Your Guide to Vitamin C in Skincare: Why This All-Star Ingredient Deserves a Place in Your Routine.

Whether you consider yourself a skincare newbie or a seasoned pro, we’ll hazard a guess that you’ve heard dermatologists, TikTokers and beauty editors rave about the benefits of their favourite Vitamin C skincare products.

But what does Vitamin C actually do for skin? Here, we share a play-by-play guide to Vitamin C in skincare, the main benefits (hint: it brightens, firms and protects) and the best way to add this product to your esmi skincare routine.

What Are the Benefits of Vitamin C in Skincare?

How does Vitamin C benefit the skin? Let us count the ways:

• It brightens skin and increases radiance by fading pigmentation
• Vitamin C can help reduce the appearance of acne scars by smoothing skin texture
• It can have a skin firming and anti-ageing effect
• Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant and can offer protection against environmental aggressors like pollution.
  

When you flip over a skincare product to read the label, you won’t always see the words Vitamin C listed on the ingredients list. The most common forms of Vitamin C used in skincare include:

• Ascorbic Acid (also known as L-ascorbic Acid)
• Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
• Ascorbyl Palmitate
• Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
• Kakadu Plum (an Australian native botanical ingredient that is the richest known source of natural Vitamin C in the world)

Vitamin C can be found in serums, creams, lotions and cleansers. Want to see results, quick smart? Consider opting for a Vitamin C serum. Serums are more readily absorbed into the skin and often contain a higher percentage of the active ingredient.

Vitamin C and Pigmentation

Let’s dig a bit further into the benefits, shall we?

A potent skin brightener, Vitamin C is famed for its ability to fade and smooth the appearance of various forms of pigmentation including:

• Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation caused by acne or other skin damage
• Liver spots or sunspot
• Melasma associated with hormonal changes, especially during pregnancy.

All forms of Vitamin C work to fade the appearance of pigmentation by inhibiting the production of melanin (which is the pigment responsible for causing hyperpigmentation, melasma and liver spots).

Vitamin C and Acne

Cystic acne can trigger the skin’s inflammatory response; when this happens, scars and pigmentation can rear their head and remain long after the initial acne has faded.

What does this look like?

• Pigmentation (also known as hyperpigmentation) can show up as dark spots and discolouration. In this instance, darker patches can show up but the skin texture remains smooth.
• Acne scars change the texture of the skin, leaving indentations and raised spots. This is an indication that the damage has occurred at a deep level.
  

The good news? Not only does Vitamin C help treat pigmentation, but it can also help smooth acne scarring.

It works like this: Vitamin C skincare helps to promote collagen production, which in turn, helps to rebuild healthy skin and improve skin texture.

Vitamin C for Skin Firming and Anti-Ageing

Collagen is essential for maintaining skin structure, firmness and elasticity, yet its natural production declines with age and is further compromised by UV exposure, pollution and lifestyle factors.

Here’s where Vitamin C can help.

Vitamin C serum plays a critical role in supporting collagen synthesis while helping to protect existing collagen from degradation. Suitable for all ages, it functions as a preventative treatment in your 20s, and in your 30s and beyond helps address visible signs of photoageing, including fine lines, loss of firmness and uneven texture.

The Best Vitamin C Serums

Our range of Vitamin C serums and lotions are here to help firm, brighten and protect your complexion.

Consider this your cheat sheet to the esmi Vitamin C range.

Brightening Vitamin C

Our NEW Brightening 15% Vitamin C Serum is esmi’s sophisticated Vitamin C serum yet.

Call us biased but we think it’s just the thing to supercharge your skincare routine.

This next-generation serum contains 15% Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, which has been clinically proven to achieve a 25% reduction in the appearance of dark spots in just 12 weeks*.

*Based on clinical studies of Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, used twice daily for 12 weeks.

Suitable for: Most skin types, including sensitive skin. We recommend this serum for anyone who wants to treat pigmentation, sun damage or dullness.

Formulated with: Pro-Vitamin B5 (to hydrate and plump skin while supporting your skin barrier) and Ferulic Acid (to help protect against environmental stressors).

How to use Brightening 15% Vitamin C Serum: Dispense a pearl size amount of Brightening 15% Vitamin C Serum onto your fingertips. Gently massage into your face using an upwards motion. Apply to your neck and decolletage as required. Follow with your favourite face moisturiser or face oil to seal in hydration.

Add this serum to your existing skincare routine gradually by applying every second day. If your skin is responding well, switch to daily use.

Golden Anti-Ageing Serum

Golden Anti-Ageing Serum contains a combination of Vitamin C and Peptides to help rejuvenate the skin.

Suitable for: All skin types and ages can use this serum in the evening.

Formulated with: Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Peptides and Vitamin E.

How to use Golden Anti-Ageing Serum:

Apply a pearl sized amount and gently massage into skin, including the under eye area. The Golden Anti-aging Serum is designed to be used at night as the skin repairs and regenerates while you sleep.

Probiotic Skin Mylck plus Brightening

Probiotic Skin Mylck plus Brightening is our most gentle Vitamin C product, specifically formulated for hypersensitive skin.

Suitable for: All skin types, especially hypersensitive skin.

Formulated with: Ethyl Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Kakadu Plum and Probiotic Lysates.

How to use Probiotic Skin Mylck plus Brightening:

Using the dropper drip a thumb size amount onto your fingertips or palm. Massage into cleansed skin. Use morning and/or night.

Brightening Eye Serum

Wake up a tired, dull eye area with our Brightening Eye Serum designed to target dark circles, brightness and fine lines in the delicate eye area.

Suitable for: All skin types to promote a brighter, tighter and more youthful eye area.

Formulated with: Ethyl Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Caffeine, Vitamin E and Hyaluronic Acid.

How to use Brightening Eye Serum:

After cleansing or exfoliating, and before moisturising, apply a small amount under eye and massage in an outwards motion.