Product Recommendations: Vitamin C

Vitamin C Treatment Products |

Vitamin C is a very powerful antioxidant for your skin. The below chart lists some Vitamin C treatment products that generally get positive reviews. The strength of the C serum, its active ingredients, and other helpful tidbits of information are included for each Vitamin C product:

VITAMIN C

Product Name	Strength	Actives	Comments
La Roche-Posay Active C	5%	L-Ascorbic Acid	Comes in two forms, one for normal skin and one for dry skin; There is also one for your eyes; Because of its low percentage of vitamin C, it may be a good C serum for those who are first using it; Comes in a metal tube to prevent oxidation; Silicones in it may be problematic for some people
Makeup Artist's Choice Super C + E	5%	Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate (Stable Vitamin C); Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E)	Has a pH of 3; Good stability and effectiveness; Does not need to be refrigerated; May tingle when applying to skin the first time;
DHC Vitamin C Essence	8%	Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate	Watery texture; Minimal fragrance; May be irritating to skin when first using
The Body Shop Vitamin C Intensive Night Treatment	10%	Ascorbic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate (vitamin E)	Gel texture is easy to absorb; No added dyes or fragrances; May feel a tingling sensation when first using; May ball up under makeup
SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic	15%	L-Ascorbic Acid, Alpha Tocopherol	Takes time to work; Must not overuse products or else there will be irritation; Does not smell very good; Smells like cooked meat for some reason
SkinMedica Vitamin C + E Complex	15%	Ascorbic Acid, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol	Silicones in it make it a good makeup primer; Silicones in it also make it problematic for some people; Stable packaging to prevent oxidation; Use one pump per application to reduce irritation, but some people find this isn't enough and use 3-4 pumps; May sting and turn skin red; Is expensive (around $95)
Avalon Organics Vitamin C Vitality Facial Serum	N/A	Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (vitamin C), Tocopherol and Tocopherol Acetate (vitamin E)	More of a lotion texture than a serum texture; Not as strong as SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic; Pump-style bottle; Slippery, silicone texture; Sinks into skin quickly; Has Vitamin E and green tea as additional antioxidant ingredients

Like finding a good sunscreen, it can be difficult to find a Vitamin C treatment that agrees with your skin. Some Vitamin C serums are too strong, while others oxidize too quickly. The above list of Vitamin C products well hopefully make it easier for you to choose a treatment that works for your skin.

This is a growing list of Vitamin C product recommendations. Please check back often as new products are added!

Last updated: February 27, 2011