Brat summer is sadly ending soon, and we’re all ready for a demure and mindful fall. This includes recommitting to a self-care routine. Most of us have our seasonal skincare transitions on lock for our faces, but it’s also important to level up our skincare game for our bodies. That means creating a regimen that gives us that summer glow throughout the other seasons.
According to Dr. Hadley King, M.D., FAAD, vitamin C should be part of everybody’s body care routine.
“[It’s] an essential part of skin health as an antioxidant and a critical factor for collagen synthesis,” she says. “Vitamin C contributes to photoprotection, decreases photodamage, and is needed for wound healing. It also protects from free radicals from other sources such as pollution. And it helps to brighten the skin and prevent and fade dark spots resulting from UV radiation.”
Although vitamin C should be used in both facial and body routines and “the formulations are not necessarily different,” the products aren’t interchangeable. “Facial skin contains more oil glands, so heavier moisturizing ingredients are usually preferred for body skin. Most areas of the body have thicker skin compared to facial skin, so ingredients may not be able to penetrate as well, and results may not be as noticeable,” Dr. King explains.
When looking for a vitamin C product to add to your body care routine, Dr. King suggests opting for products with 5% formulations if you have sensitive skin, as they are gentler and typically don’t cause irritation. People focused on quickly brightening their skin should choose a product containing a 20% formulation. “Also, this will depend on the formulation and exact ingredients, including the form of vitamin C and the skin-soothing and barrier-supporting ingredients in the formulation that can help offset potential irritation,” she adds.
Dr. King recommends using your vitamin C body care product once daily in the morning, followed by sunscreen. In the evening, she advises swapping vitamin C for a retinol body product to maximize the benefits of your body care routine.
Another feather in vitamin C body care’s cap is its immediate effectiveness. “Antioxidant protection begins right away,” she says. But, as with most skincare products, time and patience are your friends. “Visible benefits will take longer to appear, approximately four to eight weeks.”
She also warns consumers that some vitamin C serums can be “tricky,” depending on the type of vitamin C contained in the product. “The most common form of vitamin C, L-ascorbic acid, is an unstable ingredient because it oxidizes quickly when exposed to light and air. For a vitamin C serum that will last longer, look for more stable forms of vitamin C like magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, tetrahexyldecyl (THD) ascorbate, and sodium ascorbyl phosphate.”