Vitamin C has been hailed as the ingredient to brighten complexions and even out skin tones. Rachel Spillane shares the inside scoop on why it works.

>>VITAMIN C AND ITS BENEFITS

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps fight infections, heal wounds and keep tissues healthy. And amazingly, that’s not all the vitamin can do. When used in skincare, vitamin C can help prevent early signs of ageing and reduce hyperpigmentation, even promoting collagen production for more plump looking skin. It also reduces dark circles which makes for a fantastic eye cream.

“The benefits of vitamin C in your skincare routine are multiple, making it a perfect daily maintenance ingredient for your skin. For a brighter complexion and even skin tone, while diminishing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, vitamin C is an essential ingredient,” says Amanda Bell, Global Director of Makeup Artistry and Education for Pixi Skincare.

>>THE RIGHT CONCENTRATION FOR YOUR SKIN Choosing the right concentration for your skin is crucial for getting the most out of your vitamin C products. It’s said that between 10 and 20 per cent is the ideal concentration level when starting to use vitamin C in your beauty regime. “Begin with a low concentration of 10 ten percent and increase to 15 or 20 as tolerated,” says dermatologist Dr Patricia Wexler. Using a product with a concentration of more than 20 per cent may cause your skin to become irritated and dry so less is more when you’re first starting out.

>>CHOOSING THE PERFECT VITAMIN C PRODUCT When buying a product with vitamin C, make sure to choose those that have L-ascorbic acid as one of the main ingredients. This is the most effective form of vitamin C used in skincare, much more so than other vitamin C derivatives. Try using a vitamin C serum to begin with, applying the product to clean skin every morning. It takes about 12 weeks with continued use to see results so stick with it but remember to do a patch test first. Once your skin has gotten familiar with the new ingredient, you could incorporate more vitamin C into your daily routine by using vitamin C cleansers or toners.

Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil €59, visit spacenk.com

Facetheory Vitamin C Cream Cleanser €14.99, visit eu.facetheory.com

Rodial Vit C Energising Face Mask €15, visit rodial.com

Super Facialist Vitamin C + Skin Defence Daily Moisturiser €23, visit mccauley.ie