Impact Of Vitamin C In Skincare | Shinagawa Blog

Impact Of Vitamin C In Skincare

Vitamin C is the most common antioxidant in the skin. Unfortunately, humans do not have the enzyme (L-gluconogamma lactone oxidase) to make vitamin C, therefore it must be obtained from external sources.

L ascorbic acid is the active form of vitamin C that carries out the biological effects. Besides retinoids, vitamin C is probably the next most studied ingredient in skincare.

Ascorbic acid has many benefits.

Repeat studies have shown it helps to prevent photodamage from UVA and UVB radiation. It stimulates collagen production, serving as a co-factor for enzymes in collagen production. Lastly, vitamin C is a great lightening ingredient. It blocks tyrosinase, the key enzyme in melanin production.

However, vitamin C is highly unstable. It easily oxidizes in light, heat, pH change, and the presence of other ions. This has led to the development of various vitamin C derivatives that are more stable while trying to retain efficacy. However, formulation continues to be a challenge. Demonstrating ingredient effectiveness needs to occur not just in the laboratory setting or on animals, it also needs assessment on human skin.

Unfortunately, there’s a paucity of data regarding skincare ingredients in general (compared to medical dermatology), and some publications are conflicting. One study may show the benefit of a derivative, while another demonstrates no efficacy. This inherently speaks to the challenges of manufacturing L ascorbic acid, as the formulation is everything.

While the impact of Vitamin C on our skin is more or less unpredictable, your skin can benefit from proper care and treatments.

Shinagawa Aesthetics can enhance your skin’s health and bring out its best glow.

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