27. How Does Topical Vitamin C Work?
L-ascorbic acid, or vitamin C, is often touted as the holy grail of skin care. Topical vitamin C is a potent, diverse ingredient that can rejuvenate the skin from the inside out and combat a range of skin complaints.
The Basics
After being thoroughly tested in clinical studies across the world, vitamin C is proven to be one of the most diverse and essential ingredients in any skin care regimen. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that vitamin C should be used topically by everyone, every day for therapeutic benefit.
Studies show that it can promote younger-looking skin by assisting with fine lines and wrinkles. It works to hydrate and moisturize, protect the skin from sun damage, reduce under-eye bags, even out skin discoloration due to hyperpigmentation and reduce inflammation, leaving the skin looking brighter and healthier.
How Does It Work?
Vitamin C is a truly diverse and essential ingredient and can affect a range of skin conditions.
Here are some of the ways that topical vitamin C promotes skin health.
Age Defying
Oxidative stress is a major contributor to fine lines and wrinkles. Oxidative stress is caused by unstable molecules (free radicals) that attack the body’s healthy cells, breaking down their structure. Vitamin C, an antioxidant, binds to free radicals and render them inert, protecting the skin and slowing down the aging process.
Topical vitamin C also works to stimulate collagen production. Collagen helps to strengthen, hydrate and promote elasticity of the skin, resulting in a reduction of fine lines and smoother, firmer, younger-looking skin.
Protects Against Sun Damage
Vitamin C is photoprotective, protecting the skin from free radicals that are energized by both UVB and UVA exposure. UVA radiation affects deeper layers of the skin where new skin cells are made and can cause cell mutation that potentially can lead to cancer. It can also destroy collagen and elastin within the cells, accelerating the appearance of aging. UVB affects the outer skin layers and can cause sunburn, epidermal mutations and even skin cancer. Vitamin C reduces UV damage by binding and neutralizing free radicals.
Sunscreen works to protect skin cells from UV radiation by blocking some of the sun’s most harmful rays. Vitamin C works internally by neutralizing the sun-energized free radicals that create skin cell damage. For a day in the sun, both modes of sun protection – topical vitamin C and a sunscreen – should be used to provide maximum protection from UV damage.
Hyperpigmentation
Hyperpigmentation is areas of skin that appear darker than the surrounding skin. Usually, this is caused by an increase in the production of melanin due to sun exposure or hormonal changes. Topical vitamin C can help reduce melanin production, helping to correct hyperpigmentation, improving skin color, tone, balance and appearance.
Hydration
Dehydrated skin may look dry, dull, uneven and may feel itchy. Dark circles and under-eye bags are largely down to dehydrated skin. Vitamin C can improve the skin’s barrier function to decrease moisture loss from the outermost layer of the skin, promoting better skin hydration.
Inflammation
On our skin surface, inflammation is usually due to the damage caused by free radicals at a cellular level. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps fight these free radicals. With fewer free radicals attacking our cells, there are fewer triggers for inflammation.
Other Ingredients
Vitamins are organic substances that are essential in nourishing the skin. Vitamin A helps to stimulate the renewal of skin cells and improve skin elasticity. Botanicals such as Jojoba oil are added to help soften and moisturize the skin. OrangeDaily products also contain a blend of age-defying herbal ingredients to help protect, repair and rejuvenate the skin. These ingredients include hydrolyzed oat protein, algae extract, willow bark extract and green tea extract. Included are emollients that moisturize, leaving skin soothed and smooth and emulsifiers that bind water and oil-based components together.
Layering
OrangeDaily products are designed to be used as a complete system. The seven-part regimen starts with a cleanser, followed by toner, then the 10 % Vitamin C Serum, Moisturizing Cream, Eye Complex, Age-Defying Tri-Retinol Complex and Dual-Action Brightening Cream for spot reduction and lightening of selected areas of skin that may be darker than others from hyperpigmentation, resulting in an even tone and shade. This system affects rejuvenation and repair of sun-damaged and aging skin. When used in the intended sequence, each ingredient works to prime the skin for the next product, promoting better absorption and a stockpile vitamin C, combining to create a reservoir of protective vitamin C within the layers of the skin.
How Long Until I See Results?
When used correctly, products containing vitamin C can provide a wealth of long-lasting benefits to the skin which will start to be visible within a few days. The long-term benefits can be achieved by applying the products daily, in a conscientious routine over a 60-90-day period, and then continually, for as long as you want to defy aging and look better.
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