The truth about Vitamin C

A hero ingredient touted by cosmetic companies as a skin saviour, vitamin C indeed has many super powers. It helps to protect skin from UV damage, promote collagen synthesis and the formation of stable collagen molecules in the skin, fade scarring, brighten the complexion, while also reducing hyperpigmentation, wrinkles, redness and breakouts. It improves skin hydration, protects from damaging free radicals (generated due to exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun) and increases skin elasticity. Studies have shown that topical vitamin C preparations not only improve skin appearance by reducing fine lines and wrinkles but it is also good for wound healing. Plus, it protects from or lessens the severity of sunburn.

So if a product says it contains vitamin C, that’s great right? Not necessarily. How it gets into the skin, and how it is made is quite a complex story.

Getting it into the skin

We know skin contains vitamin C in quite high levels, suggesting it is required there and that there are various functions in the skin for which it is key. There are quite a number of other biological roles we are