From brightening the skin, it helps build new skin cells
Vitamin C or ascorbic acid or L-ascorbic acid is a kind of vitamin that the human body doesn’t produce naturally. It has vital functionality throughout the body as it is an essential nutrient in tissue repair and the enzymatic production of various transmitters. Particularly it is important for maintaining healthy-looking skin.
Since the body doesn’t produce it naturally, the only way to get it is through food supplements, including Vitamin C rich food in your diet, like citrus fruits – especially oranges that are rich in vitamin C - bell peppers and leafy greens.
The benefits of Vitamin C for the skin
The skin cells use this vitamin C to protect the skin from stress caused by pollution, smoking, and UV rays. The skin further uses vitamin C to promote collagen production, a protein that makes up more than 70 percent of the dry weight of the skin.
The collagen has the potential to thicken the dermis, diminish fine lines, and is essential for firm, youthful skin. At the same time, vitamin C is an antioxidant, meaning it protects skin cells from damaging free radicals caused by UV exposure.
It also helps in avoiding the melanin production in the skin that helps lighten hyperpigmentation and brown spots, even out skin tone, and enhance skin radiance. Further, it helps in the growth of healthy cells and regeneration.
How to use it
While one of the natural ways of taking vitamin C is through citrus and green leafy food items, the other way many cosmetologists prefer is by apply vitamin C as a serum in the mornings. After cleansing and before applying moisturizer and sunscreen, swipe a layer of vitamin C serum over your skin.
Using vitamin C serums are best as they are more effective at penetrating the skin barrier than a cream or toner. But be patient as vitamin C takes a little longer to break on the skin and you might not notice any major changes on the skin for six to eight weeks.
To enhance the process of vitamin C on the skin, experts are also of the opinion to emulsify the serum with vitamin E for a good punch to the skin. While ascorbic acid has proven to be effective at penetrating the skin it increases when combined with other antioxidants, like vitamin E as together, they team up against free-radical damage.
