Out of all the skincare products and ingredients, sunscreen and vitamin C are non-negotiable. Even though each has a different function in maintaining and shielding the health of our skin, combining sunscreen and vitamin C can enhance your skin-protecting efforts. By combining vitamin C and sunscreen, you can stimulate collagen production, brighten the skin, and prevent photoaging from UV radiation, resulting in improved skin health.
Continue reading to know more about vitamin C and sunscreen.
What is Vitamin C?
While the body does not synthesize vitamin C, it is an essential nutrient required for regular and normal tissue growth. When applied topically to the skin, vitamin C also provides antioxidant and protective qualities. Topical skincare products frequently contain synthetic forms of vitamin C, which enable the skin to benefit from the vitamin's properties. However, vitamin C doesn’t work the same for everyone. The results of vitamin C depend on the type of vitamin C applied, its concentration, and pH conditions, since not all vitamin C-rich products are created equal. Although L-ascorbic acid, the purest form of vitamin C, is always the best, all skin types may not tolerate it.
Benefits of Using Vitamin C and Sunscreen Together
Here’s why you should use sunscreen and vitamin C together.
Neutralizing free radicals: This combination can strengthen the skin and enhance its general health while shielding it from future sun and free radical damage.
Optimized sun protection: To neutralize more free radicals and stop fewer UV rays from entering the skin. Although sunscreen alone is believed to inhibit only roughly 55% of UV-induced free radicals, combining SPF with vitamin C can boost the sunscreen's efficiency by increasing its capacity to absorb more UV rays.
Reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation and dark spots: By protecting the skin from the sun and blocking the enzyme that makes too much melanin, this two-pronged strategy gradually reduces discoloration and brightens the complexion.
Can You Use Vitamin C Without Sunscreen?
Vitamin C is known for strengthening the skin, lightening the complexion, and promoting the creation of collagen. But at the same time, it may make your skin more sensitive to the sun, which makes you more vulnerable to photoaging and UV damage. Therefore, always wear sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 to protect the skin and lower the risk of sun sensitivity brought on by vitamin C. For optimal protection, we advise using sunscreen after taking vitamin C.
How to Use Sunscreen with Vitamin C?
Applying sunscreen and vitamin C isn’t complicated at all. Although some products are made using both substances in one composition, it is also possible to use each ingredient separately. It's preferable to apply vitamin C before sunscreen when using SPF and vitamin C together. This will allow the vitamin to penetrate the skin more efficiently and enable the sunscreen to function as a protective layer on top. This enhances the sunscreen's efficacy while also assisting in the neutralization of any free radicals generated by the sun.
Which Ingredients Don’t Go Well with Vitamin C?
There are many skincare compounds that vitamin C works well with, but there are also a few that you should avoid using with vitamin C. AHAs and BHAs are among the stronger active ingredients that shouldn't be used with vitamin C since they might cause irritation, leaving the skin red and swollen, and weakening the skin's protective layer. Additionally, it's advisable to avoid wearing vitamin C over or beneath benzoyl peroxide because doing so can negate its effects.
Dos and Don’ts of Applying Vitamin C with Sunscreen
Do: cleanse your skin by applying vitamin C serum to a dry, clean face. This guarantees that the serum works directly with your skin cells and improves absorption.
Do: Applying vitamin C serum in the morning is usually the best option. As an antioxidant, vitamin C shields your skin from UV ray-induced free radical damage all day long.
Don’t: Applying more serum won't produce quicker results; on the contrary, too much vitamin C might irritate your skin and cause dryness, redness, and stinging. Therefore, don’t exceed a pea-sized quantity.
Don’t: It is not recommended to use vitamin C in the same routine as products that contain benzoyl peroxide, retinol, AHAs, or BHAs. These substances may conflict with vitamin C due to their varying pH values, decreasing its potency and perhaps causing discomfort.
Do: Focus on the right areas of the face. Gently massage the serum into your face and neck. Steer clear of the sensitive eye area, as it may irritate it.
Do: Layer vitamin C and sunscreen wisely. Apply vitamin C serum prior to moisturizer and sunscreen, but after cleansing. A somewhat acidic environment is ideal for vitamin C's activity, and moisturizer helps retain it. Since vitamin C might make you more sensitive to the sun, sunscreen becomes even more important.