Skincare has been the talk of the town for the past years. Many have started to share their skincare routines and recommend products (especially Vitamin C serums!) to others on what works for their skin. But, what works for others does not necessarily mean that it will also work for you. Why? Because we all have different skin concerns.
Therefore, it’s important to look for products that work specifically for you, such as a vitamin C serum for your skin type.
Without a doubt, we come face to face with skincare concerns on a regular basis. From acne to dark spots to oily skin to sensitive skin! We’ve all experienced this. Here comes a list of 8 skincare concerns you should take note of when looking for the best vitamin C serum:
1. Acne
When our hair follicles under the skin become clogged, we get acne or pimples. The clogging in your pores with excess sebum (oil produced by your skin), dead skin cells, and/or germs often results in acne.
Moreover, there are a variety of factors that cause your pores to be clogged. The hormonal fluctuations we undergo such as puberty or pregnancy. Certain medications (prescripted or not) we take. Our diet of eating too much refined sugar or carbohydrates can result in acne. Or, it can be genetically predisposed if your parents had (or have) acne.
Best Ingredients for Acne
When you look for skincare products that can help you fight your acne, there are certain ingredients you should look for: benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, retinoids, sulfur, and zinc.
These ingredients have already been proven to help fight acne. If your Vitamin C Serum is formulated with one of these ingredients, you’ll get the best results you’re looking for.
But, an important tip for this skincare concern is that you should only add one new skincare product at a time and that you should stay consistent with your skincare routine. You should cleanse and moisturize your skin on a daily basis to remove potentially pore-clogging debris on your skin. This routine can help your skin become more hydrated and balanced.
Learn more about a diet for acne from our other article.
2. Dark Spots
Our dark spots, better known as hyperpigmentation, occur when the color of your skin darkens and becomes uneven in some regions. Patches or spots commonly appear on the face, arms, decolletage, hands, and other places exposed to the sun.
Because they are caused by exposure to sunlight and increased melanin production, these patches are also known as age spots or sunspots. Melanin is the scientific name for the pigment that causes the skin to darken. So, the more melanin is created when the skin is exposed to sunlight, the more it results in darker skin.
Best Ingredients for Dark Spots
When you look for skincare products that can help you reduce dark spots, there are certain ingredients you should look for: aloe vera, Vitamin B3, Vitamin C, mandelic acid, and azelaic acid.
Considering these active ingredients are included in your Vitamin C serums, it’s most likely to be effective when it comes to reducing your dark spots. Aside from having such ingredients in your skincare products, Vitamin C serums alone are the most recommended skincare product when it comes to hyperpigmentation as Vitamin C has proven to be the most natural product that can help lighten such skincare concerns.
3. Wrinkles
The aging process is inevitable. As we get older, our skin starts to get fine lines, wrinkles, and other signs of aging that become more and more and more profound over time. Our skin becomes less elastic and decreases collagen production. The decreasing oil production in our skin results in our wrinkles.
Aside from the internal factors, there are also external factors that can speed up the process of aging and the appearance of our wrinkles. The sun exposure (which emits ultraviolet light) we get is the biggest suspect for our premature aging. The UV light breaks down the collagen and elastins in our skin, making it produce lesser collagen and becoming less elastic. Smoking is also responsible for signs of aging as it has a similar effect with UV light on our skin.
Best Ingredients for Wrinkles
When you look for skincare products that can help you reduce your wrinkles and prevent future lines from forming, there are certain ingredients you should look for: retinoid, hydroxy acids (glycolic, mandelic, lactic), Vitamin C, antioxidants, and peptides.
These active ingredients are effective when it comes to addressing and preventing fine lines and wrinkles. And, Vitamin C serums are the most recommended skincare product for your routine if you want to reduce your fine lines and wrinkles.
Aside from using active ingredients, you can also do other things that can help maintain and preserve your skin for more youthful, radiant, glowing skin. Lock in and plump your skin with hydration by moisturizing every morning and evening to reduce the appearance of fine lines. And, apply sunscreen daily to protect your skin from harmful UVA and UVB radiation even if you’re a home-buddy.
4. Oily Skin
When our sebaceous glands (our skin’s producer of natural oils) overproduce sebum, it causes oily skin. It’s likely that you have oily skin if your skin is often shiny and has a tendency to have breakouts. The breakouts result from larger, more noticeable pores that only your only skin has.
The overproduction of sebum can be caused by our genetics, hormones, environment, and/or lifestyle. If your parents had oily skin, you are likely to have it as well. If you’re undergoing puberty, pregnancy, or menopause, your hormones can affect oil production (often leading to hormonal imbalances) and eventually result in oily skin.
Our skin’s oiliness can also change depending on the weather or time of the year (more often during spring and summer), making it more oily and having larger pores. Eating food with high sugars, carbohydrates, and saturated fats leads to overactive sebum production. Oily skin can be further aggravated by using improperly-formulated skincare products (or not using any at all).
Best Ingredients for Oily Skin
People with oily skin should look for skincare products that are oil-free and specifically made for their skin type. And, there are some ingredients you should look for to help reduce your oily skin: retinoids, glycolic acid, citric acid, botanical astringents, honey, green tea, colloidal oatmeal, and bentonite.
When looking for a Vitamin C serum for oily skin, you’ll likely prefer a lightweight and oil-free formula that will target concerns without making the skin feel greasy.
Aside from considering the ingredients, the best preventative measures for controlling oily skin are to stay hydrated and maintain a balanced and healthy lifestyle. Strike a balance between having too much or little oil to maintain your skin’s natural moisture by understanding your skin type more and curating your skincare products fit for your skin.
5. Dry Skin
If there’s too much, there can also be too little. So, when our sebaceous glands produce lesser sebum than average and cannot retain moisture well, it results in dry skin. Having dry skin can result in roughness, itchiness, redness, and other signs of skin irritation.
Dry skin is largely influenced by genetics, then external factors such as weather and wrong skincare products. If your parents have dry skin, you have it as well. The cold and dry weather or the extra hot showers and baths can also cause dry skin. Our skin should be comfortable, not have too much heat.
Moreover, if you use the wrong products for your skin, it can also lead to dry skin. Possibly, even more rough, irritated, and/or itchy. To prevent dry skin, you should always keep your skin as hydrated and comfortable as possible by finding the right products with the right ingredients.
Best Ingredients for Dry Skin
People with dry skin should look for skincare products that can boost hydrating and not those that can contribute to drying it even more. And, here are some ingredients you should look for in skincare products to help hydrate and moisturize your dry skin: hyaluronic acid, petrolatum, glycerin, aloe vera, lactic acid, glycolic acid, urea (or keratolytic), ceramides, and tea (chamomile, green, or black tea extract).
Some Vitamin C serums contain hyaluronic acid in their formulation. So, when it comes to hydrating and moisturizing your dry skin, it’s better to try and add Vitamin C serums into your skincare regimen. Here’s how you can find the best vitamin C serum with hyaluronic acid for your skin.
6. Combination Skin
Combination skin is both oily and dry in some areas of the skin. Oilier sections are typically in the t-zone area (forehead, nose, and chin). While the drier sections of the skin are around the cheeks.
Like oily and dry skin, this skin type is significantly influenced by genetics. So, if you have parents with combination skin, you’re more likely to have it as well.
Making your combination skin healthy is essential. To make it happen, you should use formulated skincare products that can both provide dry areas the moisture they need while also helping to minimize shine and regulate excess sebum in oilier areas of the skin. While this can be difficult, there are a number of excellent products on the market that can assist persons with this skin type in achieving that balance!
Best Ingredients for Combination Skin
With different skin types, there are some products that are specifically formulated for them like combination skin. Essentially, oil-free products are the best for this skin type at any time, but most especially during warm and humid weather.
Hyaluronic acid is the ingredient most beneficial to your skin when it comes to Vitamin C serums. This ingredient is lightweight but deeply hydrates the skin. Its light weightiness and deep capability to hydrate make it most beneficial for the oily and dry skin areas.
7. Sensitive Skin
From the word itself, this skin is sensitive. People with sensitive skin are more reactive and easily irritated than the previous ones. It can be easily irritated by environmental factors, potent products, poor sleep, and/or hormones. This irritation can also lead to redness, itching, burning or stinging feeling, and/or dryness of the skin.
Those with sensitive skin should look for skincare products that are specifically made for their skin type to better control and keep it as calm as possible. You can also consider a natural and organic vitamin C serum.
In addition, those with sensitive skin should also figure out what environmental factors causes the irritationn to avoid or limit their exposure to them.
Best Ingredients for Sensitive Skin
The specifically-formulated skincare products for people with sensitive skin should be gentle. With this skin type, the skincare products should be fragrance-free, dye-free, and hypoallergenic. Moreover, here are some ingredients you should look for in skincare products if you have sensitive skin: aloe vera, green tea, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, ceramides, and dimethicone.
So, when it comes to Vitamin C serums, there are some that can help soothe inflammation, minimize redness, and calm sensitive skin. With hyaluronic acid in some Vitamin C serums, it’s essential and beneficial for you to use and add it to your skincare routine if you have sensitive skin.
Over To You
Before diving deep into the world of skincare, you should first know your skincare type and skincare concerns. Doing this can help you avoid contracting skin allergies from skincare ingredients that you might get along the way of your skincare journey especially when it comes to finding the right Vitamin C serum.