All Your Vitamin C Serum Questions Answered!

Vitamin C serums have soared to popularity in recent years. They are highly sought after because of their anti-aging benefits, ability to lighten marks left by acne and improve the overall texture and brightness of skin. Basically, vitamin c is an AMAZING antioxidant for skin!!

What Did Vitamin C do for me?

Through experience, I can say i've had a big improvement in my skin after using vitamin c. My post inflammatory hyperpigmention faded faster, the fine lines on my forehead became slightly less apparent, my skin texture smoothed out and my skin seemed brighter and clearer. I'm so thankful for what a particular serum has done for my skin. I stared using the Timeless Skin Vitamin C, E and Ferulic Acid Serum about 2 months ago. It contains 20% vitamin c. I will do a review of that product and show you before and after pictures of my skin.

Dermarollers and Vitamin C

Dermarollers are often used in conjunction with a vitamin c serum. The micro needling creates are suppost to allow the vitamin c to penetrate deeper into skin. This is the theory at least! Vitmain c increases the collagen of your skin. Collagen heals the skin, especially the appearance of acne scars, hyperpigmentation and wrinkles. Microneedling is also used to increase collagen of the skin, by causing micro wounds, therefore forcing your skin skins healing mechanisms into action-which involves an increase in collagen production. So after a few uses, over time your skin would produce more collagen. This process takes time.

What percentage of Vitamin C is Best?

I have sensitive skin. But I have used BHAs and AHAs for two years, which I believe might have helped my skin handle a high dose of vitamin c without any trouble. For 'virgin' skin or sensitive skin, you are best to start with a lower dose of vitamin c and work up to higher strengths. I recommend anything contains 5% or lower 

 To get the most improvement in your skin, the most effective percentage of vitamin c is at least 20%. You can find many Vitamin C serums in 5%, 10% 15%, 20% and 25%. I have yet to see any serum higher than 25% vitamin c. I find Sephora doesn't carry the most high percent of vitamin c available.

Does vitamin C Go Bad?

YES. Vitamin c is highly unstable. Fortunately, it has been discovered that adding vitamin e and ferulic acid to vitamin c stabilizes it therefore making it last longer. You can expect a vitamin c serum to last 3 months. When it goes bad, it oxidizes and turns a dark yellow or orange colour. Vitamin c hates oxygen, sunlight and heat.

How Can I Extend My Serum?

First of all, make sure you're buying a proper vitamin c serum with proper packaging. This means packaging with minimal air exposure and a tinted or opaque bottle. You need to keep your serum in the fridge to extend it's life. I learnt from a Youtuber called Hot and Flashy that you can make a serum with a 3 month shelf life, last 5 months by putting the serum into two smaller containers. For example, your serum bottle size might be 1 oz (30 ml). You can buy two 15 ml tinted bottle on ebay. Make sure one has a cap lid, and the other has a dropper for use. Keep the capped lid bottle in your fridge for use after you finish the other bottle.

Can I Make My Own Vitamin C Serum with Pure L-Ascorbic powder?

This is a whole other blog post. The answer i'm giving is no. The typical DIY vitamin c serum recipe ingredients are water, vegetable glycerin and l-acorbic acide powder. The short of it is that this recipe is too unstable, the powder does not dissolve and penetrate the skin and the ph can be wrong. You need to add certain ingredients to help stabalize it and allow it to penetrate the skin.You'll be wasting time, effort and money :( I know it sucks!

What happens if I Apply Hydrogen Peroxide With Vitamin C?

A horrible reaction, that's what! I had used hydrogen peroxide for my acne while I had vitamin c on my skin. The next morning, I had red blotches where the peroxide was added to the pimples. Thankfully it washed off with a cleanser and some scrubbing! My theory is hydrogen peroxide is oxygen, so I essentially oxidized my vitamin c serum rapidly on my face. A stupid mistake on my part!

Fun Fact: Vitamin C and E together have some sun protection abilities!
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