Why You Need a Vitamin C Serum In Your Skincare Routine + Beautycounter All Bright C Serum Review
Over the years, my interest in using high quality, safer skincare has grown, and my minimal routine has come to include a few staple products that pack a powerful skin changing PUNCH.
I’m in my mid-30s, with two (awesome) kiddos, and precious little sleep, so taking care of my skin has become more of a focus for me as I age. I was ABSOLUTELY the kid who didn’t wear sunscreen all of my life because I wholeheartedly believed that you just need a “base tan”. I worked as a lifeguard every summer from 16-21 and I think I can count on my hand the number of times I put on (toxic) sunscreen.
While I can’t go back and shake young Jess and tell her to wear sunscreen and a hat, and that for God’s sakes the base tan thing isn’t wise for a pale, freckled, light eyed gal, what I CAN do is learn more, pass that information on to my family, and to try and invest in safer products that can help me reverse some of the damage that’s been done to my poor skin.
My journey with safer skincare has led me to my current routine for mature skin, Countertime. This blog post isn’t about Countertime (I’ll save that shocking skin transformation for another day!), but I do need to say that before adding in these high powered, treatment style products (like Vitamin C serums or peels), you’ll see the best long-term results when you really start with the strong foundation of a skincare routine that really works for your skin. I love what Countertime has done for my skin using Bakuchiol, a safer ingredient alternative to the toxic use of Retinol (rates a 9 on the EWG app for toxicity!).
Ok, now that we’ve chatted foundational basics, let’s get to the meat of this post, and dive into what you’re really here for. VITAMIN C. Let me first preface this by saying, I’m not a skincare expert. I’m not an aesthetician - I’m just like you, other than the fact that researching this stuff totally excites me. I geek out over skincare science, so I’m happy to wade through the info to provide you some value!
WHY VITAMIN C FOR YOUR SKIN?
Vitamin C has become increasingly popular as a skincare ingredient that promises powerful change. It is acidic in nature, Most skincare products that use a form of Vitamin C in their composition are using them for a few specific things:
brightening
smoothing
increasing cell turnover
accelerating collagen and elastin production
decreasing fine lines and wrinkles
reducing the appearance of:
scars
spots
hyperpigmentation
sun damage
When I reference any potential uses or outcomes for topical use of Vitamin C, I'm referencing findings from THIS ARTICLE on The Roles of Vitamin C in Skincare. This article really is a comprehensive review of Vitamin C in relation to skincare and WHY.
The rationale behind exploring Vitamin C for use in skincare relates to the fact that “normal skin contains high concentrations of vitamin C, which supports important and well-known functions, stimulating collagen synthesis and assisting in antioxidant protection against UV-induced photodamage.”
We know without a doubt that one of the leading causes of skin damage is sun damage, so if nothing else, Vitamin C’s ability to perform as an antioxidant and “scavenge free radicals and dispose of toxic oxidants” is HUGE.
WHAT IS OXIDATIVE STRESS?
As we age, you're also going to see a decline in our body's ability to protect against oxidative stress (think free radicals). Lots of things can create free radicals in our bodies, but when talking about skin there are a few key ways in which we are creating free radicals:
pollution
UV rays
smoking
alchohol
poor nutrition
WHAT ARE FREE RADICALS?
Free radicals are components in our body that cause damage on a cellular level.
They're actually unstable molecules - think of them as super active inside your body, bouncing around chaotically - because what they're looking for is a molecule that they can steal an electron from to become balanced and "stable". Great for the free radical, really not so great for the molecule they steal from.
Typically the molecule they steal from either dies, is broken, or just doesn't function properly. As we age, we are less able to protect against this oxidative stress on our skin, and that can increase the speed at which our skin is showing signs of aging.
Free radicals in the skin steal from skin cells, and if we can provide a molecule that is able to neutralize that free radical that is NOT our skin cells, then VOILA, less skin damage over time.
VITAMIN C IS THAT INGREDIENT! It performs as an antioxidant in our skin, doing exactly what it needs to protect our skin from free radical damage!
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Beautycounter All Bright C Serum Review
As you can imagine, the use of Vitamin C in skincare depends on a lot of things to ensure that its safe and therapeutic rather than irritating to the skin.
By now, you know that I’m a passionate advocate for SAFER skincare that also works, and I have yet to find a company that tops the marriage of safety and performance like Beautycounter does.
When I heard that they were going to be dropping a Vitamin C Serum that showed POWERFUL clinical test results, I was of course intrigued!
I’ve only been using the serum consistently for about a week and half so it’s too soon to detail long-term results on my own skin, but I’ll be sure to update as I progress through my testing phase!
What I can do is share my initial reactions to the All Bright C Serum, and some general education on the product and who might benefit from it.
What is the All Bright C Serum made of?
The concern among other Vitamin C serum products is that some forms of Vitamin C (specifically Vitamin C in it’s most pure form) can be really unstable and potentially irritating to the skin.
Oftentimes people think the the higher the concentration of Vitamin C, the better - but this isn’t always the case!
There’s a tradeoff with high levels of Vitamin C potentially irritating the skin, so balancing the right, stable forms of Vitamin C, with the right percentage is KEY…and Beautycounter has done it!
They use two ultra-stable forms of vitamin C, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, and Bis-Glyceryl Ascorbate at a 10% concentration. These two ingredients serve as antioxidants that help reverse skin discoloration and boost collagen production in our skin.
They also added a few other key ingredients to help boost the effectiveness of this particular product including:
Myrciaria Dubia (Camu Camu) Fruit Extract: serves as a skin brightener
Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract: an antioxidant that evens skin tone and works on fine lines and wrinkles
How does the All Bright C Serum Help Your Skin?
I’ve seen changes very quickly in just a short amount of time! It’s no secret that I LOVE the effects of the Overnight Resurfacing Peel on my skin - I’ve found that the exfoliation it provides has also helped reduce sun spots and improve collagen as an overnight treatment, but the Vitamin C Serum is a product that you can use during the day for long term protection against daily environmental skin stressors.
THAT is where you’re going to see real, significant long-term changes, from that daily protection.
What we’ve seen over the course of 8 weeks of consistent use through clinical trials is:
100% said skin looked brighter
94% said it reduced the appearance of dark spots
97% said skin looked more youthful
94% said skin tone looked more even
In general if you’re looking for more radiant, glowing, youthful skin, then this will be a staple in your skincare routine!
My skin is far from perfect, but you can see already some slight changes in skin tone from this photo taken with essentially 2 days of use! (These photos have not been edited in any way).
Where does the All Bright C Serum fit into your Routine?
The All Bright C Serum is meant to be added to your existing routine as a treatment.
A skincare treatment focuses on getting targeted, very specific skin changes or results. It’s oftentimes high powered, and what we call “active”, meaning it has ingredients included that are meant to do some heavy lifting when it comes to promoting skin change.
This product is like the daytime counterpart to the Overnight Resurfacing Peel and is mean to the used during the day in place of OR layered on top of your serum.
In a traditional 4 step skincare routine it would go cleanse-prep (toner/essence)-treat (serums)-protect (moisturizer). The All Bright C Serum would fit into or on top of that treat step.
You can use this daily or alternate with your serum, depending on how your skin adapts.
You simply apply 1-2 pumps all over your skin (optional neck and décolletage area) while your essence or toner is still slightly tacky. Allow it to dry, then apply your daytime moisturizer.
How is the All Bright C Serum Safer Compared to Other Vitamin C products?
The All Bright C Serum is formulated without ethoxylated ingredients (including PEGs) because of reproductive and developmental concerns.
Not only do ingredients like these pose human health concerns, but they are also a toxic consideration for aquatic environments. Beautycounter also doesn’t use dyes in their formulation - that bright yellow glow is from turmeric!
As with every product, the All Bright C Serum has also been through rigorous and standardized testing (from raw materials to the finished product) to ensure that it meets our safety requirements, including eliminating any ingredient from our Never List.
Concerns and Considerations
The Beautycounter All Bright C Serum is designed for all skin types. No matter who you are, but especially for those with sensitive skin, I always recommend spot testing (I test along the jawline) prior to a full face application.
Everyone’s skin is so unique, so I always spot test!
There you have it friends! My full on recap of why you might need a vitamin C serum in your skincare routine, and my feedback so far on the Beautycounter All Bright C Serum.
Conventional, high powered Vitamin C Serums on the market right now can run you anywhere from $100 to $200+ for less product, and this little bottle is under $80 and will seriously last me 4+ months most likely!
I love that not only are we offering a safer solution, but keeping budget in mind when it comes to truly effective treatment products.
With minimal use so far, and already seeing results, I can’t wait to see what my skin looks like as I continue use! If you have any questions, be sure to let me know!