Vitamin C, when used topically in a serum, is extensively acclaimed as among the finest elements for brightening pores and skin, boosting collagen manufacturing, and defending pores and skin in opposition to environmental harm. It’s so well-liked that even on the 2024 Medical Spa Show that I attended, vitamin C was an enormous matter of dialog. Nevertheless, not everyone seems to be as optimistic about it as you could suppose. Whether or not you’re an esthetician, dermatologist, or only a skincare fanatic, you’ve seemingly 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 day by day, may 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 imagine this aspect impact ought to discourage you in opposition to vitamin C completely– let me clarify.
Advantages of Vitamin C In Your Skincare Routine
The addition of a topical vitamin C serum into your skincare routine could be extraordinarily useful to your barrier and enhance total pores and skin well being. Listed here are probably the most notable the reason why.
- Brightens Pores and skin Tone
- Seemingly 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 typically break it down, nevertheless it additionally aids in more healthy collagen manufacturing.
- Protects In opposition to Environmental Harm
- Vitamin C’s highly effective antioxidant properties neutralize free radicals and shield the pores and skin from harm brought on by 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 resolve 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 brought on by three issues:
- A very 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 the next 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 having the ability to soak 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 will probably simply get into the pores and skin and disrupt its pure pH stability.
- A compromised barrier or latest use of actives. Individuals who use lively elements (retinol, retinoids, exfoliating acids, and so forth.) and other people with compromised boundaries usually tend to really feel a stinging sensation. It is because if you use exfoliating acids or retinoids, you expertise a variety of pores and skin turnover, that means that the pores and skin on prime is extra uncooked and uncovered. If you have already got a lowered 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 detrimental expertise, and in flip, can truly result in extra irritation.
Don’t Give Up – There’s a Resolution!
Simply because you could be coping with a vitamin C acid burn, doesn’t imply you must forego the ingredient completely. There are nonetheless methods to obtain all the advantages of vitamin C– with out the acid burn! Let’s focus on.
- 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: In contrast to retinol, ache (ie stinging) isn’t an indication of vitamin C efficacy however could possibly be an indication of irritation.
- Vitamin C Sandwiching: Whereas a retinol sandwich is a good way to obtain all the potent advantages of a retinoid with none of the dryness, flaking, or irritation, the identical can’t be stated for this ingredient. When sandwiching a vitamin C serum between two layers of moisturizer, it truly simply impedes the power of the ascorbic acid, fairly 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 positively issues. In case you are experiencing a vitamin C acid burn, it’s time to search for a extra secure method. Maintain studying to find out which one is best for you!
Discovering Stability
Looking for out a secure 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 “Steady Vitamin C” Imply?
Whenever you hear {that a} type of vitamin C is “secure,” this refers back to the skill of the product to keep up its effectiveness over time and publicity to air, mild, and temperature. A secure vitamin C will sometimes preserve its efficiency longer, be much less liable to oxidization, and can seemingly include supporting elements that enhance efficacy.
Ever seen your white or beige serum start to show yellow or mild brown? This implies the product has grow to be unstable and begun to oxidize, that means you’re not receiving everything of its supposed advantages.
It’s necessary to notice that all skincare ingredients eventually expire, even probably the most secure of vitamin C serums. Ensure you use it earlier than you lose it!
Why Do Vitamin C Formulations Matter?
Choosing the proper vitamin C remedy could seem a bit difficult, however since vitamin C doesn’t always work the same, it’s necessary to know their variations. Vitamin C formulations matter as a result of they will vastly influence the soundness, effectiveness, and total efficiency of the vitamin C product. Components equivalent to lively versus inactive types of vitamin C, pH worth, extra elements, and even texture, scent, and total really feel can vastly have an effect on how your pores and skin responds to a selected product.
What Makes Vitamin C&E Remedy Completely different?
What’s nice about Vitamin C&E Treatment 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 inside the epidermal layers.
Using tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (THD), this skin-brightening cream ensures a slower launch time than water-soluble molecules, that means an extended window of lively vitamin C and a decrease potential for irritation. In case you’re seeking 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 Steady 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 here are just a few ideas for avoiding the ache and discovering the proper serum for you.
Ingredient Examine
In the case of widespread 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 greatest guess 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 all the pieces in its atmosphere. 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: A fantastic possibility for skin types that wrestle from breakouts, this has been confirmed to help improve acne, however can nonetheless be fairly reactive.
- Ascorbyl Methylsilanol Pectinate: A posh mix of many compounds fairly than only a easy vitamin C by-product, this type has been proven to strengthen the membrane of pores and skin cells and have improved supply into pores and skin.
- Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate: That is certainly one of my private favorites (and the star ingredient in Vitamin C&E Remedy) as it’s the solely oil-soluble type of vitamin C that I’ve talked about thus far. 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 secure type of these 4. Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate can also be recognized to penetrate pores and skin 20x greater than ascorbic acid!
Packaging Issues
As I discussed, vitamin C serums could be extremely unstable, reacting to virtually all the pieces from mild and warmth to oxygen, water, and metals. This is the reason product packaging could make all of the distinction.
This ingredient must be packed in opaque or tinted bottles that shield the product from mild publicity, as mild, particularly UV mild, may cause it to degrade and grow to be much less efficient. Ideally, the product must also have an airless pump to reduce air publicity, conserving the serum contemporary longer. Each of those will even cut back the chance of contamination, guaranteeing it will probably ship its desired results to the pores and skin.
Vitamin C Utility Strategies for Comfy Use
Wish to begin your journey towards the very best vitamin C for you however nervous in regards to 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 need to destroy your pores and skin barrier within the meantime. Every time anybody is attempting out a brand new product, the very first thing I do is suggest a patch test. Apply vitamin C to your neck (the place pores and skin is probably the most delicate) to assist decide what kinds of merchandise or elements will trigger a detrimental 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 recognized for its skill to brighten pores and skin, increase collagen manufacturing, and shield in opposition to environmental harm, some individuals could expertise the dreaded vitamin C acid burn. This burning or stinging sensation could be attributed to elements equivalent to low pH ranges, excessive concentrations of ascorbic acid, or a compromised pores and skin barrier. Nevertheless, I don’t suppose this could deter you from reaping the advantages of vitamin C. By understanding the causes of sensitivity and selecting secure formulations, you’ll be able to incorporate vitamin C into your skincare routines successfully and comfortably. With the proper method, vitamin C generally is a beneficial addition to any skincare routine, selling more healthy, extra radiant-looking pores and skin.
I hope you discovered this submit informative! And as at all times, #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 resolution — merchandise which are formulated for nine different types of skin so your face will get precisely what it must appear and feel its greatest. Trusted by celebrities, editors, bloggers, and skincare obsessives across the globe, her huge real-world information and fixed analysis are why Marie Claire calls her “probably the most passionate pores and skin practitioner we all know.”
