Truth be told, vitamin C is an ideal ingredient to use in the summertime, because that's when our skin is exposed to the most UV light—and therefore the most free radicals.
Free radicals are toxic, unstable molecules that contribute to aging by depleting the natural antioxidants in our skin and causing cellular and DNA damage.
What vitamin C does, as an antioxidant, is:
- Neutralize the oxidative stress caused by these free radicals
- Protect against UV-induced skin damage
- Aid in skin repair
Vitamin C products work as antioxidants that can help fight skin damage caused by the sun and other environmental pollutants, Chang said. Vitamin C can also help lighten dark spots and build collagen to reduce the look of fine lines.
“Retinol and retinoids are vitamin A analogues that can lighten brown spots and improve fine lines over time,” Chang said, noting that they can make skin more photosensitive.
“Vitamin C and retinol work optimally in different pH environments, and thus, should typically not be combined,” Chang said, nothing that “vitamin C products are formulated to be at a low pH of less than 3.5, while retinol works best at a pH of 5.5-6.”
In general, she said to avoid combining the two ingredients. She recommends using a vitamin C serum in the morning and retinol cream at night “to ensure full efficacy of both ingredients.”
DO COMBINE: Vitamin C + Sunscreen
“Vitamin C and sunscreens work well together.” Dr. Melda Isaac at MI Skin Dermatology Center in Washington, D.C., told HuffPost, adding, “I recommend applying vitamin C in the morning prior to sunscreens.”
“What I tell everyone is the most important thing you should do is a vitamin C serum in the morning, then sunscreen, and then a retinol cream at night,”
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