How to get the best results from antioxidant products. Antioxidants can be confusing, especially in your skin care. Most are recommended for use in the morning (green tea, vitamin C), some at night (vitamin A, resveratrol), and still others are more effective when they’re applied together (vitamins C and E). Some forms are more active than others, but more active can mean less stable—and extra-irritating. But overall, they’re absolutely worth applying to your skin to fight free radicals that cause signs of age. So, we put together these golden rules to help you get the best results from these skin-savers. 1. Your vitamins have a shelf life Like watching a bunch of bananas turn brown, seeing your skincare products change hues is less than appetizing. And it turns out, it’s the same chemical process at work: Oxidation. However, a sudden change in a formula’s color doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve wasted your hard-earned dough. “When vitamin C becomes brown, it’s still active, although not as potent,” says Elizabeth Tanzi, MD, co-director of the Washington Institute of Dermatologic Laser Surgery.
Renee Rouleau, a Dallas-based aesthetician to celebs like Demi Lovato and Anna Faris, agrees: “If a vitamin C serum turns darker in color, you'll get less visible and slower results,” she adds. “So brown spots and post-breakout red or dark marks may fade less quickly.” So, what’s the takeaway? Buy your serums in smaller doses: “One ounce is good and it will give you a 2 month supply,” says Rouleau. 2. A higher concentration isn’t always better It seems logical to assume that a steep percentage of actives will result in a more effective product, but, according to Rouleau, efficacy depends on the ingredient. “Formulas for vitamin C can range anywhere from less than 1% to 20%,” she says. “But the ones that contain between 10%-20% are acidic and might be really irritating.” Take L-ascorbic acid for example, which can be volatile (translation: more likely to oxidize and become ineffective) and inflammatory for sensitive skin types. Instead, Rouleau recommends looking for ingredients such as magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (MAP), ascorbyl palmitate, and sodium ascorbyl palmitate, which are all versions of vitamin C that are more stable and less harsh than their acidic counterparts.
Her Vitamin C&E Treatment contains magnesium ascorbyl phosphate. 3. Sometimes you need a cocktail Serums often contain multiple antioxidants, particularly vitamins C and E. That’s because antioxidants have been proven to be more effective when used together than on their own. A 2005 study published in The Journal of Investigative Dermatology (by SkinCeuticals co-founder Sheldon Pinnell, MD, chief emeritus of Duke University’s dermatology division) reported that a solution of 15% l-ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and 1% alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) was four times more effective than either antioxidant on its own. This research prompted Pinnell to create SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic, which is now the gold standard in antioxidant serums. A later Pinnell study at Duke University Medical Center found that adding 0.5% ferulic acid, a plant-based antioxidant, further improved the serum’s ability to provide photo-protection and improved stability as well. When it comes to environmental oxidative stress (like smoke or sun exposure), we’re finding that a “combination of antioxidants can often be more effective than just one,” adds Michelle Copeland, MD, assistant professor of plastic surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and author of Change Your Look, Change Your Life.
But there are still ongoing studies being done. “If you look at skin cells treated with one antioxidant versus another or together, you can get cumulative improvement [with the combination].” Bottom line: in terms of antioxidant diversity, more is more. Dermatologists are wound care specialists Why do some Vitamin C preparations turn orange on the skin? Zoe Diana Draelos, M.D.Why do some Vitamin C preparations turn orange on the skin? Many of the state-of-the-art cosmeceuticals contain vitamin C, a potent antioxidant important in skin health. Vitamin C is a secondary antioxidant in the skin, able to donate an electron to vitamin E, which is the primary antioxidant. As part of the electron donation process, the vitamin C itself becomes oxidized. This process can be observed on a daily basis when cut fruit is left on the dinner table. Freshly cut peaches have a vivid orange/yellow color due to their high vitamin C content. However, left on the table for several hours at room temperature, the peaches will turn brown.
This browning is due to oxidation of the vitamin C and the color change is due to a chemical reaction occurring as the electron is lost. Once the electron is lost, the vitamin C is no longer an active vitamin, meaning the vitamin C content of a fresh cut peach is much higher than the vitamin C content of a browned peach. Also read: What is a CC cream? Now consider the vitamin C serums for facial antiaging purposes. When in the vitamin C is in high concentration, the serum will have a yellowish color, but as it oxidizes, it will turn brown/orange. Cosmetic vitamin C preparations that have discolored should be discarded as they have already oxidized and cannot provide skin benefits. Vitamin C preparations can also discolor on the skin surface as they contact oxygen in the environment. This accounts for the orange color that may emerge on the skin in the morning after wearing a vitamin C preparation overnight. For this reason, vitamin C serums should be in light and oxygen impermeable packaging.
It is also important that consumers not repackage or leave the serums open to the air for enhanced spoilage. Are growth factors safe in cosmetics? Why are antiperspirants best applied at night before bedtime? How does a sonicating brush clean the skin?What is Vitamin C Serum? Vitamin C Serums are most commonly made with L-Ascorbic Acid (LAA), which is the active ingredient that I will be writing about today. Serums typically have higher concentrations of LAA when compared to it’s cream/lotion based counterparts. When starting out using a vitamin c serum it is a good idea to gradually increase usage from a lower percentage (10%) and application times(1-2 days) to higher percentages(15-20%) and more frequent application (2x daily). What Does Vitamin C Serum Do? Vitamin C Serum is one of the few products that will actually deliver what it promises on the box. Do keep in mind that it can take several months (6+) before results are fully realized. How Do You Use Vitamin C Serum and Where In My Routine Do I Use It?
LAA Vitamin C Serums are best used on clean skin before any other products are applied. If using a higher pH cleanser allow 15 minutes afterwards to allow your skin to return to a normal pH level before applying Vitamin C Serum. If you use a pH adjusting toner after cleansing, allow enough time for it to completely dry on the skin before applying Vitamin C Serum. How much product you use is going to vary for each person and by product as well, this will be something each individual will need to experiment with and find out what works with their skin. Take your serum and either use your clean fingers or a cotton pad to spread it over your face. Allow a minimum of 15 minutes after application for your skin to absorb the serum before moving onto the next step in your routine. Your skin should fully absorb the product, if you end up with a film on your skin you will need to reduce the amount of serum used. To make this simple: Cleanser>Vitamin C Serum>pH Dependant Acids>Rest of Routine
Keep in mind that you can use your BHA/AHA products before your Vitamin C Serum though it may reduce the efficacy. This is purely a personal choice as to which way you layer your pH dependant products with Vitamin C Serum. What Color Should My Vitamin C Serum Be? Vitamin C Serums are usually clear or tinted similar to champagne. There are some companies that add dye into their serums that darkens the color though I would be wary of such formulas as this could hide oxidization. When you’re serum changes begins to yellow and eventually brown it is a tell-tale sign of oxidization. Do I Still Want To Use It If It’s Changed Colors (Oxidized)? When Ascorbic Acid oxidizes it changes to dehydroascorbic acid (DHAA), which then changes the color of your serum from that clear-champagne tone down to a deep brown/red based on the level of oxidation. Is DHAA harmful to the skin itself? Using a serum with slight yellowing isn’t as bad as it’s made out to be, though it may begin irritating your skin due to the higher concentrations of DHAA.
If your serum has changed to a dark color I would suggest to not use it due to the high probability of irritation. How Should I Store My Vitamin C Serum? Because LAA is highly susceptible to oxidization from light, oxygen and temperature, it is best kept in a dark colored container that is mostly (or even fully) opaque. Vitamin C Serum should be kept in a cool dark place, like a potato! Most serums are fine with being stored in the fridge, but there are some companies out there that advise their products should not kept refrigerated (Paula’s Choice C15). Why Is My Skin Orange? If you apply too much serum to your skin it can leave a slight film that is not absorbed. This residue can oxidize and turn you a nice shade of oompa-loopma if you are not careful. The best way to avoid having this effect is to use less product and wash your hands after application. What Other Ingredients Does It React To? On occasion you will hear about niacinamide when the topic of Vitamin C Serums come up.
So what will happen when you use both? When both products are mixed it effectively renders both compounds useless and can cause the skin to flush because of the reaction. If you are compelled to use the two ingredients together try to use them at night time and wait 30 minutes between applications so the pH of the skin may return to a normal level and limit the interaction between the two compounds. "Accumulation of Vitamin C (Ascorbate) and Its Oxidized Metabolite Dehydroascorbic Acid Occurs by Separate Mechanisms (*)." Accumulation of Vitamin C (Ascorbate) and Its Oxidized Metabolite Dehydroascorbic Acid Occurs by Separate Mechanisms. Accessed September 22, 2014. "Journal of Nutritional Science and VitaminologyVol. 54 (2008) No. 4 P 315-320." Vitamin C Activity of Dehydroascorbic Acid in Humans —Association between Changes in the Blood Vitamin C Concentration or Urinary Excretion after Oral Loading—. "Photochemical Interaction of Ascorbic Acid with Riboflavin, Nicotinamide and Alpha-tocopherol in Cream Formulations." - Ahmad.