Vitamin C 101 Q & A

Q & A with Mallory from The Honest Team

1. What are the benefits of using vitamin c in my skincare routine?

Vitamin C is a powerhouse ingredient that helps keep the skin safe and looking its best. It acts as an antioxidant, helping to defend against free radical damage. Because of its antioxidant activity, it can also help with melanogenesis/ the development of dark spots and can even fade existing dark spots to create brighter skin. Lastly, vitamin C helps boost collagen production and as an antioxidant, protect the precious collagen that you do have. All of these benefits make vitamin C an excellent ingredient for preventing and treating signs of premature aging.

2. How do I incorporate vitamin c into my routine; i.e. how often should I use it and is this in my AM and/or PM routine?

You can use it day or night! However this is an especially great beauty product for daytime as it has antioxidant benefits that help protect against sun damage. First off, start slow! Too much vitamin C may make the skin overly sensitive so start with once a day. Ideally in the morning in combination with your favorite sunscreen to fight harmful effects of UV and blue light. It can also be added in the evening for a second dose unless you are using something like retinol or AHAs and night in which case I would not recommend it in the evening.

3. Does vitamin c work for all skin types? (dry, acne prone, etc)

Vitamin C works for all skin types! However it is particularly great for those with dull skin or dark spots as it helps with hyperpigmentation and to even skin tone. Everyone can get benefits from Vitamin C including dry, normal, oily, and acne prone skin. As mentioned, higher levels may lead to sensitization so don’t necessarily reach for the max dosage. Even at very low levels, vitamin C will work for all skin types.

4. What products work well with vitamin c; i.e. can this go with other serums (like retinol) and do I always pair with moisturizer?

Vitamin C works well with other brightening ingredients, for example we love to pair it with Niacinamide, Diglucosyl Gallic Acid or Daisy flower to help amp up its benefits. It also pairs well with hydrating ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid. We include HA + DGA in our radiance serum. We include Daisy flower in our depuff eye cream and Niacinamide in our Radiance + C moisturizer. Vitamin C can be used in combination with Retinol, however if you notice any increased sensitivity, stick with using vitamin C during the day and retinol at night.

5. Is vitamin c only available in our Vitamin C Radiance Serum

Nope, we love this ingredient so much we have included it in a number of items namely, Radiance + C Moisturizer, Depuff + C eye cream, Gloss-C and CCC Tinted Moisturizer. Feel free to use these in combo or on their own for a little extra luminosity. Our Vitamin C serum is definitely going to give you the max amount of glow, but to keep the glow going, we’ve also added vitamin C to our Radiance + C Moisturizer, Depuff + C Eye Cream, CCC Tinted Moisturizer, and our Gloss C Lip Gloss. We use a few different forms of Vitamin C so look for either Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate or Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate.