial insecurities. This experiment turned out to be quite an adventure.
Indeed, choosing the best Vitamin C serum entails a lot of patience. Read on to find out if I found the solution to all my skin problems and can you do it too!
What Exactly Is Vitamin C Serum And How It Can Help?
First, we need to know what the fuss is all about. What exactly is a Vitamin C serum?
A Vitamin C serum is a skin care formulation consisting of Vitamin C (of course) and other anti-aging ingredients such as Vitamin E, Aloe Vera, Hyaluronic acid, and essential oils from different fruits and vegetables.
Clinical trials have irrevocably proven the immense power of Vitamin C when used in a pure form of a serum. It boosts collagen creation, fights skin aging and stimulates skin rejuvenation
Studies have shown and proven that applying Vitamin C to your skin allows you to get more of its benefits as opposed to just taking it orally. Thus, the Vitamin C serum is born. It is proven to do wonders for your skin thanks to its anti-aging, antioxidant, healing, and beautifying properties.
Basically, Vitamin C benefits the skin in several ways. It boosts the production of collagen which acts in making the skin more supple, firmer, and younger-looking. It helps in the skin’s healing and recovery process which solves your acne-driven needs. Finally, it fights the damaging effects of oxidative stress by neutralizing free radicals.
The best serums on the reviews we’ve seen should have a concentration of 5 up to 20 percent Vitamin C. If it is your first time to try one or if you have extremely sensitive skin, it would be best (and safer) to start at a lower concentration first. Vitamin C can be potent and should be used sparingly, which is the reason why they come in such small bottles.
How Do Vitamin C Works In Facial Serums?
Let’s take a look at all the major benefits of the Vitamin C serums we have on this review and see how they can help you improve the look and the feel of the facial skin by using the power of the Vitamin C.
Vitamin C Fights the Visible Signs of Aging
Vitamin C helps with the production of Collagen that fills in the fine lines and wrinkles that creeps up on our faces. It helps bring back the elasticity of our skin that we gradually lose as we age. Vitamin C helps make the skin firm and young-looking.
Neutralizes Free Radicals
Free radicals are everywhere, and Vitamin C serums are a great way to neutralize them. They can cause dark spots and an uneven skin tone. With regular use of Vitamin C serums, you can help remove the damage that has been done and protect your skin from oxidative stress.
Hydrates and Moisturizes
Vitamin C is effective in improving the moisture of the skin. Most Vitamin C serums contain other ingredients that absorb and help retain moisture. They are absorbed deep down in the skin to hydrate it from within and make skin softer and smoother.
Removes Dark Spots
Vitamin C serums help decrease your skin’s production of melatonin that causes dark spots. Constant exposure to the sun’s damaging rays can result in sunspots and an uneven skin tone. Vitamin C helps lighten these dark spots to make your skin look brighter and more vibrant.
Speeds Healing and Recovery
Vitamin C also has healing and inflammatory properties that help in speeding up recovery from acne, irritations, redness, and other skin disorders. It helps improve regeneration and cell turnover so your skin can easily heal. Vitamin C is proven to have antioxidant nutrients that help heal wounds faster.
Improves Overall Skin Health
We all know that Vitamin C is good for our bodies because of its many benefits. While taking it orally can help, applying Vitamin C directly on your skin will get you its maximum skin enhancing abilities.
What Are Organic Vitamin C Serums?
Organic Vitamin C serums contain ingredients that are naturally grown. Organic products mean that no chemicals were used on them. Ingredients that are farmed using non-organic methods are not considered organic.
Organic Vitamin C serums are made without the use of chemicals, pesticides, and other synthetic materials from harvesting up to processing. This means the serum is toxin free and is safe even for those with overly sensitive skin. There are only a few who can claim fully that their product is organic as some ingredients that are essential do not exist as organic.
This leads us to the question, which is better, organic or non-organic?
Both have advantages and disadvantages, and it is really up to the individual to determine which would work best for them. It is still a matter of personal preference if you want to go organic or not. Of course, organic is always better since you reduce the chance of allergies and sensitive skin issues, but besides that, both are fine products, at least amongst the five serums we have reviewed here.
What Are The Key Ingredients Of Vitamin C Serums On This Review?
Let’s take a look at the main C serums ingredients that we have on our review. These are the main ingredients that can help with skin rejuvenation, fight the signs of skin aging and protect your skin from the harmful effects of the sun.
Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid is a staple in most skincare products because of its hydrating capabilities. It attracts moisture to your skin and helps retain it to prevent moisture loss.
Vitamin C Ester
Vitamin C Ester is a non-acidic, fat-soluble form of Vitamin C that is a good defense against skin aging. It helps repair damaged skin cells and provide glowing and youthful looking skin.
Other Important Ingredients
L-Ascorbic Acid
L-Ascorbic acid is pure Vitamin C derived from natural sources such as oranges.
Sodium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate is the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid and is found on the fluid that surrounds the joints in our bodies.
Propylene Glycol
Is a hydrating ingredient to keep the serum from melting in high heat or from freezing and helps active ingredients to penetrate the skin.
Ferulic Acid
A plant-based antioxidant that enhances the powers of Vitamins and helps protect the skin from environmental damages.
Aloe Vera Gel
Provides healing and anti-inflammatory properties.
Vitamin E
Blocks free radicals from causing damage to our skins.
Green Tea
An antioxidant that delays the signs of aging.
Rose Hips
Harvested from the seeds of rose bushes, rose hips helps with fighting the aging process.
How To Use Vitamin C Serums On Face and Skin?
Apply the Vitamin C serum on your face, neck, and chest after thorough cleansing and toning. With your fingertips, gently rub about 3 to 4 drops on the skin until totally absorbed. Let dry before applying makeup or sunscreen.
For best results, it is recommended to apply Vitamin C serum twice a day, every day. Apply it in the morning before putting on your sunscreen and makeup. At night, apply on your skin before going to bed.
Can I Make a Homemade Vitamin C Serum? DIY Guide
Vitamin C serums can be quite expensive which can make you think of making some at home. This is absolutely doable, but it is not as easy as any other DIY projects you can think of. It can actually be tricky and risky as well.
Making your own serum can cause the Vitamin C to crystallize which would be useless as it won’t penetrate your skin. You also need to get the right pH level of the serum for it to work effectively which can be quite tricky.
Most DIY Vitamin C serums only require a few basic ingredients. This means you’ll be missing out on the benefits of those components that aren’t within your reach.
Furthermore, there isn’t any foolproof way that you can tell if your concoction is safe unless you try it and wait for it to work or cause problems such as chemical burns. You need to do some experimentation that has no guarantee of success or failure. Pretty scary, huh?
Should I Give Vitamin C a Try?
The answer is obviously a high resounding Y-E-S. As a woman who has struggled most of her life finding the solution to problematic skin, Vitamin C serums are heaven-sent. They help make my skin look and feel younger, softer, smoother, and definitely clearer.
I guess I have been living under a rock and never knew about Vitamin C serums way back when I was a teenager looking for better skin. If only I knew then what I know now, I would have been a Vitamin C serum junkie a long time ago.
