Best Vitamin C Serums for Acne Prone Skin 2019

Before talking about the amazing effects of Vitamin C serums, you need to know what Vitamin C is and how it works. Probably self-evidently, Vitamin C is a vitamin. You may also see it advertised under the name L-ascorbic acid. It, along with Vitamin B and Folate, is a water-soluble vitamin that is present in many foods, most famously citrus fruits like oranges. 

Vitamin C has been used for centuries to help reduce signs of aging. In fact, there is some anthropological evidence that shows the topical use of Vitamin C as far back as the Tang Dynasty (618-917) C.E.

Humans need Vitamin C for the production of collagen, L-carnitines, and other neurotransmitters. Additionally, Vitamin C is important for protein metabolism. We’re not going to go any further into the science behind Vitamin C—this is more than enough science talk for today’s article. But, suffice it to say that we all need to get a specific amount of Vitamin C daily for our bodies to function properly.

Vitamin C goes by many different names. If you see a product with Vitamin C ester, ascorbic acid, L-ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbyl phosphate, ascorbyl palmitat, retinyl ascorbate, tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, or magnesium ascorbyl phosphate on a label, the product has Vitamin C in it.

Wondering what all of this has to do with Vitamin C serums? Like the rest of our body, our skin needs Vitamin C to work properly and look its best. Additionally, skin does not produce Vitamin C on its own, so it needs a little help from you.

If you are struggling with acne, your skin’s need for Vitamin C is even greater. Vitamin C serums provide a highly concentrated distillation of the vitamin—and other materials in the product, see below. The liquid that results is usually odorless and can be used on its own or put into your favorite moisturizer.

Serums are significantly lighter than other acne topical treatments like creams or moisturizers. This can help reduce acne since serums do not clog pores.

Because they are such a highly concentrated liquid, it is recommended that you only use a drop or two of a Vitamin C serum. Too much could damage, instead of help, your skin.

This is probably your biggest question. And the short answer is, yes, Vitamin C serums do work effectively as skincare treatments for acne.

Their antioxidant properties and production of collagen helps to keep our skin smooth and taut. Collagen is a protein and is abundantly found in our connective tissues. Vitamin C helps prevent the production of free radicals, which come to us from many factors, including environmental ones like pollution and sun damage.

Also, Vitamin C prevents the synthesis of melanin. Melanin is the pigment that gives our skin and hair its color. The more melanin you have, the darker your skin and hair. An over production of melanin can cause dark or red spots on your skin. By blocking melatonin production, Vitamin C serums reduce the appearance of these unsightly spots.

While our article today focuses on Vitamin C serums that are best for acne, there are other treatment options you can choose to heal your skin.

If you’ve ever taken Vitamin C for a cold, then you are familiar with the benefits of orally consuming the vitamin. Ingesting Vitamin C can boost your immune system, which can help your entire body. When your immune system is functioning properly, you get sick less.

Acne outbreaks can indicate a problem with your immune system, so by making it healthier, you will be working to reduce your acne. However, many reviewers note that orally ingesting Vitamin C does not seem to work as well or as quickly as topically applying it to trouble areas.

You will sometimes see Vitamin C creams instead of serums. Many creams will include moisturizing agents as well, which reduce the number of products you need to put on your face. Creams and moisturizers can cause oiliness or clog pores, which can make acne worse. So, they must be used with caution.

Because Vitamin C serums increase the production of collagen in your skin they can help stop the effects of aging. In fact, when searching for Vitamin C serums, you will likely see the words “anti-aging” or “youthful” on the bottle.

The presence of these words doesn’t mean that the serum doesn’t treat acne as well, it just indicates the major target market for Vitamin C serums. You can use Vitamin C serums to help keep your skin looking youthful as well as acne free. However, because there is a lot of variability in the ingredient proportions in the serums, you will want to continue reading to learn about the best Vitamin C serum formulas that treat acne specifically.

Because Vitamin C serums do not work as effectively when they’re alone, there are some other ingredients you should see when looking at the label. All of the ingredients listed here help reduce acne and its symptoms like redness and scarring.

One final thing you should look for in your Vitamin C serum, is the amount of Vitamin C. Different serums will have different concentrations. For acne, more is better. Most people recommend looking for a product with 5-15% of Ascorbic acid or 1-20 % of Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate/Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (two other forms of Vitamin C).

There seems to be a million Vitamin C serums on the market. Some are better than others. One way to tell the bad Vitamin C serums from the good ones are the ingredients used. Here a couple ingredients that you should stay away from.

To recap, here are some of the most important pros and cons of Vitamin C serums that you should keep in mind before making a purchase.

Pros of Vitamin C srums

Cons of Vitamin C serums