What are the benefits of vitamin C for the face? The answer is simple: many! This nutrient acts in important functions for the skin's health. So it can help prevent signs of aging, protect against sun damage, and much more.
Therefore, it is one of the main ingredients of dermo-cosmetics that provide anti-aging effects on facial skin.
So, to understand how these products work on your skin, we'll explain in this text what vitamin C is for and how and when to use it.
In addition, you will learn about the six main benefits of vitamin C for the face:
- Prevents signs of aging
- Protects against sun damage and photoaging
- Prevents skin dryness
- Reduces the risk of skin inflammation
- Enhances healing
- Promotes skin whitening
What is vitamin C for the face?
The skin's composition has high concentrations of vitamin C. The greatest amount is found in the epidermis, which is the most superficial layer directly responsible for protecting against external damage. However, there is also good concentration in the dermis, the deeper layer.
In addition, this vitamin is also present in large amounts in the composition of the stratum corneum, which is the most superficial layer of the epidermis. Its main role is to protect against chemical, physical and biological agents, in addition to preventing water evaporation.
Due to the high concentration of vitamin C in these areas, it is responsible for a number of important functions for skin health:
- Helps eliminate free radicals: free radicals are unstable molecules that cause cell damage and can lead to signs of aging and various diseases. They are neutralized or eliminated by antioxidants, a property that vitamin C has;
- Acts on the production of collagen: Vitamin C stimulates the production of collagen and helps to stabilize its molecule. This protein plays a fundamental role in the healing process and in maintaining the skin's strength and elasticity;
- It acts in the formation of the epidermis and stratum corneum: vitamin C acts in the organization of keratinocytes, which are the main cells in the composition of the epidermis. In addition, it promotes the production and organization of lipids that make up the stratum corneum;
- Inhibits melanin production: it reduces melanogenesis, the melanin production process. Therefore, it is able to prevent and treat hyperpigmentation, a condition that can cause blemishes.
What are the benefits of vitamin C for the face?
As you've seen, vitamin C acts in several processes that help to ensure the skin's health. Because of this, it is a very useful nutrient for skincare. So, learn about the benefits of vitamin C on the face below.
1. Prevents signs of aging
Skin aging is a natural thing that occurs over time. This process is very slow. However, several external factors, such as pollution and ultraviolet radiation, accelerate it.
These agents are responsible for the production of free radicals, which, as we said, are unstable molecules that cause cell damage.
So, since vitamin C is able to stimulate collagen production and have relationships with other skin-building functions, it keeps the skin tough and helps fight free radicals. In this way, it prevents and treats wrinkles and other signs of aging.
Therefore, to maintain good skin health, it is essential to consume an adequate amount of vitamin C, as its nutritional deficiency weakens the skin and reduces its healing capacity.
Also, it's a great choice to include dermocosmetics that are formulated with high concentrations of vitamin C in your skincare routine.
2. Protects against sun damage and photoaging
As we said, external factors are the main causes of damage to the skin. More specifically, ultraviolet radiation emitted by the sun can be considered the worst aggressor agent of this group.
It damages the skin by stimulating the production of reactive oxygen species, which, roughly speaking, can also be called free radicals. That is, they are unstable molecules that cause cell damage.
Because of this, ultraviolet radiation can cause both short-term and long-term damage to the skin. Some examples are burns, inflammation, premature aging, sagging, and skin cancer.
Given the antioxidant property of vitamin C, it is able to neutralize and eliminate the reactive oxygen species produced. As such, it limits the damage done and can help to treat it.
Furthermore, studies show that the association of vitamin C and E enhances the capacity to neutralize these unstable substances.
However, it is noteworthy that the best way to prevent damage from ultraviolet radiation is through the daily use of sunscreen and controlled exposure to the sun.
3. Prevents skin dryness
Skin dryness is a condition that can affect anyone, as its causes are numerous, such as external factors, allergic reactions, diseases, among other reasons.
Dry skin is characterized by difficulty retaining moisture, resulting in excessive water loss. This causes symptoms such as redness, scaling, and itching.
In view of the role that vitamin C plays in organizing keratinocytes and in the production of lipids that form the stratum corneum, it can help retain moisture in the skin, keeping it hydrated.
Therefore, the topical application of dermo-cosmetics that contain vitamin C can help in the treatment of dry skin.
4. Reduces the risk of skin inflammation
Skin inflammations are responsible for the appearance of several conditions, such as acne, dermatitis, dryness, irritation, among others.
Since vitamin C also has anti-inflammatory properties, this makes it capable of preventing and treating the conditions mentioned.
In addition, due to the help, it provides in the formation of the stratum corneum, the skin is more resistant to the development of inflammation.
5. Enhances healing
Collagen is essential for the healing process because it is responsible for structuring practically all the tissues in the body. And scarring is no different, it is made up of this protein.
So, since vitamin C stimulates collagen production, it directly helps improve the body's healing ability.
Therefore, once again it is very important to include an adequate amount of vitamin C sources in your diet.
And, in addition, ointments formulated with this nutrient can help with wound healing, making the process more effective.
6. Promotes skin whitening
Vitamin C is able to inhibit the process of converting the amino acid tyrosine into melanin, which is the compound responsible for skin pigmentation.
Because of this, this vitamin has a significant lightning potential and can help to alleviate cases of melasma which is a condition characterized by the appearance of dark spots on the skin and which is usually triggered by UV radiation.
How and when to use vitamin C on the face?
But after all these explanations about the benefits of vitamin C on the face, you might be asking yourself: how to use it?
Vitamin C can be found in the composition of several dermo-cosmetics, but the main one is the serum, which is a substance formulated with a high concentration of nutrients that have anti-aging effects.
Therefore, the best way to use vitamin C by topical application is through this dermo-cosmetic. Just pay attention to the ingredients to find one that counts on it.
Our recommendation is the InstaNatural.This composition is light, quickly absorbed, and helps fight the signs of aging. We recommend it because it is an ideal product for all skin types.
And when to use vitamin C on the face? It can be used both in the morning, serving as a support for sunscreen to prevent damage from ultraviolet radiation, and at night, helping cell repair and preventing factors faced during the day from causing damage.
The only point of attention is that it should always be used after facial cleaning and before the moisturizer and sunscreen. This is because this is the skincare moment when the skin is better prepared to absorb the nutrients that will be applied.