What does Vitamin C, specifically L-Ascorbic Acid, do for you skin?


Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant with numerous benefits when applied to the skin. You must be an educated consumer and know that only ONE type of Vitamin C is easily penetrated, absorbed and used by the skin...L-Ascorbic Acid. L-Ascorbic Acid has the most published medical and clinical studies of any skincare ingredient in the world! This is why the only form of Vitamin C that you will find in Realm Skincare is L-Ascorbic Acid. 


However, that’s not all you need to know... The reason a lot of skincare companies don’t use L-Ascorbic Acid is because it is very unstable. Exposure to air and light will cause it to oxidize and become useless. How does Realm Skincare’s Poten-C Elixir remain potent? Well, that’s a trade secret, but let’s just say Vitamin E and Ferulic Acid also do their fair share to help stabilize the L-Ascorbic Acid. 


The other reason most skincare companies don’t use LAA as their Vitamin C is because in order for the formulation to be potent and penetrate the skin, it must be manufactured at a very low pH - somewhere between 5 and 5.5. Poten-C is specifically formulated at a pH of 3 for ultimate penetration and effectiveness. This is why Poten-C is labeled as Medical-Grade. A first time Vitamin C user might experience slight irritation and redness with their initial use of Poten-C, but this sensation will subside with continued use. 


Another important element in picking the right Vitamin C is the form it comes in. Serums are the best delivery vehicle for Vitamin C because they have the highest success rates at penetrating the skin. Avoid using creams that contain Vitamin C because, in most cases, the cream’s molecule size is too large to penetrate the skin, and the Vitamin C will just sit on the skin’s surface.


What are the types of Vitamin C ingredients to avoid? We don’t want to upset too many people out there , but let's just say that if your Vitamin C cream or serum has one of the following ingredients, you’re selling your skin short of it’s natural ability to be great…

  • ascorbyl palmitate;
  • magnesium ascorbyl palmitate
  • magnesium ascorbyl phosphate
  • calcium ascorbate
  • sodium ascorbate
  • sodium ascorbyl phosphate.

If properly formulated, these ingredients will give you some kind of result, but nowhere near the efficacy of L-Ascorbic Acid. Don’t forget - even if your Vitamin C is derived from L-Ascorbic Acid, make sure it is formulated in a way to preserve its potency.

So now that we know what type of Vitamin C to use and what form to apply it in, let's talk about why Vitamin C is so important for our skin. First of all, did you know that humans and guinea pigs are the only species that do not produce our own Vitamin C? That means we have to get it from our foods or in topical applications. 


The reason Vitamin C is so important for your skin is that it stimulates the skin’s ability to thicken your collagen layer, a protein that aids in the growth of cells and blood vessels and also makes your skin firmer and stronger. By creating more collagen and thickening your collagen layer, you can see diminished fine lines and wrinkles in as little as 30 days of using L-Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C). This ingredient also helps reduce signs of aging by repairing the damage caused by free radicals and the sun. 


A study recently published by the University of Leicester showed that Vitamin C not only neutralizes free radicals, but also reverses DNA damage. It can also help protect against future damage by improving your skin’s natural barrier. Research performed at the University of Maryland suggests that Vitamin C may reduce occurrences of sunburn caused by exposure to ultraviolet B radiation, hence reducing the risk of skin cancer. 


Vitamin C is a MUST in your daily skin care routine; deliver brighter, firmer skin and fewer fine lines and wrinkles while fighting dark spots for a more even skin tone. Let’s not forget, this also provides an extra layer of protection to your skin, boosting the efficacy of your sunscreen.


Another benefit to using Vitamin C in your skincare routine is its ability to inhibit melanin production, the main cause of sunspots or blotchy hyper-pigmentation. Studies show that regular use of Vitamin C can prevent the formation of pigmentation on the skin. Our skin contains cells called Melanocytes. As our skin is exposed to sunlight, the Melanocytes become active and begin to multiply. This activity helps protect our skin from the sun, but the distribution of Melanin is not perfectly even, so it creates uneven skin tone, hyper-pigmentation and other undesirable skin conditions. Sun exposure is not the only trigger of melanin. Heat can also turn on our Melanocytes, which produce excess melanin. Even if you are wearing sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses and more, just being in the heat alone can trigger your melanin production. 


Now you know why Vitamin C’s ability to suppress melanin production is so vital to your skincare - even if you don’t plan on being directly in the sun. Realm Skincare’s POTEN-C Elixir delivers potent amounts of L-Ascorbic Acid combined with other antioxidants, Vitamin E and Ferulic Acid to make this a staple in any person’s skincare routine.