Most people don't realize how large of a role Vitamin C plays in their daily lives. From a nutritional standpoint, Vitamin C is important for growth, tissue repair, and proper function of the immune system.

But it also plays a large role in the fundamental structure of your skin. Getting Vitamin C into your body may seem like a no-brainer (I'm sure we're all reaching for that glass of orange juice), but there's some things you should know first, especially why Vitamin C may be your next best secret weapon against aging.

What is Vitamin C?

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin found in fruits (particularly citrus) and vegetables. Water-soluble basically means it's capable of being dissolved in water, so it's easily absorbed by the body, but not particularly well-stored. That's why it's important to receive the proper amounts of vitamin C through diet and even supplements, when necessary.

What Does Vitamin C Do for Our Bodies?

Vitamin C is notorious for its role in the immune system by stimulating the activity of white blood cells, but did you know it's also essential for rebuilding collagen?

Not only this, but vitamin C is necessary for forming blood vessels, cartilage, and muscle. It also is able to fight free radicals in the body, thanks to its antioxidant nature, which in turn boosts immunity and can reduce inflammation.

What Does Vitamin C Do for Our Skin?

So we previously mentioned that vitamin C is necessary for rebuilding collagen, an essential protein that makes up our skin tissue. But how exactly does vitamin C do this? According to a Vitamin C and Skin Health article by Oregon State University:

"Vitamin C in the skin is normally transported from the bloodstream. Transport proteins specific for ascorbic acid are found on cells in all layers of the skin."

Vitamin C is necessary for collagen synthesis, and is found in the skin on all layers. Meaning that it's providing the building blocks necessary for skin to maintain or rebuild elasticity, by promoting proteins such as collagen and elastin that are essential for skin tenacity and resilience.

Can Vitamin C Be Used Topically?

Absolutely. Since vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) is a small enough molecule, it can readily pass (diffuse) through cell membranes to be absorbed through the epidermis. Here, it will be readily transported to the underlying layers of skin where it can begin rebuilding collagen, reducing wrinkles, fighting hyperpigmentation, and so much more.

When used topically (and consistently) vitamin C has some very surprising and effective results. Many topical serums and creams on the market contain vitamin C that can penetrate skin and provide amazing anti-aging benefits. Some favorites are Gin Amber Beauty's Vitamin C Repair Cream and Vitamin C Booster Serum.

Vitamin C and Diet

Getting enough vitamin C into your diet is important, but what's equally important is that you don't overdose on vitamin C. While it seems silly, excessive amounts of vitamin C can have adverse side effects, including nausea, vomiting, and and even heartburn.

But it's also good to know what foods are high in vitamin C. Foods such as oranges, red peppers, kale, brussel sprouts, broccoli, and strawberries are all rich in vitamin C and can help supplement your diet and enrich your skin when ingested consistently.

Vitamin C and Aging

According to some sources, Vitamin C may reduce wrinkles and provide anti-aging benefits after being ingested for some 12 weeks. While this time frame may be different for everyone, it's important to be consistent with either topical or ingested sources of vitamin C. 

Since vitamin C boosts collagen production, there's reason to believe that it has the fundamental ability to repair and rebuild the skin, even after considerable damage, including sun spots and scars.

The Takeaway

Vitamin C is a powerful nutrient and plays a vital role in various functions of the human body. But looking at it from a skin's perspective, vitamin C is an absolute must if you're considering having healthy and youthful skin.

Whether it's as a supplement, a powder, a cream, a serum, or a food rich with vitamin C, be sure that you're maintaining adequate levels of this super-vitamin in your diet and pay attention to how your skin may benefit. When using serums and creams, try to keep a journal or record of how your skin is looking and track your progress. Skincare is more about the journey, after all.

Thank you Amber Babies for checking out yet another one of my blog posts. Feel free to leave comments on your own acne experience. And don''t forget to visit me on TikTok, as well as on IG, @ginamberx, where I go over insanely effective skincare tips, trends, and topics!