Everything You Need to Know: Vitamin C Serum

Also known as Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin C is a natural antioxidant, regenerator and anti-inflammatory that improves many skin problems.

Integrated into a quality cosmetic solution like our Organic Radiance C Serum, and used daily on the face, vitamin C:

• Protects against premature skin aging
• Reduces wrinkles and fine lines
• Boosts the production of collagen, a fiber that supports the epidermis.
• Prevents the appearance of pigment spots and reduces the precision of the outline of existing spots
• Reduces redness and inflammation caused by acne and other skin conditions (rosacea, couperose, etc.)
• Improves tissue healing

Vitamin C leaves your complexion brighter, and your skin healthier, more even, and firmer. To learn more, read our full article “ The Benefits of Vitamin C for Skin .”

Yes! Vitamin C helps protect against skin damage caused by UVA and UVB rays . Thanks to its antioxidant action, it fights free radicals, highly active and unstable molecules that damage skin cells when exposed to light radiation.

However, please note that no vitamin C serum can replace good sun protection. You should therefore always make sure to apply your Organic Radiance C Serum UNDER a high SPF sunscreen (50+ in summer, +30 in winter) that is suitable for your skin type. In addition, since the active ingredient is very sensitive to UVA and UVB rays, sun protection provides an ideal shield to allow vitamin C to work effectively all day long, even in contact with the sun.

To find out more, read our full article “ Vitamin C serum and sun, sorting out the truth from the lies! ”

There are several elements that allow you to recognize a quality vitamin C facial treatment: concentration, formulation and pH.

Choose a serum with an optimal vitamin C concentration, meaning between 10 and 20% maximum. Less than 10% is not enough to be effective; above 20%, the active ingredient can become irritating to the skin if used in too large a quantity.

At APICIA, we have opted for an organic serum that combines 3 natural forms of vitamin C (ascorbic acid + ascorbyl glucoside + acerola) at an optimal concentration of 11% . This innovative synergy allows us to exploit the active ingredient to its maximum potential while respecting the skin of all our customers.

Vitamin C, whether synthetic or natural, is a fragile active ingredient, difficult to stabilize due to its tendency to oxidize when it comes into contact with air, light or heat.

Additionally, it is important to consider its water-soluble nature, meaning it dissolves in water rather than in lipids. However, since the skin is made up of cells and lipids that form a protective barrier, vitamin C cannot penetrate it.

To overcome these challenges, industrial cosmetics manufacturers add stabilizers and preservatives, which are often unnecessary for the skin and harmful to the environment. Another method is to formulate products with a highly acidic pH to help vitamin C penetrate the lipid cement of the epidermis. However, this can make the products harsh and irritating, especially for the most sensitive skin.

At APICIA, we have therefore developed a product that combines 3 natural forms of vitamin C (ascorbic acid, ascorbyl glucoside, acerola) with plant boosters such as Propolis or olive leaf. This innovative combination, integrated into our Organic Radiance C Serum , prevents the active ingredient from oxidizing and helps it penetrate the epidermis gently while respecting the skin's natural pH , for effective results and a protected face.

Absolutely! Even more so if you are affected by any of the signs of skin aging (or want to prevent them) such as:

• dehydration,
• loss of firmness,
• the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines,
• lack of radiance of the face,
• the appearance or increase of pigment spots, etc.

At APICIA, we recommend that you combine your Organic Radiance C Serum with vitamin C with our Organic Regenerating Serum with hyaluronic acid , whatever your age or skin type.

Just like vitamin C, hyaluronic acid is a formidable collagen booster. The combination of these two active ingredients increases the skin's protective and regenerative properties tenfold. At the same time, hyaluronic acid deeply hydrates the epidermis while strengthening its natural defenses against daily bacterial attacks.

You can apply your vitamin C serum as part of your facial skincare routine both morning and evening.

At the start of the day, vitamin C will help protect your skin from environmental factors that put it to the test (sun, pollution, climate, diet, smoking, etc.).

If you use vitamin C in the evening, you will benefit more from its soothing and regenerating power, as well as its healing effect. At night, our skin cells become activated and vitamin C, by stimulating collagen, helps the epidermis to recover and stay healthy.

There are active ingredients with which it is not recommended to mix vitamin C.

1. Niacinamide (vitamin B3)

The combination of vitamin C and niacinamide can counteract each other's effects. In some cases, it can cause redness or irritation, especially if you're using older, less stable formulations.

2. Alpha-Hydroxy Acids (AHA) and Beta-Hydroxy Acids (BHA)

Acids like glycolic acid (AHA) and salicylic acid (BHA) have very different pH values ​​than vitamin C. Using these ingredients together can therefore reduce the effectiveness of the active ingredient and irritate the skin.

3. Benzoyl peroxide

This powerful acne-fighting ingredient can oxidize vitamin C, making it less effective. Additionally, these two ingredients combined can cause serious irritation and weaken your skin instead of soothing it and promoting healing.

4. Photosensitizing substances

Avoid combining vitamin C with products that contain phototoxic substances, such as retinol, fruit acids, or citrus essential oils.

In fact, these different active ingredients will tend to accentuate the harmful effects of the sun's rays, causing more or less significant skin reactions such as irritations, sunburn and even, for the most fragile skin, allergic reactions.

5. Vitamin C-enriched products

Finally, of course, avoid combining your vitamin C serum with another product enriched with the same active ingredient, creating an overdose of antioxidants in your body. Because, when used in too large a quantity, vitamin C can become pro-oxidant, meaning it promotes cell oxidation, accentuating the topical effects you are trying to combat or alleviate.

No, vitamin C does not directly promote the appearance of pimples. However, it is the formula in which the active ingredient is incorporated that can cause breakouts.

For example, if you use a serum formulated with a very acidic pH and you have sensitive skin, beware of irritation, spots, and itching! In other cases, it's the use of oily products that risks promoting the appearance of spots.

Absolutely! Unlike most vitamin C-based cosmetic products on the market, our Organic Radiance C Serum penetrates the skin well without irritating or weakening it.

It's important to know that pure vitamin C is very unstable. It oxidizes quickly and has difficulty penetrating the successive layers of the epidermis. To get around this obstacle, the cosmetics industry uses a simple process: integrating vitamin C into an acidic formula to "break down" the lipid cement that acts as the skin's barrier. But this process damages the epidermis, which doesn't solve the underlying problem!

At APICIA, we care for all skin types, especially sensitive skin. That's why our Organic Radiance C Serum doesn't contain any acidifying products. Instead, we've chosen to combine three natural forms of vitamin C with natural boosting active ingredients to create a complex:

• ultra-concentrated in vitamin C and stable,
• which penetrates the epidermis well,
• in a formula close to the pH of the skin.

You can therefore enjoy the benefits of vitamin C on your face day after day with complete peace of mind.

For optimal and continuous effectiveness, we encourage you to integrate your Organic Radiance C Serum with vitamin C into your daily facial skincare routine . Indeed, the epidermis absorbs vitamin C gradually. By regularly providing it with the active ingredient, you offer your skin constant protection against external aggressions and help it protect itself or limit premature aging. Day after day, it tones, soothes, and brightens.

It all depends on the effects you're looking for. Your face will initially gain clarity, providing a healthy glow from the first few applications . Improvements to deeper skin problems, such as wrinkles, dark spots, or acne scars, may take longer.

The action of vitamin C on the cells of the epidermis is progressive , so we encourage you to use your Organic Radiance C Serum regularly and not to give up if you do not see immediate results.

Everyone who's tried it over time has embraced it, as evidenced by the many reviews left since its release. Don't hesitate to check them out to find out what the Organic Radiance C Serum with Vitamin C has done for them!