If you consider yourself a skincare connoisseur, you know all about this popular ingredient in serums, moisturizers, masks, etc. – Vitamin C. There’s a reason this vitamin is all the rage, not only in your diet, but also in your skincare. 

Vitamin C has been proven to brighten your skin, reduce hyperpigmentation, improve the appearance of under-eye circles, promote collagen production, and so much more. It is safe for most skin types, and is in a multitude of different skincare products for that reason. 

Grab a matcha latte, and strap in. Here are frequency’s four favorite reasons why Vitamin C is a must-have in your skincare routine:

1. Brightens the skin

Want to glow? Vitamin C can help fade pigmentation and smooth the skin’s surface to reduce dullness. This is a powerful tool to help give the skin a youthful, bright glow. 

Vitamin C has been shown to impede melanin production. Melanin is the pigment responsible for skin color, so by inhibiting melanin production, vitamin C can help fade dark spots and hyperpigmentation. Which can also help to brighten your skin’s appearance. 

There are a variety of types of vitamin C. Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, and Ethyl Ascorbic Acid are proven to be the best variations to brighten the skin and give you that glow, girlfriend.

2. Boosts collagen production

Collagen is a naturally occurring protein that depletes over time. Lower levels of collagen can lead to fine lines and wrinkles. How can we prevent this? Vitamin C.

Vitamin C is well known for boosting collagen production through the process of collagen synthesis. Actually, collagen synthesis can’t happen without vitamin C. This is because this vitamin is the essential cofactor for the two enzymes required for collagen synthesis:

• Prolyl hydroxylase, which stabilizes the collagen molecule
• Lysyl hydroxylase, which provides structural strength

Vitamin C applied to the skin can encourage new collagen to grow. It also helps maintain the collagen you do have and protects the precious protein from damage. Vitamin C is a powerful ingredient in many anti-aging products, helping to improve collagen and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

3. It protects against sun damage

Love the sun, but not the damage? This one’s for you. Excessive exposure to oxidant stress through pollutants or ultraviolet (UV) radiation can cause depleted vitamin C levels in the skin. Sun damage is a result of molecules called ‘free radicals’; these are atoms with a missing electron. Free radicals search for other atoms, so that they can steal an electron — and this can lead to significant damage to the skin. No, thank you!

Vitamin C is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants protect healthy skin cells by “giving” these free radicals an electron, so that they are then harmless. This is why topical vitamin C skincare can help to protect against sun damage. 

Don’t get too excited though, that doesn’t mean that you can use a vitamin C skin serum in place of sunscreen! It can’t replace SPF, but if UV light does get into your skin, research suggests that vitamin C can help lessen the harm. 

Also, remember not to substitute vitamin C in your skincare for vitamin C in your diet. Both are necessary!

4. It reduces the appearance of under-eye circles

Goodbye, under-eye! Fighting against fine lines, wrinkles, and dark circles? Topical vitamin C skincare products are the way to go. Vitamin C serums can help smooth out fine lines by plumping and hydrating the under-eye area.

Although vitamin C is well-known for reducing overall redness, it can also help alleviate discoloration associated with under-eye circles.

The skin under your eyes is thin and sensitive, so it’s best to stick to products specifically designed for the under-eye area. But, Vitamin C is a great way to start.