Vitamin C serum plus sunscreen. Necessary?
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free skin care · Wed Jan 11, 2012 7:59 pm

If you wear vitamin c serum daily, is it really necessary to wear sunscreen as well?
Also, how much time do you wait for your vitamin C serum to settle before applying your daily moisturizer?

free skin care · Wed Jan 11, 2012 8:10 pm

You should definitely wear sunscreen. Antioxidants boost the efficacy of sunblock.

From American Academy of Dermatology:

Quote:

“Adding antioxidants to sunscreen is an innovative approach that could represent the next generation of sunscreens, which would not only filter UV radiation, but also offer other tangible skin health benefits,” said Dr. Wang. “Theoretically, supplementing sunscreens with antioxidants could boost the body’s natural defense against the formation of UVA-induced free radicals; therefore serving as a second layer of protection against UV radiation that passes through the first layer of UV protection.”

It's helpful to apply a separate antioxidant product because the antioxidants in sunscreen (if any) aren't stable.

Quote:

Due to the unstable nature of antioxidants when added to sunscreens and that there is no single test to sufficiently measure their concentrations, Dr. Wang stressed that it was a challenging task to determine the final concentration of antioxidants in each product and differentiate their free radical protection.

I don't think you can have enough protection from the sun. And with photo-aging comprising the majority of preventable skin damage, do you really want to risk it?

I usually apply a few drops on my face, and it absorbs instantly. When I first got the serum, I would cover my face in half-dropper's worth of product, and it would just sit on my face.

free skin care · Wed Jan 11, 2012 8:13 pm

I use spf every day. For letting the serum sink in, I never timed it but I might apply and then have a bath. It's all sunk in by the time I'm done.

Sometimes my cats help me out. I put on the serum and a cat comes in and poops. So by the time I'm done with the litter box **and washed my hands** the serum is absorbed.

My skin looks pretty good, so I must be doing something right. Cool

free skin care · Wed Jan 11, 2012 8:35 pm

Antioxidant serums don't replace sunscreen. No need to wait a long time between applications, just enough for it to absorb. Also an LAA C serum quickly degrades in sunlight so it doesn't really provide any sun protection.

free skin care · Wed Jan 11, 2012 9:18 pm

^ so what about this routine:

1) vit c serum and then allow it to absorb
2) apply sunscreen
3) daily moisturizer on top?

free skin care · Wed Jan 11, 2012 9:46 pm

Is it a physical or chemical sunscreen?

free skin care · Thu Jan 12, 2012 6:11 am

BCgirl wrote:

^ so what about this routine:

1) vit c serum and then allow it to absorb
2) apply sunscreen
3) daily moisturizer on top?

SS should be the last step in your routine.

free skin care · Thu Jan 12, 2012 8:55 am

what if i wear make-up daily that has spf in it? Then would it be necessary for sunscreen? Since make-up in itself acts like a mask between the uvrays and the skin

free skin care · Thu Jan 12, 2012 10:31 am

I use a vitamin C serum with liposome technology, it sinks in immediately! NeoCell Collagen+C Liposome.

I take astaxanthin supplements as my sunscreen.

free skin care · Thu Jan 12, 2012 11:04 am

BCgirl wrote:

what if i wear make-up daily that has spf in it? Then would it be necessary for sunscreen? Since make-up in itself acts like a mask between the uvrays and the skin

Up to you but IMO you still need SS. You would have to apply your foundation very heavy in order to get the actual SPF protection from it.

free skin care · Thu Jan 12, 2012 3:19 pm

I agree with PP you still need a good broad spectrum sunscreen. It really depends on how importnat sun protection is to you. For me its No1 on my list.

Usually makeup protects UVB rays only. I have yet to find a broad spectrum foundation and even tinted moisturisers are hard to find like this.Thats another option but again not many protect UVA1 UVA2 and UVB rays.

My advice would be to apply Vit C (let absorb)then moisturiser(let absorb)then sunscreen especially if its a physical sunscreen (eg ZnO etc)But thats just how I do it. You can apply chemical sunscreens before your moisturiser if you like.I've read lots of stuff on whether sunscreen or moisturiser should go on first and I truly think it depends on what type of moisturiser and sunscreen you use.

You can always mix moisturiser and sunscreen depending on their properties but you dont want to buffer the sunscreen too much so I would add extra sunscreen. Then apply your foundation on top.

HTHs

free skin care · Sat Jan 14, 2012 11:46 am

vitamin c can only do a partial reversal of the damages caused by UV. however, only sunscreen can prevent those damages from occuring in the first place. of course sunscreen is better!

ole henriksen vit c serum did indicate to be applied in the a.m, however, i'm in the opinion that it should be left to absorb in fully before applying suncreen. at least, i do that for every major step in my regime.

free skin care · Sat Jan 14, 2012 12:00 pm

You have to wear sunscreen everyday or else all your anti-aging benefits from your creams/serums won't do much at all

free skin care · Thu Mar 08, 2012 8:38 am

Oh PLEASE wear sunscreen everyday!!! So important. Anti-aging rule #1!

Antioxidants "pump up" sun protection and help you get the most mileage out of your sunscreen. But antioxidants do not protect from the sun's rays.

free skin care · Thu Mar 08, 2012 9:11 am

jadkin wrote:

Oh PLEASE wear sunscreen everyday!!! So important. Anti-aging rule #1!

Antioxidants "pump up" sun protection and help you get the most mileage out of your sunscreen. But antioxidants do not protect from the sun's rays.

Totally agree! I use a c serum, physical SS and MMU with some spf......especially in a tropical climate with sooooo much sun!

free skin care · Fri Mar 09, 2012 5:37 am

BCgirl wrote:

what if i wear make-up daily that has spf in it? Then would it be necessary for sunscreen? Since make-up in itself acts like a mask between the uvrays and the skin

I have found that most foundations don't really have enough SPF in them to make a difference. Typically they're around SPF 15 or something like that. I always want at least a 30, so I don't trust foundations with sunscreen as stand alone protection. I actually use DrJart Premium BB SPF 45 which acts as my foundation and SPF...the stuff is fabulous!

free skin care · Fri Mar 09, 2012 5:53 am

For normal, work days when I am inside most of the time: My moisturizer (Aveeno Positively Radiant Moisturizer with SPF 15) and my makeup (Jane Iredale PurePressed Base w/ SPF 30) has sunscreen, so that helps me to cut down on the number of things I need to apply.

If I'm going to be outside for longer than an hour, I apply a stronger sunscreen with a high SPF.

Fri Mar 09, 2012 8:43 am

If you use Vitamin C serum - you skin will be luminous and beautiful until you go outside without extra sunscreen, more than you usually wear... Sun spots, burned skin and dark spots - thats what you'll get if dont use sunscreen after vitamin c.
I use Colorescience mineral makeup for sunscreen, it is powder that comes out of the tube and you can carry it with you and re-apply every hour if wanted.
Vitamin c makes skin very sensitive, so as antibiotics...

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