What no one tells you about the popular ingredient.
by DANIELLE COHEN
March 21, 2024
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W
hen it comes to notoriety, vitamin C falls within the upper echelons of skin
care ingredients, comfortably nestled between the likes of hyaluronic acid
and retinol. Aer all, between the name recognition, a host of proven
benets — including brightening and rming the skin, protecting against sun and
environmental damage, diminishing dark spots, and reducing signs of aging — and seemingly
endless oerings on the market, vitamin C might as well be an A-list celebrity. But like any
(Skin)
Is Your Vitamin C Serum To Blame For Your Skin Struggles?
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great celebrity, the ingredient has its fair share of controversies and naysayers — myself
included.
And itʼs not just the horrid hot dog water smell many serums have. My skin simply doesnʼt like
the stu, and it seems like Iʼm not the only one. On TikTok, esthetician and product developer
Alicia Lartey was quick to point out the shortcomings of the revered antioxidant, while New
York City-based board-certied dermatologist, Dr. Mark Strom, M.D., shared three reasons
topical vitamin C might not be for everyone. Thereʼs also the 2021 review published in The
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, which evaluated the ecacy of various vitamin C
formulations, and had mixed results at best. All this leads to the question: Are vitamin Cʼs
days on top numbered? I turned to a handful of top dermatologists for their take on the
matter.
First, What Is Vitamin C?
According to Dr. Joshua Zeichner, M.D., a board-certied dermatologist and director of
cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City,
vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that neutralizes free radical damage, blocks production of
abnormal pigmentation, and acts as an essential cofactor for the production of healthy
collagen. With such an impressive litany of benets, itʼs no surprise itʼs a favorite among skin
care enthusiasts.
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While itʼs oen positioned as the star ingredient in all sorts of skin care products to help
brighten overall skin tone and texture, as Dr. Corey L. Hartman, M.D., founder of Skin
Wellness in Birmingham, Ala., aptly puts it: “Itʼs not a magic bullet for everyone.”
Because for all that there is to love about vitamin C — and admittedly thereʼs quite a bit to love
— thereʼs as much to be skeptical about.
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What Are The Downsides Of Vitamin C?
The problems with vitamin C are multi-pronged. To begin with, New York City-based board-
certied dermatologist Dr. Teresa Song, M.D., points out that not all vitamin C products are
made equal — the ingredient varies greatly in stability, concentration, and formulation,
which can make it dicult to nd the right formula for your particular needs.
Vitamin C is an inherently unstable molecule, meaning even the most stable form of the
ingredient is prone to some instability if itʼs not stored properly (which, to be fair, me too).
According to Song, vitamin C oxidizes quickly when exposed to light, heat, and air, rendering
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the ingredient virtually ineective and increasing the likelihood of skin irritation. And while
brands themselves can do quite a bit to maintain vitamin C stability through dark-colored
containers and air-tight packaging, thereʼs still ample risk of user error. For example, a
vitamin C product stored in the bathroom could potentially become unstable due to repeated
exposure to steam and heat from hot showers. In short, the ingredient is particularly fussy.
And that fussiness can lead to quite a bit of irritation, including ushing, peeling, itchiness,
burning, and the formation of acne.
L-ascorbic acid, which is generally considered the most eective form of vitamin C and
therefore one of the most popular, is also the most unstable, Zeichner says, which means it
carries a high chance of irritation. In essence, vitamin Cʼs ecacy is proportional to its
concentration, which can be particularly irritating in higher formulations. But even the
mildest forms of vitamin C come with a risk of inammation and irritation. For that reason,
Dr. Ranella Hirsch, M.D., a board-certied dermatologist in Boston, suggests those with
sensitive skin or rosacea stay away from the ingredient.
For melanated complexions, especially those that already have an increased risk of
hyperpigmentation due to skin trauma (be it acne or pre-existing irritation), vitamin C can
also be quite problematic.
“Vitamin C in higher concentrations poses risk of skin irritation, which on the mild end could
result in redness, itching and burning,” Hartman explains. “Excess irritation, especially in
skin of color, can result in hyperpigmentation, which is usually the exact opposite of what
patients want when using a vitamin C product.”
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Given vitamin Cʼs proclivity toward instability and irritation, it can be fairly dicult to
formulate with and, as a result, tends to be quite expensive. Spending $100-plus on a single
serum just isnʼt feasible for everyone. Some skin — and some lifestyles — simply arenʼt
compatible with vitamin C.
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Can You Still Treat Hyperpigmentation If You Can’t
Tolerate Vitamin C?
Itʼs hard to talk about vitamin C without mentioning hyperpigmentation. Aer all, it tends to
be the gold standard, at least colloquially, at lightening those pesky dark spots. For those like
me, who struggle with persistent hyperpigmentation but canʼt tolerate vitamin C very well, it
can feel like weʼre stuck between a rock and a hard place.
But vitamin C isnʼt necessarily the hyperpigmentation superhero itʼs said to be. While itʼs great
at brightening overall skin tone, itʼs not ideal at treating specic hyperpigmentation. Due to
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its instability, the ingredient is rarely meant to be a standalone agent — according to Hirsch,
vitamin C formulas usually feature other ingredients, many of which do a lot of heavy liing
ghting hyperpigmentation. Per Song, vitamin C is most eective for hyperpigmentation
when coupled with other anti-pigment agents that can work synergistically to block multiple
steps of the melanin synthesis pathway.
And as Hartman puts it, depending on what kind of hyperpigmentation youʼre dealing with,
there are many other options that are likely more eective at treating those darker spots than
vitamin C alone. In short, itʼs likely not the vitamin C itself (or at least the ingredient alone) in
a vitamin C-centric formula that helps lighten hyperpigmentation — which is great news for
people like me.
Vitamin C Alternatives
More good news: There are plenty of ingredients and products that feature many, if not all, of
vitamin Cʼs benets sans irritation and instability. Lightening agents like alpha arbutin,
tranexamic acid, and azelaic acid are all powerful skin illuminators known to be gentler than
vitamin C, Song says. Meanwhile, niacinamide has all the antioxidant benets of vitamin C as
well as its ability to visibly brighten skin — while causing far less irritation than its
counterpart. Alpha hydroxy acids like glycolic and lactic acids can also help reduce the
appearance of hyperpigmentation by chemically exfoliating the skin. Some skin care brands
even use proprietary ingredients clinically proven to lighten dark spots and reduce signs of
aging more eectively than vitamin C (more on that below).
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Mother Science
Molecular Hero Serum
$89
Aer emptying out two bottles of this powerful baby, I can condently say the Molecular Hero Serum
is a top-tier vitamin C alternative. Hartman is also a fan thanks to its use of novel ingredient
Malassezin, a powerful antioxidant clinically proven to be 10 times more powerful than vitamin C.
Because it naturally occurs in the skin, Malassezin has the unique ability to target hyperpigmentation
and signs of aging while improving the skin barrier.
See On Mother Science
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MERIT Beauty
Great Skin Instant Glow Serum
$38
This bi-phase serum immediately hydrates and plumps the skin while working to create a brighter,
more even-looking complexion over time. Hyaluronic acid is paired with niacinamide and cacao seed
extract for an antioxidant-rich formula that helps brighten skin and lock in all-day hydration. Bonus
points for being especially great under makeup.
See MERIT Beauty
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Lion Pose
UNSPOTTED 4X Acid Jelly Serum
$79
Developed by Harvard dermatologists and formulated with an emphasis on darker skin tone ecacy,
this serum features a blend of AHAs and antioxidants to visibly fade spots and repair the skin, while
soothing ingredients like aloe, hyaluronic acid, and tiger grass help boost hydration and promote skin
repair.
See On Sephora
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