How do I know if my Vitamin C serum is oxidized?
The benefits of using a Vitamin C serum are endless, as many of us incorporate it into our daily routines. While Vitamin C works wonders for the skin, it also has a downside: it can oxidize, breaking down its ingredients and becoming less potent and effective in treating the skin.
There are many factors to consider when trying to determine if your Vitamin C serum is oxidized. What does it look like? What should you do if you discover your product has been compromised? How does it affect your skin? These are some of the questions we’ll take a look at today.
How do I know if my Vitamin C serum is oxidized? Vitamin C is an antioxidant, which means it’s a powerhouse in keeping your skin healthy and glowing, and protects it from free radicals and other skin-damaging aggressors. Any skincare product that contains Vitamin C has the shortest shelf life, as once the product comes into contact with oxygen, its effectiveness decreases.
The easiest way to tell if your Vitamin C serum is oxidized is to look at the color. Serums that contain a lot of Vitamin C are clear, and will turn yellow or brown around 3 months after opening.
When this happens, it’s a clear sign that the L-ascorbic acid is losing its potency and, after breaking down, turns into erythrulose, an ingredient found in self-tanning products that can last up to 7 days. The problem is that
Another feature of erythrulose is that it can also cause unnecessary skin damage by increasing free radical exposure, which can cause the skin to repair itself.
What should a vitamin C serum look like?
It’s always recommended to choose a vitamin C serum because, as mentioned earlier, it has a clear look that shows how much vitamin C is in the formula and allows you to see if it’s oxidized.
While it may be difficult to rethink your initial thought that vitamin C should be orange, some brands have been known to add dyes to their formulas to recreate this effect. Ideally, choose a dye-free product
An opaque, sealed bottle ensures that the vitamin C stays as fresh as possible and is not exposed to too much UV light and oxygen, which can cause faster degradation.
Can oxygenated vitamin C serums be used?
Once the product is opened and used, the shelf life of vitamin C is about 3 months. After this, you should expect the formula to start to fade and turn brown.
There is nothing wrong with using the rest of the product, especially if it contains more than 10% active vitamin C and it still works. There are concerns about serums reacting to the skin and irritation, and some people have developed blemishes, breakouts, etc.
Is oxidized vitamin C bad for the skin?
There is no scientific evidence that oxidized vitamin C affects the skin. However, in many cases, skin irritation and discoloration can occur because oxidized L-ascorbic acid becomes a component of erythrulose, which is made into homemade vitamins and tanning products.
Oxidized vitamin C is no longer a powerful antioxidant and can lead to the production of free radicals, environmental aggressors, and daily aggressors that can easily damage the skin and make premature signs of aging, such as fine lines and wrinkles, very visible.
Because the amount of L-ascorbic acid in the product formula is very low, or even non-existent, you may find that the vitamin C serum is less effective and has no effect on your complexion.
Can vitamin C serums be used daily?
Compared to other alpha hydroxy acids (also known as AHAs), vitamin C is safe to take daily. With its ability to fight skin damage and other stressors, it can create a protective film on the skin throughout the day.
Vitamin C serums are very effective in the mornings due to its antioxidant properties. However, many people find that applying them at night allows the AHAs to do their job without exposing them to the daily damage they are exposed to during the day.
If you want to learn more about AHAs and their effects on the skin, you can read our blog on the benefits of AHAs and BHAs for skin care. When should you toss your vitamin C serum? Once your serum starts to turn yellow, this is a clear sign that there is too much air in the formula, causing the vitamin C to become less effective.
Once a formula shows signs of discoloration, it is best to discard the product entirely. Vitamin C is a notoriously difficult ingredient to work with and is unstable in aqueous solutions, which makes it more difficult to
determine if the vitamin C portion is active and actually beneficial to the skin.
To ensure your skin is receiving the best possible treatment, always pay attention to the L-position. If ascorbic acid is listed in the ink list on the package, it is not effective enough for optimal results. If it exceeds the sixth, her skin will suffer.
Here are answers to some of the most common questions about vitamin C and how to tell if it is oxidized. There is a detailed blog post about the benefits of vitamin C for skin care. Read it to better understand what it means when applying it to your skin and the results you will see.
