Vitamin C is a powerhouse for the skin. Uneven skin tone, rough texture, fine lines, acne scars, general dullness — you can name just about any common complexion concern and there’s a good chance that vitamin C is a good treatment option. Let’s deep dive into what vitamin C is and how it works in skincare.

First off, what is vitamin C?

As far as your skin is concerned, vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that can neutralize free radicals. Because of its antioxidant properties, vitamin C aids in your skin’s natural regeneration process, which helps your body repair damaged skin cells.

So, in the same way that consuming antioxidant-rich foods aids your body in fighting off free radicals, topical antioxidants do the same for your skin by helping to offset daily aggressors like UV damage and exposure to air pollution. This free-radical fighting power isn’t just important for helping to keep signs of premature aging at bay. In neutralizing these free radicals, vitamin C may also help protect skin from precancerous changes caused by UV exposure.

Amazingly, vitamin C’s benefits aren’t limited to its antioxidant status. It has plenty of other skin-healing properties that make it worthy of a permanent place in your skin care routine. For one, because it’s highly acidic, when vitamin C is used topically the skin is alerted to heal itself by accelerating the production of collagen and elastin. Collagen and elastin are both naturally occurring protein fibers that help keep skin plump and firm. So, in helping to promote collagen production, topical vitamin C can help prevent premature aging of the skin.

Another benefit of vitamin C is it contains a property that inhibits your skin’s melanin production, which is what causes skin discoloration like dark spots and hyperpigmentation. With continued topical use, vitamin C can help prevent dark spots from forming in the first place and brighten the overall complexion of your skin.

How can you add vitamin C into your daily skin-care routine?

Vitamin C should always be applied as a serum and never as a cream. (The one I recommend is here) This is because serums penetrate deeper into the skin. Vitamin C actually breaks down when it’s exposed to light or air, so dark glass bottles help maintain its stability (and therefore, efficacy). As a general rule, serums should be layered underneath your moisturizer and vitamin C should be used in your morning routine. A little goes a long way and if you are just starting out you should start with an every other day application and work up to daily use.

Who should avoid vitamin C?

Those with sensitive skin may have allergies or redness from vitamin C. You should never apply vitamin C to skin that is already red. If you have red skin you need to start by hydrating the skin.

Hyaluronic acid is a naturally-occurring substance in skin known for its stunning capacity to attract and hold onto 1000x its weight in moisture. It works overtime by replenishing skin to enhance a healthy, supple look and feel. You can see why this is something you want in your skincare routine?

What is Hyaluronic Acid?

Hyaluronic acid is a glycosaminoglycan, a fancy name for a vital naturally-occurring substance that’s part of skin’s youth-supporting matrix. As the chief glycosaminoglycan in skin, hyaluronic acid works to keep every aspect of skin stable, safeguarded, and constantly renewed.

Hyaluronic acid is also a humectant, which is a category of skin care ingredients that are hygroscopic, meaning they draw moisture from their surroundings. Humectants are often found in water-based moisturizers, serums, and other leave-on skin care products because of their ability to help boost hydration for all skin types, which is especially beneficial for dry, dehydrated skin.

How Does Hyaluronic Acid Help Dry, Dehydrated Skin?

The science-based magic lies in hyaluronic acid’s ability to replenish a LOT of moisture. One gram (or 0.03 oz.) of hyaluronic acid can hold up to six LITERS of water. Talk about mind-blowing! What’s even more impressive is that hyaluronic acid can do this for skin without tipping the scales and giving skin too much water.

Hyaluronic acid is a naturally-occurring substance in skin known for its stunning capacity to attract and hold onto 1000x its weight in moisture. It works overtime by replenishing skin to enhance a healthy, supple look and feel. You can see why this is something you want in your skincare routine.

Hyaluronic Acid’s Anti-Aging Benefits

Hyaluronic acid’s moisture-binding characteristic is exceptionally important when it comes to skin aging. When we’re young, our skin can hold onto water and retain a balanced amount of moisture, but it loses this ability as we age. The result is a visible loss of firmness, pliability, and a diminished appearance of plumpness and suppleness. Simply put, hyaluronic acid has powerful anti-aging properties.

How to Use Hyaluronic Acid in Your Skin Care Routine

Now that you know how hyaluronic acid can benefit skin, you might be wondering how tp use it. The answer is it depends. Some skin can handle using this both morning and night and other skin it is for day use only. You will need a skin evaluation to see what is best for you. I think this is a staple in any skincare routine. Especially for anti-aging, dryness and rosacea. Click here for my recommended HA serum.