Vitamin C is often regarded as an immunity booster due to its ability to increase white blood cells and fight free radicals.¹ Beyond being a mainstay in your medicine cabinet, numerous studies indicate it should also be a mainstay in your skincare routine. 

Read on to find out why vitamin C lotion is important for healthy skin, how to incorporate it into your routine, and precautions to consider. 

The Power of Vitamin C in Skincare

Vitamin C is a heavy lifter when it comes to maintaining healthy skin. As a multi-tasking ingredient with powerful antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties, vitamin C can target various skin concerns at once.² 

According to experts at Harvard, vitamin C can help slow early skin aging, prevent sun damage, and improve the appearance of wrinkles, dark spots, and acne. It can also fight hyperpigmentation by blocking the production of pigment in our skin.³ 

Though vitamin C is a science-backed, dermatologist-recommended skincare ingredient, some potent serums may cause irritation on sensitive skin. Foundation Skincare Vitamin C Lotion 20% differs from a serum by providing a moisturizing cream base in addition to 20% vitamin C. This boosts hydration and minimizes the risk of irritation and dryness. The formulation also contains vitamin E, which is known for its moisturizing, nourishing, and soothing properties.⁴ 

5 Reasons to Include Vitamin C in Your Skincare Regime

From brightening dull complexion to strengthening your skin barrier, there are many reasons why you should include vitamin C in your skincare regime. Here’s what the research says about the various benefits of vitamin C:

1. Brightens Dull Complexion

Vitamin C’s brightening effects are partly due to its ability to decrease melanin production in the skin. This is especially true when vitamin C is combined with vitamin E as both vitamins work synergistically to scavenge free radicals. This is one of the key reasons FS Vitamin C Lotion 20% includes vitamin E and C. Even more, vitamin C helps to reduce redness due to its anti-inflammatory properties, which helps to further even out skin tone. In one 2020 study of 50 female volunteers, skin became significantly lighter in color and higher in elasticity on the treated side, compared to the untreated side, after 8 weeks of using a product containing vitamins C and  E.⁵ 

Another reason why vitamin C brightens dull skin is by preventing water loss. Some studies have shown that topical vitamin C may help to reduce “roughness” of skin.⁶   

2. Fades Hyperpigmentation

As stated above, vitamin C helps to reduce hyperpigmentation by impeding melanin production. This is true whether you are struggling with sunspots, age spots, or melasma. It can also help fade acne scars. Vitamin C achieves this by inhibiting the activity of the enzyme tyrosinase, which helps to reduce pigment synthesis.⁷ 

3. Promotes Supple Skin

Another strength of vitamin C is its ability to boost collagen production. This promotes skin elasticity and firmness while reducing the appearance of sagging. According to one 12-week study, applying vitamin C resulted in clinically visible and statistically significant improvement in wrinkling due to new collagen.⁸ Not only does vitamin C boost collagen production, but it also maintains the collagen you have.

4. Protects Against UV and Pollution

In addition to increasing your skin cancer risk, UV radiation is notorious for wreaking havoc on our skin, leading to premature aging, dryness, and hyperpigmentation. Studies indicate that combining vitamin C with other topical ingredients, such as vitamin E, can decrease redness and help protect the skin from the long-term damage associated with harmful UV rays.⁹ This doesn’t mean you should forgo sunscreen, though. In fact, using sunscreen with Vitamin C protects the skin from further photo damage while quenching free radicals that exacerbate environmental stress.¹⁰

5. Strengthens Your Skin Barrier

Research shows that vitamin C strengthens your skin barrier by promoting the synthesis and organization of barrier lipids.¹¹ This helps to further protect the skin from UV and environmental damage. Vitamin C is also deeply penetrating, which also contributes to its ability to retain water in the skin.

Ingredients Found in Vitamin C Lotion

FS Vitamin C Lotion contains 20% vitamin C along with vitamin E and orange oil. As we stated above, vitamin E works synergistically with vitamin C as a fellow antioxidant to fight free radicals, decrease inflammation, and protect skin from environmental damage. 

Orange oil is included to further reduce inflammation¹² and fight bacteria that may lead to acne breakouts due to its antimicrobial qualities.¹³ Orange oil is typically made with the peel of the citrus fruit, which is actually said to contain the highest amounts of vitamin C.

How to Incorporate Vitamin C Lotion Into Your Daytime Routine

The recommended routine for using FS Vitamin C Lotion is:

• Cleanse skin and pat dry.
• Using a single pump of Vitamin C Lotion, apply a thin layer all over your face, keeping away from your eyes, lips, and mouth.
• Avoid layering harsh products like benzoyl peroxide as it can change the Vitamin C’s pH.
• Use once in your morning routine, and again in the evening before applying a retinol – we recommend our Night Renewal Cream with 2% Granactive™ Retinol.
• If your skin is sensitive, you can apply Vitamin C Lotion 20% only in the morning, or even every other day to build up to the total benefits that it can offer.
• Keep your Vitamin C Lotion 20% at room temperature and out of the sunlight.

Addition Tips & Precautions

FS Vitamin C Lotion pairs well with other skin products in the Foundation Skincare collection. If you could use more hydration, layer this product with our Hyaluronic Acid Lotion, which works as a magnet for skin hydration. But be sure to apply the vitamin C first.

If your main concern is pigmentation, add FS Azelaic Acid to your routine, which is medical grade at 14%, and highly effective at fading hyperpigmentation and improving skin brightness and texture. You may also want to use our Pigmentation Defense supplement, which helps improve visible signs of skin discoloration and pigmentary disorders with a custom blend of antioxidants, vitamins, and herbs.

The last step in your skincare routine should always be sunscreen. While 30+ SPF works well, we recommend going even higher at 50 SPF for the ultimate sun protection. 

Explore more products in the Foundation Skincare collection and find more resources on how to care for your skin in the FS Journal. 

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References:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5707683/

2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9598715/ 

3. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/why-is-topical-vitamin-c-important-for-skin-health-202111102635 

4. https://www.medicinenet.com/what_does_vitamin_e_do_for_your_skin/article.htm 

5. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jocd.13305 

6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5579659/ 

7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7802860/ 

8. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1524-4725.2002.01129.x

9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28219661/  

10. https://www.bcm.edu/news/benefits-vitamin-c-skin-care 

11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5579659/ 

12. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28906110/ 

13. https://draxe.com/essential-oils/orange-oil/