Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a potent antioxidant that can help protect the skin from free radicals, stimulate collagen production, and brighten the complexion. It is considered as one of the key ingredients in skincare routine to have a healthy and glowing skin.
However, pure ascorbic acid can be unstable and prone to oxidation, which can limit its effectiveness in skincare products. To overcome this issue, various derivatives of vitamin C have been developed that are more stable and can still provide some of the beneficial effects of ascorbic acid.
Some commonly used derivatives of vitamin C in skincare include ascorbyl palmitate, tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, and ascorbyl glucoside, among others. These derivatives have a longer shelf life, are more stable and compared to ascorbic acid are less likely to cause irritation.
While the derivatives of vitamin C can offer antioxidant and anti-aging benefits, their effectiveness may be milder and slower compared to pure ascorbic acid. The reason why these derivatives are not as effective as ascorbic acid is because they first need to be converted into ascorbic acid to be absorbed by the skin. However, there are no research articles that address the two main issues:
1. What percentage of the derivatives convert into ascorbic acid?
2. What percentage of the converted ascorbic acid is absorbed into the skin because of the higher pH?
A study published in Dermatol surgical shows that the ascorbic acid absorption occurs best at or below 3.5 pH. Pinnell SR, Yang H, Omar M, Monteiro-Riviere N, DeBuys HV, Walker LC, Wang Y, Levine M. Topical L-ascorbic acid: percutaneous absorption studies. Dermatol Surg. 2001 Feb;27(2):137-42. doi: 10.1046/j.1524-4725.2001.00264.x. PMID: 11207686.
So it's important to look for products that have been formulated with well-studied and well-formulated ingredients like ascorbic acid. There is less research available on these derivatives compared to L-Ascorbic acid and the evidence for these specific benefits may not be as robust.
If you're considering incorporating a vitamin C into your skincare routine, look for products with ascorbic acid in it and not derivatives. Additionally pay attention to three things that can oxidise the vitamin C over time.
1. Find products with opaque and airless packaging. As air and light are the two main culprits that cause the oxidation of ascorbic acid (vitamin C).
2. Find products that publish the date of manufacturing(formulation) as ascorbic acid (vitamin C) oxidizes over time.
What are your thoughts on the derivatives vs the original form of vitamin C, L-Ascorbic acid? Please post in comments!
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