15 Reasons Why You Should Include Vitamin C Serum in Your Skincare Routine

Vitamin C is one of those things you hear so much about. Everyone talks about it and makes it sound like some sort of superpower-inducing nutrient. We know that vitamin C is crucial when it comes to our overall health & well-being - it stimulates white blood cell activity to promote immune system health and combat diseases. But, why is it growing in popularity amongst dermatologists and the skincare community? 

Nowadays, skincare experts are going crazy over vitamin C serums. They’re seen as ways to refresh skincare routines and provide a range of long-lasting benefits. If you don’t already have a vitamin C serum as part of your skincare routine, you’ve got some catching up to do! This isn’t another fad; there is cold hard evidence that suggests you shouldn’t ignore this serum. 

At Cosmedica Skincare, we know what it takes to promote healthy, younger-looking skin. We know that a vitamin C serum is an essential aspect of your daily routine. So, here are 15 reasons explaining why you can’t ignore it. 

But first, there’s another question to answer…

What Is Vitamin C Serum?

A vitamin C serum is a skincare product packed full of vitamin C. It is usually mixed with other ingredients and presented in a gel or liquid format. Our Vitamin C Super Serum contains three variations of vitamin C infused with other ingredients to nourish your skin. All you have to do is apply it via the pump mechanism and rub the serum into your skin. 

This serum is usually applied after cleansing and toning. Apply a couple of drops to your skin and then follow with other skincare products. We recommend using our Vitamin C Facial Day Cream after, followed by your chosen SPF moisturizer for added skin protection. 

You could also combine a vitamin C serum with a vitamin C powder for a higher concentration of vitamin C. Our Super C-Boost powder can be mixed with our serum to deliver more L-Ascorbic Acid to your skin. This is a stable form of vitamin C that’s proven to be a highly effective antioxidant. Then, follow with facial cream and moisturizers. 

Keeping all of this in mind, what makes vitamin C serums so great? Why should you bother implementing them in your daily skincare routine? Read below, and you’ll see the top fifteen benefits of vitamin C serums: 

1. Vitamin C Is An Antioxidant

What is an antioxidant? You hear this term get thrown around all the time, and usually in a positive way. But, what exactly does it mean? The scientific definition is that antioxidants are substances that prevent or delay cell damage in the body. 

Typically, we ingest antioxidants and they are absorbed by our bodies. Loads of fruits are considered antioxidants (sometimes because they’re high in vitamin C) and they can help to prevent certain diseases - like cancer. While ingesting these antioxidants is fantastic and highly recommended, it won’t necessarily do anything for our skin. 

This is where a vitamin C serum comes in handy. 

Here, you get the antioxidant benefits of vitamin C delivered straight into your skin. Thus, the serum infuses into the skin cells and can prevent cell damage. But that’s not all! You could argue that it would make sense to slice up an orange and rub that over your skin, right? That’s high in vitamin C, so wouldn’t it also protect our skin cells from damage? 

No, and this is where the true benefits of vitamin C serums come into play. You see, a serum is chemically altered and includes lots of other ingredients. Don’t worry, the ingredients are natural, but they’re designed to specifically let your skin absorb the product. As soon as it’s applied, the serum sinks into your skin and can go directly to the cells. 

Effectively, you have a more efficient way of getting this precious antioxidant into your skin. Don’t assume that your skin reaps the potent antioxidant benefits of vitamin C via your diet alone. In truth, skin cells only see a tiny fraction of vitamin C when it’s ingested. 

2. Your Skin Is Protected From Sun Damage

Thanks to its antioxidant properties, a vitamin C serum can protect your skin from sun damage. 

We know what you’re thinking: how is this possible, I thought SPF protected you from sun damage.

Well, SPF is actually a term meaning Sun Protection Factor, so it’s not an ingredient in itself. If a moisturizer or skincare product has SPF on it, it means it contains the active ingredients needed to fight against UV rays from the sun and other free radical damage. This will include things that absorb UV rays and stop them from entering the skin, or things that reflect them. Either way, it will help to protect your skin from sun damage - but that doesn’t mean vitamin C can’t help too. 

You see, sun damage is caused by things called free radicals. We’re going to get a bit technical here, so bear with us for a moment! Free radicals are molecules that lack an electron. So, they enter the body and look for other atoms with electrons to steal. If they take an electron from another atom in your body, it leads to cell damage. This happens when your body is exposed to UV radiation for extended periods and can cause serious skin problems. 

Your vitamin C serum can put a stop to this! As mentioned earlier, it has antioxidant properties which means it can fight against free radicals. Antioxidants like vitamin C provide electrons to free radicals and stop them from doing any damage. This is why you shouldn’t sleep on vitamin C serums as part of your sun protection routine. In fact, one expert said that combining vitamin C serum with SPF offers better protection than sunscreen alone!

So, don’t think about SPF and vitamin C serums as two separate things. Instead, start using them together to give your skin the high level of sun protection it needs every day. Of course, this will have knock-on effects relating to your skin’s overall health as well. 

3. Fight Back Against Sunburn

Staying on-topic, did you know that vitamin C serum can help combat sunburn? It’s true, and if your sunscreen wasn’t working correctly or you forgot to put some SPF on when you left in the morning, there’s a chance you may get some minor sunburn. 

The beauty of vitamin C serum lies in its versatility. Not only can it protect your skin, but it can heal it too. There was a study a few years ago that concluded vitamin C vastly boosts cell turnover. 

What does that mean? Basically, it encourages your body to create more cells. As such, damaged ones get removed and replaced with healthier new ones. When you get sunburnt, your skin cells are damaged. So, applying a vitamin C serum to the area can encourage the cells to multiply and turn over a lot faster. Thus, you get rid of the damaged sunburnt skin and replace it with new cells that are healthier. 

Plus, the effects are even better when combined with vitamin E. Inflammation is reduced, which gets rid of the redness and soreness associated with sunburn. As luck would have it, our vitamin C serum includes vitamin E for some added goodness! 

4. Boost Collagen Production

When it comes to skincare, collagen is right up there as one of the most talked about things. It’s in the same category as hyaluronic acid if we’re discussing iconic skincare products or ingredients. Everyone raves about collagen and how beneficial it is - but what exactly is it and where does a vitamin C serum come into play?

Collagen is the most abundant form of protein in the human body. We produce it internally and it has a range of different roles and responsibilities. Primarily, it gives structure and strength to different cells in your body. If you want to get slightly more specific, its main roles are to encourage new cell growth in your skin, replace dead skin cells, and offer more elasticity to your skin. 

As you can imagine, all of these things are critical if you want healthy skin for as long as possible. If we produce collagen ourselves, what’s the problem? Well, as we get older, our body starts to produce less and less of this protein. So, all of the benefits it brings will no longer be present - unless we figure out some way to promote collagen production. 

A vitamin C serum will do precisely that! Getting a concentrated dose of vitamin C directly to your skin cells will encourage your body to make more collagen. There are studies to support this, showing that vitamin C increased collagen production in participants when compared to those that didn’t take any vitamin C supplements. In fact, collagen production can’t even happen without vitamin C because there are two crucial enzymes that make it happen. 

Thus, applying a vitamin C serum every day will keep your collagen production up, reaping the rewards of this critical protein. 

5. Reduce Wrinkles & Fine Lines

While we’re talking about vitamin C serums and collagen, we need to talk about wrinkles and fine lines. As everyone knows, both of these things start to appear when you get older. For the most part, this is directly linked to a lack of collagen. Your skin doesn’t have as much collagen as it used to, so it stops being nice and smooth. Wrinkles appear, making you look much older than you might feel. 

Also, wrinkles and fine lines might appear early in life due to excessive frowning or making other facial expressions. Without a solid supply of collagen, fine lines form as your skin doesn’t manage to smooth it out. 

Naturally, adding daily use of a vitamin C serum to your skincare routine can help with this. You induce collagen production, meaning your skin has all the proteins it needs to be firm and structured. Therefore, wrinkles start to fade and fine lines are no longer as prominent. 

Remember, collagen production isn’t possible without ample levels of vitamin C in your body. Specifically, you need it in your skin cells. Ironically, lots of skincare products claim to include collagen, acting like this will reduce the signs of wrinkles. In reality, collagen molecules are too big to actually diffuse through the skin barrier into the cells. So, these products don’t do anything. You’re better off using vitamin C serum to get this vitamin into your skin cells, which will then force more collagen production. 

By the way, if you don’t already have wrinkles, using a vitamin C serum is a great way to keep them at bay for longer!

6. Stop Your Skin From Sagging

Vitamin C serums aren’t just good at preventing or ironing out wrinkles. What’s another issue that happens when you get older and collagen production slows down? That’s right, you lose your skin’s natural elasticity. 

Healthy skin should be firm yet elastic - it should have the ability to stretch yet remain taut. When you get older, your skin begins to sag because it no longer has enough collagen to maintain elasticity. Increase your collagen production and you will regain elasticity and stop your skin from sagging. 

This is a particular issue around your cheeks and under your chin. These areas are prone to saggy skin - and it can happen much sooner than you think. Reversing the issue is a lot harder than preventing it. So, add a vitamin C serum to your skincare routine today and you will get the benefits of collagen to tighten up your skin and prevent sagging. 

Sagging skin isn’t just an issue for older people. Skin can sag when exposed to things that cause damage (like UV rays) or when you lose a lot of weight. So, vitamin C serums help in these situations too. The overall effect is skin that looks much more toned and structured.

7. Keep Hyperpigmentation At Bay

Hyperpigmentation is one of the most common skincare concerns for lots of people. While harmless, hyperpigmentation causes patches of skin that are darker than others. 

Some examples of hyperpigmentation include: 

• Freckles
• Age spots
• Sun damage
• Skin growths

Why does this happen? A number of reasons spring to mind, but it’s all down to something called melanin. Many of you have heard of this before, and it’s a pigment in your skin that causes it to be darker. Sometimes, your skin produces more melanin than normal, which is why you end up with darker spots. 

As mentioned, it’s not a harmful condition or anything to be worried about. Nevertheless, hyperpigmentation can cause confidence issues. You feel as though your complexion is unbalanced or uneven. It looks patchy, meaning you spend ages applying concealer or foundation to try and cover it up. 

Luckily, our vitamin C serum can counter the issue of uneven skin tone. Did you know that vitamin C stops melanin production? It’s true, it prevents the production of this pigment in your skin because it includes an enzyme that interacts with melanin. In simple terms, a vitamin C serum can help to fade the appearance of dark spots and areas on your skin for visible results. 

Consequently, you have a much more even skin tone that’s free from patchy dark areas. 

8. Reduce Skin Redness

Once again, the antioxidant properties of vitamin C come in handy when using your serum as part of a skincare routine. 

As well as fighting free radicals and preventing cell damage, research has shown that vitamin C reduces inflammation. This is partially down to the way it stops free radicals from causing damage and partly due to its effect on the immune system. In simple terms, it stops your body from producing an inflammatory response. 

In skincare terms, vitamin C serum will reduce redness and puffiness. If you suffer from issues such as rosacea - or often have red skin in places - this can be a fantastic solution. 

9. Encourage Wound Healing

We spoke about using your vitamin C serum to treat sunburn, but it goes beyond that in terms of wound healing. The human body is a magnificent structure, and your skin is one of the coolest parts. When we cut ourselves or get blemishes, the skin manages to heal and look good as new. 

However, if your skin doesn’t have an ample healing factor, you could be left with scars or areas that never fully heal. Adding a vitamin C serum to your daily routine can directly counter this problem. 

Again, the antioxidant properties of vitamin C play a pivotal role here. They bolster your immune system to fight against things that are stopping your skin from healing. However, we can also look at collagen production as well. By increasing collagen production and encouraging a high cell turnover rate, vitamin C does a brilliant job of removing dead and damaged cells from your skin. In their place will be healthier skin cells that are packed full of collagen and other nutrients. 

Therefore, any wounds or areas of your skin with blemishes will start to appear smoothed over and healthier. This makes a vitamin C serum essential for anyone with lingering acne scars. Applying it daily as part of your skincare routine can make the scars fade away after you’ve treated the acne itself. 

10. Brighten Your Complexion

This links back to our discussion on hyperpigmentation and melanin production. If vitamin C is good at inhibiting melanin production, what does this mean for the rest of your skin? Yes, it helps fade dark spots, but the consequence of this is a brighter complexion. 

In fact, when vitamin C was first introduced in the dermatology world, it was largely a complexion-brightening product to combat dull skin. People wanted to use vitamin C serums and creams to make their skin look more alive and radiant. 

You can get better results and even brighter skin when you combine vitamin C products with hyaluronic acid. Our Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum can be applied after the vitamin C serum to keep it locked in and provide a protective barrier for the skin. It means your vitamin C can work a lot better and really bring out a vibrant complexion. Or, you could combine the hyaluronic acid serum with our vitamin C booster and apply it to your skin directly. 

The two work perfectly with one another - and hyaluronic acid also tends to enhance other benefits of vitamin C serum. It’s well worth having both in your back pocket at all times!

11. Get Rid Of Dark Circles

Dark circles are the bane of most people’s lives. They tend to come around when you don’t get enough sleep, but (annoyingly) they can also be down to genetics. This means that, no matter how much sleep you get, you never seem to shake the dark circles. 

It makes you feel incredibly self-conscious as you look in the mirror and see black bags staring back at you. Nothing seems to work, so you get the concealer out and hope for the best. 

A vitamin C serum could be the secret product you’ve been looking for. Thanks to vitamin C’s ability to brighten the skin and reduce dark spots, it can also fade the appearance of dark circles. Be careful when applying it to this area as the skin under your eyes is very thin and sensitive. As a general rule, only apply with your little finger to avoid exerting too much pressure and damaging the skin around this area. 

We also recommend adding retinol to your skincare routine when tackling dark circles. It’s a derivative of vitamin A and also stimulates collagen production. Using vitamin C and retinol together will really get more collagen in the skin under your eyes, firming it up and making the dark circles less visible. 

You could try our 2.5% Retinol Facial Serum or our 2.5% Retinol Facial Night Cream if dark circles are plaguing your life. 

12. Boost Skin Hydration

Keeping your skin hydrated is essential to stop dry skin. Dehydrated skin loses a lot of moisture throughout the day and becomes very dry and ashy. In turn, this can lead to a lot of irritation - your skin may start to get very itchy, which you then scratch and cause redness. In extreme circumstances, you may have really dry and cracked skin in the form of eczema. 

Thankfully, you can prevent dehydrated skin by using a range of skincare products. We mentioned hyaluronic acid earlier, and it’s probably the most well-known product for hydrating your skin. But, a vitamin C serum will also do the trick. 

A recent review looked at vitamin C and its uses in skincare and concluded that it does have a hydrating effect on the skin. It works by stopping the skin from losing water, so it keeps all the moisture locked in place for longer. 

This doesn’t mean you can use a vitamin C serum as a moisturizer. Moisturizing and hydrating are two different things - and we go deep into that topic here, if you’re interested. 

Instead, you should apply your vitamin C serum before using a moisturizer as it will lock in the moisturizer and keep your skin hydrated and a smooth skin texture. 

13. Incredibly Safe For Your Skin

Some skincare products are not as safe as others. For example, if you use a really harsh exfoliating product, it might be too much for your skin type. It could cause you to go red and suffer from inflammation. This is a problem that many people with sensitive skin deal with when using a wide range of skincare products. 

Likewise, if you have excessively dry or oily skin, certain products exacerbate the problem. So, you have to be careful when selecting what to use to avoid causing more damage to your skin. 

The thing with vitamin C is that it’s safe for everyone. There are almost no side effects reported when using a vitamin C serum consistently for weeks or months on end. Moreover, it can easily be combined with other skincare products without causing bad reactions. It is simply the most versatile and safest thing you can use on your skin. 

You will likely only encounter problems when the concentration of vitamin C is excessively high. Rest assured all of our vitamin C products contain a safe amount of vitamin C to keep your skin in perfect condition. 

14. Protect Your Skin From Other Free Radicals

Free radicals have been brought up a few times throughout this post. We mentioned them primarily when talking about sunburn. Vitamin C protects your skin from the free radicals in UV rays that cause sun damage. 

Did you know there are other sources of free radicals that can harm your skin?

One of the most common is smoke. This can be smoke from a fire or smoke from a cigarette, but it contains free radicals that get into our skin and cause damage. It’s not as extreme as UV rays, but it can still harm the skin and make it lose some of its vitality. You may suffer from discoloration, dryness, or any number of other skin problems. 

Vitamin C serums come in handy to give you that extra layer of protection against other free radicals in the atmosphere. It means you can go about your day with more confidence knowing that your skin is protected. 

15. Easy To Add To Your Skincare Routine

Finally, the biggest reason you shouldn’t ignore vitamin C serum is that it is so easy to implement into your skincare routine. 

The products aren’t expensive - and they last for a long time because you only need a bit of the serum to see the effects. Thanks to the safe nature and versatility of vitamin C, you don’t need to remove or compromise other aspects of your routine. If you currently use other serums, just add this one alongside them. 

We suggest following this routine to get optimal results from your vitamin C serum: 

• Start with a cleanser - Use your cleanser of choice to cleanse the skin of any dirt, debris, or excess oil. Make sure to choose one that suits your skin type! You could also exfoliate once or twice a week before cleansing for a deeper effect. 
• Apply your serums - This is where you can use your vitamin C serum. Apply a few drops to a cotton pad or clean finger and dab into your skin. Use any other serums you also want to use, such as retinol or hyaluronic. 
• Apply moisturizer - Use your moisturizer of choice to hydrate the skin and lock in as much moisture as possible. Again, pick one that suits your skin type or you won’t see the benefits. 
• Apply an under eye cream - Remember to use some of your vitamin C serum under your eyes, and then apply your own under eye cream to target dark circles. If this is your evening skincare routine, you can stop here. 
• Use an SPF - If you’re about to go outside, always apply an SPF at the end of your skincare routine for added protection from sun exposure. Do this even when it’s cloudy as UV rays are still out there. 

There you have it; 15 reasons why you shouldn’t ignore vitamin C serum. It’s one of those products that fly under the radar as more popular serums are often preferred. But, as mentioned multiple times, you can combine vitamin C with other products without seeing any problems. 

To see all the wonderful benefits of vitamin C, try our Super C Duo + Microneedling Derma Roller. You get our powerful vitamin C serum with the boosting powder, and a microneedling derma roller to help the serum sink deeper into the skin. As a result, your skin gets more vitamin C and can maximize the benefits this brings. You’ll have brighter, more even skin that’s firm, structured, and smooth.