Best Time Using Vitamin C Serum, According To A Skin Doctor

JAKARTA - In terms of effective skin care products, antioxidant serums containing vitamin C are the best thing. However, it is important to know how and when to use vitamin C serum to get a lot of vitamin C benefits for your skin.

"Vitamin C is an antioxidant that functions to protect the skin from damage caused by free radicals and can help brighten the skin, improve hyperpigmentation, and increase collagen production," explains Marisa Garshik, MD, a leading certified dermatologist at Manhattan Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery in New York City.

"The results may be seen after three to four weeks, but the full effect could take three to six months," Garshik continued.

The following, experts explain the benefits of vitamin C, when to use vitamin C serum in skin care routines, and the main benefits.

Help protect against environmental damage

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect the skin from harmful sunlight (UV damage) and other environmental disturbances, explainsphetamine Luke, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Loma Linda, CA. Antioxidants work by helping reduce free radicals produced when exposed to environmental aggressors such as UV rays and various types of pollution.

"Free MISSals can cause changes to our DNA and activate certain enzymes that play a role in breaking collagen in our skin," added Dr. Luke.

By adding a vitamin C serum into your daily skincare routine, you can ward off some of the damage to cells due to this free radical. And help ensure the skin looks better and healthier.

Disguising signs of aging

Thanks to the antioxidant ability of vitamin C, topical use can help make the skin look younger by protecting it from various environmental stress factors (such as sunlight) that contribute to the emergence of aging. Vitamin C can also disguise fine lines and wrinkles by increasing collagen production, which naturally begins to disappear with age (and can be damaged by damage caused by free radicals), explains Dr. Luke.

Brighten the skin and level the skin color

The vitamin C serum helps level and brighten skin tone because of its role in supporting collagen production. This luminosity efficacy, particularly the prevention of production of abnormal pigments, can reduce color change over time, says Dr. Luke. Usually, you may start to see "a better texture and a little glare" in just a few weeks to a month. But increased skin color and brightness are more dramatic in a few months.

Vitamin C is best used in the morning for helping to protect against damage caused by free radicals that can occur without certain daily environmental stress factors, explains Dr. Garshik.

It's best to use it every day to get optimal benefits.

Although you don't make the wrong use of vitamin C serum at night, you will maximize the benefits by using it during the day and avoiding interactions between vitamin C and other nightly skin care ingredients commonly used.

"In general, it is better to avoid using vitamin C along with other hard materials that can irritate, unless directed otherwise," explained Dr. Garshik.

If in doubt, consult your dermatologist, but there are some common ingredients that should be avoided using vitamin C serum. These ingredients include exfoliator acid (such as salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and lactic acid), benzoil peroxide, and retinoid or retinol.

"These active ingredients can irritate if used alone, and the combination with vitamin C can worsen them," explained Dr. Luke.

"Similarly, some of these ingredients can oxidize or disable vitamin C, thereby reducing its effectiveness."

If you want to use these other skin care ingredients, experts recommend using them during your night skin care routine and applying vitamin C serum in the morning. Make sure to monitor the skin thoroughly for any signs of irritation.

Serum vitamin C is best used in the morning after cleaning the face and before moisturizing and sunscreen," explained Dr. Garshik.

If used with other serums, you should use it with the order of consistency of the thinst to the thicker ingredients.

Here are examples of skin care routines in the morning using vitamin C serum:

That's an explanation of the benefits, the right time of use, and how to use vitamin C serum. Regular use can provide significant changes to your face.