Is your vitamin C active or just an expensive moisturiser?
Vitamin C in skincare is an ingredient that we know works. Research has shown that this super antioxidant improves skin health by protecting agains pollution and UV damage, improving discoloration, and boosting collagen production.
Which is the best Vitamin C?
Not all Vitamin C is equal. Here's how to make sure you're getting active C that packs the results you want and not an expensive, inactive moisturiser.
Are you an antioxidant?
The first question you need to ask any Vitamin C listed on a cosmetic is, "are you really an antioxidant?".
By nature, Vitamin C is a highly unstable antioxidant. Within minutes of being exposed to air or water, Vitamin C oxidises into inactive ascorbic acid.
This means that, by the time your expensive cosmetic has been mixed, stocked on a shelf and landed in your bathroom, the Vitamin C is completely inactive and the antioxidant properties that lead to results have gone. Sorry.
What's in a name?
Cosmetics list a range of ingredients as Vitamin C. Here's the low down.
Ascorbic Acid - Ascorbic acid is the closest molecule to Vitamin C that can be manufactured synthetically. Unfortunately ascorbic acid has no antioxidant properties and is very acidic, sometimes causing a burning sensation, or actual burns on the skin.
Other names for manufactured Vitamin C that has no antioxidant activity Mineral Ascorbates, D-Isoascorbic acid and Ascorbyl palmitate.
Ascorbyl Glucoside has been manufactured to use in oil based cosmetics since Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin and you won't find it in oil. Like the other synthetic forms of Vitamin C however, ascorbic glucoside has no antioxidant activity that can benefit skin. If you are looking for an oil soluble antioxidant, look for Vitamin E or Vitamin A. Take a look in RENEW bakuchiol +E
Where to find active Vitamin C
Active Vitamin C is found in the cellular matrix of plants containing Vitamin C. The only way to access truly active Vitamin C without it oxidising, is to extract the cellular matrix of the plant without damaging it. Most cosmetic brands don't access this technology as it is simply too expensive when compared to ascorbic acids which cost very little.
When you are shopping for a Vitamin C serum, look for products that provide Vitamin C within plant extracts known for their C content and have been extracted using the cold liquid extraction closed system that doesn't damage the cellular matrix.
Freec only uses cold liquid extraction closed system extracts because we want our products to actually do what they say and contain all of the active vitamins you expect.
Our top selling product, THE ONE contains active Vitamin C from Kakadu Plum, the worlds richest known source of natural Vitamin C. With only 2 ingredients in the bottle, you can be sure that if its Vitamin C you're looking for, you'll find it in THE ONE.
Side note: Did you know that Vitamin C isn't and acid? It's a carbohydrate. Just another reason why ascorbic acid is nothing like Vitamin C.
