Vitamin C is a skincare staple, recommended by dermatologists for its antioxidant properties, collagen building benefits, and long history of research, testing, and use on real human skin. Unlike some other trending ingredients going viral on tiktok, it’s a tried and tested molecule to include in your skin care routine for brighter, more even skin, and to boost ever-dwindling collagen production as we enjoy the privilege of aging. Although both topical and oral Vitamin C are important, the kind in your cream plays a distinct role that chugging orange juice alone won’t deliver.
So why don’t we just put it in everything and call it a day? Cleanser, toner, serum, moisturiser, SPF. Slather it on and watch the dermal clock reverse while getting on with your doom scrolling. The answer, as you may have guessed from the title, is that not all Vitamin Cs are created equally, and not all Vitamin Cs will get you actual results. ‘Vitamin C’ itself is an umbrella term used to describe a group of molecules, all with their own function, efficacy, and activation in the skin, so if you’ve ever wondered why your Vitamin C cleanser doesn’t seem to be working, or you hyperpigmentation just won’t shift from the latest trending wonder serum, you’re in the right place.
Vitamin C Function
Topical Vitamin C has three main functions in the skin: as an antioxidant, to boost collagen production, and to fade hyperpigmentation. The former is achieved by neutralising free radicals produced in the skin from UV damage, pollution, and even smoking and alcohol consumption. Think of it as a sponge that soaks up the bad guys which make us look older, and actually much worse. DNA damage is a serious health risk, so using topical Vitamin C correctly isn’t just an exercise in vanity. Vitamin C boosts collagen production as a co-enzyme for your skin’s natural collagen building process. In short, no Vitamin C, no new collagen, which is exactly how pirates got scurvy and lost their teeth and hair. Lastly, Vitamin C inhibits the tyrosinase enzyme found in your skin that’s responsible for melanin production. Overactive melanin production in localised areas leads to sun spots, age marks, and darker areas of skin over time. It’s not the only molecule that does this, so probably shouldn’t be your only hyperpigmentation strategy, but combined with its other benefits it’s easy to see why it’s a gold standard for stunning skin. So what’s the catch?
Vitamin C Form
The type of Vitamin C you use matters. Without going back to A-level chemistry, the shape and structure of a molecule, even if it’s grouped under the same name, matters when it comes to biochemical processes, and Vitamin C is no different. The longest-used, most-studied, and best-tested version of Vitamin C is L-Ascorbic Acid. It’s very important you remember that, because it’s what you should be looking for on an ingredients list. Once you start doing that, you’ll start to notice a whole plethora of chemical names (don’t panic, even water is a chemical) that brands claim as Vitamin C, and they range from less effective to probably completely useless, especially at low concentrations. Some brands use them just so they can package their products in an orange bottle in the hopes you’ll hand over your hard earned dollars for something that’s very probably not going to work. So why don’t we just use L-ascorbic Acid in everything? Seems logical, but…
Vitamin C Stability
L-Ascrobic Acid, although effective, is not a fun molecule to formulate skincare products with. It oxidises, or becomes ineffective, in the presence of oxygen, water, light, heat, and humidity—so basically every skincare product you’ve ever used and every day you’ve woken up in Singapore. That’s a real problem for brands and retailers, which can have a completely legit and sealed product in storage, transport, and on shelves for 12 months before you even purchase it. And that’s the most convincing reason for brands to use these less-effective derivatives, because although they don’t work as well, they’re much more stable in most formulations. They have longer shelf lives, and whatever effect they may have on skin will likely last for longer in the bottle. Without more clinical research, we’ll never really know if they’re effective or how long they have those effects, and that’s why L-Ascorbic Acid is still the gold standard molecule to use. All that considered, is there a bonafide reason to choose a Vitamin C derivative over ascorbic acid?
Vitamin C Derivatives
This is where that A-level in Chemistry or Latin comes in handy. To name just a few, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, and Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate are soluble in water, and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate and Ascorbyl Palmitate are soluble in oils. The A+ students amongst you will have noticed the ‘ascorb’ group that’s present in all of them, which is how you can figure out what you’re using from the back of your bottle. In my opinion, anything other than L-Ascorbic Acid (sometimes written just as Ascorbic Acid) isn’t worth using. It might work, but it definitely is not as effective as the OG, and if you’re spending time and money applying stuff to your skin, it might as well be the best. Having said that, some people with sensitive skin don’t do well with pure ascorbic acid, so there is an argument that derivatives may be more gentle if that’s something your skin needs. Whether derivatives are better than a lower dose of ascorbic acid is a question we just don’t have the answer to, so approach both strategies with caution. My personal opinion is, if we did have that answer, there’d be a lot fewer Vitamin C derivative products on shelves.
Vitamin C Shopping Cheat Sheet
So now you’re basically a pro ingredients list decoder, how do you relate that to shopping? Firstly, as ever, speak to your dermatologist or health care provider before you trust some random beauty editor on the internet. I don’t know you, I don’t know your skin, so make sure you’re not about to do anything that’s wrong for you individually. Once that’s done, you’ll want to consider four things:
- Does the product contain L-Ascorbic acid (or just Ascorbic Acid)? I won’t stress again how this is the gold standard form, but this is what you want.
- Is the product in air-tight, opaque (light-blocking) packaging? This will stop the product oxidising before you’ve opened it, and after your start, meaning you get the benefits for longer.
- Is the formula water-based, such as a foaming cleanser, toner, or essence? The presence of water in these formulas probably means you’re getting a derivative, and if you’re not, it’s definitely oxidising already.
- Is Vitamin C, and any other supporting ingredients, high up on the ingredients list? All skincare ingredients have to be presented in weight order as long as they’re over 1% of the formula. This means the higher up an ingredient is, the more you’re getting, and conversely if it’s in the last few ingredients, it’s probably just in there for marketing and not actual skin results. Doesn’t mean it needs to be the first ingredient, but definitely shouldn’t be the last.
Vitamin C We Love For Results
After all that, you’re completely sold on high L-Ascorbic Acid concentrations in non-oxidising formulas and air-tight, opaque packaging. Welcome to the club. But what does that mean for your next payday splurge (or save)? The absolute A list celeb of the Vitamin C world is C E Ferulic Vitamin C Serum by Skinceuticals. It’s the formula that was created by the doctor that did the clinical research to prove Vitamin C works on skin, and it’s effective and well-loved for exactly that reason. It also comes with a price tag to reflect that research and market position, with 30ml costing $285. It’s worth the investment if you have the budget, but if you don’t, there are alternatives that aren’t as iconic but still deliver results. Cerave’s Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum has 10% L-Ascorbic Acid, in a silicone base and aluminium tube packaging. At a more affordable $30 for 30ml, it’s a great starting point to your effective Vitamin C journey. There are others like Timeless’ 20% Vitamin C + E Ferulic Acid Serum, Paula’s Choice C15 Super Booster, or Skintific’s 10% Pure Vitamin C Brightening Serum, but now you know what you’re looking for, you can do your own digging into what you want from a product vs what will get you actual results (you’re welcome).
Final Thoughts On Vitamin C
In a beauty aisle where new products are released every 20 minutes, and ‘innovation’ and novel packaging are vying for your attention, it’s well worth taking a step back to ask what do I really need and what really works. The traditional skincare staples are exactly that for a reason, so don’t let this week’s latest Tiktok trend distract you from getting the skin of your dreams. The science and the products are out there, you just have to do what’s right for you. Vitamin C you on the other side.
This story first appeared in Grazia Singapore.
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