As with any super-hyped trend du jour, vitamin C has found its way into a large array of products for the beauty consumer — although just because the ingredient has proven its potential effectiveness, not all serums are created equally.
Few brands working with antioxidants know this better than SkinCeuticals, the beauty industry’s leading medical aesthetic skin care brand that has delivered science-backed solutions that work to improve the health and look of skin based on decades of research. The SkinCeuticals brand was built specifically around its vitamin C technology, with the original formulation based on research performed by Dr. Sheldon Pinnell of Duke University.
In fact, Dr. Pinnell is often considered the “father of vitamin C” in the medical community and beauty industry, having determined the ideal concentration and formulation that would ensure best effect. To date, SkinCeuticals has published over 25 antioxidant clinical studies.
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According to recent social listening studies conducted by SemantiWeb, vitamin C is among the top four most mentioned ingredients by consumers and is regarded as a trusted ingredient for antiaging on social media. Among natural ingredient searches on Google worldwide, vitamin C is also among the top three most searched terms and top two in the U.S.
Escalating conversations around vitamin C for consumers continue around a pursuit of brighter, healthier-looking skin, although it has also earned a rather reactive reputation. With so many options on the market, consumers are often left searching for what exactly it is they should be looking for.
According to Dr. Mark Lupin, renowned dermatologist and clinical instructor at the University of British Columbia, consumers should be placing importance on finding a serum that utilizes a pure vitamin C formulation.
“A pure vitamin C serum is an integral part of skin care for both its health and beauty benefits,” said Dr. Lupin. “Serums are the ideal formulation of vitamin C, as they deliver optimal performance in a cosmetically elegant and easy-to-apply product.”
As the first skin care product to be placed on the skin before creams, lotions and makeup, he said, it is truly an essential foundation on which to build.
“Photoprotection with sunscreen, hats and sunglasses is well appreciated, but did you know that a good vitamin C serum can provide additional, continuous low-level sun protection, while also reversing sun damage as it is happening?” said Dr. Lupin. “That’s something that sunscreens cannot provide.”
Dr. Lupin referenced SkinCeuticals’ well-known CE Ferulic serum as an example, pointing out its effectiveness extending to not being susceptible to being sweat off or coming off in the water. In fact, when used correctly, four drops of serum “provides several days of additional protection, filling in the gaps between sunscreen applications and making these a key step in your daily routine.”
Similarly, Dr. Samuel Hetz, MD, CCFP, GP Derm and medical director at Concept Medical, told WWD pure vitamin C is among the top three most important skin care products alongside mineral-based sunscreen and retinol.
“Vitamin C helps prevents free radical damage, which we know leads to the appearance of premature again, fine lines, wrinkles and discoloration,” said Dr. Hetz. “However, tailoring the right vitamin C for your skin concerns allows you additional benefits, such as advanced pigmentation improvement, hydration and acne/blemish reduction. It’s all about customization, which is why I use SkinCeuticals as Concept Medical’s preferred skin care line.”
Customization is something that SkinCeuticals is known for across all of its antioxidant products, believing that antioxidants are not a one-formulation-fits-all solution. Vitamin C in particular have been vital to the brand’s products, with proven results for getting into the skin.
Among its complete portfolio of products, SkinCeuticals has vitamin C serums for various skin types and skin concerns. For example, while acne is the top reason for consulting a dermatologist worldwide, with 25 percent of people saying they are affected, there are barely any formulas on the market that appeal to blemish-prone skin in the way that SkinCeuticals Silymarin CF does specifically.
“With advances in vitamin C serum technologies, there are now formulations for all skin types, as well as formulations that can be tailored to tackle other conditions,” said Dr. Lupin. “For very sensitive skin, SkinCeuticals’ serum 10 is a good option. Or for dry skin, look at the gold standard, CE Ferulic. And for melasma and other brown pigmentation concerns, there is Phloretin CF — it is top of the range for protection and helps to ameliorate hyperpigmentation.”
Still, not all vitamin C products are as effective. And as research shows a rapid increase in demand for vitamin C from consumers, more products have popped up on the market that, while offering appeal for being more affordable, do not hold the same level of integrity or research in their formulations.
“Not all vitamin C serums are created equally,” said Dr. Hertz. “Just because a product has vitamin C in it, doesn’t mean you’re getting the protective effects. Some formulations have too low of a vitamin C concentration or are not water-soluble, which means the vitamin C cannot be absorbed by your skin. Pure, water-based, vitamin C serums ensure you’re receiving the maximal antioxidant benefits to protect your skin from free radicals.”
Notably, SkinCeuticals’ proven, results-driven products are always formulated with medical-grade ingredients to ensure the best quality.
Dr. Lupin said he has also seen a “big difference in vitamin Cs as far as skin care brands and options on the market.” More specifically, “the majority of vitamin C products have not been properly tested, which means they may have too little effective [amounts of] vitamin C to actually work.”
“For your vitamin C to be maximally effective, it needs to be pure vitamin C (l-ascorbic acid), an acidic pH within the 2.0-3.5 pH range and a concentration between 10 and 20 percent,” said Dr. Hetz. “SkinCeuticals’ vitamin C serums meet these important criteria, however, many vitamin C serums and creams do not, and are therefore not nearly as effective as they could be. Investing in an advanced, medical-grade, vitamin C serum is one of the best things you can do for your skin.”
For consumers, Dr. Lupin shared there are key evaluations to look for when researching vitamin C products on the market. To start, ask if the product has been photo-tested. Photo-testing involves shining ultraviolet radiation on the skin of volunteers and proving that the vitamin C can help prevent a sunburn as well as reverse effects of too much ultraviolet light.
“If you are using a vitamin C that has not been photo-tested, you may likely not be getting the results that you deserve,” said Dr. Lupin. “SkinCeuticals has done skin biopsies to prove that on a cellular level, the products indeed deliver.”
SkinCeuticals’ topical vitamin C formulations are developed according to the strict parameters required for an antioxidant to penetrate skin and provide effective environmental protection. The Duke Antioxidant patent outlines the formulation parameters required for effective delivery of vitamin C to skin.
In its ongoing mission to provide consumers with research that cuts through the noise of the beauty market, SkinCeuticals sponsored vitamin C Day on April 4. The brand firmly believes that if given the research around healthy skin, they will be powered to make informed decisions and unlock a better skin routine.