Vitamin C, the active ingredient with multiple benefits

The benefits of Vitamin C for the skin

Anti-ageing:

Vitamin C is essential for collagen production.

Vitamin C was discovered in the 18th century when scurvy first appeared. Exploration and long-distance sailing were commonplace at this time and many sailors developed a mysterious and deadly disease. To tackle this illness, a British naval doctor created a treatment based on lemon and orange juice. Without fully understanding how it worked, he proved that the disease was caused by a prolonged Vitamin C deficiency. Scurvy is now recognised as a disease of the connective tissue caused by a collagen deficiency; ascorbic acid plays a vital role in counteracting it.

Collagen is the main protein in the extracellular matrix, which is also made up of elastin and hyaluronic acid. It supports the skin and ensures that it’s strong and elastic. It’s made by fibroblasts, the cells of the dermis. Vitamin C stimulates the fibroblasts and is involved in the process of synthesising the amino acids which make up the collagen fibres.

Skincare which includes Vitamin C is suitable for all ages. When applied to younger skin, it has a preventive effect, working to slow the development of wrinkles by maintaining the integrity of collagen. It has a curative effect on mature skin. It stimulates the production of collagen and revitalises the skin while visibly reducing wrinkles.

Antioxidant: ascorbic acid combats free radicals

Living creatures need oxygen to live. But breathing causes many chemical reactions within the body, including the creation of particularly unstable molecules called free radicals. To balance themselves, free radicals take electrons from other molecules, endlessly creating new free radicals. This chain reaction is called oxidative stress. 

 

 

Oxidative stress, which accelerates the ageing of the body, can be aggravated by our lifestyles (sun-bathing, exposure to pollution, smoking, drinking alcohol, etc.). In the epidermis, collagen is damaged, its production decreases and the skin’s structure is affected. To neutralise free radicals, the body needs antioxidants, such as Vitamin C, which limit cell damage and visibly slow down the effects of ageing.

Brightening: Vitamin C helps with pigment spots

The antioxidant power of Vitamin C also helps to tackle issues caused by changes to melanin. The molecule works effectively on all kinds of pigment spots : hyperpigmentation, brown spots caused by the sun, age spots and pigmented scars. It gives the skin a real glow, so you can say goodbye to a dull complexion.

The best sources of Vitamin C

The human body is not able to synthesise or store Vitamin C, which is essential for the skin’s physiological mechanisms.

As a result, we need to take it regularly to take advantage of all its benefits. Daily requirements depend on your age and lifestyle. On average, the recommended intake is 110 mg per day. Athletes require a much higher intake, as do smokers: a single cigarette destroys 5 mg of ingested Vitamin C.

Fruit and vegetables are packed with Vitamin C. Some of them have particularly high levels:

• Sea buckthorn berriesare packed with minerals, essential fatty acids and vitamins: their Vitamin C concentration is 30 times higher than that of an orange;
• Acerola cherries are one of the best natural sources of Vitamin C in the world, containing 15 to 30 times more than oranges;
• Goji berries have high levels of minerals and natural antioxidants, containing 10 times more Vitamin C than oranges. 

Pineapples, strawberries, guavas, kiwis, peppers, broccoli, acai berries and papayas can all increase your daily intake. You can also increase your intake by taking supplements.

 

PATYKA’s Vitamin C-rich skincare to enhance your beauty routine

The Pro-Collagen Lift Mask by PATYKA

With its high concentration of Vitamin C, amino acids and pure plant-derived hyaluronic acid, the Pro-Collagen Lift Mask is a powerful anti-ageing and antioxidant treatment. Its unique formula includes Vigna aconitifolia, a natural retinol-like active ingredient, and boosts the natural production of collagen for skin which is visibly firmer and more radiant.

The Pro-Collagen Lift Mask was awarded the Gold Medal in 2020 by Cosmétique Magazine in its Pharmacy Skincare category.

PATYKA’s Dark Spot Correcting Serum

With its concentrated formula, packed with antioxidants and exfoliating active ingredients, the Dark Spot Correcting Serum regulates melanin and visibly reduces pigment spots.

Discovered by PATYKA Advanced Research, an exclusive complex to tackle dark spots combines goji berries, which are rich in Vitamin C, with sea fern and oxyresveratrol, extracted from the wild mulberry tree, for an even, luminous complexion and hydrated skin.