Vitamin C for the skin: 5 false myths that you should not believe


    Vitamin C is like that boy that many distrust, but you know that he is a good guy and that he deserves that people finally stop prejudging him. The same thing happens with this substance: it is surrounded by myths that are not true, but that have made it the cosmetic ingredient (with the permission of retinol) that everyone talks about, regardless of whether what is said is true or not . “In 2020 he was the most searched cosmetic asset on the internet for skin-related queries. What's more, every 49 seconds the term 'vitamin C' is entered in a search engine”, says Marina Cerdá, director of global communication at Germaine de Capuccini. However, despite the interest it generates, there are still doubts about its efficacy and safety. We review some of them below.

    Myth 1: All types of vitamin C are the same

      It may be that on the front of the cosmetic product it says that it contains vitamin C, but when looking at its label this ingredient may be reflected as Ascorbic Acid or absorbic acid (in the form of pure vitamin C), Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ascorbyl Stearate, Sodium ascorbyl phosphate , Magnesium ascorbyl Phospate/MAP, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Ascorbyl Glucosamide Tetrahexidecil Ascorbate (in ester form). “The latter are ingredients derived from the first and contain additives that provide stability – vitamin C is a very unstable molecule that oxidizes easily and loses its properties when it comes into contact with air, light or heat – and they also make more easily absorbed. Hence, the formulation is key for this active ingredient to be truly effective”, explains Esther Moreno, facialist and cosmetologist.

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      You may have tried a product that incorporated this ingredient in its formula and felt that it did not help you much or even that it did not suit your dermis very well. This is because it must be taken into account that “not all types of vitamin C are the same; the concentration used is also decisive, as is the pH level of the general formula, the excipients used and the vehicle method. In addition, you also have to know that if it is enriched with more antioxidants, such as vitamin E or ferulic acid, its effectiveness will be enhanced”, adds the expert.

      Myth 2: Vitamin C can cause sun sensitivity

      Unlike other acids, vitamin C has not been shown to increase sun sensitivity. What's more, "as long as you accompany it with a sunscreen afterwards, it helps prevent photoaging and reinforces the action of said sunscreen," explains Inmaculada Vivó, scientific director of Germaine de Capuccini. Just as it does not produce the appearance of spots (hyperpigmentation), but rather reduces the appearance of existing ones. "Being an inhibitor of tyrosinase (an enzyme involved in the formation of melanin), it reduces pigmentation and evens out skin tone," reveals Elena Aparicio, scientific director of Skinceuticals, who adds that "at night it makes less sense to application of a product with this active ingredient, because we are not exposed to the sun, pollution and other environmental aggressions”.

      Myth 3: Vitamin C is not suitable for sensitive skin

      In general, vitamin C by itself does not irritate the skin. However, "sometimes it is formulated with other active ingredients such as retinol, glycolic acid or alcohol, to improve its penetration or adapt it to a specific skin type, which are the ones that can most likely irritate the skin", confesses the scientific director of Skinceuticals. In any case, the way to avoid drama if you have a delicate complexion is to opt for a derivative that comes in a less acidic formula, since “an acidic pH (around 3.5) makes it more irritating and can be more aggressive on the skin. sensitive skin. The pH 5.5, on the other hand, allows it to be applied even on skin that tends to be more easily irritated”, reveals the Segle Clinical brand.

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      One trick is to pay attention to the color of your cosmetic, since it could be irritating when it oxidizes, which is when it turns amber; although if this happens it is because it is an unstable formula. “If the whey is transparent or whitish, it is normal that it is not oxidized. In good formulas, this duration usually exceeds 12 months," says Raquel González, director of education at Perricone MD.

      Myth 4: The more, the better

      Burn this in with fire: if a cosmetic contains a high percentage of vitamin C but is not properly formulated to remain stable, it will be less effective than another that has a lower concentration. "Concentrations below 10% do not provide significant levels of vitamin C to the skin, so the desired effects are not obtained," warns Aparicio. But the problem also comes with values ​​above 20%, since the skin does not have as much absorption capacity. And, "if we talk about esters, such as Tetrahexydecyl Ascorbate, the ideal is that its percentage is between 7% and 14%", adds the facialist and cosmetologist.

      Besides, you have to know that “the formula has to be fat-soluble so that it has greater affinity with the skin, and with it greater penetration power. If it is soluble in water and oil, it is easily absorbable and, if you add a suitable pH to this, you will enhance it much more”, explains Moreno. Why? "The most optimal penetration of pure vitamin C is achieved with a pH close to 3.5, since with a lower pH the penetration is greater but it is also more irritating," she adds.

      Myth 5: Vitamin C cannot be combined with other active ingredients

      The good news is that it can be done and the most innovative firms are committed to combining vitamin C with retinol, always accompanied by SPF, to protect and rejuvenate the skin. “As long as you work with stable forms of vitamin C and A (retinol), there should be no problem. Only at the beginning were they not combinable because the pure form of the first could cause exfoliation. As retinol also performs a similar function, there was talk that it could exfoliate the tissue too much; but this no longer happens. Together, they work in synergy to renew the skin, improve pigmentation, synthesize collagen and elastin, reduce pores…”, assures Estefanía Nieto, technical director of Omorovicza.

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      A few months ago, many TikTok users said on the social network that this active ingredient should not be used with alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) or beta hydroxy acids (BHA). Catalina Narváez, director of education at Aromatherapy Associates, takes the opposite view: “Those who say this allude to the fact that vitamin C exfoliates, but current stable forms do not. Hence there is no problem in combining vitamin C with alpha or beta hydroxy acids. Furthermore, the former may support them by helping to improve hydration, collagen synthesis and hyperpigmentation.” And the same thing happens with the pair that it forms with niacinamide, since "both will support each other to treat aspects such as pigmentation or pore size," acknowledges Valeria Navarro, technical director of Boutijour.

      However, there is a mixture that you have to avoid at all costs: vitamin C with copper, especially when we talk about salts, which give certain cosmetic products a blue color. “Both active ingredients cancel each other out and vitamin C oxidizes copper salts. In fact, when combined in the same morning routine, for example, they eliminate its antioxidant effect, ceasing to protect against damage such as UV rays and promoting tissue aging”, comments the director of education at Perricone MD.

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