From growth and repair of body tissues to maintaining healthy bones and teeth, from curing colds and healing wounds to reducing the risk of chronic diseases, Vitamin C benefits us in many ways. 

It’s one of those miracle vitamins that help heal, protect, and maintain various functions and systems within the human body. Vitamin C is also one of the beauty industry’s favorite ingredients. It can be found in most beauty products because of its immense skin and hair benefits. It’s safe, can be used on almost every skin type, and promotes healthy skin and hair. Here’s everything vitamin C does for your skin and hair.

Table of contents:

• What is vitamin C
• Why is vitamin C important in beauty products
• Vitamin C for skin
• Protects the skin from ultraviolet rays
• Prevents and improves wrinkles
• Reduces dark spots and brightens skin
• It helps reduce the appearance of acne
• Who should avoid using Vitamin C
• What type of vitamin C cream to choose
• Vitamin C for hair
• Enhances the health of the scalp
• Helps strengthen hair
• Can prevent hair loss
• Boosts shine
• How to use Vitamin C for hair

What is vitamin C

Ascorbic acid, or Vitamin C, as it is better known, is a potent antioxidant. Most animals and plants can synthesize vitamin C from glucose within their bodies. Humans cannot do that, so we must acquire it from natural sources (green leafy vegetables and some fruits like citrus fruits).

Why is vitamin C important in beauty products

A balanced and varied diet provides us with all the vitamin C we need every day to maintain a healthy body. But let’s be honest. How many of us follow a healthy and balanced diet? Modern lifestyles, busy schedules, and ignorance about vitamin C enriched foods are some of the main reasons we don’t get the required dose of vitamin C we need for healthy skin and hair. 

According to studies, orally administered Vitamin C is not adequate for the skin, and topical ascorbic acid is preferred in dermatology. That’s where the beauty industry scores. Numerous beauty products are bursting with the goodness of vitamin C, so your hair and skin are not deprived of this very vital and valuable ingredient.

Vitamin C for skin

Normal skin contains healthy amounts of vitamin C (ascorbic acid). However, as skin undergoes the process of aging, the amount of vitamin C present in the skin lessens. Dermatologists know the importance of vitamin C in a skincare routine. In addition to eating oranges, lemons, Brussel sprouts, peppers, strawberries, and broccoli (all vitamin C-rich foods), dermatologists confirm the importance of vitamin C as an ingredient in skin care products.

So, if you want to know how vitamin C can benefit your hair and skin, keep reading!

Protects the skin from ultraviolet rays

Sunscreens are known to protect the skin from ultraviolet rays. A sunscreen above SPF 50 alone is not enough to provide adequate protection. According to Kim Chang, Baylor College of Medicine’s medical aesthetician, using vitamin C can give more protection. Vitamin C delivers excellent photoprotection against UV light, and it works four times better when used along with Vitamin E. Together, these two vitamins limit chronic UV damage.

Even if your sunscreen does not contain vitamin C, you can use topical vitamin C, such as a vitamin C serum, over your skin before applying your favorite sunscreen.

WOW Skin Science Vitamin C Serum is packed with 20% vitamin C power. The serum is an oil-free formula that spreads quickly and evenly. It is packed with witch hazel extract and hyaluronic acid, making it an excellent anti-wrinkle treatment that soothes, tones, and hydrates the skin. It also reduces hyperpigmentation and sunspots. The hyaluronic acid in the serum helps brighten the skin and maintain its firmness.

Unlike most vitamin C serums, WOW Skin Science Vitamin C Serum is a 100% vegan formula with carefully chosen ingredients. The formula is free of harmful sulfates, parabens, silicones, and mineral oils.

WOW Skin Science Vitamin C serum delivers a good dose of Vitamin C in high concentration. It is a gentle yet powerful formula that acts on the skin and does its job.

Prevents and improves wrinkles

Fine lines and wrinkles are both natural signs of aging. They are also a result of oxidative stress – a disturbance caused by unstable electrons attacking healthy cells. Oxidative stress occurs when the skin is constantly exposed to environmental stressors, such as UV light, and pollutants. A vitamin C-rich antioxidant formula applied on the skin daily can combat this stress, protect the skin, and slow down the natural process of aging.

WOW Skin Science Vitamin C Clay Face Mask treats dull and lifeless skin with skin-brightening botanicals. Lemon and orange essential oils repair, renew, and brighten the skin, while vitamin C evens skin tone. Bentonite clay helps remove impurities, and Kakadu plum brightens and protects the skin. Extra virgin olive oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, jojoba oil, and glycerine promote youthful skin with their anti-aging properties.

A study has shown that a vitamin C formula applied every day for three months can reduce fine lines and wrinkles and even improve the skin’s overall texture.

WOW Skin Science Vitamin C Skin Mist Toner is infused with skin-rejuvenating vitamin C. Lemon and orange essential oils energize and brighten dull, lifeless skin and encourage collagen production. Witch hazel and aloe vera extracts help reduce irritation and promote a healthy and youthful glow.

Reduces dark spots and brightens skin

Vitamin C is known to interrupt the critical steps of melanogenesis and decrease melanin formation. So, it helps reduce pigmentation and dark spots. But Vitamin C is an unstable compound that must be combined with other depigmenting ingredients like licorice and soy to deliver better depigmentation effects.

As well as helping reverse dark spots and sun spots, vitamin C is also a potent skin brightener.

WOW Skin Science Vitamin C Foaming Face Wash with Brush is bursting with antioxidants that help brighten the complexion. The gentle brush provides a mild exfoliating action that helps slough away dead skin cells to reveal healthy skin. Bursting with essential vitamins and nutrients, it’s the ideal solution to clear away pollution, dirt, and makeup residue, leaving your skin soft, hydrated, and glowing. Licorice and mulberry extracts help even out skin tone. Lemon and orange essential oils provide deep pore treatment by reducing sebum production and detoxifying the skin. Turmeric and sandalwood oil help heal the skin.

It helps reduce the appearance of acne

Vitamin C has proven anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce the swelling and redness associated with acne. As a result, acne wounds appear less pronounced.

Vitamin C promotes the synthesis of collagen – the protein needed to build the skin’s structure. The increase in collagen production helps acne wounds heal faster.

Who should avoid using Vitamin C

However, there are some people who should avoid products that contain vitamin C. Keep reading to find out if you are among them:

• Those with highly sensitive skin must avoid Vitamin C products.
• If you have mildly sensitive skin, a patch test before the complete application is recommended.
• L-ascorbic acid can cause redness and make skin dry. People with sensitive and dry skin must avoid it and choose products with magnesium ascorbyl phosphate instead.

What type of vitamin C cream to choose

There are different types of vitamin C creams on the market. It’s important to choose the one suits you the best.

• Choose products that contain no (or very few) additives.
• Products must have a pH balance of 3.5 or less.
• Vitamin C products must have sufficient ascorbic acid concentration levels between 10% and 20% to reap its benefits.
• Use products that contain the purest form of vitamin C.
• Vitamin C is highly unstable, so products must not contain ingredients that destabilize them.
• Pay attention to packaging. Vitamin C goes rancid when exposed to light. Products must be in non-transparent and dark bottles.

If you are unsure of your skin type, gently ease your way into using products containing vitamin C. Start with using the formula once a day every two days for a few weeks. Then use the cream once a day every alternate day for a few weeks. Finally, use it every day. 

Keep an eye out for rashes or irritations, in which case, stop using the formula completely.

Vitamin C for hair

We discussed the benefits of vitamin C for skin care. But it’s also very important ingredient when it comes to hair care products. So, keep reading to find out how your hair can benefit from using the products that contain vitamin C. 

Enhances the health of the scalp

Free radicals damage cells, proteins, and lipids. They also affect the skin and scalp. Vitamin C is a powerful natural antioxidant known to neutralize free radical damage. Its antioxidant properties help skin regeneration of the scalp.

Sufficient doses of vitamin C boost collagen production, which fights scalp dryness and roughness. Increased collagen production can also help strengthen the scalp and hair. 

Vitamin C is known to break unhealthy skin cycles and combat oxidative stress that leads to dandruff. Fungal growth is linked with dandruff. Antimicrobial ingredients like selenium sulfide are believed to help control dandruff. Vitamin C is considered to have antimicrobial properties that fight infections caused by viruses, bacteria, and fungi.

Helps strengthen hair

Vitamin C helps boost blood circulation in the scalp and transfers nutrients to it, helping repair hair fibers and preserving the strength and shine of hair.

Can prevent hair loss

Hair loss in both genders can occur for several reasons, including hormonal disorders, hereditary, pregnancy, and even childbirth. Ascorbic acid can stimulate collagen production and neutralize free radical damage to counter hair loss and thicken hair.

Vitamin C’s collagen-boosting powers are a fantastic benefit for those with color-treated hair.

Some types of hair loss, like androgenetic alopecia (AGA), and telogen effluvium (TE), are associated with low iron levels. They can be treated with vitamin C supplements. That is because vitamin C is known to assist in iron mobilization and intestinal absorptiontion.

Another type of hair loss is caused by the hormone DHT, which is known to cause hair follicles to shrink. Studies have shown that Vitamin C reduces DHT formation, reducing and even preventing hair loss.

Boosts shine

A healthy scalp encourages the growth and maintenance of healthy hair. Vitamin C is known to influence the appearance of hair. It acts as a mild clarifying ingredient in shampoos and helps remove product build-up on the scalp and hair. A clean scalp and hair readily absorb moisture, making the hair soft, bouncy, and shiny.

How to use Vitamin C for hair

There are also some rules that you need to follow when it comes to using products that contain the goodness of vitamin C. We enlisted them so you can be sure that you’re using the products in the right way. 

• Consume vitamin C supplements.
• Consume the foods that are rich in vitamin C.
• Topical applications are best for hair follicles and the scalp.
• Use vitamin C formulas that are created specifically for hair care.
• Use sufficient amounts of vitamin C formulas to see noticeable benefits.
• Avoid over-using vitamin C hair care products as they could irritate the scalp.
• Do not use vitamin C skincare products for the hair or scalp.

There is no doubt that vitamin C plays a significant role in repairing, healing, and maintaining a healthy body. The studies that were conducted have proven that vitamin C provides excellent benefits for the skin and hair. 

Vitamin C does it all - it builds up collagen, protects the skin from harmful UV light, and brightens the skin to give it a healthy and youthful look. It also promotes a healthy scalp and bouncy and shiny hair. The trick is to find suitable products that use vitamin C in its purest form and in sufficient quantities and use them correctly.