Vitamin C Ireland | Brightening Skincare

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Vitamin C FAQs

Which vitamin C should I pick?

Start with how much your skin can take rather than the number on the bottle.

Medik8 C-Tetra and SkinCeuticals Serum 10 are gentle starting points. SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic, Obagi Professional-C Serum 15% and Medik8 Super C Ferulic are the ones that get repurchased. Reform Skincare Vitamin C 20% Serum and Skin Formulas Vitamin C Serum are both made in Ireland.

Vitamin C is not only serums. There are cleansers, creams, eye products and masks here too, including the full Image Skincare Vital C range and the Obagi Professional-C range.

Is a higher percentage better?

Not automatically. Above roughly 20 percent there is little extra benefit and a lot more chance of stinging.

The formula matters more than the number. Vitamin C paired with vitamin E and ferulic acid is more stable and works harder than a high percentage on its own.

If you are new to it, start lower and move up once your skin is happy.

When should I apply vitamin C?

Morning, on clean dry skin, before moisturiser and SPF.

Damp skin can make it sting, so pat dry first and give it a minute to settle before the next step.

If mornings are rushed, using it at night is better than not using it at all.

Can I use vitamin C with retinol, niacinamide or acids?

Niacinamide is fine alongside it. The old advice about the two cancelling each other out does not hold up.

Retinol is best kept to the other end of the day. Vitamin C in the morning, retinol at night.

Exfoliating acids on the same morning as vitamin C is a lot for most skin. Alternate the days instead.

Why does my vitamin C sting?

A short tingle on application is common with stronger formulas and usually settles as your skin gets used to it.

Stinging that lasts, or redness afterwards, is not something to push through. Try it every second day, apply to fully dry skin or move to a gentler formula.

If your skin is already compromised, get it calm and comfortable first. Vitamin C on an irritated barrier will not go well.

How should I store it and when do I replace it?

Away from sunlight, lid closed tight, at room temperature. A bathroom windowsill is the worst place for it.

Vitamin C darkens as it oxidises. A clear or pale serum that has gone deep orange or brown has lost most of its potency. It will not harm your skin, it just will not do much.

Once opened, most are best used within a few months. Buying a size you will finish beats buying the biggest bottle.