Vitamin C is all the rage, and some Youtubers will say that EVERYONE should be using it. Packed with antioxidants, and claiming to brighten and eliminate scars vitamin C is the OG miracle skincare ingredient.
HOWEVER
Vitamin C is highly sensitive to air exposure, sunlight exposure and contaminants…. I learned from hoarding vitamin C during a sale that it turned into a strange murky orange color (when its usually clear or a lighter yellow)
Generally, don’t judge a product by it’s packaging… but in this case you get what you pay for.
And with Vitamin C prices going upwards of $100 per bottle, you may turn to Amazon for cheaper alternatives… but watch what you’re buying because those $10-30 might being going down the drain if you don’t know what you’re doing.
Things to look for in terms of packaging
Look for opaque packaging NOT in a dropper formula. If Vitamin C is in a cream… don’t expect it to be a very potent Vitamin C. Those little tubs and jars that you dip your fingers into? Yea that vitamin C is going to be inert after a couple of dips and forget it if left open (not airtight). You might get other moisturizing benefits of the eye cream or night cream with vitC… but you’re not getting any brightening from this particular ingredient. Let’s look at some beautiful examples of packaging for vit C
How strong of a formula are you looking for?
Vit C is something that needs some time to work… you won’t see results overnight, but you might get some dry patches if the formula is too strong. Usually I see things between 10-25%.. and then some formulas claiming to “act like” a certain percentage while actually being lower. Though it seems like a gimmick, if you have sensitive skin (or have a poor sun care routine) you might want to tread lightly. Yes Vitamin C is a photosensitizer meaning that makes you more sensitive to sun.
What do you want in a formula?
Do you want a serum with a light moisturizing factor (usually HA: hyalouronic acid). I have oily skin, so I want something moisturizing but not TOO moisturizing for day time use. Also watch out for using Vitamin C with other acids like BHA (salicylic acid) as it can render them inert.
If you are unsure about brands you’ve never heard of… CeraVe also has a serum, and they’er sold at Drugstores and ULTA and are known to be friendly to sensitive skin.
I hope you enjoyed my list of recommendations and what to look out for! I can say that I have used those cheap dropper bottles from amazon with some success but you have to have a good retailer with good ratings because vitamin C has to be FRESH. If you’re unsure of the hype, I know some studies do say that ingesting vitamin C can do just as good for your skin… so go eat an orange or a mango this summer and do it consistently to be healthy!
You don’t need any product to be beautiful and healthy (except sunscreen. Always use sunscreen).
Stay healthy and happy everyone!
-RicaIsHungry
******FULL DISCLOSURE: This are my personal experiences and thoughts. I am not being paid by the brand or the company to review this product or talk about any claims. This product was not sent to me. Links in this post are a part of the amazon affiliates program.*******
RicaIsHungry 