Vitamin C - enhancing collagen production and reducing wrinkles
Ascorbic Acid (or, in other words, the active form of Vitamin C) is worth highlighting when referring to the range of ingredients that characterise Vitamin C products. It is proven to be highly effective in terms of the three main functions attributed by specialists to Vitamin C: enhancing collagen production and reducing wrinkles; tackling skin pigmentation and acne; protecting the skin from UV radiation (even though it does not equate to sunscreen).
The stability of L-Ascorbic Acid mostly depends on pH. As it only tolerates low levels of pH (maximum 3.5), it can become quite harsh to skin. That is why other versions (stable at higher pH levels) have been created. Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate and Ascorbyl Glucoside are two of the many potential alternatives.
A product’s concentration of Ascorbic Acid will impact one’s skin. Any product with more than 20% of this component is likely to cause skin irritation. For normal skin, the ideal concentration range is between 10% and 15%. Water is also a factor that impacts the quality of Ascorbic Acid. Therefore, when looking for a Vitamin-C-related suitable product to include in your skincare, you might want to opt for one which does not have water as one of its first ingredients (check label), as an unbalanced proportion of water may lead the Ascorbic Acid to oxide.