Vitamin C Skin Care Benefits

Roles of Vitamin C and How To Choose the Right Product

Vitamin C is an important necessity for body to function properly. It is needed for bone formation and even for scar tissue repair. Not only that, it synthesizes hormones and hormone-releasing factors. It also synthesizes neurotransmitters and helps the nervous system function properly.

Vitamin C is also widely used in skin care products. It is a water-soluble antioxidant that is important in destroying free radicals. Free radicals damage skin cells and contribute to loss of elasticity and formation of wrinkles. Because it is water-soluble it can destroy free radicals before the free radicals reach the cellular membrane.

Vitamin C is also a crucial for the formation of collagen. It has also been found that vitamin C is beneficial for hyperpigmentation or uneven skin tones such as skin damage and dark spots.

When choosing a vitamin C product you must remember that vitamin C is easily oxidized by oxidizing agents, such as air and sunlight. Oxidation kills its antioxidant properties so it loses effectiveness.

When purchasing vitamin C, avoid containers such as jars or clear containers because this packaging disposes its contents to air and sunlight. The best products to buy should be in tubes, pumps or capsules that can be broken when needed.

Another option is to purchase a higher concentration, but that is usually an expensive option. This is why many manufacturers choose to use vitamin C derivatives that are more stable. Some derivatives include ascorbyl palmitate and magnesium ascorbic phosphate. Although they may not be as effective, they can be less irritable to skin and the stability factor makes it a much more affordable choice.

Skin Care Debate: Lotions Vs. Creams

The feud over which form of skin care product is better has been
Debated for years. Truthfully, it is a matter of personal preference.

Creams that are formulated with less oil is most commonly used in products such as make up. When creams are made less viscous (flows smoother and is less thick) it is applicable for long wear. This is why skin car creams are preferred as moisturizers.

When we hear “moisturizing cream” we associate it with prevention of dry skin. It is effective in locking moisture in and keeping skin supple and moist.

But don’t dismiss creams as just an ordinary moisturizer. Ingredients such as sulfur and vitamin A are popular in creams. When these active ingredients are added, the product is productive in reducing sebum (simply put, oil produced from glands) and in optimization of melanocytes in the epidermal layer with the external environment.

For this same reason, creams are often used in pharmacy compounding products. It’s ability to cohere and lock in both target ingredients and natural elements make it favorable over lotions. External application of moisturizer based medicine is more cohesive in strength. This results in longer wear on a localized area.

Alternatively, if the medicine needs to be removed while washing lotions are used. Also, in relation to toners, lotions are typically used instead of creams. Although the rare product does contain moisturizer as its base, it is not often the case.

Because the majority of toners are usually available in liquid form, lotions are used rather than creams. Both creams and lotions seem to have nearly similar votes when compared in cleansers. However, lotions ease of removal (as exemplified in the washing of medicine) is also what makes lotion slightly more favorable.

Recent product trends suggest that when applied to anti-aging, creams seem to be prized over lotions. But as more innovative ideas are researched, we may never know what the next miracle product is and how it will be delivered.