Vitamin C is one of the most potent antioxidants available in skincare – and it lives up to the hype, effectively brightening and firming the skin. But did you know Vitamin C can also help to protect the skin from UV radiation?Protecting Against UV Induced DamageBeing a powerhouse antioxidant, Vitamin C is programmed to fight against free radicals, or oxidative stress. Unfortunately, free radicals are part of daily life. They’re generated from stress, fried foods, smoking, alcohol, pollution and largely by UV rays. Free radicals are unstable, harmful, invisible oxygen atoms that attack our skin by breaking down essential structures, such as collagen and protective skin barrier lipids. This triggers inflammation in the skin, which over time, results in premature skin ageing, uneven skin tone and sensitivity.So how does Vitamin C help defend against free radicals? Well, it’s able to stabilise and therefore stop free radicals from attacking the skin, preventing sun induced skin damage. But here’s the exciting part – the latest research also shows that Vitamin C actually enhances your skin’s natural defence system, helping to better protect itself from oxidative stress. Vitamin C can be used both day and night, but because of its antioxidant benefits, its well utilised during the daytime when we’re exposed to the sunlight.Boost Your Daily Sun Protection with Vitamin CWhen you pair sunscreen with an antioxidant like Vitamin C, you boost the effectiveness of your skin’s sun defence capabilities. Vitamin C is not a “sunscreen” as it doesn’t absorb light in the UVA and UVB spectrum. Rather, the antioxidant activity of Vitamin C protects against UV-induced damage caused by free radicals. It’s for this reason all Dermalogica sunscreens are packed with antioxidants, offering a superior form of sun protection to help keep skin healthy. They’re also broad spectrum, meaning they protect against both UVB and UVA rays.The more antioxidants in your daytime skincare, the better protected your skin will be from environmental damage. By combining an antioxidant rich sunscreen with a Vitamin C treatment such as BioLumin-C Serum or BioLumin-C Gel Moisturiser, you’re upping the ante on your level of sun defence, whilst also increasing your glow.Not All Vitamin C is EqualWhen selecting a Vitamin C treatment for your skin, look for one that’s stabilised. Vitamin C has much to offer the skin, however, this incredible active is highly unstable, so it’ll break down easily when exposed to light, heat and oxygen. If unstable, the benefits of Vitamin C are limited, plus it begins to degrade fast on the skin and even in its packaging. Dermalogica’s BioLumin-C range of products are all stabilised and bioavailable, so that they get deep into the skin, to increase the Vitamin C’s efficacy.When it comes to protecting your skin from sun damage, pairing a Vitamin C treatment with a good quality broad spectrum SPF makes the ultimate daily defence partnership!Your local Dermalogica Professional Skin Therapist will be able to prescribe the best Dermalogica sunscreen for your unique skin.
