Vitamin C! No longer just a 90s band responsible for the best graduation song of all time (although you can still catch us singing “as we gooooo ooooon, we remeeeember” in the mirror at every given opportunity) or an excuse for a gummy vitamin that’s actually pretty tasty, Vitamin C now is one of the most buzzed-about ingredients in the skincare world.
And for good reason! Vitamin C is one of the best antioxidants, and we’ve written AT LENGTH about all the benefits of Vitamin C, including why you should use vitamin C on your skin, which are the best Vitamin C serums, the best Vitamin C Serums for every customer. are and even the best Vitamin C products from The Ordinary.
But just in case you’re looking for a recap, here are some commonly asked questions about our personal skin saviour, and why you’ll love a Vitamin C Serum.
How long does Vitamin C Serum last?
This will depend on the product - but if you look on the back of your vitamin C serum product, you’ll normally see a little illustration of a tub, with a number inside it. That’s the number of months it will remain active for, after opening.
Vitamin C Serums are definitely more of a USE it or LOSE IT situation. Don’t save these vitamin C serums for a rainy day - use them EVERY day. Generally, we wouldn’t expect a vitamin C serum to remain potent much past the 12-month mark, and in an ideal world, we would hope to use our vitamin C serums up within 6 months. Even the best vitamin C serum won’t stay potent forever!
Can I use Vitamin C Serum in the morning? When should Vitamin C serum be used?
Vitamin C serums are perfect for use in the morning - they’ll give you a topical glow to the skin which you won’t want to share with just your pillow or your partner! They also have a really great antioxidant benefit to them, which means that applying your vitamin c serum in the morning will have a protective effect on the skin, shielding it from free radical damage caused by environmental aggressors like free radicals throughout the day. It’s not quite as protective as SPF, but alongside your daily sunscreen, Vitamin C is a great second line of defence.
You can use Vitamin C serums in the evening as well if you would like to boost your regime, especially if you’re targeting pigmentation or a dull complexion. You do you, boo!
Can you use Hyaluronic Acid with Vitamin C Serum?
Absolutely! As Hyaluronic Acid is a non-exfoliating acid (it’s in fact incredibly hydrating!) you can certainly use Hyaluronic Acid with your Vitamin C Serum. In fact, if you have a water-soluble Vitamin C powder, this is one of the best ways of using it! Which leads us to...
What is Vitamin C powder?
While not exactly a Vitamin C serum, Vitamin C powder is a super popular and often inexpensive way of getting your daily dose of vitamin C in skincare. Because Vitamin C is such an unstable ingredient, housing it in a water-free, oil-free and silicone-free powder is a great way to maintain its efficacy. Simply mix with any water or oil-based serum as and when you want to use it for maximum efficacy with only a little fuss!
