Here’s why you need to use vitamin c powder for your skin instead of serum

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that can make your skin glow, reduce hyperpigmentation and delay wrinkles. But, does vitamin C for skin work better as a serum or powder?
Vitamin C for skin
You need some chemistry to understand this one! Image courtesy: Shutterstock
Grace Bains Published: 10 Feb 2021, 15:05 pm IST
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We’re at a point in the history of skincare, where we’re experimenting with different ingredients and formulations. In the past few years, serums have gained so much popularity because of their effectiveness in combating multiple skin issues, ranging from acne to fine lines. Out of all the options available, using vitamin C for skin seem to be the darling of all skincare enthusiasts.

Applied right before moisturising, a serum usually contains a specific ingredient to help you deal with a specific problem but a vitamin C serum is a one-stop-shop solution for multiple dermal issues and has various benefits such as:

  • Giving your skin a natural glow
  • Plumping up the skin, making it look more youthful
  • Reducing the appearance of dark spots due to hyperpigmentation
  • Making the skin tone even
  • Playing a vital role in collagen synthesis, which is needed to fend off signs of ageing
  • Protecting you against skin damage due to the presence of antioxidants
It sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? Well, there is a catch here

We’d have to take you back to chemistry classes to explain the problem with vitamin C serums. See, vitamin C is absolutely magical for the skin, but the main issue is that it is an extremely unstable molecule. This means that upon exposure to heat, light or air, vitamin C starts breaking down and oxidises. Once oxidised, it ceases to be effective.

Now, when we buy a vitamin C serum, we don’t know the conditions under which it was stored. In addition, it can be fairly difficult to protect it from abundantly present external agents even at home. If you think about it, light and air are present practically everywhere!

So, what’s the solution when it comes to using vitamin C for skin?

Switch your vitamin C serum with powder!

Vitamin C powder is more stable as compared to serum. L-ascorbic acid, the most natural form of vitamin C, is more stable in its powder form. It isn’t that a serum is ineffective but the powder form of vitamin C has:

  • a longer shelf life
  • better stability

This means you can make one pack last for a longer period of time, and won’t have to worry about it losing effectiveness.

Vitamin C for skin
Including vitamin C in your daily skin-care routine can go a long way! Image courtesy: Shutterstock
Here’s how to use vitamin C powder

The best part about vitamin C powder is that you can add it to your skincare routine in versatile ways to suit your skin needs. You can:

  • Add it to your weekly face mask
  • Mix it with your moisturiser
  • Put it in a serum you’re already using
  • Combine it with your lip balm
There are multiple ways of attaining all the goodness vitamin C has to offer, but here’s what you must keep in mind:
  1. Only use distilled water when you’re dissolving the powder.
  2. You only need a little vitamin C powder to nourish your skin. When it comes to the number, you should not go beyond 5 to 20 per cent concentration. An effective way to use it is to mix ¼ teaspoon of the powder with one teaspoon of distilled water. You can add four to five drops of vitamin E which is believed to make it more stable.
  3. Make sure vitamin C is completely dissolved in the product you’re using.
  4. The pH level should be around 3.5 and you should ideally test it using pH strips. Any change in this number will cause irritation to the skin.
  5. Don’t go beyond a week of using a mix, which has vitamin C added to it. We’ve already talked about how it’s an unstable molecule and loses its viability quickly. For example, you can mix vitamin C with your lotion right before you apply it instead of adding it to the whole bottle.

So, ladies, pick out vitamin C powder instead of serum, the next time you’re out shopping!

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About the Author

Grace is someone who likes writing enough to make a living out of it. When she isn’t writing, you will find her having chai and reading a book. ...Read More

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