Thread: L-ascorbic acid / vitamin C as topical skin care

Someone mentioned this in another thread, but as that was not the main point of that thread I hope no one minds if I give it it's own thread.

I've been reading about the positive effects of this for topical application, and just ordered this:
http://www.iherb.com/NutriBiotic-Asc...4-g/24191?at=0

Hope I got the right stuff! The description somewhere on that page says it's 100% L-ascorbic acid. I already have vegetable glycerin I can mix with it to make a serum.

I just made up a batch from ssipes recipe

link to previous thread

Nuskin and pharmanex - too good to be true?

I was just reading reviews over at MakeupAlley, and a lot of people seem to be leaving it on for an hour or so and then washing it off. ssipes, is that what you recommend? Or can we leave it on?

Is it better to apply at night, so it's not on your face during the day to cause sun sensitivity issues?

Do you have the link to the makeup alley discussion?

I think you will only be able to see this if you're a member and logged in there:

http://www.makeupalley.com/product/s.../ItemID=75237/

I leave mine on, but the research indicates that the vitamin c penetrates the skin so you could wash the serum off after an hour.

My skin seems to like the acid so I leave it on.

There is one more positive on application of vitamin C to the skin that is not mentioned in that research. I have heard it on the seminar of some cosmetic company in the BEAUTY exhibition. Molecules of vitamin C are much smaller then moleculles of usual cosmetic and beauty active substances as collagen, ceramides, hyalluronic acid etc., and it is able to penetrate deeper into the skin throug the gaps between cells. Moreover it is able to bind those active substances and take them to the deeper layer of the skin. Therefore if you apply another serum directly on the top of the vitamin serum on your face, your skin will benefit even more. But it needs to be applied untill the vitamin C serum on your skin is still wet and was not completely absorbed to the skin.

Hi, hope it's ok to revive this thread but I am so excited!. I tried the home-made vit. C serum and it works really well for me and I have hideous wrinkles. I read somewhere that it only works for about 60% of people so guess I'm lucky.

I'm very fair with reddish brown hair and years of tanning, in my twenties, made me look ten years older than I am. After only a few days using the vit. C I look my age again(43) and I'm thrilled.

My big question is... is the serum safe to use long term? Any experiences with this? Also would love it if someone could direct me to a proper scientific study online just because I am curious.

mine always seems to have some undissolved crystals in it is this ok? My house is cool still it's 62 deg F or so.

Originally Posted by xochitl

After only a few days using the vit. C I look my age again(43) and I'm thrilled.

That's great, but the serum is supposed to work by facilitating collagen replacement, and it doesn't seem likely to me that very much of that could happen in a few days. It could be a placebo effect, or the serum may be hydrating your skin a little bit and giving you some superficial results. In either case, keep using it because the real effects will probably take a few months to develop!

My big question is... is the serum safe to use long term? Any experiences with this? Also would love it if someone could direct me to a proper scientific study online just because I am curious.

go to google scholar and search for vitamin c topical or something like that. I haven't read of any bad effects of topical vitamin c but of course it could just be that no long term studies have been conducted...

Originally Posted by lylagus

mine always seems to have some undissolved crystals in it is this ok? My house is cool still it's 62 deg F or so.

I'm not sure why that would be. Mine dissolves all the way after a few hours, then I keep it in the fridge and it does not come out of solution. Try adding just a tiny bit more distilled water and see if you can get it all to go into solution.

Originally Posted by lylagus

mine always seems to have some undissolved crystals in it is this ok? My house is cool still it's 62 deg F or so.

I suggest you to try various trademarks of L-ascorbic powder. My powder dissolves in few seconds.

Thanks!

oh I've heard about this too and in a slight tangent there's also some studies about a cream? or serum you can rub on skin cancer melanomas and they literally fall out..I'll see if i can find the article..

[QUOTE=ssipes;870775]That's great, but the serum is supposed to work by facilitating collagen replacement, and it doesn't seem likely to me that very much of that could happen in a few days. It could be a placebo effect, or the serum may be hydrating your skin a little bit and giving you some superficial results. In either case, keep using it because the real effects will probably take a few months to develop!

Couldn't the Vitamin C also be acting as an exfoliant, removing the dead skin and making skin temporarily smoother?

[QUOTE=carpediem;870990]

Originally Posted by ssipes

That's great, but the serum is supposed to work by facilitating collagen replacement, and it doesn't seem likely to me that very much of that could happen in a few days. It could be a placebo effect, or the serum may be hydrating your skin a little bit and giving you some superficial results. In either case, keep using it because the real effects will probably take a few months to develop!

Couldn't the Vitamin C also be acting as an exfoliant, removing the dead skin and making skin temporarily smoother?

Possibly, you'd think a mild acid would help exfoliate, but on a beauty forum I lurk on, people have reported that it doesn't have an exfoliating effect like glycolic or lactic acids do.

On that same forum, some people have reported that they think vitamin c has caused/exacerbated blackheads or clogged pores (but not major breakouts or anything really bad like that). I totally forgot about that. I have dry skin and it has not had that effect on my skin.

in case anyone is interested, the forum where I learned about this is Essential Day Spa Skin Care decleor dermalogica obagi

edited to add: disclaimer: the forum is associated with an online store that I have never bought anything from. The forum seems to be fairly open in that people are free to give negative as well as positive reviews of the stores products, and to freely discuss products not sold by the store.

[QUOTE=carpediem;870990]

Originally Posted by ssipes

That's great, but the serum is supposed to work by facilitating collagen replacement, and it doesn't seem likely to me that very much of that could happen in a few days. It could be a placebo effect, or the serum may be hydrating your skin a little bit and giving you some superficial results. In either case, keep using it because the real effects will probably take a few months to develop!

Couldn't the Vitamin C also be acting as an exfoliant, removing the dead skin and making skin temporarily smoother?

Good points. It was my fine lines that went away quickly, so my skin may have just liked the moisturising effect of the glycerin, or the exfoliant effect of the acid. Looking forward to see what else may happen.

I finally got focused enough to remember to make this today.
I couldn't find my glycerin so I used some brand or other of serum I had lying around that had been a disappointment. I used 1 part vitamin C, 3 parts rose water, and 1 part of that serum. Just applied it and will try all week to see how it goes and will report back.

Incidentally, is this bad to use on the skin around your eyes? Like on crepey eyelids, or is that skin there too thin and sensitive? What if you accidentally get some of this l-ascorbic acid in your eyes? Sounds kind of horribly painful.