Vitamin C Skin Care - The Challenge
Vitamin C is often referred to as a wrinkle-fighting or anti-aging agent. The main purpose of vitamin C skin care, in scientific terms, is to increase collagen (a structural protein found in the skin) synthesis. The added benefit of vitamin C skin care is its ability to fight free radicals that damage the skin.
However, vitamin C skin care faces a major challenge today. This is the tendency for vitamin C skin care products to oxidize. When in contact with an oxidizing agent, vitamin C can cause an allergic reaction. In contact with an oxidizing agent (e.g. air), the vitamin C contained in vitamin C skin care products oxidizes, rendering the product useless (in fact counter-performing). The oxidized vitamin C gives the product a yellowish-brown color. This is something you should check before purchasing a vitamin C skin care product. Even after you purchase a vitamin C skin care product, you should store it properly and check that it is still good to use (i.e., it has not reached a yellow-brown texture).
Manufacturers of vitamin C skincare products have tried to solve this oxidation problem in multiple ways (and research on vitamin C skincare products is high on their list). One of these ways to keep vitamin C skincare products effective over the long term is to keep the concentration of vitamin C high (say 10%). However, this makes vitamin C skin care products even more expensive. Vitamin C skincare products are already quite inexpensive and making them even more expensive would put manufacturers out of business. The alternative is to use vitamin C derivatives (such as ascorbyl palmitate and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate). These are not only more stable but also less expensive. Although derivative-based products are not as effective as vitamin C-based skin care products, their stability against oxidation is a very desirable feature that makes them very attractive. In addition, they are known to be less irritating.
When it comes to the effectiveness of vitamin C skin care products, it is important to mention that not everyone responds to vitamin C treatments. It is not a magic potion. If you don't see a noticeable difference in your skin, it may be because your skin is not responding to the vitamin C treatment (and the vitamin C skincare products may not be to blame).
As the research progresses, we can only cross our fingers and wait for a comprehensive solution to the challenges facing vitamin C skin care today.
