Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an essential skin vitamin.  This vitamin  is critical for the formation of collagen which keeps the skin firm and elastic.  Collagen also helps blood vessel and cellular growth.  Vitamin C aids the skin's ability to repair itself and grow ligaments and scar tissue.  A wonderful antioxidant, Vitamin C fights free radical damage like sun damage as well as fine lines and wrinkles.  It is well known that sailors of old used Vitamin C to prevent scurvy.

 Applying Vitamin C topically (especially in a serum) can help to reduce pigmentation issues and dark spots on the skin caused by the sun.  Vitamin C 's antioxidant power helps to prevent future damage from the sun's rays by inhibiting tyrosinase, an enzyme that triggers melanin production.   Now, you can't go prancing around without sunscreen all day, but a little Vitamin C will increase your protection used under the sunscreen.

The skincare world had a problem with Vitamin C in the  past, as Vitamin C tends to become ineffective the second it hits the air.  However in recent years, many companies are using different plants, like roses for example, which are more photo-stable.  They are able to use Vitamin C in an array of creams and serums for wrinkles and fine lines, anti-aging and skin brightening.

In the past week, I personally have seen the effects of Vitamin C serum.  I operate a Visia machine part time at a couple different health food stores in the Dallas area.  Two women came in at different times this week wanting to compare their skin today with their skin complexion analysis from about a year ago.  I scanned both women, and both had tremendous decreases in the amount of wrinkles sun damage  brown spots.  Both had an increase in the texture quality of their skin.  I asked each woman what they had been doing over the past year with their skin and diets.  Each had changed their diets slightly to include more fruit and veggies, wore sunscreen more often, and both women had been applying a topical Vitamin C serum every day.  One woman had been using the serum both day and night.

Vitamin C can be invigorating.  It is to be noted that if you have skin sensitivities, on occasion, Vitamin C can be irritating, so a test patch is recommended.  Also, try to use a serum with at least 10% Vitamin C for optimum results.

Recommended: DeVita's C-Serum, MyChelle's Perfect C Serum 17%, Ann Web's Super Vitamin C Serum, John Master's Anti-Aging Vitamin C Serum, and Mad Hippie's Vitamin C Serum