What Should Not Be Taken With Vitamin C?
You’ve probably heard of vitamin C and know exactly why it should be part of your skincare routine. However, there’s a lot of confusion about what shouldn’t be combined with vitamin C.
Stay tuned to learn more, and follow us on Instagram if you have any questions. What Should Not Be Taken With Vitamin C?
Vitamin C is notoriously unstable and has an acidic pH, making it difficult to combine with other powerful skincare ingredients.
Here are three of the most important ingredients to avoid when using vitamin C:
Vitamin C and retinol. Retinol is one of the most potent ingredients in skincare, with powerful anti-aging properties and a variety of benefits:
It boosts collagen production while speeding up skin cell turnover.
Many people with different skin types find this dosage too high, so you should go slow when using retinol in your daily routine to avoid causing severe irritation.
If you combine any form of retinol with vitamin C, it could be too irritating for your skin, regardless of your tolerance for retinol.
To avoid this, you should include vitamin C in your evening routine. This protects the skin from UV rays and other damage caused by free radicals.
Retinol works best at night because its effectiveness decreases when exposed to the sun.
Vitamin C and Niacinamide?
Niacinamide, also known as vitamin B3, is found in many different skin care products. Due to its moisturizing properties, it moisturizes the complexion and regulates the skin’s sebum production.
This unique benefit ensures that Niacinamide keeps the skin plump and reduces all signs of blemishes and acne.
The problem with Niacinamide and Vitamin C is that they both have similar benefits for the skin. When used together, they cancel each other out and render both ineffective.
If you plan to use both products daily, wait at least 10 minutes between applications, or use every other day for best results. Vitamin C and AHA/BHA
Avoid taking Vitamin C and AHA/BHA (such as glycolic acid and salicylic acid) at the same time.
Since these acids cause chemical exfoliation, combining them with Vitamin C can over-irritate the skin, causing severe irritation, reactions, and extreme dryness.
Also, keep in mind that all of these ingredients have a low pH level and can cause a serious imbalance that can completely ineffective your skincare routine. What can you combine vitamin C with?
Thanks to the powerful antioxidant effects of vitamin C, your skin will be rejuvenated, repaired, and your complexion will be brighter.
At the same time, the signs of free radical damage will be visibly reduced.
While vitamin C alone can produce impressive results, there are ingredients that work effectively with this powerful substance.
The best combination of ingredients with vitamin C, vitamin E, ferulic acid, vitamin B, and hyaluronic acid.
To keep your skin healthy and happy, I recommend consulting a doctor or dermatologist to find the best combination without worrying about side effects.
Can vitamin C and niacinamide be mixed?
No, it is not recommended to mix vitamin C and niacinamide, as the two ingredients will cancel each other out and therefore be completely useless.
As mentioned above, you can use niacinamide and vitamin C in your daily skincare routine. Leave at least 10 to 15 minutes between each application.
Another way to use these two ingredients is to alternate the times or even days of use.
If you want to learn more about using Niacinamide and Vitamin C, check out our dedicated blog post on Beauty Insider. Can Vitamin C be used with Hyaluronic Acid?
Yes, you can! Your skin will thank you. Vitamin C can cause mild irritation and redness, especially for those with dry and sensitive skin.
With hydrating ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid, you can combat dryness and irritation by increasing moisture.
The result is a plump, radiant complexion that is pampered and protected from free radical damage, and looks refreshed.
Does Vitamin C undermine Retinol?
The short answer is yes. The more precise answer depends largely on the pH of the different formulations of products containing Vitamin C and Retinol.
You need to consider the effectiveness of both ingredients. A high-strength version may cause gastrointestinal upset.
Due to the low pH of both ingredients, mixing or applying multiple layers may cause an adverse reaction, resulting in dry skin, irritation, redness, and itching.
To avoid these issues and adverse side effects, I recommend applying a vitamin C serum at the end of your morning skincare routine, followed by a day product with an SPF of 30 or higher.
At night, you can use a retinol-rich product.
Which comes first, vitamin C or hyaluronic acid?
If you use vitamin C and hyaluronic acid in different products, I recommend starting with the vitamin C. Serums with vitamin C have thinner, lighter formulas than hyaluronic acid.
The rule of thumb for skin care is: start with the thinnest and end with the thickest.
Adding a hyaluronic acid-rich serum to a vitamin C product will strengthen the skin barrier and retain moisture on the surface of the skin. This keeps the skin plump, hydrated, and healthy.
Does vitamin C clog pores?
Yes, it can, but only if you use an unstable form of vitamin C, as ascorbic acid (another name for vitamin C) oxidizes when exposed to light and air.
This can lead to the formation of blackheads, which are more serious for skin conditions. To avoid this, make sure you use the best form of vitamin C.
If you have any concerns, discontinue use of this product and consult your doctor or dermatologist.
DQH Knowledge drop: In your 20s, your skin cell turnover decreases. (Cell turnover is a key component in keeping your skin youthful.) You know what else slows down? Your collagen production. Starting in your 20s, collagen decreases by about 1 percent per year. Should you want to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, start by eliminating behaviors that contribute to premature aging. “If it’s bad for you, it’s bad for your skin,” says dermatologist Michel Somenek.
“Cigarette smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and causes premature wrinkling and a dull skin texture. Making the repeated pursed motion to inhale can also cause smoker’s lines. Alcohol and recreational drugs are toxins for the skin that damage its cellular structure and DNA,” Somenek tells us. “The faster you eliminate vices while you are young, the better chance your skin and body have to recuperate.” Also, adopting an anti-aging routine in your 20s is key. After all, the best offense is a good defense. We spoke to Somenek and experts Joshua Ross and Audrey Kunin to find out more.
Keep reading for the best anti-aging products for your 20s, according to skincare professionals.
Sunscreen
“We all know that the sun is the number one cause of skin aging and starting the prevention in your 20s is very important,” Ross says. “The majority of your sun damage won’t start to appear until you’re in your 30s, so don’t wait until you see it surface or you’ll be behind the curve. Stay ahead of it with a good-quality zinc-based sunscreen worn daily.”
Farmacy Green Defense Daily Mineral Sunscreen
An invisible sunscreen with SPF 30, plus botanical extracts meant to protect skin with tons of antioxidants. Bonus: It’s clean and fine to use under makeup.
Bareminerals Complexion Rescue™ Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Although we recommend you use your SPF and moisturizer separately, we also understand moments when you don’t have time or energy for that extra step. For those times, this bareMinerals moisturizer is a great thing to have on hand.
Vitamin C Serum
“A great introduction to anti-aging is to start with a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine,” Ross says. “It’s a powerful antioxidant that will neutralize free radicals and brighten the skin.” He adds that it’s a great way to counteract the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, which, as previously mentioned, are among the biggest causes of premature aging.
Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum
The Drunk Elephant C-Firma is a lightweight serum that promises to give skin a glow by combining the brightening powers of vitamin C with ferulic acid, l-ascorbic acid, and vitamin E. The included sodium hyaluronate is meant to replace hydration loss, so you shouldn’t have to deal with any irritation.
Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum
This potent serum is jam-packed with vitamin C (15 percent, to be exact), which means it’s a potential superstar at both brightening skin and dousing it in antioxidants.
Peptides
Using peptides on your skin has many benefits, says Somenek. “The skin barrier is what defends the body against pollution, UV rays, bacteria, and toxins. It can be damaged by several everyday factors. Using topical peptides aids in building a stronger barrier,” he says. “Peptides comprise elastic fibers, which are a type of protein. These fibers help to make skin appear taut and firm. Peptides can also help repair damaged skin, relieve inflammation, and even out skin tone. Some peptides can kill acne-causing bacteria that is common in 20-somethings.”
Kunin agrees, saying, “Peptides are an excellent entry point for supporting collagen.” She recommends looking for face and eye treatments that contain these collagen-boosting powerhouses.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue Cream
This Charlotte Tilbury super-emollient eye cream has a base of coconut oil and shea butter (read: it’s incredibly hydrating). Botanicals plus peptides are meant to help reduce dark circles and boost collagen, respectively.
This creamy moisturizer serves up potent collagen-boosting peptides and pycnogenol, and antioxidant-rich vitamin C. “Instead of sitting on top of the skin, peptides penetrate the outer layer so they go deep. The ‘signals’ they send tell the cells to produce elastin and collagen, which are needed for youthful-looking skin,” explains Somenek.
At-Home Peel Pads
Remember that skin cell turnover fiasco we talked about earlier? One way to help support it is by exfoliating. “Exfoliation is important to help keep skin fresh and luminous,” Kunin says. She recommends using at-home peel pads as an easy and effective way to exfoliate.
“The goal in your 20s is to fight the slowing pace of cell turnover. It is wise to use products that gently exfoliate, yet still remove oil and other impurities. Products that have Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA) are a good choice.”
According to Somenek, you should only exfoliate two to three times a week. “People of all ages are guilty of over-exfoliating and that can be too much of a good thing,” he says.
Dermadoctor Kakadu C Intensive Vitamin C Peel Pad
A few swipes of this Derma Doctor powerful peel pad promise to leave your skin glowing and smooth, thanks to the seven (yes, seven) types of chemical exfoliants, including AHA and BHA. It also contains vitamin C via Kakadu plum extract for added brightening and antioxidant protection.
KEY INGREDIENTS Kakadu plum extract is sourced from the Kakadu plum, a fruit grown in northern Australia. It contains vitamin C, which restores the skin’s natural barrier, increases collagen production, and soothes irritation.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel Pads
These are the gold standard of peel pads, with a cult following and over 900 five-star reviews on Sephora. They’re easy to use and contain a blend of anti-aging exfoliating acids.
Emollient Night Cream
“In your 20s, you need to start upping the hydration in your skincare routine. You may have been cautious of over-moisturizing because of acne in your teens, but as you enter your 20s, your skin transitions and becomes drier,” Ross says. “I recommend an emollient night cream added into your evening skincare regimen.”
“Twenty-somethings need to make sure that they are not using creams that will clog their pores and cause excess oil production,” says Somenek. Opt for non-comedogenic products.
Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream
One great choice is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream, which is a non-comedogenic night cream that leaves skin soft and glowy. It combines the moisturizing powers of ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
RoC Retinol Correxion Max Hydration Creme
“The best night cream ingredients contain retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and/or salicylic acid or hyaluronic acid. The goal is to moisturize, yet remove excess oil,” says Somenek. This Roc Retinol Correxion cream fits the bill as it contains both hyaluronic acid and retinol so it promises to moisturize while also being non-comedogenic.
