Everybody knows that Vitamin C is a holy grail for bright and glowing skin, boosting collagen, and protecting from pollution. 

But when it comes to choosing the right serum of Vitamin C, you might feel lost with so many forms of vitamin C and which ones work. Let’s clarify this. 

Types of Vitamin C for Skin

There are different types of Vitamin C. And they all report different levels of effectiveness.

Ascorbic (L-ascorbic) acid

Ascorbic or L-ascorbic acid is the natural type of Vitamin C that makes it the most potent one. It is the most researched type, and it is proven to work more effectively than any other type of Vitamin C.

When choosing a serum with L-ascorbic acid, you want a concentration of more than 10%, and low pH (under <3.5) for best results, according to research.

The drawback of L-ascorbic acid is that it will lose potency within 3-6 months after opening your bottle. So make sure you use it up within that time period.

Studies show that it is the only type of Vitamin C that can deeply penetrate your skin.

Other Types of Vitamin C

There are also other types of Vitamin C. Such as Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Ascorbate, Calcium Ascorbate, and Ascorbyl Palmitate.

These types are “stabilized”. In other words, they will not lose potency within 3-6 months after opening the bottle. However, they are proven to be much less effective to begin with than L-ascorbic acid. 

Takeaway

Using Vitamin C topically has become extremely popular and now it is a must-have beauty product in every skincare routine. It offers your skin many benefits from brightening to boosting collagen and protecting from the environment. Stick with L-ascorbic acid, 15% or higher.