Vitamin C is an active ingredient used in many skin care products. However, can vitamin C be used for oily, acne-prone skin?

1. Effects of vitamin C on the skin

The typical effect of vitamin C is to fight oxidation, destroy free radicals and slow down the aging process of the body. Vitamin C also has the effect of increasing collagen production, increasing tissue connections, helping to firm the skin.

In addition, vitamin C also indirectly inhibits the activity of tyrosinase – a very important enzyme in the process of creating melanin pigment. Thereby inhibiting the formation of melanin, reducing the appearance of hyperpigmentation – the cause of melasma, freckles, acne scars, helping the skin to be even-toned and bright white.

We can supplement vitamin C to beautify the skin through food, oral and topical medications. When applied directly to the skin, vitamin C will help strengthen the skin’s protective barrier and restore damaged skin.

For oily, acne-prone skin, vitamin C helps prevent acne, treat acne scars, dark scars, and control sebum secretion.

Here are some effects of vitamin C on the skin:

– Prevent acne: Oily skin types cause dirt and bacteria to stick and accumulate in pores, leading to clogged pores, forming inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne that can cause redness and swelling. Vitamin C helps strengthen the skin’s protective barrier, fighting acne-causing agents. In addition, the acidity of vitamin C helps kill microorganisms living on surface skin cells or pores. The above effects all help reduce acne and acne on oily skin.

Therefore, when using cosmetic vitamin C applied directly to the skin, it can help prevent and treat acne, help control excessive sebum secretion, enhance wound healing caused by acne, and reduce skin inflammation.

Vitamin C has good effects on beauty and skin.

– Treating acne scars: With the ability to stimulate the body’s natural collagen production, increasing skin elasticity, vitamin C helps scars heal faster. Therefore, vitamin C is considered an effective ingredient to effectively heal acne scars.

– Treating acne scars: After acne heals, it will leave hyperpigmented scars (acne scars) and create dark spots on the skin. With the effect of inhibiting the activity of tyrosinase, vitamin C has the effect of brightening the skin, treating acne scars, reducing brown spots… Therefore, this is also the ingredient chosen when treating acne scars.

2. How to choose vitamin C for oily, acne-prone skin

Although vitamin C is very beneficial as mentioned above, oily, acne-prone skin is often very sensitive and easily irritated, so it is necessary to choose the right vitamin C.

To choose vitamin C for oily, acne-prone skin, the following criteria must be met:

– Concentration: The higher the concentration of vitamin C in the product, the stronger and more effective the ability to brighten the skin as well as fight oxidation. However, if you just start using it and immediately use it with a high concentration of vitamin C, it is also very easy to cause irritation and redness to the skin. For oily, acne-prone, sensitive skin, you should use a product with a concentration of 5 – 10% to ensure the best possible results.

Vitamin C comes in many forms, of which L-ascorbic acid has the strongest and most effective effect and many people like this product. However, for oily, acne-prone skin, you should only use products with lower concentrations or without ascorbic acid. You should use a milder form of active vitamin C such as ascorbyl glucoside acid or magnesium ascorbyl.

– Product form: Oily, acne-prone skin should use vitamin C in the form of serum, especially oily and dehydrated skin from the inside. Applying vitamin C serum will help penetrate deeper and help the skin to be hydrated from the inside.

Vitamin C has 2 common types of preparations: oil-soluble and water-soluble. For oily, acne-prone skin, you should choose a product that can dissolve quickly in water, has a light texture and absorbs faster, avoiding stickiness that will increase acne on the skin.

Choose a serum product with the right concentration of vitamin C to avoid irritation.

3. Notes when using vitamin C for oily acne-prone skin

Vitamin C does not have the effect of eliminating acne, but only has a supportive role in treatment. Therefore, do not use vitamin C alone as an acne treatment for oily acne-prone skin. When the skin has a lot of acne, it is necessary to use other ingredients such as salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide… for treatment.

However, it is important to note that vitamin C should not be mixed or applied with benzoyl peroxide or acids such as salicylic acid, lactic acid, glycolic to treat acne… Because vitamin C itself is very acidic, when combined with other acne-treating active ingredients that are also acidic, it can disrupt the skin’s pH and cause more harm than good.

In addition, benzoyl peroxide has the effect of oxidizing vitamin C, so when combined, it will lose the effect of both ingredients. It is best to use vitamin C in the morning and other active ingredients in the evening.

You should choose a reputable brand, avoid using poor quality products. Vitamin C should be stored properly by tightly closing the bottle after use, storing it in the refrigerator, and avoiding exposure to sunlight. If stored improperly, vitamin C will easily oxidize, lose its effectiveness, and harm the skin.