To C or not to C

In my first post (the one one skincare routines - right here in case you missed it), I mentioned that I use a vitamin C serum in the mornings. For those of you wondering whether this is the same vitamin C you can find in your freshly squeezed orange juice: yes it is - or at least sort of.

So why is vitamin C in your skincare lineup so essential, or at least beneficial? Well, incorporating vitamin C on a daily basis has both short- and long-term advantages: fewer fine lines, more even skin tone and a boosted sun protection (hence AM as ideal time of use).

Vitamin C blocks pigment producing enzymes present in your skin cells and is a powerful antioxidant. Result: any spots you may have (from lying around in the sun with(out) SPF, or old acne scars that just won't go away) will fade away more quickly and new dark spots will have a harder time settling in!

As if that wasn't enough, vitamin C boosts collagen production (just like some foods with vitamin C do - grab your oranges and load up on brussels sprouts!), so in the long term, fine lines will be reduced and your skin will be fermer.

Finally, the cherry on top: it strengthens your SPF! We all know how crucial SPF is to preventing premature aging of the skin; if you ask me, there is no point in using any serum, mask or cream if you're not at the same time diligent about protecting your skin from the negative effects of UV rays. SPF is of course the way to go there, but vitamin C, as an antioxidant, helps neutralize the free radicals your skin is subjected to under UV exposure.

Are there things you should be paying attention to? As always, yes:

• Try and privilege ascorbic acid, as this is a form of vitamin C that penetrates the skin well.
• Be careful with the packaging! It should be opaque (no clear bottles) and airtight (a pump for example does the trick): vitamin C will oxidize quickly if it is exposed to light and air and then become inactive. Jars or tubes are therefore not ideal if you want to ensure a potent vitamin C product.
• If you use a chemical exfoliant (AHAs/BHAs) in the morning, you need to be careful, as they tend to neutralize vitamin C. Wait 10-15mins (just enough time for that orange juice!) before or after the exfoliant.

By now, you probably understand why, as far as I'm concerned, a daily dose of vitamin C (in your skincare!) is a must (right next to retinol and hyaluronic acid my friends - not playing favorites here). Over the last few months, I've been an avid user of the Clinique Fresh Daily Booster with Pure Vitamin C. I love the packaging, the formula and the way you use it. It's quite an innovative product: the vitamin C is in powder form and is only activated when you want it to be (you literally have to "push a button" at the back end of the pump system)! That means that between purchasing the product and using it for the first time, the vitamin C hasn't lost any of its potency. In addition, this booster comes in small doses, meaning that you'll be using the same product for two to three weeks only. Finally, I really like the fact that this is a "booster", i.e. you add a few drops of this to your regular moisturizer. I've tried doing that with a number of different moisturizers and the Clinique booster has blended well with all of them. So you don't even have to add yet another step to your routine!

Another tested favorite is the Ole Henriksen Truth Serum. This one has been around for much longer than the Clinique version and the packaging is admittedly less impressive (the bottle is sort of clear so I keep this one tucked away in my bathroom cupboard to protect it from the light). However, the formula still is quite satisfying, as its more of multi-tasker and can perfectly well function on its own, as your pre-moisturizer serum. Next to two forms of vitamin C, it also contains vitamin E, which is known to increase vitamin C's potency, and soothing aloe vera.

Hope this gets you all on the vitamin C band-wagon, that is you weren't already on it!

You can always trust me to give you an honest opinion and to tell you when a post was sponsored. This one wasn't and all of the products mentioned were purchased by me (for the love of skincare...).