WTF is... Vitamin C/ascorbic acid anyway?
If this is the first time that you realised that these 2 were the same thing, then - please - read this asap...
So… WTF is it?
It’s a water-soluble form of vitamin C and is an ‘active’ skincare ingredient.
How do you pronounce it?
usk-orb-ick acid
What’s the point of it? I mean, what does it actually do?
It’s an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, it boosts collagen and helps with wound-healing. It can even out hyperpigmentation and it’s thought to be able to reduce the risk of sunburn (but it is NOT a substitute for an SPF).
How does it work?
So if we take those one by one:
Anti-oxidant: it neutralises harmful free radicals. Vitamin C is also notable amongst other anti-oxidants for its ability to pair with/complement sun protection measures to enhance photoprotection.
Anti-inflammatory: Same as niacinamide, Vitamin C can treat imbalanced cytokines, reducing redness and irritation of the skin.
Collagen boosting:
Vitamin C performs a critical role in collagen production, combining with enzymes in the early stages of collagen formation to create a robust collagen structure.
Since collagen is crucial to wound-healing, Vitamin C is recognised as a contributor to effective healing, due to its criticality in the collagen-production process
This is also the basis for Vitamin C’s anti-ageing properties
Treats hyperpigmentation: Vitamin C inhibits melanin production at an enzyme-level, reducing the appearance of dark spots and uneven skin tone.
And why would someone want it?
In addition to the above benefits, it’s easily obtainable and can be found relatively inexpensively, although it’s often priced higher than many other actives.
How much is it?
You can expect to pay anything between about £10/$15 to £250/$3251
Does it hurt?
It shouldn’t. If it does, your skincare routine is probably too harsh, either in method (you may be rubbing too hard) or product(s).
Have I had it?
I don’t use Vitamin C. I’ve dabbled with it in the past, but never consistently.
Would I have it?
I have no plans to apply Vitamin C topically for the foreseeable.
Should you have it?
Soooo…
First of all, have a read of this by Jessica De Fino. She makes a compelling case that topically-applied Vitamin C is not worthwhile:
In addition, Vitmain C has well-documented stability issues2. That’s one of the reasons that it’s more expensive than the other actives: it requires quite a lot of intervention for it not to degrade with exposure to air, temperature or sunlight.
This also means that it often goes off or separates unpleasantly, doesn’t pair well with a lot of other actives and that it’s better to use at night, so it has less flexibility than many other ingredients.
It’s not a goer for me and I would rather eat an orange3.
You are an adult however, and may feel differently. We can still be friends if so.
Whatever you decide, do not eat this4 😱:
(The comments on this video are incredible and seem to be inadvertently themed around “How could we make this travesty of a foodstuff even worse?”)
Anything else I think you should know?
Nope. Go well!
Disclaimer: ‘WTF is…’ guides are intended to be a 3-5 minute introduction to a topic. They are, by their nature, not exhaustive.
If you have a concern that I’ve irresponsibly included/omitted information, don’t hesitate to get in touch to let me know and I’ll take a look.
Reminder that any cosmetic work undertaken should be in accordance with The 6 rules of cosmetic work. Here they are, in case you missed them the first time…
As usual, this is done on a like-for-like cost comparison basis for the same product and is not an FX of one price into another currency. The US are getting gouged on this one… 😳 (although, tbf, when you’re willing to pay this much, what’s another $20+ tax) 🤦♀️
Don’t we all, etc
Get thee behind me, scurvy
It contains whatever the fuck “whipped hydrogenated oil” is 🤢