There are so many reasons to include vitamin c in your skincare routine. When I first got serious about taking care of my skin, vitamin c was one of those ingredients that I always heard of, read about but never really thought it worked. I got this ingredient only because I thought it would help in my quest to make a super moisturizer for my husband. It turns out that this ingredient has its own superpowers. Within weeks of using it on my skin, I noticed a huge difference on my skin. The acne scars that had been there for years were finally fading. You can imagine how stoked I was.

I decided to write a summary of the reasons why I absolutely love vitamin c  and why you should at least think about including it in your skincare routine. I started out with a lower strength and moved up after a few months.

Why Vitamin C?

Vitamin C is integral for skin health due to its powerful antioxidant attributes and its role in collagen synthesis. It is naturally found in high amounts in both the dermis and the epidermis layers of the skin. As we age, the vitamin C content in our skin declines.

Furthermore, studies have shown that overexposure to UV light and smoking reduces Vitamin C content in the skin. The epidermis ( the outer layer of the skin) lacks blood vessels that deliver nutrients to cells. The dermis supplies nutrients to the epidermis through diffusion. The outermost layers of the epidermis receive a limited supply of nutrients.

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get started on that list as promised.

Reasons to Include Vitamin C in Your Skincare Routine:

Melanogenesis is the formation of melanin. When the process of melanogenesis is disturbed, it may display different forms of pigmentation defects. These are classified as hypo or hyperpigmentation. Studies have shown that Vitamin C decreases Melanin synthesis due to its ability to interfere with the action of the rate-limiting enzyme ( tyrosine) in melanogenesis.

Vitamin C acts as a co-factor for the amino acids ( proline and lysine hydroxylases) that stabilize the collagen structure. Collagen is a protein that gives skin, bones, cartilage, blood vessels, and eyes their structure. This results in firm-looking skin with fewer wrinkles.

Studies show that topical application of Vitamin C promotes the synthesis of barrier lipids. These are responsible for a properly functioning stratum corneum which also lowers water permeability. As a result, the skin retains moisture, looks plump and younger.

 Inflammation increases free radicals which are toxic and cause a lot of damage to living cells. In fact, Vitamin C levels decrease at the wound sites. Topically applying Vitamin C on inflamed sites stimulates epidermal barrier formation and re-establishes the stratum corneum.