Most of us associate Vitamin C with juicy, sweet oranges, but there’s a new form of Vitamin C fabness making its mark on the beauty scene right now – Vitamin C facials.
We all need Vitamin C in our bodies to help our cells and skin, blood vessels, bones and cartilage stay healthy.
As well as oranges, Vitamin C can be found in lots of fruit and veg, including strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli and sprouts. Adults (19 to 64-year-olds) need 40mg of it every day.1
So that’s the food/dietary side of Vitamin C, but what about the beauty side?
Is Vitamin C good for your face?
Too right it is. Vitamin C’s capable of having just as beneficial an impact on skin as it does on the body.
In fact, when it comes to Vitamin C and the skincare scene, some are referring to it as the ‘holy grail’ of skin care ingredients due to its ability to tackle all sorts of complexion concerns:2
- Uneven skin tone
- Fading Blemishes
- Fine lines
- Dullness
If you’re as big a skincare junkie as we are, you’ll also love the fact there are lots of different Vitamin C products out there. You can get Vitamin C moisturisers, anti-pollution day creams, collagen-boosting night creams, serums and more.
While we’re on the subject of Vitamin C serums, it’s worth noting that not all of them are created equal, e.g. some contain more Vitamin C or different forms of it than others. The most effective Vitamin C serums tend to:
- Be made from L-ascorbic acid, tocopherol (Vitamin E) or glutathione, ferulic acid
- Contain a Vitamin C concentration of between 10 to 20%
- Come packaged in dark or tinted glass bottles to prevent oxidisation3
What does Vitamin C serum do for your face?
It’s capable of doing a fair bit actually. Of all the Vitamin C skincare products, Vitamin C serum’s got to be one of the most-talked-about. They’re used in Vitamin C facials and, as with other serums, they look and feel a lot like a liquidy gel.
Just like many other Vitamin C skincare products, Vitamin C serums are capable of a lot – for firming, for brightening and for supporting natural collagen production. They can also help prevent free radicals and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. You better believe the hype, it really is a skincare miracle worker.4
What is a Vitamin C facial treatment?
Precisely what it sounds like, a vitamin facial carried out using skin brightening Vitamin C skincare products. However, the actual facial and the products that are used do vary from facial-to-facial.
Some Vitamin C facials can involve double cleansing, a lymphatic drainage massage, exfoliation, steam and extraction, a pro-collagen mask treatment and layering with high potency Vitamin C products.
However, it’s worth flagging here that while Vitamin C is a M.A.J.O.R miracle worker, it doesn’t always get along with everybody’s skin and can sometimes cause redness and irritation. If you have sensitive skin or if you’ve already tried Vitamin C and your skin’s not been the happiest, you should consult a dermatologist or may want to book in for a facial that uses Vitamin C alternatives, such as Niacinamide, Indian Ginseng, Carotenoids, Viniferine and Alpha Arbutin.5
There’s Vitamin C skincare and Vitamin C facials, but combined, you have all the power of Vit C and facials all rolled into one bundle of beauty brilliance. For more on the power of Vitamin C skincare read, ‘What’s the big deal about Vitamin C for skin?’
Last Updated: 13th October 2020
Sources:
1 https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-c/
2 https://www.allure.com/story/vitamin-c-benefits-for-skin
3 https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/vitamin-c-serums#how-to-choose
4 https://www.everydayhealth.com/skin-beauty/what-are-benefits-risks-vitamin-c-serums/
5 https://www.byrdie.com/vitamin-c-alternatives-for-sensitive-skin-4800969#:~:text=have%20sensitive%20skin.-,Niacinamide,skin%2C%20and%20minimizes%20fine%20lines.
