Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid)
L-ascorbic acid, a potent antioxidant that brightens, fades dark spots, and shields skin from daily free-radical damage.
How to use it
Use in the morning, before moisturizer and sunscreen. Pure L-ascorbic acid can sting sensitive skin — a derivative may suit you better.
Avoid combining with
Stacking acidic actives disrupts skin pH and can damage the moisture barrier.
→ Separate them — e.g. vitamin C in the AM, the acid at night.
Two low-pH actives together can irritate and destabilize each other.
→ Use at different times of day.
Benzoyl peroxide can oxidize vitamin C, reducing its effectiveness.
→ Apply at different times of day.
Both are potent, and vitamin C prefers a lower pH than retinoids — together they can irritate.
→ The classic split: vitamin C in the AM, retinoid at night.
Products with Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid)
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